Are you looking for power, balance and long run times? If so this article is for you. Well not the article, but the Makita XPH07Z Hammer Drill. This is one of the most powerful 18V drills on the market with 1,090 in. lbs. of torque. Yes, I did type that correctly, that is a heck of a lot of power. In hammer mode it delivers 0 – 31,500 BPM which will drill just about any hole through masonry. Did I mention it has a brushless motor which can give it longer run times and a longer life.
If you think the power is impressive, Makita also equipped this drill with an electronically controlled motor which matches the torque and rpm to the demand of the application, pretty impressive. Yes, as with other drills this offers two speeds which can be changed on the top of the drill. I know what you’re thinking. With all this power means a bigger motor, with a bigger motor, you get more weight. Well not the case, this drill only weighs 5.9 lbs
Okay you get the point, this is powerful and just plain awesome. Let’s talk about the ergonomics of the tool. Picking the tool up, you can feel it is well designed and has a great balance. Even when we were in hammer mode, the control was awesome. The side handle is long and gives the user plenty of support for tough applications. One thing I really still can’t wrap my head around is how compact the drill is for how much power it puts out. I am use to having more power meaning a bigger tool, well that’s not the case here. I like the fact that the drill, screw and hammer mode are separated from the torque setting. While Makita batteries don’t offer a fuel status gauge, they do have one integrated right on the tool.
Bottom line this tool is powerful and comfortable. We didn’t get a lot of feedback when drilling or hammering. This is a well designed drill that anyone would be happy operating day in and day out.
