Customer Reviews

Makita 6227DWE 12 Volt 3/8-Inch Cordless Driver/Drill Kit

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have used this drill for three years in a commercial woodworking shop to assemble products with drywall screws. When in use it operates at least four hours without stopping and neither the drill or the operator gets tired. The best feature is it's light weight and compact size. Even so there is plenty of power to drive screws continuously and the batteries last well with quick recharge time. An excellent accessory is a quick change bit holder so you can go from drill to driver in a moment.
I would buy this item again without hesitation.

...The Makita 6227 12v cordless drill is a good combination of quality, size, power and ergonomics. Add to this a reputation for taking punishment and you have the right balance of features in a light weight mighty mite.

As a woodworker I find the need for higher power 14+ volt power monsters generally unnecessary in the shop. If I were a contractor or building a house this might be a different story. At 12 volts and 200 in/lbs of torque, this 3+ lb drill is perfect for everyday shop work of drilling, countersinking and driving all but the largest screws (although I have driven 2-1/2" screws into MDF with no pilot holes in a pinch. By the way don't use cordless drills for continued heavy work regardless of voltage, that's why they still make corded drills, which are also cheaper to replace). Most 12 volt drills weigh more than 4 pounds, this one is 3.3 lbs (Reference: Makita 2000-2001 general catalog, page 25) and never tires the wrist or hand. Believe me, if your using a cordless drill any significant amount of time, the difference is noticeable!. It's so light compared to my full size 12v and 14v (also Makitas) it's really a pleasure to handle.

The balance is impressive. I find that larger drills are usually top heavy. This little guy with the smaller (and shorter) head seems perfectly balanced and suited for the 12v, 1.3amp battery. I can twist and turn it in my hands and it feels like a natural extension of it. This feature really shines when I find myself drilling under unorthodox conditions (like securing molding or shelves from under and inside a desktop in which you have to crawl inside the carcass, not fun!). I can whip this drill around easily while the bigger drills get clunked around. With it's shorter head, I can get into spaces I wouldn't be able to with the other larger and longer head drills.

What about battery life you may ask? I find this thing almost impossible to drain in one day of continued work and if I do, hey I have a second one awaiting it's turn. It usually takes me a couple days work (providing I'm not driving 2-3" screws, but I have larger drills for this anyway) to need to change cells. I also have a Makita 6213D 12v drill (a full size) with 2.2 amp Nickel Metal Hydride batteries and they fit perfectly for even longer run times!

One last great feature is the clutch. There are 16 postions and if your like me and find yourself driving smaller screws for furniture and fine projects, you will greatly appreciate the much lower clutch settings. Most other 12v drills still generate a significant amount of torque at the #1 and #2 settings. This drill set at the lowest settings will let you drive #6-3/8" screws into 1/2" plywood (predrilled with pilot holes) without stripping! Just amazing! Try that with just about any other drill regardless of manufacturer. Most of those monsters will spin a screw of this size right out of it's hole before you can spit out some choice words of frustration. If you need that "feather touch" for fine projects this little guy is perfect.

Okay it's not really "perfect". As I have said in other tool reviews, I don't believe a perfect tool exists and this one does have in my opinion it's faults (or maybe quirks as you may disagree). The gear speeds are a little slower than I would prefer. The low setting is 0-350 RPM and high 0-1100 RPM. I prefer driving screws at 450 RPM or higher (and with it's sensitive clutch, a higher speed would be a good match). A top speed of 1300+ RPM would have been nice. A rubber grip would also have been nice, but to be fair, many drills do not offer this feature. The last issue could be isolated to my drill. My drill in high gear at full RPM makes a subtle but noticeable whining/scraping sound inside the transmission. After taking the drill apart I relubricated it with silicone oil which helped but it was still noticeable. Maybe this is normal?...

Pros:

**Light weight with terrific balance
**Sensitive clutch at lower settings for finer work
**Incredible battery life
**Electric brake

Cons:

**Slower gear speeds
**Lower power (but hey it's a compact)
**"What's that sound from the transmission?!"

Summary: Give a hand to a compact drill with the right balance and features.

I've owned one of these Makita cordless drills for approximately six years. One hundred projects (and perhaps a thousand holes) later, it works as well as the day I bought it. I've used it to drill through wood, plastic, metal, stucco, and concrete. I've used it as a driver, a sander, a polisher, and a stirrer. I've even used it to run a small water pump. It has always performed without a hitch. The Makita delivers an impressive amount of torque. I have an assortment of drills (cordless, corded, and pneumatic), and the Makita is generally the one that performs the best, both in terms of torque and in terms of convenience.

The Makita battery packs recharge quickly (maybe 20 minutes), and last longer than any other rechargeable tool I own (such as Black & Decker VersaPack tools). The manufacturer also thought ahead, considering what would happen if you acquired an assortment of Makita tools with different types of battery packs. The charger that comes with this drill can accommodate a wide variety of Makita batteries, not just the type used by this product; it automatically senses the type of battery and charges it at the correct voltage. Now that's a good design. The variable speed trigger is also nice, as is the torque control on the chuck. The keyless chuck gets a very solid grip, unlike other keyless chucks that I've tried; the Makita has never once slipped on me.

Of course, every tool has its limits. I finally bumped up against the limit of my Makita when I tried drilling 3-inch diameter holes through 3/4-inch wood (using a "hole saw"). I actually succeeded in drilling several such holes with the Makita, but only by proceeding a little at a time. The drill would over-heat after several minutes of drilling, and shut itself off. But, this is actually an endorsement in disguise. First, the Makita could spin this rather large hole saw with enough torque to cut holes, which is quite a challenge for any drill. Second, it was smart enough to shut off rather than burn up. So, I cannot complain. It performed admirably even in this rather extreme test.

I cannot find a single thing to complain about. If my Makita were to burn out today, I'd say it had fulfilled its duty several times over, and I'd go right out and buy another one. Now that's a strong endorsement. It's a great product that's designed to perform and to last. Well done Makita!

Here is a review I just wrote about the Makita 6228DWE, which is the same drill but a 14.4 instead of a 12, and it weighs just 3/16ths of a pound heavier, all for a little more money.
So here is the review on the 6228DWE:
I just got this exact drill, and I use it all of the time. It's lightweight at only 3 1/2 pounds. That is its shining feature. I also own the Milwaukee 14.4 which is a very substantial drill. It has the highest torque in the industry at 460 foot pounds. This Makita is only 200. The Milwaukee has all copper windings, metal gear and housing, and is built to fall off the ladder. The problem is that it weighs 11 1/2 pounds.
I originally got this Makita 6228DWE as a promo on an expensive compound sliding miter saw. I thought I would sell it on eBay. After getting it I decided to keep it. Ergonomically, it fits your hands well, is well balanced, has a lot of torque when you charge it up and is well built overall. The reason why I like it so much is that I just did a wiring job, running a dozen lines, and upgrading a service panel from 100 to 200 amps. That Makita drill was with me all the way, whether I was tightening screws in the outlets, or square driving the lines on the breakers, or tightening the clamp connectors. It was a 12 hour job, and I am glad that I didn't have to lug the Milwaukee around. I love the Milwaukee for doing heavy deck jobs for example, but the one I now use the most is this Makita. It's like a pet.
I think the gear housing is a strong grade of plastic, and the windings may or may not be a copper mix or all aluminum, buy hey, that all adds up to less weight, which equals less work.
If you're looking for a tougher and heavier drill in the Makita line, then look to the MForce line. The torque is around 350 and of course it is heavier, depending on the model. They also have the faster charging Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, which last longer as well. The only problem with NiMH is that their shelf life isn't very long, and with the price of new batteries, that is a major consideration.
What Milwaukee did was take the NiCad batteries to the next level. They charge in one hour, unlike the usual 1 1/2 hours, but not as fast as 45 minutes like the NiMH, but enjoy the long shelf life as a NiCad.
This Makita drill is a 3/8" drill also, instead of a 1/2" like the Milwaukee. Like I said, a really nice lightweight drill, that you will find using it more often than the heavyweight. Once the love affair is done with the Makita, I will probably go back to using the Milwaukee a little more often. For now the Makita rules. Hope this helps.

Makita makes a number of fine cordless drills, including this one, I also own a #6213 D drill that's worked flawlessly for four years of regular use. Makitas use plenty of large ball bearings and well-designed motors, and have a reputation for reliability among contractors, along with Hitachi and DeWalt. Like any mass producer, there are occasionally bad drills out there, but you will find far fewer of them than with the cheaper brands.

Now Rigid is the new glamor player in town, due mainly to its temporary warranty deal (though the tools are made in China - yuck!), but since no one has used them for any length of time (including contractors), you'll be a guinea pig to see if they are 'contractor quality', or not. Personally I'm not thrilled with the poor experience of myself and others trying previous Home Depot lines (Ryobi, etc) of cordless tools, and I'm not willing to give up the Makita's excellent battery life and overall durability.

I really like this drill! It is slightly smaller than similar drills by DeWalt and Porter-Cable and it's very light. I can hang it from a J hook on the back of my tool belt and forget it's there until I need it. It has enough power to drive 3 inch screws into 2x4's. I've even put a 1 inch spade bit in mine and drilled holes through wall framing to run electrical cable. Not something I would recommend doing all day long with this drill, but it did rise to the challenge and save me a trip to the truck for the big drill. If it lasts as long as my previous Makita, I'll be very happy.

I've been using Makita drill/drivers for years as a professional furniture maker and I wouldn't have anything else! Their reliability, power and ruggedness make them the right tool for the job.

I own both this drill and the earlier similar and slightly larger model, the 6213. I have three single speed Makita cordless drills and have owned them for 25 years. I will no longer buy another. The clutches failed on both the 6227 and the 6213 within weeks. The drill motors just keep spinning, and the chuck does not move. The three single speed drills continue to function flawlessly. Thank goodness I can use my 12 volt batteries in one of them and in my impact tool.

I have just purchased replacement drills from the new Ridgid line at Home Depot. These have a three year warranty and a Lifetime Warranty, if purchased before December 31, 2003.

Just put up a 10 x 8 foot wood storage shed last weekend and drove at least 1000 square head screws. The battery life is decent and it has great torque down to the last few turns of the drill head when the battery dies. The only issue is that 14.4V systems are going away in favor of 19.2V systems. So if you are looking at getting other Porter Cable products and want to have the same battery pack, this might be a consideration in your purchase. Still a great buy, great product.