Makita LCT300W 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit Review
I'm not Joe contractor, I'm just an ambitious homeowner. My father-in-law bought me a nice Craftsman drill two years ago as a present. I got a lot of general use out of it. It doesn't owe me (or actually my father-in-law) a dime. There were two major problems with it. If the battery gets cold, it dies immediately. Secondly, it lost major power after I used it a bit. It's good for light duty but not for any serious work. That drill cost about 0 and already needs to be replaced after two years.
I had my friend who worked in construction come over one day to help me hang an exterior door. Since this was a no fail mission, I decided that external help was important. He showed up with his Makita drill. The drill is light, powerful, and easy to use. The LED light is super bright. The charger recharges batteries in 15 minutes. It doesn't even matter because the batteries last forever. After using that drill for a few hours, I was sold. You can buy that drill for around 9. For an extra (over Craftsman or others) you can get a drill that you can use for 20 years. I knew that drill would do the trick but I was tempted to get the kit for the extra 0. Hey for flashlight batteries alone, it would eventually pay for itself.
I watch a lot of HG TV and I noticed that no one uses a drill anymore. They all use impact drivers. So I said, hey.. if they use it, it must be good. I am currently building a closet in our basement. Essentially framing out an 8X8 cube. I got frustrated with the Craftsman and decided to bite the bullet and buy the Makita kit and I am not disappointed. I drove one screw with the impact driver and decided then and there it was worth every penny. It puts in a 2.5 inch drywall screw in a completely controlled manner, very very fast. You don't have to push hard at all. The impact motion of the driver pushes the screw heads right in. A project, that would have taken me days was done in a few hours, solely because of the speed and power of the impact driver.
If you're wondering what the difference is. Use the impact driver for driving screws into wood and in any application where insane torque is required. Use the standard drill for delicate work where you want to use the clutch, and for drilling holes when you need the speed. As a bonus the charger even plays Für Elise after completing the charge.
Now to recap... Just buy it.
Makita LCT300W 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit Feature
- 2-speed 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill (0-400/0-1, 500 RPM) with Makita-built 4-pole motor delivers 450 in.lbs. of Max Torque and weighs only 3.5 lbs
- Variable speed Impact Driver (0-2, 300 RPM) provides 1, 280 in.lbs. of Max Torque in a compact design and weighs only 2.8 lbs
- 4-Position Flashlight with Xenon bulb runs over 2 hours per charge
- Makita Compact Lithium-Ion battery and Energy Star rated 15-Minute Rapid Optimum Charger produces 430% total lifetime work with 2.5X more cycles
- 3-year warranty on tools and 1-year warranty on batteries and charger
Makita LCT300W 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit Overview
New combo kit offers best power-to-weight ratio for both driver-drill and impact driver. Also includes a flashlight 1/2" Driver-Drill delivers 450 in/lbs of efficient torque in a compact size and weighs only 3.5 lbs. Impact Driver provides 1,280 in/lbs of maximum torque and weighs only 2.8 lbs. Xenon Rechargeable F l a s h l i g h t with 4-positon head pivots for greater versatility
Makita LCT300W 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit Specifications
The Makita 18V Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit is built for the pro-user who requires Best in Class cordless tools for drilling, driving and fastening in a more compact size. The LCT300W includes a compact and versatile 1/2-Inch Driver-drill, as well as a powerful impact driver that weighs just 2.8 pounds. The kit also includes a rechargeable flashlight. Each tool is powered by Makita's 18V compact lithium-ion battery and the ENERGY STAR rated Makita Rapid Optimum Charger.
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Best in Class Cordless Solutions Makita's LCT300W includes a compact and versatile 1/2-Inch Driver-drill (BDF452HW). The BDF452HW features a Makita-built four-pole maximum torque motor that delivers 450 in.lbs. of Max Torque and 285 in.lbs. of PTI Torque in a compact size. The BDF452HW has a two-speed all-metal transmission that delivers 0-450 RPM in low speed and 0-1,500 RPM in high for a wide range of drilling and driving applications.
The LCT300W also includes a powerful impact driver that weighs just 2.8 pounds. (BTD142HW). The BTD142HW features a Makita-built four-pole maximum torque motor that delivers 1,280 in.lbs. of torque, 2,300 RPM, and 3,200 impacts per minute for a wide range of fastening tasks. Makita's proprietary hammer and anvil impact mechanism is manufactured using the best raw materials with the highest quality steel and unique heat hardening process for maximum fastening and driving power.
Both the driver-drill and impact driver have a compact and ergonomic shape that fits like a glove for reduced operator fatigue, as well as a built-in L.E.D. light that illuminates the work area for more efficient work. The kit includes a rechargeable flashlight with Xenon bulb (BML185W). The LCT300W includes two 18V compact lithium-ion batteries and a Rapid Optimum Charger for increased battery and charging power--and less downtime on the job site.
Built for a Variety of Applications
The LCT300W delivers compact cordless solutions for drilling, driving, and fastening. The combination of power and performance in a compact size makes the LCT300W ideal for pro trades including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, remodeling, woodworking, and any pro contractor who requires a Best in Class engineered cordless combo kit. The LCT300W is just another example of Makita's commitment to innovative technology and best in class engineering.
About Makita's 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Tool Series
As one of the pioneers driving the cordless tool revolution, Makita changed the game with its breakthrough 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Series. Three years after its debut, Makita's LXT Series has grown from seven to over 35 tools, providing a wide range of cordless solutions for professional tradesmen. Makita also added 18V compact lithium-ion for cordless power in a more compact size. Makita's 18V Lithium-Ion batteries and ENERGY STAR rated Optimum Charging System provide several benefits over old battery technology. When compared to traditional 18V Ni-Cd batteries, Makita's 18V Lithium-Ion batteries have 40% less weight, longer run time, and five-times lower self-discharge to keep cells active and ready to use at any time.
Makita's 18V Lithium-Ion battery delivers 2,000 cycles--2.5X more than Ni-Cd. In addition, built-in shock absorbing features help protect the battery, and 16 firm-holding contact terminals deliver constant high power. During the charging process, a built-in memory chip in the battery communicates with the Optimum Charger for a more efficient charge, extending the battery life. Makita's Optimum Charger is also faster: it will charge an 18V LXT Lithium-Ion battery in just 30 minutes, and an 18V compact lithium-ion battery in only 15 minutes. Makita also offers a Rapid Automotive Charger for 18V LXT and 18V compact lithium-ion batteries that plugs into 12V DC sockets equipped in most automobiles and trucks for added mobility. Makita's growing line of LXT cordless tool solutions features a wide range of industrial-quality power tools, including driver-drills, impact drivers, impact wrenches, saws, grinders, screwguns, rotary hammers, and more. The LXT Series also offers a jobsite radio, rechargeable flashlights, and several different combo kits.
About Makita
Makita is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial quality power tools and offers a wide range of industrial accessories. Makita applies leading-edge innovation to engineer power tools that are more compact and energy efficient, yet deliver industrial strength power and results. Makita U.S.A., Inc. is located in La Mirada, California, and operates an extensive distribution network located throughout the U.S. For more information, please call 800/4-MAKITA (800/462-5482) or visit makitatools.com. Makita is Best in Class Engineering.
Warranty
Every Makita Lithium-Ion tool is backed by Makita's 3-Year Warranty that covers repair due to defects in materials or workmanship up to three years from the date of original purchase. Makita Lithium-Ion batteries and chargers have a limited 1-year warranty. Please see makitatools.com for complete details.
What's in the Box
1/2-Inch Driver-Drill, Impact Driver, Flashlight, two 18V compact Lithium-Ion batteries, Rapid Optimum Charger, and contractor bag.
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Customer Reviews
Never Going Back - Marty Gabel - Mason, OH United States
I bought the LCT300W kit for my home wordworking business after my friend put one through a tough year of commercial use with no issues. I am really impressed with the power of the drill, and the ease of driving screws with the impact driver. I really like the balance and how light the units are. The LED lights are also a nice feature that I now wonder how I did without.
Perfect for Home Use - Charles Evans - North Carolina
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2QHKIM3TUW9QL The Makita LCT300W 18-volt kit is perfect for use around the house. Contractors and professionals may prefer the longer lasting 3.0Ah sets (twice the battery life), but for most of us we will be well-served by the lighter 1.5Ah batteries that come standard in this kit.
The video shows this set in better detail, but here is a rundown
Impact Driver -
- Perfect for all of the jobs around the house. I used to use STP SD10010 3.6 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless/Rechargeable Screwdriver with Limited Edition Tin Storage Container but as you would expect from something with a 3.6 Volt battery - it simply did not have enough power. With the Makita Impact Driver I get significantly more power while adding about 2x the weight. This is a trade-off that I can live with. The best way to describe is that this is that the Makita Impact Driver is perfect for both screwing in decking and hanging curtain rods.
Driver Drill-
- The main reason for buying this set. I have an older 9.6V NiCad rechargeable drill that just couldn't get it done. On nearly every job I would need to pull out my corded Milwaukee 0234-6 Magnum 5.5 Amp 1/2-Inch Drill (which is an excellent drill) to finish the job. It works great, but it would require me to get an extension cord.... and all of the other inconveniences of a corded drill. The Makita 18-Volt Driver Drill is an excellent alternative - granted it does not have the power of my Milwaukee corded drill, but it will get nearly every job done whether if it is drilling a pre-hole or cutting a 2" round hole through plywood - it works great.
Flashlight -
It is bright, lightweight, and convenient - in short it is handy but not critical.
Final Verdict - I am somewhat concerned about the complaints of unpredictable battery life - but for now the set is an easy 5-star recommendation.
5 Stars
These are a great home drill set - Cliff Kline - Goleta, CA
Likes: 1) Price for the combo. 2) Size and weight of the drill is great, not too heavy. 3) The LED light provides some light without having to hold a flashlight. 4) The torque. I just used the drill to drill 4 1" holes through double headers in my attic to run wiring. Did it fast and without any slowdown. I like that, cause I did not want to be in my hot attic any longer than I had to be. 5) No cord. 6) Quick recharge of the batteries
Dislike: 1) Battery life is way too short. 2) The instructions on how to charge the batteries are not clear. I had to go online and read up on how to properly charge the batteries. I think I have it now - leave the battery on till the last light is a solid green, but don't leave your battery on the charger any longer - it will shorten its life.
