Are you looking to switch power tool brands or start your first tool purchase? What about finally changing over from your old NiCad to Lithium batteries? Buying combo kits are a great way to enter into your new tool line. Since so many people buy combo kits, we thought it would be a good time to do a Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review. For today we are going to cover the Makita 3 piece combo set Model XT328M. This kit comes with:
- Hammer Drill
- Impact Driver
- Reciprocating Saw
- 2 Batteries – 4Ah
- Charger
- Carry bag
The 18V kit is priced around $400 at The Home Depot. Not a bad price to get into the Makita lineup.
Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review – Makita Line-Up
Makita has one of the largest line-ups in the power tool world. Not only do they offer power tools, but they offer OPE and more. This is key when you invest in manufacturers tools. You always want to make sure you can expand your tools as your work expands or budget expands. Who wants to own two separate battery platforms? With the Makita lineup, you don’t have to worry about buying another battery platform.
Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review – Combo Kit
Most manufacturers offer different combo kits. Some will design a master kit which usually includes seven or more tools. These kits are pricey, but they are a great way to get all the tools you need in one purchase. Others might put smaller kits together where a user can buy just the tools they need.
This Makita Cordless Combo Kit is one of those smaller kits. The kit includes two of the most widely used tools, the drill and the impact. The third tool is the reciprocating saw. Now some might not want the reciprocating saw. Some might want a circular saw instead. Obviously, if that is you, this kit is not for you. But if you want the saw with the drill and the impact, this is a great kit to pick up for a reasonable price.
All three tools use the Makita brushless motor which means more power and a longer life.
Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review – Drill
The Makita drill is a two-speed hammer drill that offers 0-500 & 0-2,000 RPM – 0-7,500 & 0-30,000 IPM with a torque output of 530 in/lbs. Now, this isn’t their most powerful drill, but as you can see this is a very powerful drill for most standard work. The tool only weighs 4.2 lbs and that is with the 4Ah battery.
One huge feature I love about this tool is the torque setting and mode setting. I love the two separate rings so a user can independently adjust the mode from the torque settings.
Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review – Impact
While Makita is known for producing quality tools, one of their notable tools is their impact drivers. Over and over people love the size, ergonomics, and power. The impact included in this kit isn’t any different. The variable speed driver delivers 1,500 in/lbs of torque with 0-3,400 RPM & 0-3,600 IPM. The tool only weighs 3.3 lbs. with the battery attached.
This isn’t their most feature packed impact, but it’s a great impact for simplicity and power.
Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review – Reciprocating Saw
As with their impact, the reciprocating saw isn’t a feature packed saw. What it lacks in features it makes up in power and speed. The saw delivers 0 – 2,300 and 0 – 3,000 SPM with a 1-1/4″ stroke length.
One feature that is awesome with this kit is how the blade locks into the tool. The design of the blade locking system means that you should never have the blade pop out even if the saw binds.
Makita Cordless Combo Kit Review – Final Thoughts
Overall if you are looking to get into the Makita lineup, this is a great starter kit. While the tools aren’t feature packed compared to their other tools, it’s a powerful and less expensive way to enter the line. If you are the guy looking for feature after feature, you might want to buy the Makita tools separately. While you will pay more, you will get exactly what you want.
