Customer Reviews

Makita 6217DWDE 12-volt NiMH 3/8-inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Have owned a 14.4 Ryobi Cordless drill for year, but became increasingly disatisified with short battery life, and also the inability of the chuck to hold the bits securely.

Although I am just a "home-owner", I do appreciate good tools and the Makita Mforce is top notch. Good Balance, the chucks grabs the bits correctly. The 2 speed drive along with a easy feel to the speed lever makes a controbable tool with just the right feel and control. The extra dollars is well worth it, as now I have a tool that will last for many many years, and most importantly is a pleasure to use. You know.. priceless.

follow up: july 15, 2009.. Sadly accidentally dumped this great tool into salt water, and it actually ran for awhile, but the salt took its toll. Will have to get another

I purchased this drill about three months ago and I have been using it almost daily on various home improvement projects. I have owned two lesser brand drills in the past and this time I went for the best. The perfomance of this drill is so much better than those cheaper brands it's amazing. The battery life is outstanding along with power and torque of the drill. I have also used serveral Dewalt cordless drills and find the performance of the Makita superior. This drill is a winner.

I'm a homeowner and occasional DIYer. I do appreciate a good tool and splurged on a previous version of this drill 3 years ago when I needed a cordless. It has been a workhorse... it handles all of those "around the house" tasks without breaking a sweat. It's lightweight enough to be very handy to just grab and use, and laughs at my typical jobs- hanging stuff on walls, putting Ikea furniture together.

The controls are really well designed- the direction switch is in easy finger reach, but never gets in the way. The gear shift is on top and thus easy to see, reducing the number of "oops" moments. The speed control is very precise and easy to fine-tune, and the drill stops instantly when you let go of the trigger. The body is narrow enough to fit in tight spots, and the thing is light enough to hold and control at arm's length without being a weightlifter.

But I came to have a new appreciation of it last weekend when I was replacing the decking on our back deck with Trex composite lumber... I used this drill to pre-drill and drive all of the screws for a 300 sq. ft deck. The power was plenty sufficient, and the excellent batteries were able to keep up with me- by the time I ran one out, the other was charged and ready to go- I was doing the cutting and carrying the lumber too, so it got regular breaks. The battery life was still excellent after three years of neglect- being left uncharged for long periods of disuse, or alternately staying in the charger for weeks at a time. I had only rarely done a "full cycle", and yet I felt like all the power was still here.

Anyway, I've been really, really pleased- unless you're a pro that *really* needs a lot of power and run-time, don't be seduced by higher-voltage drills- this is likely to match the endurance and needs of even a relatively serious DIYer, and you'll have something a lot lighter and nimbler than one of those monsters.

I bought this Makita 3/8" chuck cordless drill w/ flashlight last year. I'm a new home owner and have been using the drill for basic household projects. From the beginning, I thought the construction quality was not up to the standard of "contractor-grade" equipment. Out of the box, I felt like there was a very slight but perctible wobble in the drill at high speeds. I should have returned it then, but unfortunately I was a sap and kept it.

About a month ago, the chuck froze up in the widest-open position. After playing with it, I got it to release but now one of the three grip-arms in the chuck is limp and always jamming up while I try to swap out bits.

Last week, the flashlight gave up the ghost. While I was trying to figure out why it wasn't working, I realized that I had battery acid on my hands -- the battery had ruptured. Unfortunately, the flashlight didn't work with the second battery, either, so there is something seriously wrong with it. (not a bad bulb-- I tried that.)

Anyway, I've been less than impressed. Coincidentally, I was talking with some contractors who were working on my house and they agreed with me that Makita's cordless drills had declined in quality. You've been warned.

I give two stars instead of a single star because 1) while it worked, that flashlight was great-- fantastically bright and the adjustable head was very handy, and 2) the drill, while not the quality I had hoped, was very easy to use and powerful for a 12v cordless. The problem is, the dirt cheap "orange and black" drill I owned before the Makita actually lasted longer.

I already have this drill set. I ordered another one this week. My first set is working fine, except one of the batteries won't hold or take a charge. So I went online to get a battery and they are $55. I can get the whole set with 2 batteries, another charger and a new drill for $129. Doesn't make much sense to replace one battery under those circumstances.

So now I will have a spare drill, two chargers and three batteries.

As for the drill, it is rock-solid. It is easy to use and I haven't found anything it can't handle. I recommend it. But keep in mind if you have a battery die on you, it is just cheaper in the long run to buy a new drill.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVE MAKITA TOOLS ,SO I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MY NEW DRILL,I ALREADY HAVE AN 18V AND THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEING QUITE A BEATING, FOR THE PASS 2YRS NOW,AN MY ,IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF EVERY CHALLENGE.THIS 12V IS NO DIFFERENT.THOUGH IT IS MUCH LIGHTER,WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I BOUGHT IT ,AND IT FITS MY GRIP,AS IF IT WERE COUSTOM MADE FOR MY HAND,THE TOOL IS VERY COMFORTABLE AND EASY TO USE,I AM A FULL TIME W/WORKKER,AND THIS TOOLS,MAKE MY WORKERS ONLY WANTS TO USE IT,I AM NOT SORRY THAT I BOUGHT IT ,ONLY THAT I TOOK SO LONG TO BUY IT..MY NEXT BUY WILL BE A SLIDEING COMPOUND,12" MAKITA OF COUSE...FLETCH..

I have only used this drill a few times, but I am impressed with its capabilities so far. I used to have a chicago drill, and this is like a cadillac compared to that one. my coworkers have smaller Dewalts & Milwaukees, but this works as well as those do, just a little heavier. I love the instant stop feature, saves stripping screws!

I've always viewed Makita as a top maker of power tools. However, the first time that I really used the drill (unfortunately, more than 30 days from receipt), one of the three prongs in the chuck that centers the bit broke off. I've never seen that happen with any other power drill, so I'm really surprised it happened with a Makita! More than likely, I got the bad one in the bunch. But next time, I will make sure that I give the tool a proper testing when I first receive it.

As an owner of a small business, I am always looking for the best tools. Makita tools have never let me down over the past 10 years of business. This drill is no different. The balance and weight are proportional to reduce fatigue while drilling. Using the keyless chuck requires little hand torque to secure the bit, one of the best chucks I have ever used. These batteries provide the power for both drills that I use and a flashlight with power to spare. Recently, while building a deck using 3" deck and lag screws, I had to charge every 2-3 hours while rotating to another battery. I couldn't have asked for any better performance. GREAT TOOL!

I purchased this drill kit well over two years ago and have used it frequently. In all basic functions, it has performed quite nicely and with no malfunctions. The batteries have exhibited a long run time and give the drill enough power to drill holes and drive screws without complaint. Recharging has been trouble free and after the passage of time, the batteries still appear "fresh" in usage.

My complaint? I wish Makita would have thought a bit more about the basic shape of the batteries. If an individual attempting to remove the battery has a fairly large hand and a good grip, removal is not going to be difficult. However, if your hands are smaller and you perhaps suffer from a bit of arthritis, you will in all probablity have trouble getting your thumb and fingers around the wide battery casing and then be able to apply enough inward pressure to depress the built in tabs and pull downward releasing the battery from the drill.

Other than this and a "one size fits all" case which is large enough to contain the drill, charger, extra battery with enough space left to include several atticles of clothing should you want to use it as an overnight piece of luggage, it is indeed a quaility tool. I would however, recommend to those who suffer from the limitations mentioned to consider this drill kit only it you can actually see and handle it first to make certain that you can perform the battery removal procedure without difficulty.