Customer Reviews

Makita HP1501K 9/16-Inch Hammer Drill, Variable Speed, Reversible

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This drill has a great power to weight ratio, is well balanced and easily switches between hammer and regular drill modes. A real pleasure to use.

I've been using this drill for four months and find that I happily plug in an extension cord and use it rather than mess with cordless drills that don't even come close to matching its power.

I bought this drill a year ago. For 1/2" holes it works well. The hammer drill part works good also. I have had no problems with the chuck. There is not enough power for using hole saws. The lack of power is suprising because the amperage is high for a drill this size.

I finally burned this drill out. I don't know how Makita does it, but their drills always outperform the drills one step above them. This is a lightweight hammer drill and does great as such. The case it comes in has a problem with the latches breaking off, but for the money you can't do much better.

I purchased this Makita specifically for drilling into concrete, but it also comes with a generously sized chuck and a fairly powerful motor, making it a good tool to have in my arsenal. I bought this drill sometime in the early 2000's, and it's been serving me reliably ever since.

The drill came packaged in sturdy plastic carrying case, along with a handle and a depth gauge. While the case is handy for storing the drill in a clean and protected manner, as with most other 2-piece molded cases, cord storage becomes a bit of a chore.

The drill does what it needs to to drill through concrete, stucco and CMU/cinder block, and works OK driving hole saws up to 4-1/2 inches through lumber. It has a tight-gripping keyless chuck. And it still works after all these years of use, which is what really counts.

But here are some of the items that I don't like about this drill, and would pay attention to the next time I purchase:
- Noisy. Not "drill" noisy, but sort of a rough-running, gurgling sound as though it's running on dry, rough bearings, whether or not it's in Hammer mode. But operationally, this hasn't presented a problem, even during long periods of usage.
- The keyless chuck doesn't have a clutch to hold the shaft still while the bit is being tightened or loosened. This often makes it a 2-handed gloved operation, which is just a bit inconvenient compared to drills I use where the shaft holds in place while the chuck is being turned.
- Handle slips under high torque operations. I have to really reef down on this handle to get it as tight as possible before I use the drill with a hole saw. Invariably, the handle slips, slowing down the cutting process when I have to stop and reposition the handle.

Would I buy this drill again? Yes and no. I'm happy with it, and it has certainly proven durable for the various tasks I've thrown at it. But given some of the criticisms I highlighted above, I'd be willing to pay a little more money to address those items.

This tool surpassed expectations. It was a reconditioned hammer drill and I was skeptical about buying it. This rebuilt version cost about one third of the new price and it worked beautifully. It came with a one year warranty certificate (the same term as a new model) and I doubt seriously it will ever need to be repaired. It was also delivered right on time, (Super Fast) for just a few bucks.

This affordable drill was like new. I purchased it at a relatively low price. I will rarely use the thing but for my first task it was awesome. I was able to cut through brick like butter (with accuracy).
Why buy new?

I received the drill the day after I ordered it. It is fast and rugged and has done a great job for me to date. A real bargain if you want a quality drill for light to moderate home use.

I borrowed a similar drill from Makita a while back and I enjoyed using it. I bought this one at Home Depot based on its size, power, and hammer drill option.
The keyless chuck 'clicked' and felt like it would break if I tightened it further. I began drilling and after drilling 1" into a pine 2x4, the bit slipped. I tried to re-tighten the bit, but the same thing happened.
I promptly returned the drill after drilling the one hole. I was too afraid to attempt a second for fear that breaking the drill would prevent me from returning it. Makita must have out-sourced their manufacturing. It really isn't what it used to be.

its a great drill 4 the price buy it