Customer Reviews

Makita 6233DWBLE 3/8-Inch 14.4 Volt Drill/Driver Kit with Flashlight

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

i buy 2 cordless drills a year. i've always bought panasonic or dewalt in the past. although i've only owned this drill a short time it has become my alltime favorite. the balance, power, and long lasting battery are the best i've ever experienced. the owners manual is the best tool manual i've ever read. it offers easy to understand instuctions, specific part numbers, and even helpful maintenace and repair instructions, such as how to change brushes. Amazon did a great job in shipping. i ordered on friday they confirmed my order within an hour, e-mailed me shipping confirmation on monday and i received the tool on wednesday. i am very happy with this purchase.

I use a Panasonic cordless drill for all my portable drilling, but this Makita is always at hand to drive the screws. It has fantastic torque, a seemingly limitless range of speeds (especially at the low end, which is vital for a good power screwdriver), and an electric brake for a positive stop -- important for driving into hardwoods, where you can shear the head off a soft (i.e. brass) screw if you're not careful. The battery life is outstanding, and with NiMH technology, you don't have to worry about overcharging. The drill is nicely balanced for its weight, and the keyless chuck is easy to use. It also has an adjustable torque limiter. The flashlight in the package is a nice bonus, and with the 14.4V battery pack, lasts a very long time on a charge.

This is definitely one of the best cordless drills you can buy. The handle fits my hands extremely well. The spring loaded battery releases are the best in the industry. No need to worry about power, this drill will twist you wrist off before it bogs down.

Great drill,everything you would need in a cordless drill! The keyless chuck is much better than a DeWalt and it comes with the latest battery technology.

I originally gave this drill a 5 but I would change this if they would allow it. I have two Porter Cables with Nicad batteries that are many years and hours older than the two of these NIMH Makitas and they are still running strong while the NIMH makitas are; one dead, and the other dying.

NIMH batteries have a little more time of use per charge than Nicads but you pay dearly for this with about half the overall battery life. At $70 each you may as well buy a new drill. ...I am looking for one, something with Nicads.

The Makita NIMH 14.4v cordless drill & flashlight combo: works fast, easy to control, and performs stronger than my corded drill. Marvelous.

My wife and i have been using a corded Skil drill (3.2 Amp, 120 volt) model #6067 (?) for about 5 years, but i had temporarily miss placed the Skil which led us to fulfill our yearning for a cordless drill. The corded Skil's been a "trooper" so far, except for when drilling into masonry -- I've learned that a hammer/impact drill is the ticket for drilling into stone. We've heeded the advice of an Orchard Supply Hardware power tools person and choose among the best reputable brands: Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Porter-Cable and settled on the makita for its price, nickle-metal hydride (NIMH) batteries, flashlight, and the replaceable carbon brushings.

Yesterday, the Makita (2.2 Amp) surprised me when the cordless Makita could finish drilling 7/16" screws into treated wood when the corded Skil couldn't finish the job. Impressive. By the way, we had bought a 12 volt Makita earlier and exchanged up to the 14.4 volt and have found the 14.4v NIMH will finish drilling 1/4" screws into treated wood that the 12v ni-cad could not.

The two stage gear shift is useful: the faster speed is appreciated for the "easy" work and the tougher jobs need gear "I" for the low rpm & higher torque. The size and weight is handy for me and my wife, a sculptor. The finish invokes images of a Toyota pickup like workmanship. The flashlight shines bright, and when used along with my head mounted light, illuminates enough to tackle night time repairs. The rotating gear selector works crisp and smooth, but do not use the drill itself to tighten the keyless chuck while grasping (tightly) as the chuck may get stuck.

A handy pair of tools for the household repair and wood working tasks. My wife and I give the Makita 14.4v a hearty "thumbs up." The 14.4v may be an uncomfortably strong in torque for the younger or the more "delicate" of hands.

We're so impressed with a Makita that we've resolved to buy only among the best tool makers: Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt, or Porter-Cable. The Makitas will be the benchmark to be compared with in quality and in value.

Don't expect to do much drilling with this one. Yes, the battery holds up longer than most others, but this drill is geared down for torque. High speed isn't very fast. All this drill is good for is driving, so if you are looking for power, this is the drill for you.

PROS

** Extended life battery.

** Plenty of torque.

** Ergonomically balanced between pistol grip (for pushing power) and T-handle (for agility).

CONS

** Slow.

** Moderately high priced.

** A few complaints of clutch giving out.

I have been using the Makita 14.4 Cordless Driver-Drill for over a year on a daily basis in the seamless gutter install business. Mostly for 1/4" screws fastening downspouts and gutter to facia with up to 1 1/2" screws. Overall the drill has performed very well and clutch seems to be holding up ok. I have used the older 9 volt Makitas in the past and this 14.4 is far superior both for power and balance.

I am a huge fan of Makita tools so this may be biased. I wasn't always such a fan. Before this I was hooked on the big yellow. Now , if it's yellow it had better come with a cord or I won't even consider it. (details in other reviews) Perfect might be a stretch but this is pretty dang close. Best torque of any 14.4v drill. Best runtime.The handle just feels right. The balance is, well, perfect. It's so light you can use it all day long .The chuck is great, no slipping. Nimh batteries are wonderful. We may lose a few charge cycles but the runtime is indeed better. And you don't have to take them to a battery recycling center. Now ,I'll have to admit,I have had a problem with the tool. The charger quit. Makita had me a new one in less than a week.You can buy a more powerful drill you can buy a faster drill you can buy a cheaper drill , but you won't find a more perfect drill than the Makita 14.4 .

The drill and light work very well. Power on the drill is good and the keyless chuck/torque clutch work very well. It doesn't come with a level, however, which is a nice feature. The biggest problem I had was with the battery packs, which failed after several charges. At $79.95, they are not only expensive to replace but also hard to find.