Customer Reviews

Makita BDF451 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Over the years i have used nearly every brand of cordless tool imaginable. There has always been advantages and disadvantages to each. Not with the Makita LXT line though. I own the Drill/Driver and the impact driver and each is everything advertised. They are lighter than other 18v models. They are tough, the battery charge lasts at least twice as long as any I have ever used and four times longer than the craftsman I upgraded from. If you can swallow the price, buy this tool it is worth every penny.

I have used Craftsman, Ryobi, DeWalt and Makita from 7-18 volts. Makita has again produced a tough, handy design.
But somehow the Amazon product description slipped on the features. Makita specs for the BDF451 show NO hammer on this drill. Unlike the drill, the lithium packs are warranted for only 1 year. Standard issue.
Compared to my old 18 volt DeWalt XRP hammerdrill/driver (which is not balanced and won't stand on its battery) this drill does not pump my forearm like Popeye's after about half an hour.
I wish I could say it outperforms the DeWalt in every way. I expected more torque. Spoiled, I guess.
But, the lithium ion charges last about 1.5 times longer than the 18v nicad in my experience.(XRP was usefull to 3/4 hour of #10 deck fasteners) I dig the lithium charging: you can pull it off before the "45 minute" full charge, without lobotomizing your battery. Also cool: The packs HOLD charge phenominally well; so I can rely on ready stand-by. Ace in the hole.
Bottom line: Light and handy. Short of gasoline fired, you wont find better charge storage, but I find the BDF451 kind of spendy for middling torque. $279.00 shipped.

First, let me say that, overall, I like this drill (although I haven't used it that much yet). It's fast, runs long on one charge, and is comfortable. I also really like the chuck - you can tighten and loosen it with one hand without a key and without running the drill. This is very convenient. The storage compartment on the case is nice too. I have a few negative points to make, though:

1. This drill has no hammer mode (Amazon's description says,"Shift Lock Driver System quickly shifts from 'hammer drill' to 'driver' mode with one touch") I can't find this feature and it's not mentioned in the manual. There is a switch to change from drill mode (max torque) to torque limited mode (for driving screws). That's nice, but it isn't a hammer drill.

2. The light is nice, but it really doesn't point right on the spot your're working on, so it's not as good as it could be.

3. The torque limiting is limited at the low end. In other words, even at the lowest setting, you can still over-drive small screws pretty easily.

4. The switch for changing the speeds gets stuck (although the Amazon ad and the manual say this is normal). You need to spin the motor a little and try a few times sometimes to get it to shift. Not a big deal, but a little annoying.

These are all pretty small points (unless you really want a hammer drill!), so overall, I'm pretty happy with this product.

I have a small home improvement business and needed a replacement for my aging (and battery eating) Dewalt 18v Ni-Cad drill.
Overall i am pretty pleased with this unit. It is very light, compact, powerful and has the basics onboard...like a drive tip clip, a belt loop, and lights. This is my first Lithium Ion tool and i am amazed mainly at how fast the batteries recharge. And I get a full day out of the two batteries in this kit as opposed to the Dewalt which would go through at least three before they ran down. To a point that i had to keep a Dewalt charger in the truck to keep me going. The Makitas will go all day and dont need to be charged until i get home at night.

I prefer this drill over the hammer drill version as it is a tad lighter and smaller (the chuck is a little shorter). I keep a hammer drill in the truck and had no need for duplication ...for something i only need 3-4 times a month.
Folks seem to automatically buy the hammer version but look at the size and weight before you do it. That little bit makes a difference when you are slinging these things around all day. And compared to the Dewalt? Wow...it's sooo much lighter.
I tested a new 18v Milwaukee Lithium-Ion drill. The thing is a beast and is a pleasure to use but the size and weight of that thing is bigger than the Dewalt. No thanks. It is not worth it.

As far as the drill operation itself. It is almost perfect. Some have complained about the speed switch getting stuck at the top which has happened to me maybe 4 times in two months of daily use. Who cares.
The Dewalt did the same thing on occasion. I had two of them and they both did it.
The power is rated very high (torque) and have had only a couple of occasions where it bogged driving 4" screws. Strangely, the Dewalt, which is rated lower, drove the screws the rest of the way. I might have had the torque/speed setting wrong on the Makita ...who knows.
Overall...i would recommend it to anyone...homeowner or contractor.

I have used three of the Makita BDF451s in my home furniture and cabinet business for three years now, and they are great drills to use. Just need to be a little tougher. I used to own a commercial cabinet shop and must have heavy-duty tools, as I demand a lot from them. I concur with what others have said about power, balance, the very helpful light, quick charge time, etc. But now, two of the three drills have developed transmission problems. The problem starts with 3rd gear (gears slipping, popping out of gear). Eventually, all gears are affected. The motors run just as powerfully as the day I bought them, and battery endurance is likewise still great. But the drills make horrible gear grinding sounds now, and power no longer gets to the chuck. I would give 5 stars if Makita made a tougher transmission.

For many years I have used an old Makita 9.6 v drill that had been a valuable tool. It was destroyed along with all my other tools during the Aug 29, 2005 flood. Needing to replace many, many tools in a short period of time, I purchasaed an inexpensive Ryobi 18v drill/saw/flashlight kit from BigBox store. ..Couldn't take using it any more after 18 months ( I guess using quality tools really does spoil you). I purchased the Makita Lithium Kit for $269 and am so very impressed! This is my first Lithium powered tool and I just finished using it and my new Makita Lithium circular saw to build a new front porch on my house. Makita tools have not let me down! My old Makita chop saw (also lost during Katrina) will definitely be replaced with a new Makita sliding miter saw when my wallet recovers from the other tool purchases..It pays to buy quality.

The drill has performed flawless. It has great power and battery life. The only thing I wish it would be about one pound lighter but the trade off is worth it.

I am currently using this drill to build a deck. The battery life is impressive. I thought the light on the drill was nothing more than a gimmick but after working outside on a few late nights it really came in handy.

Have been using it for a couple weeks and haven't found anything negative with it yet.

**UPDATE** 01-27-2012
Wow, can't believe my original review was over four years ago. Just to follow up... I have been using this under moderate use for the last four years and it is still going strong. Battery life is still very good. I wish all my tools lasted as long and as well as this one.

The BDF451 is NOT a hammer drill... Amazon is using the specs for the BHP451 which is in fact a hammer drill.

I had the last generation Makita driver/drill and really enjoyed it, but the new ones are significantly improved. Solid driver action and long lasting battery. Charger is high quality with a built in cooling fan (the last gen charger would not recharge back-to-back without a cooling perios).

Ratchet could use a slightly higher level, but overall I'm completely satisfied...