A couple of readers tipped us off about new Makita 12V Max drills, and they do look quite appealing.
Makita only recently launched their new line of 12V Max CXT compact cordless power tools, and they’re not wasting any time expanding it.
Judging from the photos that I’ve seen, these tools are pretty compact – even the hammer drill.
There’s no press release or official fact sheet yet, just an early product page over at Amazon – but there are still more than enough details to mull over.
The new Makita brushless drill (FD07R1) can deliver up to 280 in-lbs of torque. And because it has a brushless motor, you can expect for lots of runtime from the kit’s 2.0Ah battery pack.
- 280 in-lbs max torque
- 3/8″ chuck
- Weighs 2.3 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- 6-1/16″ length
Preorder price: $194 for the 2-battery kit
Buy Now(Brushless Drill Kit via Amazon)
The new Makita 12V brushless hammer drill (PH05R1) is similar to the drill/driver, but with the added hammer mode for drilling into masonry materials.
- 280 in-lbs max torque
- 3/8″ chuck
- Weighs 2.4 lbs with 2.0Ah battery
- 6-5/8″ length
Preorder price: $207 for the 2-battery kit
Buy Now(Brushless Hammer Drill Kit via Amazon)
First Thoughts
Let’s stop for a moment to consider what’s going on in the 12V tool market. Dewalt’s are decent, but they haven’t really expanded their tool selection in a very long time. Bosch keeps expanding their lineup, but mainly in Europe. Bosch does offer a brushless 12V-class drill, and a screwdriver.
Milwaukee is pretty much king of the hill, with an incredibly vast lineup that includes many brushless tools. What other brand offers a brushless 12V-class circular saw?
These new Makita brushless 12V Max drills look appealing, and breath extra excitement into their new 12V Max battery platform. Yes, I’m pretty excited about these new tools. These new brushless drills are big news when it comes to 12V cordless power tool market.
The other Makita 12V tools seem to be close adaptations of their previous generation of 12V Max tools. When Makita changed over from stem-style batteries to a slide-pack style, the rest of the tools’ designs seemed to have stayed more or less the same.
But these new brushless tools look to be completely different, suggesting that Makita has big plans for the new battery form factor.
If Makita is designing brand new 12V Max power tools, brushless or not, that’s going to a big development.
The drills look to be compact – it’s hard to tell from photos – with a little extra height just above the battery latch. The brushless motor controller and other electronics have to go somewhere. I guess it’s better to put this stuff at the bottom of the tool, than in the handle or motor housing.
I have said (or at least thought) this about some of Makita’s impact drivers before, but I don’t think I’ve said it about any of their drills before: I can’t wait to get my hands on one!