Are Makita power tools worth the money?

While Makita tools are generally favoured by professionals, they don't come particularly cheap – that's where our in-depth reviews come in.

To make sure you're spending your money wisely, we pick apart Makita products to see if they're Which? Best Buys. For example, we test lawn mowers on a range of grass types, from a short, ornamental lawn to rough meadow grass. For cordless drills, we use a panel of DIY enthusiasts and novices to bore holes into wood, steel sheet and brick.

Keep scrolling as we take a closer look at Makita's full range of products. If you're shopping for a new power tool, consult our expert reviews before parting with your money.

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Why is Makita so popular?

The Japanese brand's market coverage plays a role. Makita sells smaller gadgets including drills, saws and wrenches, plus bigger products such as lawn mowers, table saws and garden shredders.

Customers value tools that stand the test of time, and when we surveyed Which? Trusted Traders about their favourite power tool brands in 2021, more than half either owned or used Makita tools.

One trader told us: 'I've used Makita for years now, and I've been very impressed with its range and performance.'

What tools does Makita make?

Makita offers a vast range of power tools, many of which we've tested as part of our continuous search for Best Buys.

For several power tool categories below, we've also included links to popular Makita products based on visits to our reviews over the past year. 

Popular doesn't mean flawless, though, so you'll have to check our full reviews to see how each model scores.

Makita cordless drills

An effective cordless drill will help you tackle DIY jobs easily, and you won't constantly need to recharge the tool because of an underperforming battery.

Makita makes plenty of drills for you to choose from – its website lists more than 30 models, made up of rotary drills, percussion drills, angle drills and more.

To find the best cordless drill for your tool cupboard, we've tested drill drivers and combi drills (with a setting to hammer drill hard materials) from DeWalt, Milwaukee and other big-name brands. 

We've tested the following Makita cordless drills:

• Makita DHP 453 18V Cordless Combi Drill – a combination drill with 16 torque settings.
• Makita DHP485 18V Brushless Cordless Combi Drill: This model has an LED light with a delay feature that stays on after you've stopped drilling.

Explore our guide to the best cordless drills to see our top scorers.

Makita lawn mowers

Makita sells lawn mowers suitable for both buyers on a budget and those shopping for a more premium product to tackle tricky lawns. Prices for Which?-tested models start at around £120 and rise beyond £1,000.

As part of our testing, we've reviewed cordless and electric models from Makita.

These are among the most popular Makita lawn mowers on the Which? website:

• Makita ELM3720X – a corded electric lawn mower best suited to cutting smaller lawns.
• Makita ELM3320X – this model has a cutting width of 33cm and a 30-litre collecting box.
• Makita ELM4121 – offers seven cutting heights and is suited to larger lawns more than 150sq m.

You can also explore all of our lawn mower reviews.

Best chainsaws 2024: whether you want a cordless or corded electric chainsaw, we will help you pick the best model.

Makita grass trimmers

Armed with a high-scoring grass trimmer, you can tidy lawn edges easily and trim hard-to-reach grass without much hassle.

But without consulting our reviews, you risk buying a trimmer that isn't up to scratch – we've previously uncovered models that leave straggly grass and stubborn weeds in your garden. Some are let down by a poor battery that dies within minutes of starting the job.

As part of its cordless garden tools offering, Makita sells a selection of trimmers, also referred to as linetrimmers and brush cutters. Many have an adjustable shaft and auto-speed control. Some take an 18V battery, while others use a 36V or 40V alternative.

We've tested the following Makita grass trimmers in the Which? test lab:

• Makita DUR368AZ – a cordless trimmer with plastic teeth and a brushcutter attachment.
• Makita DUR189Z – this model is powered by an 18V battery.

You can also explore all of our grass trimmer and strimmer reviews, or discover the best grass trimmers and lawn edgers.

Makita garden shredders

Choose the right garden shredder and you have a machine that churns through garden waste quietly and quickly without getting blocked up. Poor picks are a pain, however, jamming easily as they struggle to mulch even the flimsiest of branches.

We've tested the Makita UD2500 garden shredder in the Which? test lab. It's a large roller shredder that cuts and crushes garden waste. Makita claims the UD2500 can cope with small branches up to 45mm in diameter. For now, this is the only garden shredder listed on the brand's website.

For more details, read the Makita UD2500 review. You can also explore our page revealing the best garden shredders.

Makita hedge trimmers

Makita has a range of affordable and high-end hedge trimmers, and our unique gardening product survey offers some insight into the brand.

As part of our latest survey, we asked more than 7,000 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their hedge trimmer and if they’ve experienced issues. Among the brands featured were Makita, Ryobi, Karcher, Bosch and Flymo.

Among the most popular Makita hedge trimmers on the Which? website are the following models:

• Makita DUH502Z – a cordless hedge trimmer that uses an 18V Li-ion battery. You can use the battery with a wide range of Makita's cordless tools.
• Makita UH6580 – a corded, electric hedge trimmer with a 700W motor, a 65cm-long blade and a tooth width of 21mm.
• Makita DUH604SZ – this model comes with a device for sweeping up the twig and leaf debris after you’ve trimmed.

Browse all of our hedge trimmer reviews.

Makita batteries

These are designed to be interchangeable to some extent, although not every Makita battery will be compatible with every Makita product. If you're unsure, check the manufacturer's instructions.

We can use Makita's 18V LXT battery range as an example. The BL1830B (which costs around £45) is a 'general use' li-ion battery with a charge level indicator. This battery is compatible with '18V Makita LXT tools' – that means you could use it to power a compatible Makita cordless drill and then transfer it over to a compatible Makita grass trimmer.

Makita battery types include:

• Batteries CXT (12V)
• Batteries LXT (18V)
• Batteries XGT (40V)

Batteries from one platform are not interchangeable with tools from another platform. Universal battery systems are becoming increasingly popular as they're convenient and less wasteful. However, they tie you into a single brand.

Is DeWalt better than Makita?

In 2021, we surveyed 548 tradespeople from Which? Trusted Traders to find out what they rate as the best cordless power tool brands.

We asked each how satisfied they were with each brand and how likely they would be to recommend it to a friend. From this data, we calculated an overall customer score for each brand. 

To find out if they preferred DeWalt or Makita, log in or join Which?

Is Bosch better than Makita?

More than one in four Which? Trusted Traders we surveyed said that they owned or used a Bosch cordless power tool regularly.

To find out if they preferred Bosch or Makita, log in or join Which?

Is Makita made in the UK?

Yes, Makita products are made in the UK, but not exclusively.

A message on the brand's website explains: 'Makita manufactures its tools in plants across the globe, from its headquarters in Japan to here, in the UK.

'Our Telford manufacturing plant is the only full-production facility for power tools in the UK and has been successfully running construction on many of our top-line cordless power tools since 1991.'

Looking for an independent trader to tackle some garden or home improvement jobs? Use Which? Trusted Traders to find a reliable professional near you: