I previously posted about a new Makita 18V sub-compact brushless cordless drill, and it’s accompanied by an equally sub-compact brushless impact driver in a combo kit, CX200RB.
The individual tools and the combo kit were all excluded from Makita’s holiday promos.
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About a week ago, Ben emailed me about an in-store Home Depot Makita 18V tool promo that someone had posted a photo of on Instagram.
Buy the combo kit, CX200RB, at its regular price of $229, and get a free Makita 18V 2.0Ah Li-ion battery pack!
Update: The promo has ended and the price is now $239.
I couldn’t find anything at the time, and didn’t see the deal at my local HD, but the deal appears to have gone live online!
I have a lot to say about this new Makita sub-compact brushless cordless combo kit in an upcoming review, and you’ll see both tools mentioned favorably in my next Best Cordless Drills and Best Cordless Impact Drivers update.
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These are essentially 12V-sized tools, with 18V-sized battery packs. They are almost freakishly compact, and I say “almost” in case you see “freakishly compact” is a bad thing.
The tools are not quite perfect. I’m not yet used to the adjustable clutch on the drill, which I find to be a little too rearward. If this was to be my primary drill, I’d get used to it. I guess the choice was to push the clutch wheel back a little, or to modify the grip and balance. If so, they went in the right direction – I can get used to adjusting the clutch with my fingertips, but there would be no adjusting to an uncomfortably or imbalanced grip.
Both tools have brushless motors, and are lowered powered than most standard-model compact 18V drills and impact drivers. But they’re more capable than I would have expected. I still have to push them to their limits, but I can see them serving as everyday tools for a lot of users. You might want to keep something higher powered in your truck, tool bag, or toolbox, just in case.
These aren’t flaws, but compromises.
I could see these as being “12V tool killers.” The fit the role of being super compact and lightweight, while working off of a battery platform size that more people find to be most practical.
The tools themselves are comparable in size to 12V Max-class drills and impact drivers, and might even be smaller! The battery pack is still 18V-sized, so you don’t quite get all the way down to 12V Max-class size.
Price: $229 $239
As part of this deal, you get a free bonus 18V 2.0Ah Li-ion battery pack, the new one with built-in fuel gauge. The battery typically retailers for $70-79 each, or $109 for a 2-pack.
For a new cordless combo kit that has been excluded from recent discount deals, this is a good combo.
While I prefer money-off deals, with this one you at least get something extra for the regular retail price.
Buy Now(via HD)
Compare(via Amazon)
Deal Expiration: Unknown
Update Reminder: The promo has ended and price went up from $229 to $239.
I didn’t explicitly say it yet, but I REALLY LIKE both tools. The size and surprisingly-still-reasonable capabilities of the drill let me overlook the clutch wheel comfort compromise, and the impact is quite nice as well.
Drill Specs
- 350 in-lbs max torque
- 0-500, 0-1700 RPM
- Weighs 2.8 lbs with battery
- 6-3/8″ long
Impact Specs
- 1240 in-lbs max torque
- 0-1300/0-3000 RPM, 0-1600, 0-3900 IPM
- Assist mode (A mode)
- Weighs 2.6 lbs with battery
- 5-5/16″ long
The Assist mode helps to avoid camming out and cross threading by starting fasteners at a slower speed until the impact mechanism engages.
The kit comes with (2) 2.0Ah Li-ion battery packs, a charger, and carrying case, and this bundled adds in a 3rd battery pack.
The included charger can fully recharge a 2.0Ah battery pack in 25 minutes.
The yeti
All black makita stuff now . Interesting
Cr8ondt
Hope it sticks….. their teal had them tied with Hitachi(not color but styling) for ugliest tool line in my book!!!!! Not that I get hung up on looks, both brands make some fantastic tools.
BonPacific
I like the color and design, it’s modern without being as overwrought as a lot of competitors.
Jim D
Black is just for their compact 18volt lineup. This will not be a brand-wide change unfortunately.
anode
Hi Stuart, did you had a chance to test this combo with the older Makita batteries? I know there was a limitation to only use the newer ones, but some of the user reviews I found stated that the only batteries which worked were the ones included with the combo.
This one is on my wish list for some time already. Since I already have the full size brushless combo I will wait to see if they will discount it even further.
Jeff Nickols
I have this model and the older black and white LXT model, I mix and match the batteries between the two without any problem. I have even tried the Topbat Makita knockoffs with no problem.
MSVCP140
🙂 OK !
Wayne
Seems like 12v features for 18v price to me. The 12v kits from milwaukee and makita frequently go on sale for $99.
Dominic Van Lievenoogen
The brushed 12 volt tools with small batteries and slow ass charger go to 99 dollars sometimes yes.
This is a whole different story in power, speed, capability, durability.
apples to apples etc…
Wayne
My m12 kit came with two 2.0 amp hour batteries and they charge up in 30 minutes or less. True they aren’t brushless. I don’t think the price difference is worth it IMO for a DIYer maybe for a pro.
Cr8ondt
Don’t let the torque #s fool you, the impact @1240 in lbs is only a small part of the story… 3000 RPM and 3900 IPM are very much 18v #s and no 12v tool even comes close.
Gordon
Those 12v kits are not brushless. A Comparable M12 Fuel setup is the same price, $230. But with the Makita sub-compact, you are buying into a 18v lineup with much stronger tool options down the road. With the M12, you’re pretty much already at the top of the 12v lineup.
Cr8ondt
I was VERY close to buying into Makita’s 18v cordless line last year, had this combo existed then I probably would have been swayed into it. Having played around with the display at HD last month I was extremely impressed. Also of note Makita is quite conservative in torque ratings on their impacts, they easily compete with other brands with significantly higher numbers. Makita’s XDT12Z is rated at 1550 in lbs and DeWalt’s DCF887 is 1825, while I find DeWalt to be stronger, I don’t think it’s 275 in lbs different.
I’m not an owner of anything Makita, but I am a fan.
Jim Felt
I think the “black” is so very stylin’. That “black” being a Benz, Amex, Ralph Lauren labeling (brand/pricing differentiation) thing forever.
Maybe black oxide drill bits will be once again in? Naw.
But seriously I do like the color. Too bad it’ll get lost (literally) easier on any job site I’ve seen.
Wish I could just buy it for the color. But it ain’t rational. Grrrr.
Matt
I like the black too. I have a few C3 Craftsman tools and while I wish they were higher grade like DeWalt, Bosch, Makita etc, one thing I Do love is how cool they look in black… My old corded USA Made Craftsman Industrial power tools are also black and just look fantastic even after all these years. When Craftsman was offering their Professional battery tool line several years back, the 1 thing that kept me on the fence from buying them was their odd red color. It didn’t match their toolbox red which I love. I just wasn’t feeling it. I wanted the Industrial black. I bought their new corded Magnesium circular saw as kind of a farewell parting gift for myself because I think our Sears is closing. I recently noticed they once offered a Professional version of this same saw but in that reddish color. I prefer the black one I bought. It looks sharp with the hints of silver and red.
Color matters for alot of folks. I have two friends who are construction/woodworker guys and have zero use for a large mechanics tool chest. Both with very basic and small tool sets. Enough for a small toolbox at best. Both are DeWalt addicts and both dumped their perfectly good tool chests and bought those big yellow DeWalt tool cabinets the day they were available in store a couple years back. And it wasn’t even because they were DeWalt, it was because they were DeWalt Yellow. Therefore, they had to have it. One of those guys had mostly Milwaukee tools purchased through and for his former job. He always raved about Milwaukee this and that. That was until he saw a (literally) massive display of DeWalt tools when they were debuting at a local store here. He fell in love with the yellow color. All of his Milwaukee tools were replaced with DeWalt equivalents and then some within I’d bet a week. Not because DeWalt had a better tool, not because Milwaukee had let him down. He just decided he loved the yellow color and Had to have it.
For what it’s worth, I actually liked Makita’s blue. It’s kind of 1950’s… I’m waiting for SK to throw their hat into the ring and buy Hitachi power tools. Their greens are pretty close.
Jim Felt
Matt. Totally agree.
I too like the black “look” and that great Hitachi green. But I’ve long ago bought into the boring Germanic Blue in 12v and 18v. Plus a few surviving US made DeWalts, Porter Cable, Sioux, Milwaukee and the ever weird Fein (whatever color that is)…
And managed to keep my original red and black Craftsman rollarounds and now have added some neutral SS boxes. All indoors and in non commercial use.
Sort of like high end cameras are nearly always black. And black once actually denoted pro “photojournalist” use as it was an option. Fini
Toolfreak
The Craftsman “Professional” power tools were a joke. They were built like toys and often incorporated gimmicks that made them less useful than their more basic, lowerpriced counterparts.
The Industrial tools though, yeah those were nice.
Matt
I tend to agree. While I never did own any and can’t comment on their performance, you said the word ‘toys’… I thought bingo! That’s what I thought they looked like. Something from Playskool… The weird looking red with the yellow triggers. If it’s gonna be Craftsman, give me the Industrial black any day. It want it to look like it means business.
I think Harbor Freight adopted this for some of their now stuff too. It looks cheesy and cheap. Let them keep it. Seeing this is a Makita thread and I kind of got off topic (Sorry Stuart), I think this will do well for the potential new Makita buyer who may not be a fan of their standard shade of blue.
Toolfreak
The black is great, but it’s more to appeal to the style-conscious hopeful buyer like the white/black of the eariler 12V line was. Not a bad thing, I suppose, since you’d be getting a quality brand and a good looking tool.
Jay
Can see how tools of this power/size could be very useful. If/when the bare drill comes down in price will prob get one.
phillip
Wanted to remind everyone that the new brushless makita cxt tools are coming out now and are noticably shorter and lighter and have close to the same specs look up the dt04 impact for example 1200 inch pounds 3000 rpm and 3900 ipm. it weighs 2.1 lbs with battery and 5 5/16 long with two power modes and assist mode.
Toolfreak
Comparable in size to 12V-Max class drills? Surely that’s just the business end. With the big square battery on the bottom, the entire package is a whole lot bigger than a 12V Max / M12 unit with a compact 1.3-2.5Ah battery on it.
I like the black and even like the rearward clutch (seems great for being able to grab the constantly-used chuck and not the seldom-adjusted clutch), but if these things are still made for adult-size hands, that battery and attachment is still going to make these a lot bigger and a lot different in overall compactness than a 12V Max /M12 unit.
Would be interesting to see a comparison to the older generation white/black Makita 12V Max units as well.
Still, not a bad deal if you wanted these or like the brand and wanted something new for DIY/home use. Hopefully they will add to the sub-compact line with at least some saws, maybe an impact wrench too.
BonPacific
I played with these a bit in the store. The handles seem to be similar to the main 18v line. Maybe a tiny bit thinner (like a DeWalt handle) but quite comfortable.
The battery seems like it’s rarely the issue with getting a tool into a space, and frankly a right-angle drill is going to be better than either of these. That said, the 2.0 battery are quite light.
Toolfreak
While not always the issue, I’ve found I can stick a Bosch 12V Max tool into a spot a lot easier than I could a drill with a big rectangular battery, and for some things, like say a space where you have to reach through a small hole, a compact 12V tool works where anything with a big battery just won’t, and a right-angle drill is the wrong tool for the job, since the issue is the tool being small enough to fit in the space, not just the compactness of the head.
I do think Makita could have made a 12V subcompact set like their earlier models, with the compact battery like the Bosch 12V Max / Milwaukee M12 that also had a larger rectangular battery option, but they’ve gone full-rectangular for everything like Dewalt.
VaDon
I have used the Makita 18v black/white set for years, but when this set was introduced, I decided it was time for an upgrade.
I am impressed with this set! It seems to be much stronger, faster than the original black/white set, but is lighter, smaller, with bigger battery.
Also, Home Depot has the set right now with a free extra 2.0 battery.
I put my old set on Craigslist and sold it in a couple of days. Now am enjoying my new “black” set of Makita.
Aaron
Love this kit. I really wish other companies that aren’t doing much of anything with their 12v products (looking at you, Team Yellow) or those that could use a technology upgrade in their 12v kits (Hitachi). They look like a million bucks and are a great all-purpose set for 90% of jobs.
Aaron
Any updates on when your best of 2016 will be up, Stu?