Makita has announced new 18V and 12V Max SubCompact cordless polishers, aimed at “spot polishing micro imperfections or polishing narrow spaces,” and also “removing scuff marks or oxidation from plastic surfaces and convertible window screens,” and similar tasks.
The new Makita cordless polishers, XVP01 for 18V and VP01 for 12V Max CXT, work with 3″ pads and 2″ sanding discs.
Advertisement
Both feature lock-on power switches, variable speed triggers, and comparable speed ranges – 0-2800/0-9500 RPM.
At this time there is no word as to whether Makita is adding any polishers to their XGT 40V Max “One System” 18V form factor cordless platform.
See Also: Makita XGT Cordless Launch
Makita 18V and 40V Max Incompatibility
Makita’s product images make the polishers look a bit cramped, but it could just be the angles.
While you might not need a “sub-compact” cordless polisher for working on cars, something that is typically done in wide open spaces, the size of the tools seem appropriate. Still, I can hear the Derek Zoolander reaction – “is this a polisher for ants toy cars?”
Makita specifically describes their new cordless polishers as being for “precise detail polishing and sanding,” and it works with standard 2″ and 3″ accessories. “Sub-compact” is okay for this, both models seem to be suitably sized for spot or small area polishing tasks.
Advertisement
Makita XVP01 18V Cordless Polisher Features & Specs
- 0-2800/0-9500 RPM
- 2″ sanding disc
- 3″ pad size
- Lock-on switch
- Variable speed trigger
- 6-11/16″ length
- Weighs 3.1 lbs
The kit (XVP01R1B) comes with tool, charger, single battery (2.0Ah), backing plate, and polishing pads. There will also be a bare tool, XVP01ZB.
Price: $199 bare tool, $299 for kit
Buy Now: Kit via Acme Tools
Buy Now: Bare Tool via Acme Tools
It looks like Acme Tools is the only Makita USA retail partner to have these polishers in stock and ready to ship.
It’s good to see that these are in stock and shipping already. Usually when Dewalt and Milwaukee launch new cordless power tools, the high demand can lead to preorder and backorder delays.
Update: If you’re okay waiting, Amazon has already-discounted pricing on preorders – $188.58 for the bare tool, $281.83. It’s unclear why Makita USA would allow Amazon to undercut their independent channels with lower launch pricing, but take advantage of it while you can!
Buy Now: Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: Bare Tool via Amazon
Makita VP01 12V Max CXT Cordless Polisher Features & Specs
- 0-2800/0-9500 RPM
- 2″ sanding disc
- 3″ pad size
- Lock-on switch
- Variable speed trigger
- 5-1/2″ length
- Weighs 2.4 lbs
The kit, VP01R1 comes with tool, charger, single battery (2.0Ah), backing plate, and polishing pads. There will also be a bare tool, VP01Z.
Price: $179 for the bare tool, $269 for the kit
Buy Now: Kit via Acme Tools
Buy Now: Bare Tool via Acme Tools
As with the 18V version, Acme Tools has the 12V CXT version in-stock and ready to ship.
Buy Now: Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: Bare Tool via Amazon
Compare
Milwaukee Tool’s M12 cordless polisher has been very popular over the years. It’s less expensive than Makita’s new offerings, and the kits give you (2) batteries instead of just (1). The Milwaukee has slightly lower top speeds and a brushed motor instead of brushless.
The M12 polisher was released nearly 7 years ago. Maybe 2021 will the year we seen an M12 Fuel upgrade?
Buy Now: Bare Tool via Home Depot
Buy Now: Kit via Home Depot
Carlos
I got the M12 version of this and I love it. I would have gotten the Makita 18V version if it was available at the time though
Jared
Can’t say I know much about polishing. The drill-like shape made a question pop to mind though: wouldn’t it be preferable to have a random-orbit action in a polisher?
I would have thought, like sanding, this would help keep the surface even.
Tim E.
It depends on both what you’re doing, and your skill level. Dual Action polishers are generally considered “better” for most non-pros because of the orbital action, meaning they won’t burn paint if you accidentally leave it in one area too long (among other benefits). Plus for anybody not in a body shop, a DA polisher will accomplish anything you need it to, just maybe not as fast as a rotary polisher. Rotary Polishers are usually faster at accomplishing whatever work, have lower vibration, and are relatively simpler. But they carry a higher risk of causing damageif not used correctly, hence being mostly relegated to pro shops nowadays.
For these smaller polishers, they’re going to be more useful either for particularly tiny or contoured areas where a 5″ pad from a DA polisher doesn’t fit or won’t work. As a DIY-er, I’d use it mainly for non-paint applications like headlight correction or other plastic-material correction. Probably for correcting/cleaning/polishing wheels as well. Maybe light sanding or rust removal or similar if I didn’t have a right angle die grinder for that. Anything where you otherwise see a DIY kit that uses a drill, this would probably be good for.
Lance
As long as you can get adapters that fit! The M12 has a unique thread so you’re stuck with what comes in the kit.
I find the 3″ size of the M12 to be extremely useful. There are so many places on most cars where a bigger machine just won’t fit and/or the risk of damaging surrounding bodywork and trim is very high. I find the rear of trunk lids, tops of doors, around mirrors, rocker panels, front facias… one I got used to having the smaller pad size I find I only use my larger machines in wide-open spaces like doors and hoods where the larger size is much faster.
Granted I’m not a professional and someone who’s doing this full-time will have far more skill than I do and would be more comfortable with bigger machines in riskier situations. Still, the small pad is very versatile in my opinion.
Jared
That makes sense. Thanks for the info. 👍
Lance
I have the M12 and it’s a great tool, however, at the price point Milwaukee have chosen it should be a Fuel brushless model. It’s expensive, gets hot with extended use and eats batteries, however a reasonable amount of work can be accomplished with a 4Ah battery.
Hearing that the Makita solutions will be even more expensive is troubling, however being brushless they should be better suited to this type of constant-load use. Too bad these were not out about four years ago when I bought the M12 version… I have a bunch of Makita 18V and Milwaukee M12, and I likely would have chosen the brushless Makita option.
I certainly hope the Makita tools use a generic adapter thread and not the same idiotic unique adapter thread the Milwaukee does! As far as I know you can’t get any aftermarket adapters for the M12 model. Ridiculous!
Stuart
It looks to have a proprietary adapter too, but it’s hard to say.
Makita USA won’t answer any press/media questions, but you’re welcome to try to get an answer from them.
I’m guessing that these tools are hard-limited to a proprietary interface that limits them to 2″ and 3″ accessories, as a way of preventing users from using larger accessories.
With high speeds, these tools won’t have much torque, and larger accessories could presumably easily stress or overpower them.
Serendipity
I don’t think Makita USA gives two rats about us. Change to a new Zealand email and see if that helps. Their answers on social media are absolutely genetic cut paste responses.
Liam
Honest question, is there a relationship between speed and torque when it comes to these “rotary” tools? They don’t work the same way the way drills do
Stuart
When polishing, it’s often best to let the “speed do the work.” You need enough torque to spin the pad at the desired RPM, plus a little more to overcome frictional forces. If you jam the pad into your work, you get deeper scratches and more heat, and it doesn’t help work get done any faster.
There’s always a relationship between speed and torque. For polishers, the balance is usually skewed towards higher speeds and lower torque. Increasing the torque and the same RPM range can be done, but requires larger and more power-hungry motors.
Koko The Talking Ape
I don’t know these tools either. Are they better than just chucking a an arbor and pad into a drill/driver?
Jared
Looks like the speeds are considerably higher than a cordless drill. Presumably this is so the work is done by the pad spinning and not pressure.
I’m sure a fellow who doesn’t do this kind of thing regularly could make do with a drill though – but it doesn’t appear to be the same thing.
Adam
Interesting tool, this has my attention as a woodturner. We commonly use 2″ & 3″ hook & loop sanding arbors in drills for large platters and bowls.
The most common downside to battery tools for sanding is that they are rarely agile enough to use in the tight, concave spaces of a bowl. However, the brushless motors would, in theory, hold up better to the amount of dust generated by sanding; something brushed tools are highly susceptible to failing from. Most people end up using the classic Milwaukee close-quarters corded angle drill for sanding (or a knockoff brand/model) because they can get into tight spaces and are controllable. The downside here being, if you don’t blow them out after every use, the dust will quickly choke it and let the magic smoke out.
While I did consider an M12 polisher, the eventual conclusion was that investing in a new battery platform for a single tool is not worth the cost, even if it meant dealing with the pain of a corded drill for sanding. Since I already own several LXT tools like the track saw, this might be worth considering.
Stuart, I’d love to see a review on the real-world specs and battery life on these if you get the chance.
Stuart
Makita USA won’t answer press questions let alone send samples. In other words, there won’t be any testing or review unless a reader wants to send one here first, (although, this is an idea I’m not really looking to implement until maybe the Fall when when my schedule hopefully opens up a bit).
In one of our last exchanges, Makita USA basically said the higher-ups are too pissed off at me/ToolGuyd for posting beyond only the Makita tools they want posted about.
Anyway, I think this would be the wrong tool for what you’re looking for.
It could work, but I’m thinking you might have better luck with the Milwaukee M12 die grinder – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-m12-fuel-right-angle-die-grinder/%3C/a%3E given the wider range of accessories you can use with it.
A die grinder – Milwaukee’s or another brand’s – can work with smaller accessories. You can also find accessories such as Roloc-compatible foam disc holders, and backing pads and adapters down to 3/4″ at least.
Despite these Makita tools’ compact sizes, a die grinder is still going to be smaller and easier to fit into tight spaces.
It’s just something to consider. Die grinders are also designed for more material-removal tasks, whereas polishers aren’t generally going to see a lot of dust.
Although… looking at accessories such as the Roloc “Finesse-it” backing pad, it’s rated for 6000 RPM max. Maybe a slower speed polisher would be better. It seems those pads are better suited for use with air or cordless drills, or hand tool adapters.
Phranq
Wonder if this would be good for Rubio?
I’ve always used the Bosch or Makita 6″ Dual Action for Rubio on Doors and other millwork.
Stacey Jones
I’ve got an old shopsmith that still has som rust in hard to get to spots. I used a drill with sanding pads to get most off. Would this be better and faster. I want to paint when done.
Carlos
It has higher RPM so it will be faster. I use my M12 with ROLOC disks for sanding in tight spots and it’s great
MarylandUSA
First new CXT tool in years. Now I can give my Milwaukee M12 polisher to my son-in-law and buy a 15th CXT tool.
Stuart
If you’re buying a new tool for that, I’d go with a right angle die grinder (like the Milwaukee M12) or a compact cordless drill.
These could possibly be used, but you’d have to ensure accessory compatibility.
If in your shoes, I would look for a tool that can work with Roloc-standard accessories.
I really like bristle discs, and you need certain backing pads for that.
Stacey Jones
This one? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XZMMD1V/
Stuart
Yes – I linked to it in an earlier comment: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-m12-fuel-right-angle-die-grinder/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Julian Tracy
Excellent tool. So far exceeds the air right angle grinders that I’ve tried using my standard sized Rolair aircompressor and a much better user approach compared to the Dewalt 20v inline die grinder I had previously (sold that off).
For any tool or other “restorations”, it’s invaluable with wire brushes, rolock discs or 3m discs. Only thing that could make it handier is some sort of instant attach 1/4” shaft collet, but the two wrench method is fast enough I guess.
Plain grainy
I just responded to the related posts; Makita coffee maker(3-10-19). I must be a little sleepy! LOL.
Nathan
while I like the general idea without it being RO I don’t want one.
I use a 3 inch disk device when I polish cars or well one light fixture. and it’s velco pad- to use add on foam pads etc. But it goes on my porter cable 7424 RO polisher. so I trade from a 6 inch plate to the extended 3 inch plate – and do detail work like what is shown in the picture. I much prefer a random orbit setup.
also I rarely see a need to go beyond 6000 or so orbits per minute. yes even with the smaller pad.
Again though great idea for a spot polisher that’s cordless. I mean if you had to do say one panel or a bumper of a modern car this would be awesome to have- but I’d still want random orbit.
Ken Hom
I have owned the Snapon version of this tool for at least two years nit really anything new here.