Makita went after the power-to-weight ratio with its new Makita LXFD01 18V LXT Cordless 1/2โณ Driver-Drill. This Lithium-ion-powered drill is more or less based on the companyโs BDF452 18-volt Lithium-Ion driver-drill, except that they altered three things. First, they made it more powerful, second, they cut off some weight, and third,ย they trimmed some off the length to make it shorter.
This worked out because Makita was able to add 30 more in-lbs of torque, remove 0.2 pounds of weight, and reduce the length by 7/16 of an inch. Those numbers arenโt exactly stunning, but considering the popularity of its former tool, any improvement will be well-received by seasoned and professional Makita users.
Makita LXFD01 18V LXT Drive-Drill Kit Features
The Makita LXFD01 contains a 4-pole motor in its gullet, providing 290 in-lbs of PTI torque (480 in-lbs max torque). The motor itself has been improved with larger front-end ball bearings, and the new planetary gear system and transmission were redesigned to deliver increased durability. The final size? The Makita LXFD01 is just 7-9/16โณ long and scales up at a trim 3.8 lbs.
The Makita LXFD01 keeps from being clutch-crazy by limiting the settings to just 16, and it has a variable 2-speed transmission with all-metal construction. Low ranges from 0-400 RPM, and High takes you from 0-1,500 RPM. The tool is simple to hold, and the familiar Makita โBleenโ color (Blue/Green) is offset by newย rubberized overmold soft grips that really make the tool easy to handle โ even with greasy hands. We liked theย built-in LED that did well in lighting up the work area with a minimal amount of shadow-casting.
In addition to a hard case and two (2) 18V LXT lithium-ion batteries, the Kit comes with Makitaโs Energy Star-rated Rapid Optimum Charger, a fast and efficient 30-minute charger that will give you near-continuous use of the tool -especially when using two batteries. The LXFD01Z drill/driver also comes with a belt clip โ a nice addition that the company included as a convenience feature. Pros who are already flush with Makita batteries and chargers can also purchase just the raw Makita tool (LXFD01Z).
Any of Makitaโsย LXT Lithium-ion tools is backed by its new 3-year warranty and is covered against repairs due to defective materials or workmanship.
