Battery Chargers Reviews

Very good power, nice battery life and easy to use. When Makita released the newer m-force drills I looked them over. Then ran out and found this drill as fast as I could. It was a great deal and in every way I prefer it's design and operation over the new "improved" m-force. If I could find another one in stock for a good price I'd buy it! If the 18 volt here on amazon was just a little cheaper I'd get that one. Funny how the older drill costs more then the new one of same spec. Tells you a little about the new drill not being a change for the better.

This drill is more powerful than its 12 volt designation might suggest. It's got the power and torque one might find in an 18 volt drill. I'd never had a hammer drill before, but this baby sold me on them. Drilling in masonry, steel, wood - whatever. This drill can handle it! And at 1,300 rpm top speed, it's faster than some corded drills. If you need just one cordless drill to handle a wide range of tasks, this is your drill. It's one serious machine.

I bought mine here at Amazon. The price? Well I'm not supposed to say but Amazon's was the best found on the internet or off. (This is a somewhat specialized tool and isn't discounted often. I was unable to find it on sale anywhere.)...

This is one beautiful, well made cordless drill. It's almost too nice... I gritted my teeth, bit my lip and put it to the test.

No problems were encountered in any of the projects except for the disheartening layer of rock and wood dust now covering the once shiny drill and the heavy sigh ...

The Pro's:

**Keyless "one-handed" 1/2" chuck with the hold of a pitbull.
**Nickel Metal Hydride batteries-Enviromentally friendly. Last longer??
**Industrial metal gear housing.
**Total control variable speed trigger.
**Rubberized grip with unsurpassed ergonomics.
**Makita "T-style" design-Weight of drill head sits further back for better balance and EASILY sits upright (try this with a similar DeWalt or PC)
**Easily replaceable carbon brushes.
**Fit, finish and company reliability. (It's definitely a Makita!)

The Cons:

**Price-Ooouch! This is a premium drill and the price reflects it. (Sometimes you just have to splurge...and go without food for a month.)
**Nickel Metal Hydride batteries-Price once again. Last longer?? (Hmmm, I'm not sure about this yet. Time will tell.)

Summary: If you want the best in this class and can afford it, this is both the beauty and the beast in one finely crafted tool, designed to last...

I have had this drill for 6 months now and love it.As a keen home improvement fan and author of 2 books on gardening tools and design I have owned and used many drills.

This one is so well designed, Makita have thought of everything, the ergonomics and switches are a delight to use and the tool is very powerfull and balanced. I like the fact that you can stand it upright on it's battery without falling over and getting scratched. The chuck is so easy to use and you can switch from hammer to driver and back without altering the torque settings.

Builders working at my house love to borrow it and admire it.If you get 500 hours use from it then you can even change the brushes in seconds to get even more life from the motor. This is by far the best drill I have seen, and I've seen a few!

This tool is a handyman's dream. I'm not sure whether this $549 price is for the impact wrench or the impact driver. The picture on this page is for the impact wrench, but the part number is for the impact driver (BTD200SH). The wrench version should have model number BTW200SH. I'd call up Amazon to confirm before ordering. I know for a fact Amazon is selling BTD200SH for $399. Do a search for BTD200SH on Amazon and you will see two entries: one 399, the other for 549. The price for the impact driver has tumbled everywhere else but Amazon, because Makita is reportedly phasing out this tool for reasons I don't know (hefty price?, hefty weight?, hefty size?). The price for the impact wrench version BTW200SH has not changed. An impact driver has a quick change 1/4" hex chuck, whereas an impact wrench has a square socket drive head. Only the impact driver has been discontinued. The identically built impact wrench version is still being manufactured and not discounted.

First a caveat: I am only a homeowner and not a contractor. I use my tools to fix my own home and a couple of my mother's rental properties. My views are from a novice user's/handyman's vantage point.

I bought this tool after a contractor, whom I hired for a major repair job, touted to me the benefits of impact drivers when used to drive long wood screws. The benefits are: no hand strain, dramatically reduced chances of stripping the screw heads, being able to drive screws that your regular drill/driver would not have a prayer's chance of driving in the first place.

How does an impact driver do all that? An impact driver works by combining rotational action (as on a regular drill) with a strong hammering action in the rotational direction. The hammering action doesn't kick in until the rotational resistance reaches a certain point. Here is an analogy to help you understand the impact action: if you've ever changed tires with a factory original one sided nut wrench, you'd pull the lever as hard as possible in order to loosen a nut. Sometimes the nut may be so tight that it may be stuck and the wrench won't move. What do you do? You reposition the lever of the wrench and you step hard on the lever a couple of times until the nut is suddenly loose. The stepping action is almost identical to the impact torque action of the impact driver.

The Makita BTD200SH has 1774 in-lbs. of maximum torque (or equivalently 149 ft-lbs, or 200 Newton-meters for the metrically minded). For comparison, most top-notice 18V drill drivers fall in the 475 to 550 in-lbs. maximum torque range. And most other impact drivers on the market range from only 800 in-lbs. to perhaps 1200 in-lbs. This easily makes the Makita BTD200SH the most powerful cordless impact driver by a huge margin, although Milwaukee has an 18V cordless impact wrench with an even higher torque rating (240 ft-lbs), but the Milwaukee is an impact wrench and not an impact driver. Unfortunately for the Makita BTD200SH, along with the most torque in the class title, it claims the most weight in the class title as well. It weighs a comparatively very heavy 6.3 lbs., even though most 18V and 24V drill/drivers easily weigh this much. Most impact drivers, on the other hand, weigh only 4 lbs. or less. Maybe a combination of high price, heavy weight, etc. led to poor sales, which then forced Makita to discontinue the product. The true weight aside, it doesn't feel that heavy in the hand because the T-handle is very well balance.

To use an impact driver, lay the tip of a bit firmly and perpendicularly on a screw head and press the trigger slowly at first. Because impact drivers have a very high rotational speed, it's best to start slow to prevent the tip from jumping out and stripping the screw head. Once the screw starts rotating, you can then increase the RPM. The amazing thing with impact drivers is you don't feel the reaction force. Although the impact driver is torquing the screws at 1774 in-lbs., you don't feel any opposing torque at all. It's simply amazing. Try using a drill/driver even at 500 in-lbs. and your wrist may twist off, but not so with an impact driver. The only thing you'll feel is the very loud noise of the impacting action. It will get loud enough when driving large screws that you will need ear plugs. Besides driving screws, it can also act as a drill, although it can only accept quick change drill bits with a 1/4" hex shank. I've not tried the drilling mode myself but numerous reviews from other users of impact drivers show that it can handily drill up to 3/4" diameter in wood. Larger holes may cause the tool to vibrate excessively because of the impacting action. I have a feeling this impact driver will retire my cordless drill/driver or at least relegate it to true heavy duty drilling tasks only.

Tool specs:

bare weight with one 1.7 AH battery - 6.3 lbs.
maximum torque: 1774 in-lbs.
No load speed: Low 0 - 1,600 RPM; High 0 - 2,000 RPM
Impacts per minute: Low 0 - 2,500 IPM; High 0 - 3,000 IPM

The tool comes with a hard molded case, a 1-hr. quick charger, a 1.7 AH battery. I've read someone else's review on Amazon that the 1.7 AH battery holds enough charge to drive 1000 to 1200 1/2x12 lags before needing a charge(incredible), so maybe having only 1 battery is not too much of a drawback. I've not used mine often enough to verify the battery charge life. Still I bought a second kit, mostly just to get a second battery, which costs $130 retail anyway, and also to buy a second driver, charger, and hard case almost for a song before all the current closeout stocks are gone.

Don't be confused; this is not an impact wrench but an impact driver (different chuck) designed for screws and lag bolts of all types. That being said, the Makita driver is a dream. I use it for installing big 1/2" lag bolts (use a 1/4"- 1/2" socket adapter) into thick pressure treated pilings. I previously used a hammer drill, now those days of jerked wrists and rounded bolt heads are over. This one is smooth. It can easily drive a 40 Torx screw through a railroad tie, almost effortlessly. No more stripped sockets. I can drive any ware from 1000-1200, 1/2 x 12 lags before it needs a charge. It does get a little hot from extended continuous use, but this is only a minor inconvenience. If you need the power to drive and work all day, this is the tool. This tool has been dropped, left in the rain, and worked harder then any tool should be, but it comes back for more every time. The Makita driver seems almost bullet proof. The charger that comes with it is easy to understand. We have the adapter to jam Makita's 12 - 24-volt batteries. It works good on all of them. Way to go Makita!

I have had Makita tools over the years. I did try DeWalt for about a year and I am back to stay with Makita. I just purchased my combo a week ago and I am extremely pleased. Pound for pound you cant beat this set. Everything you need is there. The only tool you need for this kit is the allen wrench for the cir saw. I am a handyman by trade. I do everything to replace water pipes, install doors and windows, build fencing and decking. This kit is the way to go.

I am tired of replacing dewalt tools after breaking them. makita has served me well with quality and ease of use. great products.

Milwaukee makes the best tools out there. Quality, power, reliability. This drill/driver has all the power of a corded unit, without the cord. If the rest of their tools are any indication, this will last you well over 10 years.

I'm a Prop Master at a very busy regional theater. So when it came time to replace our old driver/drills, I needed something that could take some serious use and keep delivering. The driver/drill is the tool that gets used more than any other in the shop, so it had to be the best. After researching every 14.4V driver on the market, I bought 4 Milwaulkee 0511-21. I found that when drilling or driving screws it is great to be able to get your hand right behind the axis of the bit. You can't do that with a T-handle driver. You can even counter balance the normaly heavy endedness of the pistol grip by inserting the battery in backwards! This driver is incredibly durable and powerful. I was able to put sixteen 3/8" holes into 1/4" thick steel plate in no time and still go on to drive a pouch of screws! The new chargers will charge batteries and go on to keep a maintenance charge on them. I would recomend this tool to anyone.

I'm not sure how long I've had this drill, but probably 3-4 years. At the time I write this it has been discontinued, but I'm sure Milwaukee has replaced it with a similar, upgraded model. After going through several lesser drills over a number of years I decided to splurge and spend the money on a REAL piece of equipment. It's been worth every penny. I expect this drill to outlast ME, it's that good. Very powerful, reliable, the batteries charge in about 45 minutes, and it has done everything I've asked of it easily. If I add up what the lesser drills cost me over the years, it would have been cheaper to buy the best the first time.

Whatever your expectations, this drill will probably meet them.

It has been four years since my corded Sears brand 3/8" drill was given to me for Fathers Day. It has faithfully served me for normal use, but after 9/11 I purchased an American Flag and wanted to mount it on our brick facade. I quickly discovered that I needed a hammer drill and after looking at all the major brands, I settled on the Milwaukee 14.4V cordless hammer drill. First, I am not a contractor and I do not need any more power than 14.4V. Second, after handling similar products from Porter Cable and Dewalt, the Milwaukee handle was more slim and fit my hand much better. In addition the Milwaukee weighed less and had a metal chuck and reversible battery. I took it home charged up the battery in one hour and was able to easily drill in hammer mode four holes and then drive the screws in the brick to hold the flag bracket. My flag is proudly displayed and I am happy with my purchase of the Milwaukee 0514-24 14.4V hammer drill.

I am very impressed with the comfort and balance of the 18 volt driver/drill. The reversible battery was a nice surprise! You should talk it up more. I was able to drive screws in the back corner of the new cabinets I was installing where my Bosch drill could not reach. The Sawzall is about what I expected from the people who make the best Sawzall in the world. An upgraded model with the SuperSawzall anti-vibration would make this saw even better.

I love the drill . Its so smooth. It almost has as much power as a Makita 18v.I love the sawzall too. You cant go wrong with a sawzall from the people who invented them in the first place.It cuts any thing I want it to. Although,For extended use, I grab my corded super sawzall. It has way less vibration. It also drains batteries pretty fast,but they recharge in about 30 min. An exellent kit,but they should come with 3 batteries.

Many Nikons use this Battery, and need this charger. Why? Because real life does not wait for a fully charged battery and Photographing it is rarely something that follows a plan.

I know, you bought your Cam so you could take all your photos, only at home right? You always planned to recharge the battery after each time you use the camera, even just a little Right? You bought an extra Battery, so that should get you by till you get home, Right? Travelling? Oh I can recharge when I get back to my room, Right?

All famous last words.

If you have this Auto Recharger, and at least 2 Batteries, you should be charged and ready. Anytime, anywhere. Works as advertised, plug and play.

Back in 2003 my wife and I took a road trip from Michigan to Yellowstone National Park a round trip of over 3000 miles. We brought along our conventional Nikon N90 and our new Nikon coolpix 5700 digital. We wanted to put the 5700 through its paces; well one thing we found out pretty early on was that the battery power is an issue with the 5700 it wouldn't last a reasonable day worth of photographs. Since we where driving a lot the only chance we had to charge the battery was when ever we stopped for the night or on rest stops, not an efficient nor practical way to charge the battery.

It came to a head when the battery died just before the main eruption of old faithful in Yellowstone National Park with no way to recharge the battery till we got to our hotel in Cody and that was hours away...

The first thing we did when we got back from our trip was to buy the Nikon MH-53C Car Charger and an extra battery.

On our next trip we kept the spare battery charging while we took the pictures then swap them out when needed. Well worth buying this for road trips, it takes about 2 hours to charge the battery and you can charge it while your driving form place to place.

I have used many cordless drills and this one is by far the best. It has excellent power and battery life. I would highly recommend this tool to anyone.

I took a stab at panasonic cordless tools 3 years ago based soley on the nimh battery capassity.What i ended up with was a superior drill that lasts 6+ hours.I am a contractor and i have used this drill every day for the past three years ive owned it.Ive had to send my drill out for a tune up recently,(it diddnt break whatsoever)its nice having a drill that can be used on a daily basis for three years without a single issue. The battery charger it comes with is a fast 45 min charger, so your never without a uncharged battery(if you play your cards right). Now the downside, this drill is heavy but thats what you give up with an 18v drill that has to be understood i wouldnt buy this drill for its weight but if you want the best ,a heavy tool is what you end up with. If you want something lite get an inpact wrench.
In conclusion this drill i believe is the best out there for lite masonairy apps like tapcons,the torque is way overboard (it can tackle things most other drills cant like drilling through steel)so you dont have to think twice about corded tools across the jobsite, or out in the box truck.Even though this tool is heavy i still gave it five stars because to me its worth its weight in gold. Dan G, W.R.C CT.

I've used this set every day for over a month now, they are powerful and well built tools.
They run and feel like corded tools and the batteries last for days even with constant use.
I charge about every 2 or 3 days, a full charge takes less than an hour but the battery will recover in about 10 or 15 minutes so you can finish that last screw or cut.
The sawsall is a real Jewel with its quick release blade, the hammer drill just"WORKS", the saw rips plywood and hardwood with ease and the flashlight has never dimmed and run down on me.

Time to throw out your old cordless tools and replace them all with this superb set. I built a dog house the first week I had the set and used both saws and the drill. Went through one battery pack and maybe 10 minutes on the back-up battery, so there's a lot of charge in the batteries. And 18V gives you a lot of torque. The drill is the most impressive of the three basic tools (I don't really consider the flashlight to be one of the tools - they probably could have left that one out). The drill is even better than my corded Milwuakee 1/2" hammer drill, and that's saying a lot - it's soooo smooth. The circular saw has a lot of torque, but can still bind in situations when a corded saw probably wouldn't, but that's not really a fair comparison. I ripped through 24 ft of 1/2" ply with no real problem. The plastic carrying case is wonderful, and all of the tools are of very fine quality. My only hope is that Panasonic keeps making replacement batteries and doesn't leave me in the lurch with a non-supported discontinued battery (as did Hitachi and Makita). All of the tools are very well designed from an ergonomic standpoint, and the battery is not at all intrusive. It is an absolute joy to use these tools.