12 Makita Tools That Are No-Brainers At Their Price

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For DIY enthusiasts and trade professionals, there always seems to be a tool or two (or ten) that are missing from the current collection. Maybe you're trying to find a better version of a tool you currently own, you're slowly accumulating every type of tool available, or you have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket. Whatever the case, starting your search for new tools with the Makita brand is a smart idea.

There are a few things to consider before buying Makita tools, such as the range of tools the brand offers and how the three battery systems — CXT, LXT, and XGT — differ from one another. But ultimately, Makita is a reliable power tool brand that gathers positive customer ratings online across multiple retailers. We've rounded up 12 different Makita tools that are no-brainers at their price, though it's worth noting that Makita is a higher-end tool brand, so its tool prices won't be as low as, for example, these Harbor Freight finds that are also no-brainers at their price.

Powered by a brushless motor capable of delivering up to 4,000 rotations per minute (RPM), Makita's Cordless Drywall Screwdriver is an incredibly useful tool for a contractor's bag. Whether you're hanging sheetrock, setting up metal framing, or installing subfloors, this $149 drywall screwdriver will help you get the job done faster and more comfortably than a traditional screwdriver. To make it more comfortable for long periods of use, it features an ergonomic pistol grip with a two-finger trigger and weighs just 3.8 pounds with a battery installed.

It's ready for any jobsite, thanks to a design that gives special attention to dust and water resistance, durable all-metal gears and gear housing, and protection against overloading, over-discharging, and overheating. Then, it's built with Push Drive technology in lock-on mode, which enables the screwdriver's motor to start only when the fastener is engaged. This feature ultimately helps lower the tool's noise levels and extend the time between battery charging sessions. How long the 18V LXT battery (sold separately) lasts between charges will depend on how intensely you're using the tool, but it's easy to estimate how much time you have left by glancing at the tool's 3-stage LED battery gauge.

Although Makita is a higher-end brand than DeWalt, one similarly affordable tool from both brands is a jigsaw. A 20V brushless jigsaw priced around $120 landed on our roundup of DeWalt tools that are no-brainers at their price, and from Makita, there's this 18V LXT Cordless Jigsaw that currently retails for $165 at Amazon and just under $200 at Home Depot. As its name implies, the tool is compatible with an 18-volt LXT battery, which can charge in just half an hour with Makita's rapid optimum charger, though both the battery and the charger are sold separately.

This jigsaw's variable speed motor can deliver up to 2,600 strokes per minute (SPM). This speed, paired with the tool's built-in LED light, tool-less blade change system, and heavy-gauge, precision-machined base, helps it make smooth, accurate, and efficient cuts through wood, metal, plastic, tile, and other materials. It's also built with user comfort in mind, featuring lower vibration levels, less noise, a large two-finger trigger, and a compact overall design that weighs just 6.1 pounds.

This $149 Cordless Circular Saw Kit is one of the best Makita tools on Amazon that are under $200, and that no-brainer price includes a compatible battery and charger. It's priced the same at Home Depot, and this particular product listing also comes with a hard case to store the tool, a Makita 12V Max CXT battery, and a charger.

Looking closer at the tool itself, it has an ergonomic handle and a soft rubber grip that make it comfortable to use for long projects, a motor that can deliver up to 1,500 RPM, and a blade wrench attached to the saw that makes swapping out the blade easy. The tool's 3 3/8-inch blade offers a maximum cutting depth of 1 inch at 90 degrees, and this depth can be adjusted down to 5/8 of an inch at 45 degrees. This 12V circular saw can slice through plywood, MDF, pegboard, particleboard, melamine, and other materials, and its tilting base allows for bevel cuts between 0 and 45 degrees. To keep your area clear while working, the tool is equipped with a built-in dust blower.

The XRU23Z String Trimmer from Makita retails for $189 and change, but at the time of writing, it's available at both Amazon and Home Depot for $5 off full price. Because this lawn tool uses one of Makita's 18V LXT batteries, it produces no emissions, operates quietly, and requires less maintenance than gas-powered string trimmers. Its brushless motor can reach up to 6,000 RPM, and on a full charge, it can run for up to one hour. There's a variable speed trigger and a high/low button that lets you prioritize power or run time.

In addition to packing a good amount of power, the tool is also relatively easy to use. This string trimmer is equipped with a "rapid load bump-and-feed" head that Makita says can be loaded in just three steps: aligning the line, feeding it, and twisting to fully load it. Then, to help the tool last longer, it features Makita's Extreme Protection Technology (XPT), an internal seal that improves overall dust and water resistance, and built-in computer controls that prevent overloading, over-discharging, and overheating during use and charging.

This 2-Piece Combo Kit from Makita is one of the brand's more expensive options on this list, but with everything that's included, its retail price of $199 is a no-brainer for any tool enthusiast. At a quick glance, this combo kit comprises a 1/2-inch driver-drill, an impact driver, two Makita 18V LXT batteries, a charger that can recharge one battery at a time, and a tool bag to hold at least everything mentioned so far, if not a few more small hand tools. All in all, it's a great set of Makita tools for homeowners to have on hand.

Diving a little deeper, the driver-drill comes with two different speeds (up to 600 RPM and up to 1,900 RPM) and can deliver up to 480 in-lbs of torque, while the impact driver offers variable speed up to 2,900 RPM and up to 3,500 impacts per minute (IPM) and delivers up to 1,460 in-lbs of max torque. Both tools feature a built-in LED light to help you work in darker spots, a comfortable handle with a soft rubber grip, and a small, lightweight design that allows you to use the tool longer without getting sore.

A less expensive option compared to the other Makita jigsaw on this list, which is cordless and just shy of $200, is this $159 6.5-Amp Corded Jigsaw, which is slightly more powerful and comes with a hard case to store the tool when it's not in use. Makita's pricier XVJ03Z jigsaw model delivers up to 2,600 SPM on battery, while the JV0600K corded model delivers between 500 and 3,100 SPM with a variable-speed control dial.

To help the jigsaw make accurate cuts, there's a counterbalance system to reduce vibrations, a lock-on button to switch on continuous operation for long projects, and a built-in dust blower to keep your view clear. Or there's even a through-the-body dust port you can hook up to a vacuum to truly keep the area dust-free. For comfort and ease of use, this jigsaw features a large two-finger trigger, an ergonomic grip, an onboard wrench for quick bevel adjustments, and a tool-less blade-change system.

Among major cordless reciprocating saw brands, Makita ranks near the middle of the pack, mainly due to its higher prices compared to competing brands. That said, one Makita reciprocating saw's high average rating speaks to its durability, reliability, and ultimately, its worth despite a higher price. The 18V LXT Cordless Reciprocating Saw retails for $149, but it's frequently knocked down to $135 on Amazon. At either price, this is a powerful, well-built tool to have in your collection.

This reciprocating saw model has a 1/2-inch stroke length, variable speed up to 3,000 SPM, and a proprietary dual-position on/off switch that lets you operate the saw in either paddle or trigger-switch mode. With a tool-less blade-change system, swapping in a new blade is a breeze, and the tool is easy to store, thanks to its relatively small footprint and 3.9-pound weight (including an 18V LXT battery), though no battery is included with this specific tool listing. There's also a built-in LED light and a rubberized soft grip to help prevent discomfort with longer projects.

This Cordless Floor Leaf Blower model is a great 18V LXT Makita tool for any homeowner, trade professional, or DIY enthusiast to add to their stash. Whether you're using it to blow away leaves or in another practical way to use a leaf blower, this $169 Makita leaf blower is well-equipped for whatever task you throw at it. It has a variable three-speed motor that produces a maximum air speed of 152 miles per hour and a maximum airflow of 113 cubic feet per minute.

Makita estimates that, when set to its highest speed with a 6-amp 18V LXT battery (sold separately), this leaf blower can last up to 16 minutes between charges. The tool features Star Protection Computer Controls that prevent the battery from overheating, overloading, and over-discharging, helping regulate the tool's efficiency and overall lifespan. The tool is surprisingly lightweight, weighing just 4.6 pounds with the battery installed, and its soft-grip handle makes it more comfortable to use.

A drill is essential for any home tool kit, and Makita's Cordless Drill is a great mid-range pick. It features a 3/8-inch keyless chuck, allowing for super-quick bit changes, though it's important to note that no bits are included with this product. Retailing for $149, this drill model is a solid combination of healthy power, decent battery life, and thoughtful design, and the FD09R1 kit includes a drill, a battery, a charger, and a hard case for safe storage.

It's equipped with a variable two-speed design, including a less intense mode for simple tasks that reaches up to 450 RPM and a faster, more powerful mode that reaches up to 1,700 RPM. For the toughest jobs, you can expect up to 250 in-lbs of maximum torque from this little drill, which measures 7 inches long and weighs just 2.4 pounds with a battery installed. This compact form factor, along with its built-in LED light, is perfect for working in small, dark spaces.

The 12V Max CXT battery included with this drill features protection against overheating, overloading, and over-discharging. The battery's slide-style design feels more balanced than pod-style designs and allows the tool to stand on its own. To keep track of how charged a battery is, you can quickly glance at the LED indicator built into the battery.

The Makita 9557NB Angle Grinder retails for $99, but you can sometimes find it a little cheaper on Amazon. That price makes it one of the cheapest power tools Makita makes, but in no way does that mean it's not high quality. For durability, this angle grinder features an all-ball-bearing design, a metal gear housing, labyrinth construction designed to keep dust and debris away from the motor and bearings, and a zig-zag varnish that provides double protection for the armature against dust and debris.

This angle grinder comes equipped with a 4.5-inch grinding wheel, a 7.5-amp motor that delivers a constant speed of 11,000 RPM, and an AC/DC switch so you're not limited to a single power source. The tool is fairly compact at 4.5 pounds, and you can rotate its gear housing every 90 degrees as needed. For convenience, the grinder features a spindle lock that makes grinding wheel changes easier, a 2.5-inch barrel-grip handle that's comfortable to hold, and an intuitive on/off switch placement on the side of the motor.

Compared to plain old orbital sanders, random orbit sanders leave no swirling marks on the surface, produce less dust, and are better at stripping unwanted layers. However, they tend to be pricier than standard orbital sanders. Some models can reach upwards of $300, but this Corded Random Orbit Sander from Makita has a reasonable retail price of $99. Plus, you can often catch this power tool on sale at Amazon.

Makita's BO5030K sander model features a 3-amp motor that continuously rotates the pad at 12,000 orbits per minute (OPM), delivers 1/8-inch random-orbit action, and uses a quick-change 5-inch abrasive disc, which is included with the tool purchase. Also included, there's a dust bag to collect dust as you work and a hard plastic tool case to safely store the tool when it's not in use. To help the tool last longer, Makita equipped it with oversized, sealed ball-bearing construction and a dust-sealed switch. And for comfort and better control, the large palm grip on top of the tool is rubberized.

Brad nailers are ideal for jobs around the home that involve thinner lumber cuts, like fiberboard and plywood, and this Pneumatic 18-Gauge Brad Nailer from Makita is a no-brainer at its retail price of $134. At Amazon, this particular Makita nailer frequently dips as low as $119. It operates at 70 to 120 pounds per square inch (psi), can drive 18-gauge brad nails 5/8 of an inch to 2 inches into both soft and hardwood, and has a magazine capacity of up to 100 nails.

Design-wise, Makita's AF506 brad nailer features an aluminum body, magazine, and cylinder for durability, a cast-and-machined nose piece that allows for precise contact, and a non-marring rubber nose and bumpers to protect the wood you're working with. The nose is also ultra-narrow, helping the tool fit into tight areas. Then there's a multi-directional exhaust port that can rotate a full 360 degrees, a tool-less depth-adjustment dial, and a dual nail-reload indicator window to help users see when it's time to reload the nailer.

Before compiling our list of these Makita products, we wanted to set a few guidelines to ensure the tools are worthy of recommendation. For starters, to fit within a "no-brainer" price range for the Makita brand, each item needed to be below a $200 shopping budget. Then, to ensure every tool is reliable, we required a minimum average rating of 4 stars, though most have averages of at least 4.5 stars. Finally, to make sure these averages weren't skewed by just a few ratings, we only considered Makita tools with at least 150 total customer ratings at the time of writing.