I've been using cordless tools for close to 20 years. I'm in the trades and
br /do the purchasing of tools for our installation crews. I have extensive experience with most manufacturers as I put them through the rigors before I
br /purchase them for the crews.
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br /I've been using the Makita set for about 2 months now.
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br /Pros. Light weight, Decent to middle of the road performance. LED light comes in handy. 15 min charger
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br /Cons. BATTERY RUN TIME. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING.
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br /Recommendation. This is a decent kit for a home owner or occasional user.
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br /If you're in the trades, look at Panasonic. Their 15.6v drill is head and shoulders above everything else I've tried...hands down
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I bought this kit to augment my 14.4v Dewalt for the installation of one of those giant wood swing-sets. I started off using the Dewalt for driving the hex-bolts into the T-Nuts, but once I used the impact driver for the first time, I hardly put it down again after. I had to be careful not to over-drive the bolts, becuase the torque would just keep on going.
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br /There were comments on previous reviews complaining about the battery life. This kit includes two 1.5 Ah batteries. I found these batteries to be adequate for a general home user - particularly with the 15-minute recharge cycle time. If long life is what you need, you should either purchse the kit that comes with the 3.0 Ah batteries, or I was told that the 3 Ah batteries are compatible with this kit, but not vice versa.
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br /I didn't use the Drill Driver near as much as the impact driver, but overall, it met my expectations. Both were much lighter than my Dewalt, and overall, that weight made a huge difference on my own fatigue factor over the 4-day installation, than if I would have used the Dewalt exclusively. I have absolutely no regrets over this purchase!

I bought this drill because I was looking for a lightweight kit for woodworking. I am very happy with the build quality of the drill and impact drill and the 15 minute charger is a great bonus. The drill is very powerful with a one piece chuck. Both the drill and impact drill have lights on them that stay on for a couple seconds after use which really helps when installing cabinet hardware, but even with all of this I can't give it anything higher than 3 stars because the batteries are just bad. This is supposed to be the best kind of baterry technology on the market and my sears craftsman drill is outlasting it. The only reason why I've kept this set is because the batteries charge in 15 minutes. If your looking for a drill to use on a construction site you might want to stay away from this compact set.

By far the best drill and impact driver available today. I've been using cordless tools for 20 some years and this line by Makita surpasses the best ever offered. I've had really good luck with Bosch in recent years and will stand by those. If I get the longevity they promise then that will be the only remaining variable yet decided. Both the drill and driver will do all you ask, are very light weight, and as comfortable to work with as a tool made specifically for your hand. Anyone griping about battery life needs to rethink things a bit. If you want a battery that lasts you all day and into the night then by all means go get yourself a 192 lb. back pack of a battery that you"ll need wheels to move around. If you are a person within reason then give these drills and drivers serious consideration. The 1.5 hr battery will give you plenty of work without adding weight that no one wants to carry around. Want a lot more run time, spend a few bucks and add a 3.0 hr battery to an already near perfect kit. Anyone that actually uses tools daily would never expect more than this drill and driver will deliver and I have some seriously tough expectations of my tools. I have to, they, in my hands, earn my living. Makita has a clear winner here!

The drill that is included in this kit is the model #BDF452HW, and not the model #BHP452HW that is listed in the product description.

I looked long and hard at this set when Home Depot had it in the high $200 range. The many reviews regarding the relatively short battery charge life concerned me, but not enough to stop my purchase when Amazon had it for $199. I'm building a two large decks. I rely on the impact driver heavily for driving long and short framing and deck screws. I rely on the drill for pilot holes and to a lesser extent to drill smaller screws. Light weight, small size, great tools, but battery life is short when the tools are used hard. Glad I bought them, but I'll buy the 3 ah batteries when I see them on sale.

literally blows everything else out of the water. both tools are light, feel great in your hand, charge in 15 min, run for hours, and have lights. the only downside i see is i had to buy them for my whole crew to keep them off mine. Also makita should include extra pamflets so you dont have to stop work every 5 min to let someone play with them. if you use drills then buy these because they are worth the money. i would pay twice this much for what you get!

I've had these for about a month and have used them for household stuff. This is the first tool that I've bought with a lithium ion battery. I'm not real wild about reading it loses its capacity every year by about 20%. Other than that, the drill is nice and works well. The impact is a bit overpowered for delicate work. You're better off to use the drill and turn down the speed when driving screws into delicate stuff like woodwork.

I waited for almost 18 years to up date a new drill driver. When I saw this deal in Wood magazine I couldn't
br /resist looking for the best deal which I found on amazon. com. The kit arrived in few days and I was very pleased with the set. I haven't had a chance to use it on a big project but, I did get to use it on couple of small
br /jobs around the home. My old Makita is a 9.6 volt style which I purchased around 1987 and is still working. The new style is like a driving a new Cadillac. I was very pleased with the deal I found on amazon.com and this new
br /tool.
br /Alex
br /Ps: I also order the flash light from amazon.com which was offered in a separate deal at money saving offer
br /when purchasing the drill driver kit.

The Makita LCT200W was an excellent buy. I owned Dewalt, Milwakee, and Hitachi products. Nothing compare to these little guys. They are powerful and very light. If you are a home do it your selfer, this is a must have. The price on amazon was great, I check the compact driver at Home Depot alone was $200. Here I got both for the same price. Also, no tax or delivery charge.

These things ROCK!!
br /As a professional mechanic, I love the light weight and convenience of the impact. It will actually remove lug nuts!! The headlights are a must have when working under the dash, and battery life is awesome. I have only charged them twice since I got them a month ago, once when I got them, and once two weeks later. The drill is powerful enough to hurt you if you are not paying attention, and runs bolts down with plenty of torque. I don't actually use it to drill, so I can't comment on the complaints listed elsewhere.
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br /My only complaint is the impact only accepts 1/4" shanks, and should come with a 3/8 drive. It is far too powerful for 1/4", and I have had to buy several adapters since they break regularly.

I love the size, weight, and maneuverability of the drills. There is a price to pay with battery life. If I'm using the drill for 1 1/2-2 hours, (NOT drilling through hardwood the whole time)The battery needs to be charged. I think you'd get longer battery life from a conventional 14.4 or 18V battery. These do charge in 15 minutes, though. (Of course they are brand new). If the charging time gets much longer, I'm going to wish that I bought the step-up hammer drill with bigger battaries.

This is a good drill and driver set. It performs as promised. As always Product showed on time and in good shape. The weight is unbelievably light. The belt clips would have been a nice touch.
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These drills rock! I've used them since the day I got them and have no regret. They are small sleek and powerful. I recommend this tool to everyone in need of a drill for eveyday use.

Good drill and impact driver. Nice and light with plenty of power. However has no bit storage and no belt holder. I called Makita and they sell seperatly a belt clip, but still not able to find at stores. As far as bit storage I am still tring to fiqure a way to make the impact hold bits.

This was a good deal and both have came in very handy in our handyman biz.

The shipping was quick no problems with the seller's great drills would refer this company to others

I was hoping this
br /drill /driver package would be a lot more heavy duty. It
br /works fine if all you do is light work. It dosen't have the
br /power to drill larger holes, like 4" dryer vent holes. It struggles
br /to complete the task that my 14.4 volt DeWalt drill completes
br /with no problem.

These drivers are so great, this is the second pair I've purchased from Amazon in the past 6 months! As a cabinetmaker, I'm handling these drivers all day long, so the lightness really pays off. They charge fast and the light on the front is a life saver when you're head is in a cabinet and you're positioning those screws. I use the impact driver for the large Conformat screws, which drives faster than the pnumatic it replaced. Plus, no air hose! Everyone who's used them, loves 'em.

My husband loves this drill set. He was excited to get it because of the type of battery that it has. He uses it all the time on small repairs and large projects in our home. He likes the fact that it has a light on the drill that is turned on every time it is used. I would recommend this as a gift for anyone who does home repairs.

I have owned Makita 9.6v drill driver for 20 plus years. I recently bought this little combo kit to assist me with my new deck building. What have I been missing all these years. The impact driver is super light and small enough for the really tight spaces but lacks nothing for power right up to the very last drive on the battery. The Drill driver is the same...Makita has always been my first choice for quality and price and they haven't let me down with this product.

Light, compact, charges fast, and it has a comfortable grip. I have used the Dewalt 14v and 18v but a friend said I should try the Makita and I'm glad I did. The difference is staggering. I could not believe the power I got from the smaller Lithium battery. I could see in dark corners because of the light located above the trigger and because of the smaller size reach places I couldn't before. I have recommended the Makita LCT200W Compact Lithium 2-Tool Combo Kit to friends.

This combo has met all expectations, the tools are well designed and perform as advertized. The extra battery promotion is a good deal, remember to remove the upc code before trashing the box.

Buying both items together is a money saver. Egronomics are great, I go around looking for jobs because both tools are fun to use handle. Handy built in lights on both glow in the dark ring on the impact driver. Speaking of the driver, with those barely perceptable impacts, it's got incredible driving power, much more than the drill. The fabric case is great handy to store drill accessories too. Wish the batteries had a state of charge indicator and wish the impact driver had a clutch, but this is not utopia.

(From July 17, 2007) I'm a lead carpenter for a residential remodeler. I've owned 11 cordless drills over the years (currently I have 4) and this Makita is not only the best of the bunch, by far, it may be the best power tool I own. I've had it for about a month now and I've used it everyday. I have a complete compliment of "quick disconnect" bits so I also use this driver as a drill. I've drilled holes in concrete and block using masonry bits and it will easily countersink Tap-cons. I thought the little work light was a gimmicky thing but I have to admit, its a big help in tight dark places, I've even used it as a flashlight. For the size, weight, price, quality, power, etc, etc, you can't beat this drill/driver. The batteries charge in about 15 minutes but they last for days so with 2 batteries, you'll never be without a charged battery. The tool came with a soft square carrying case, kind of looks like a cooler. Since I hate wearing a tool belt rig, this case is great, if you remove the charger, this case will hold a bunch of standard handtools as well as the drill.
br /This is a great product, I highly recommend it.
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br /*Update Its been just over a year and I have to say this drill is as good as the day I got it. In the last few months I purchased the combo kit, the drill and impact driver. I was curious to see if the first one I bought was still as strong as the brand new one. I see no difference. I am still more impressed with these drills/drivers than any tool I own....and its about time Makita sends me some free stuff for the gushing reviews. Seriously tho, you won't be disappointed.

These are great, compact drill. I paid $200 and it was worth every dollar. The impact drill is extremely good at fitting into tight spots. 30 min battery recharge, is best in class.

This is the best drill/driver set I have ever owned. Super powerful and lightweight. The compact lithium ion batteries is what seals the deal. You have plenty of 18 volt power in a small, lightweight package. They are ergonomic and easy to work with unlike most tools with the 18 volt brick of a battery pack hanging off the bottom. Do yourself a favor and sell your standard lithium set and buy this kit. The only downside is the cheesy carrying case which is no more than a cheap cooler. Come on Makita!

I knew I wanted the drill from having played around with a friend's. It's outstanding.
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br /I bought the combo based on a few reviews saying how outstanding the driver is.
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br /I must concur. The driver is outstanding.
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br /What the reviewers didn't say was that it has an automatic transmission that grunts it out to low speed/high torque - and the kicker - switches into a hammer-driver mode at slow speeds to realy torque it out.
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br /It will drive deck screws through 2x4's without breaking a sweat - or spinning your bit - and then back them right out again.
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br /I've found battery life acceptable, esp considering the quick recharge and two per kit. They do ship 1.5AH batteries with the kit and 3 AH batteries are available separately. A day-in-day-out construction guy would want at least one 3AH battery. Even a busy handy guy will be quite happy with the batteries shipped
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br /So do get either the 2 or 3 piece combo to get the driver. it'll be your default "power screwdriver" for everything but the gentlest applications.
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br /I have to say I like the flashlight too. Nice, bright, and positionable, I use it more than I figured - having it always in the combo kit bag.
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br /The three piece combo is only maybe $10 more than the two piece combo.

This is by far the best set of cordless tools I have owned. That includes my DeWalt. The drill and driver are light, they are strong and the battery life is great for a small battery. In the first use of the driver and drill, my wife and I, placed 3/4" flooring in a 14x40 room. We put all the 2.5" floor screws in and never had an issue with the batteries going dead. I got these off Amazon for $199. It is a steal.

So far, they are fantastic. Light, balanced, powerful. Super-fast charging. The bigger battery is available, but so far these have been fine. In a few weeks they will really be put to the test re-decking a deck with 2x6 pressure treated wood. I'll update this then. But so far, Highly recommended.

I bought the reconditioned set and have been delighted with the drill and the impact driver. They do the jobs I need done, quickly and without the need to fiddle with things. I love my Bosch pocket driver, but never would have bought it if I'd had the Mak drill at the time. It's a versatile and well-designed tool. If I need a hammer drill or to bore 3" holes, I use a tool made for the job. These are perfect for the other 90% of my tasks.
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br /I used to buy trade tools, but the batteries wore out as fast and I paid a premium in weight and expense that just wasn't warranted. I can't imagine anyone in the trades buying these instead of the LXT versions with the bigger batteries and extra brawn. If I don't need all that juice, I don't want to pay for it or carry it around. Take it out for a test drive and I think you'll agree--Makita got it right.

The impact driver is a must have for setting screws in difficult conditions. I needed to drive some brass screws and not one of the forty screw heads stripped. The lithium-ion batteries last forever.

I install cabinets for a living, and this set has worked out great. My partner had been using these for a few months now, and talked me into buying these. The only thing I wish they had, was the bit holders on them, like most of the other brands I have used in the past.If you don't use diffrent types of screws you can't go wrong. I love the light on it. I thought it was kind of a novelty, but it works out great inside dark spots. Get an extra battery, even though it chargers super fast.

I have only owned this drill for about a month but I love it. I bought it along with the impact driver complete with a charger, two batteries, and a carrying bag. The bag is pointless and I have not had a chance to use the impact yet but the drill is great. Amazon's pricing was better than Home Depot's.
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br /I am a serious home repair guy and have owned several cordless drills for over 15 years now. I have always thought that you could tell a lot about a man by the cordless drill that he owns. This drill is so ergonomically friendly and with 18 volts of power, it is far and away the nicest drill I have ever owned...or used. I still have a compliment of 14.4 volt Dewalt cordless tools that I like but I lost my drill. I replaced it with this Makita after reading several reviews. The Dewalt is heavy and difficlut to use compared to this tool. I like the LED light by the trigger even though at first I thought this was just a gimmick. The shorter battery charge life is not a problem since they take a recharge quickly and you get two batteries in the combo pack. The weight difference between this and other heavier drills is very noticable. I wish it had a clip to hold a few tips but that is a small concern compared to the heft and feel of this drill.
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br /You should buy this drill.

$200 for two Makita drills, case, two batteries, and a charger? you cant beat that deal with a stick. The impact works very well and drives screws like a champ. And the driver/drill does a great job as well. The drills are light as well. Lastly, the charger does a fine job and puts a quick charge on the batteries.

I went to these drills due to the weight, I have severe Carpial Tunnel in both wrists and some early signs of arthritis in my right hand.
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br /Hands Down, the Best Drills that I have ever owned. They are lighter WITH the battery pack attached than my Bosch 14.4 volt WITHOUT the battery. So wonderful and powerful. Battery life is on the lean side, but the charger can turn around a depleted pack to fully charged in a mere 15 minutes. Yet to be an issue for me, and I use these almost everyday.
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br /The only negative that I can ever try to come up with for this review is that a larger bit (1/2 inch twist or larger) placed in the drill can make it front heavy, again, I do not care about that. I tend to use smaller bits anyway, and the light package helps me with hand fatigue. I would buy these again.

This product is "Made in China." Makita apparently doesn't make it's products in Japan anymore.
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br /So, you only get about half the power for half the time, and the battery life is terrible. One of the two batteries I have won't take a charge and is completely dead after four months, and five charges. If you really need a cordless drill, buy a Panasonic.
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br /Even DeWalt and Milwaukee are having their newer tools made in Mexico and China, not America.

I am a commercial carpenter. I have previously owned makita drills and impact drivers. This one is a disapointment. The batteries do not last very long. I needed to change them about every 20 - 30 minutes when screwing 1/2 inch plywood to 20 gauge studs using the impact driver. I like my 14.4 makita impact driver better even if the battery does weigh more. The drill is ok but underpowered for any serious drilling; I was barely able to drive 2 3/8" screws through 2x6's into 18 gauge studs. If you are looking for a serious work tool don't buy this. If you are looking for a gift for your wife, this is perfect.