Customer Reviews

Makita BL1830 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Battery

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(47)

 

 

I have owned a set of Makita tools with the LXT batteries for a couple years now and I have noticed absolutely zero power loss or any other problems. I use them quite regularly whether building concrete forms, decks, remodels, etc. I can think of three things that may be happening to the batteries of those who have commented on bad performance or longevity; (1) Occasionally, batteries can be bad from the factory (I have yet to own a milwaukee tool with the new "V" or "M" series battery that holds up past a few months. I have both V28 and M12, and have had ALL packs replaced) (2) It is possible to have a bad charger which is damaging the batteries itself, or (3) Perhaps the users are taking them all the way to the point of stalling and complete discharge, and for that the batteries are truly not made to do. It is best that once you notice the battery pack is wearing down, to grab a fresh one and put the discharged on the charger to cool down and refresh. Also, if the batteries are being stored for most of their life, it is best to keep the charger plugged in and rotate batteries through it to keep everything active and refreshed. Lithium batteries have computer chips and sophisticated circuitry, allowing them to constantly be charged without damage. Ni-Cad on the other hand are not supposed to be charged over and over again because they typically have memory effects and lifetime charging limits. It is best to mostly, not completely, discharge a Ni-Cad before replacing back onto the charger. Because a consumer only has ultimate control of this last variable, it is a good idea to read the owners manual and find out what the manufacturer thinks is best operating practices. Only those who are using the batteries and tools know how they are being treated, and you may very well be doing everything right and not fall into this third category. Being that my kit is from a couple years ago, and my newest battery packs (purchased just for continued use because I have many LXT tools) were purchased last year sometime, it is possible that the newer batteries are of a lesser quality, and that would be unfortunate. What I can say is this; I own many Dewalt tools, which I have only had to replace a couple Ni-Cad battery packs in the past 5 years. (Dewalt tools are mostly made in Mexico) I have owned MANY Milwaukee tools in which their Ni-Cads held up pretty well, but their Li-Ion line is absolute crap. Several years ago when their tools were still made in the US, their quality was impeccable. Their tools are now made completely in China. (Yes, many of the Makitas are also) I own several Bosch as well, and their batteries and tools are right up there with Makita's quality. As far as Skil, Black and Decker, and any other cheaper or knock-off brand goes, I would personally never purchase them. For one, you are supporting China, and secondly you would be purchasing a tool that is undependable. Hitachi has an excellent warranty, and makes excellent air nailers, however I'm unsure of the quality you may find in their power tools, both corded and cordless. I hope this was helpful.

I went ahead and invested in a pair of these batteries despite the mixed reviews, figuring I'd at least get a year out of them with the warranty. So far, they've performed just fine, even on tools that are supposed to only use the BL1830. I mostly use them on the BHP454 drill (note: this is one of the tools that's keyed for the 1830 pack) and BTD141 impact driver when I'm not going to be using them for long, so the decreased runtime doesn't bother me. I also use them on the angle grinder and recip saw (after removing the little tab on the tools) for light work in tight spaces. I wouldn't want them to be my only batteries, but they're a great addition to a couple of the larger batteries if you have a few tools that can use them.

These slim packs are very handy on the drill, impact, and flashlight- the lighter weight and smaller size are noticeable, especially with the smaller (BDF/BHP452) drills. However, buyer beware when it comes to using them on the 'heavier' tools, as they are keyed for the larger batteries because they can draw more current than these smaller batteries can provide without damaging the cells. So you probably shouldn't slap one of these on your circular saw and go ripping 2x12s all day, or you'll kill the pack very quickly. Makita isn't trying to screw you into buying more batteries, they're trying to make sure you don't kill your batteries.

Another note, considering how many complaints of defective packs there are: don't run these batteries down to nothing, and try not to store them fully charged. Running them into the ground is a sure way to damage the cells, and I've read estimates of up to 20%/year capacity loss for a fully-charged pack, compared to as low as 2%/year for a pack stored @ 40% charge.

And of course, like any cordless tool/battery purchase- shop your options before buying batteries separately. I got the BHP452HW kit for only $50 more than 2 batteries. That's a cheap, easy way to have a spare drill or driver and charger for around the house, or to sell to recoup the extra cost.

I'm knocking off one star because Makita doesn't do a good job of letting people know that these slim packs only work on certain tools- and not very many, either. That's been a complaint for years now, and it's still not mentioned anywhere in their literature or website- even my local Makita dealer didn't know they weren't compatible with all LXT tools. It's not like it's standard practice- Bosch's and Milwaukee's slim packs fit their entire lineup, AFAIK.

Update: Over 18 months later, and both my little packs are still kicking. I figured one would be toasted, it got left on my LED flashlight for probably close to a year, and I might have charged it once that whole time. Surprisingly, one of my fullsize packs died recently... it's within a few months of the age of the mini packs, depending on whether it was an original from my kit or from a rebate. Moral being it would seem that battery pack failure is pretty random, definitely not limited to the 1.5aH batteries.

Really, these batteries provide seemingly endless power. They hold their charge for weeks with very little loss. I can use one battery for drilling and driving throughout an entire (moderately sized) project. They are extremely lightweight and charge in twenty minutes or less usually (in hot weather it takes longer). All three of mine slide on and off easily, with no issues of binding or falling off. With all the praise comes a VERY important caveat. DO NOT run these batteries into the ground. The instructions state that as soon as you notice a loss of power, stop and charge. If you over-discharge Li-Ion batteries, you can seriously degrade the life of the battery. These batteries are 1/3 cheaper on Amazon.com than at the home centers, so buy from here! Also, only the cells themselves are made in Japan, all other parts are made and final assembly is in China.

I love the drill but the battery life is a real problem. I had both original packs replaced under warranty when the charger reported them bad. Now one of the replacements is flashing bad on the charger. These have been cycled maybe a dozen times. I'll be complaining to Makita and also reporting this on the various woodworking groups I support.

As many other reviewers have noted, the Makita LXT line of tools are excellent when the batteries are functioning properly. I have had 4 of the tools, with 3 batteries total, a little over a year with just occasional serious hobby use. One of my 1.5 amp-hour batteries has failed after about 6 recharge cycles, but beyond my 12 month battery warranty. The Makita service center said the battery has an internal memory counter of the number of charge cycles: mine did indeed show 5. The batteries *should* last about 1,000 charge cycles. The rep told me that if a battery has fewer than ~150 cycles, they replace it free, independent of age.
I know this is not a substitute for working right the first time, but in my experience it appears Makita is making a good faith effort on the battery problem. Despite this serious blemish, I think I would make the same Makita purchase decision again.

I replaced a 14.4 Milwaukee NiCad with a Makita LXT and noticed that my old Milwaukee NiCads outlasted these in terms of longevity. Run time is solid, but lifespan is short. Two dead after one year, I'm only a homeowner. I've only done a few lengthy jobs such as putting cement board down in a 10x20 room, and building a deck with these, in addition to the other basic tasks of drywall, and other light construction needs. Love the light weight though. Now, I need new ones. Somewhat disappointing.

Well I just got one battery boy these things a lite well I put it in the charger and 20 minutes latter I was using the drill, already have two other pieces so I'll have to rotate the one battery through all the tools. At $70 plus bucks a pop, actually got mine for 72 dollars on sale here on Amazon and if I see it for that price again I'll probably pick up one more. I almost sent all the tools back before even buying the battery after reading all the horror stories that people were writing about this battery. But I decided to call Makita and find out why so many folks were reporting problems. Tech support told me that the problem is usually user error. I was told one thing people do is leave the batteries on the charger when not in use. THIS IS A NO NO!! and can ruin the cells over time, so remember after charging to remove the batteries immediately.

I had the manual form the charger in front of me and asked why this wasn't pointed out in the manual if you read it it seems like you can leave it on the charger on trickle charge but the tech told me that the instructions were initially in Japanese and didn't translate properly. Now actually Makita should correct this in the instructions. Another thing that SHE pointed out is that a lot of people run the battery to exhaustion before recharging this can also ruin the cells she suggested that when you first since a lost of power to charge it at that time. Another thing she pointed out was is that the built-in memory chip records the battery ID and memorizes the usage history & communicates this with the charger that way the chip can be used to see how people were actually using and charging the battery and they were able to determine these things from the chip itself. So there you have it she said the battery should be able to accept 1500 plus recharges before having to be replaced, if you did that every day that's close to 4 years! so if you follow these instruction hopefully you will have good luck, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Another thing I found out is that the newer batteries are made in JAPAN!! has it stamped right on the bottom of mine so you know I couldn't be happier, thinking these have to be higher quality then the ones that were made in China. Got more question give them a call they are very nice and extremely helpful.

I purchased two of the Makita BTD1424W 18V drill kits a few years ago; one for me and one for my (female) wife. I've used Makita products for years and have found them to be just as rugged and reliable as competitors such as Bosch, Skil, and Milwaukee. These 18V drills just get the job done! Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the (expensive) batteries that go with this otherwise excellent drill. I don't know if the problem is the charger or the battery pak, but I've had to replace too many batteries the charger indicates as "bad". It would be one thing if the batteries only cost $15 to $25 dollars, as you'd expect them to go away on a regular basis. However, when you purchase a battery as expensive as this one, you would expect the quality and longevity to be commensurate with the cost, and such is not the case. Whatever the problem is with the battery pak (bad chip in the battery, faulty charger, or just bad battery), it gives a black eye to Makita who manufactures otherwise EXCELLENT equipment. Unfortunately, I've invested too much in Maktia to switch, so I'll purchase a replacement battery, and hope that Makita has been paying attention to the criticisms of these batteries and made some improvements.Makita BL1815 18-Volt 1.5 Ah Compact Lithium-Ion Battery

Listen to all of the bad reviews! These batteries work fine for a limited amount of time, then you get a dead cell out of the blue and the charger will not charge it anymore. Contacted Makita and they don't acknowledge the issue. Think I'll try the 3.0 AH ones....Hopefully they will be better!

I bought this 18 volt LXT drive just over a year ago. It's light weight and charge life is great. It drives screws like nothing I've ever seen! A 3" drywall screw can be drive clear through a 2X4. Unfortunately, there's a serious problem. I've now purchased four batteries for this driver and have one left that will hold a charge. If you've checked the battery price, you'll know they aren't in a price range where you can afford to discard them after only a year or less! Charge life is great but battery life is TERRIBLE! I use this driver for home use not commercial, although I do use it more than most homeowners are likely to.

I wish there was a fix for this. I love the driver and would be happy to buy other LXT tools if only I could afford the batteries. Does anyone know of a way around this LXT killer problem?