29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
Outstanding Drill and Batteries
One of the best portable power tools that I have purchased. I required a small hammer drill with enough power to drive cement screws into a well seasoned fireplace from the inside of the chimney. Not only did this Drill perform well inside this small space it performed better than my other more industrial size hammer drill. Secondly, the lithium-Ion batteries hold a...
76 of 80 people found the following review helpful:
great drill and very light weight
I have a number of cordless drills, including NiCad Milwaukee and DeWalt drills, and a current model Hitachi lithium ion drill and the new Milwaukee 18M lithium ion that is supposed to be the most powerful 18v cordless on the market. The much lighter Makita will hold its own most of the time with the DeWalt and Hitachi and surpasses the two Milwaukee, even the new 18M...
This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
I have a number of cordless drills, including NiCad Milwaukee and DeWalt drills, and a current model Hitachi lithium ion drill and the new Milwaukee 18M lithium ion that is supposed to be the most powerful 18v cordless on the market. The much lighter Makita will hold its own most of the time with the DeWalt and Hitachi and surpasses the two Milwaukee, even the new 18M 2611 model. The built-in LED light is very handy and something that should be on all power drills. The case is excellent and has some nooks for drill and screw driver heads though nothing big, but then that is true for DeWalt, Hitachi, and Milwaukee cases and the Makita is the best of the bunch in this regard.
The drill has an amazing amount of power, driver longer even with the reduced size battery, than my Milwaukee 18v NiCad unit and it has relatively new batteries - rebuilt by Voltman. The chuck is also the best of any drill in terms of clamping and staying clamped whether I am using a small twist drill or using a carbide bit to chew through stucco or Hardie board.
I use the Hole Pro adjustable hole cutters for installing recessed light cans and in-ceiling speakers and this drill will cut even 8" diameter holes in 5/8" tongue and groove and 14" diameter holes in sheetrock. Earlier this week I was using the Makita and the Milwaukee lithium ion M18 drills and the new Blue Boar TCT stucco-wood and TCT Universal hole cutters to bore 4-5/8" diameter holes in stucco backed by OSB, and the Makita out performed the Milwaukee that was overheating and then a safety shutdown would occur and stop the drill in its tracks. When I was cutting 7" diameter holes using a Hole Pro adjustable hole cutter with its tungsten carbide blades on ship-lapped Hardie board siding I did find that the Makita was out of its depth and had to do the cutting with the Milwaukee M18.
A favorite aspect of the drill kit is the great battery charger. The charger has a fan for active cooling unlike the chargers from DeWalt, Hitachi, and Milwaukee, and the result is much faster charging. The Makita charges twice as fast as any other lithium drill I had used and that makes it easy to use the smaller and lighter lithium ion batteries that come with the drill and never run out of power. The half-sized battery is easily recharged in 15 minutes or less and ready to replace the one on drill. With the full size battery packs the Makita's take as long to charge as the Milwaukee li-ion or the Hitachi. The fastest full size battery charging by a wide margin is with the new DeWalt li-ion batteries. Makita states in the manual for the drill that the batteries are supposed to have a one hour cool down interval by leaving them on the charger so returning the battery immediately into service may shorten the life of the battery.
If you plan to do a lot of hole cutting with holes cutters larger than 2" diameter a 3-speed gearbox equipped drill like the DeWalat DCD940 makes a big difference in performance with its middle range RPM setting. Just avoid bi-metal hole saws as they will suck the life out of a battery in seconds. I find that if I mistakenly use a bi-metal hole saw on wood that it takes more than half an hour to recharge the battery after one hole. This is where the modern TCT hole cutters like the Blue Boar Self-feed and Universal hole cutters can make a big difference in not only cutting ten times faster but also needing 1/50th as much juice from the battery.
The one limitation that keeps the Makita in the DIY category is the 2 speed gearbox. For heavy duty applications the 3-speed versions are a much better choice. My DeWalt DCD970 with its 3-speed gearbox when used with the mid-range setting will outperform any 2-speed drill with large hole saws with much better speed and much smoother cutting.
Ridgid goes a bit sideways in offering 2 low speed ranges and a high speed range with no middle speed range in the 0-1000 neighborhood. Having a 0-250 and a 0-400 range is not going to make a difference in any situation I have encountered.
Just match the drill to the kinds of jobs you want to undertake and get modern hole cutters if you want to make big holes or the Hole Pro adjustable hole cutter if your want to make really big holes - up to 17 inches in size. Truly amazing what you can do with a little 18 volt cordless with the right cutters and the right technique.
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
The Makita BHP452 is a not a good choice for light duty work where a lighter drill will work as well and it is not a good choice for heavy duty applications where its 2-speed gearbox and lack of torque greatly restrict its overall performance. If I was comparing it to an old NiCad drill its performance would seem almost magical but compared to other high end 18 volt lithium-ion cordless drills it performance puts it in the middle of the pack.
Makita makes one model with 3-speed gearbox but I have not been able to find one for sale. I spoke with a Makita rep and was told that they had too many problems with people using the high speed setting for large hole saws and burning up the drills. Seems like the Makita folks should put in some instructions on the best way to use the drill and help everyone out. Most people try to use a cordless drill the same way and with the same hole saws that they have been using on their cord drills and then wonder why they have problems. For now I have been very satisfied with the performance of our DeWalt cordless drills with their 3-speed gear boxes. It is a trial and error process to find the best power range and speed for different hole cutters and materials but it is well worth the effort.
The chuck is not bad but does loosen up with vibration which is not unusual but a pain when it happens midway through hole cutting. If the drill falls out and you are up on a ladder it is even more disconcerting. The clutch adjustment works as well as any drill and the case is a standard Makita so the charger has its own secure spot but the full size batteries do not fit in the spaces unless the white plastic protective covers are removed. Have other Makita drills and the batteries do fit in the case so it seems to be something peculiar to the BHP452 kit.
The charger has a loud fan that is supposed to prolong battery life. Which is one of the odd aspects of the whole lithium-ion quick charge marketing hype. In general with NiCad and NiMh batteries their life is greatly decreased in terms of the number of charge cycles possible and the emphasis on how fast a lithium-ion battery can be recharged seems likely to result in more problems with what are very expensive batteries.
Charge time is in theory about 30 minutes for the full size lithium-ion batteries but in the charger manual it states that after charging the battery one should leave the battery in the charger for another 30-60 minutes to cool down. Better than the NiMh batteries where the recommendation is to let the battery continue to trickle charge for an additional 24 hours.
The full size batteries provide a lot of drilling and even the half size ones are better than others I have used. The full size batteries are needed to get the full power rating out of the drill. With 1/2 size batteries the drill power on any drill is greatly reduced and drilling deck screws or using a hole saw can drain the battery in a few minutes.
When I want to know the relative power a drill can deliver the quickest and easiest way I have found is to take a 5-6 inch hole cutter and bore a hole in MDF and see how long it takes to cut and how long it takes to recharge the drill afterward. With the half size battery and a 450 inch pound rated drill I can barely cut one hole and it takes several minutes. Toward the end of the hole cutting the drill will start to chatter as the overload protection kicks in and cuts power repeatedly to the drill motor. Using a 600+ in. lb. drill I can cut the same hole in 20 seconds and cut a dozen holes with the full size battery. The medium duty drill is not going to last out the year if used on heavy duty drilling or driving jobs. Better to save time on the job and money in the long run by getting the highest powered 18v drill you can find.
The lack of a second handle also limits the use of the drill to light to medium duty use. Without the second handle I find myself using my hand on the back of the drill to steady it and in doing so I block the air ports that enable the fan to cool the motor. This is a problem with all drills lacking a side handle in situations where two hands are needed and it is unfortunate that side handles are not something you can add to a drill kit later. All the low to medium grade drills are designed in a way that there is no way to attach a side handle should you want to do so later.
All 18 volt drills should have 3 speed gear boxes and a way to attach a side handle. Otherwise you might as well get a 12 volt drill and use a much cheaper 3/8" corded drill for the heavy lifting. I was on a job where a membrane roof was being laid down along with all the joint seals and edge trim and the workers were using several 3/8" corded drills and working around the extension cords. It seemed odd at the time but now I realize they were making the best drill choice for their needs based on the available technology at the time. After all a DeWalt 7 amp 3/8" cordless drill sells for $59 and it will outperform almost all the cordless drills on the market and the cordless sells for 3-4 times as much and requires more care in its use. For the DIY homeowner wanting to save money and get a light duty 18v cordless drill will extend its life by using a 3/8" corded drill for the tough jobs and save the cordless for the light duty drilling and driving jobs around the house.
The choice of drills is the one factor that most affects drill performance. Bi-metal hole saws are unbelievably cheap to manufacturer and OK for light duty hole cutting in mild steel but for other materials and especially for wood and composites like particle board it is a drill killer. Using one of the modern big gullet hole cutters like the Milwaukee Big Hawg or the Blue Boar TCT hole cutters will make it possible to easily drill holes that are three times as large and to cut 3" holes in OSB or Hardie siding in seconds without putting a dent in the battery's charge. Same applies to the new Bosch paddle bits for wood.
For cutting through fiberglass or drywall or plaster or stucco or building brick the Blue Boar TCT Stucco hole cutters are fantastic. With stucco or brick siding they cut through the masonry and keep on going through the metal mesh and the plywood underneath all with the same bit. I save about 45 minutes per hole compared to line drilling the stucco, cutting the wire, and then using a hole saw on the plywood or OSB.
This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
One of the best portable power tools that I have purchased. I required a small hammer drill with enough power to drive cement screws into a well seasoned fireplace from the inside of the chimney. Not only did this Drill perform well inside this small space it performed better than my other more industrial size hammer drill. Secondly, the lithium-Ion batteries hold a charge forever. Very Impressive - highly recommended.
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
The keyless chuck has beem improved remarkably from the previous drill. The drill is lightweight, smaller batteries which recharge quickly. Overall very satisfied with this drill.
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
Exactly as the title says. I was one of the first to buy this drill amongst the builders I work with, and after a few years, I saw this drill at every job site, if not the drill then one of the power tools of this series. I can't lie, this is an excellent tool. Very light, and delivering a lot of power. Very handy when wiring in rafters, in crawlspaces, inside appliances, etc. Great for tight spots which need a lot of power.
Nonetheless, it died on me after I think 2.5 years. I do plan on claiming the warranty on this, since I would rather have this when doing a fair amount of drilling, than the much larger 18V Dewalt XRP I also own. I would safely compare it to this drill. The Makita does not have the hammer drill option, but the Dewalt is lacking the Lithium Ion battery, so they balance each other out.
I would suggest that Makita use a lighter weight metal alloy as the casing, and beef up the gears and gear switch instead of having a plastic one. A hammer drill option and maybe 24 V would make this the best drill on the market, hands down. I have dropped this drill off of an 8 foot ladder, and it didn't even loosen the casing, so it is definitely sturdy on the outside, but the inside is a little too flimsy for serious work. This drill gets hot after drilling for a few minutes in hard wood, and the chuck needs to have an optional chuck key, as it loosens pretty easily.
All in all, this drill would get 5 stars from me if it lasted a bit longer. I've never had to turn a tool in for a warranty, but I like this tool so much, I am going to try it out and see what happens. Stay tuned...
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
the good:
its a nice gun, worked with a guy with the new milwakee and this one is alot lighter, the light is great, lots of power
the bad:
the case leaves alot to be desired, if you have to carry alot of bits there is not really any good spot, things dont fit well (like the extra battery, it doesnt really fit in its spot, very crummy design)and things bounce around alot in there. they could do alot better
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
I was using a 12V DeWalt for years and I even had two batteries rebuilt (not a good solution) before I considered this light weight Drill. This drill has plenty of power with very little wieght. Just built an 8 X 10 deck with this tool and drilled a few pieces of slate as well. The light is welcomed as the job continued into dusk. Recharge is quick, but the fan is noisy. I am a very happy camper! No Complaints
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
Excellent light weight tool. I use this daily in a tough industrial environment. Long battery life, rapid charging, very light wight and I really love the led light at the front of the tool! I wish it had two!
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
"BEST" drill you can buy!
I got my first Makita cordless drill form my brother in 1990. It was well worn and it wasn't running well. I immediately took it apart and cleaned it, finding the battery terminals were rusty, but everything else was in good shape. That 9 volt drill lasted me 18 years, even after being dropped many more times.
I did a lot of research before buying the my first new Makita. I was surprised that it is lighter and easier to handle than my older 9 volt version. And, the batteries charge up very fast and better yet, they hold a charge for months (not just days). And, they have lived up to their ratings (Consumer Reports). That little LED light is helpful at times, but I also liked the rubberized grip and the large chuck grips. Easy to use with heavy gloves or bare hands. It sits up nicely on the work bench, too.
I've bought many other cheaper drills and always been disappointed (DeWalt, Kawisaki, Black & Decker, Riobi, and even Craftsman). Mostly I had problems with the batteries. But, also with the case - many can't survive even a small drop. They should all be able to survive a fall from a 6' ladder, if not from a roof top. It happens, a lot in my business.
This drill is tight, accurate, nicely balanced, and it has a flat clip that slips over your belt or on a your pocket, so it's easy to hang on to. It's hard working from a ladder or installing things by yourself, so get the best tools for the job. I don't know of a better cordless drill product.
The voltage isn't as important as the Lithium batteries!
If any one ever asks, this is the only brand I would feel comfortable recommending.
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This review is from: Makita BHP452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit with Hammer Mode (Tools & Hardware)
I bought this drill after using a friend's and being impressed with its power, low weight and feel, and the speed the batteries charge. Consumer reports rated a Dewalt higher, but that drill is heavier and overkill for my use. I usually use one of my corded drills for heavier jobs.
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