Drills Reviews

Very very good ergonomics, great feel, light weight,excellent balance,very powerful. I have used this drill to mix concrtete resurfacer, drive lag bolts, drive timberlock screws, drive deck screws and to drill into metal. It worked extremely well in all applications.

This stand will fit any portable drill with a 43mm collar. This standard was introduced by Bosh in Europe over almost 2 decades ago and almost all drills there are built for that purpose. Here in the USA, most drills are also designed that way but it is believed that is just to attach the auxiliar handle. Wrong!!!. If you have a 43mm drill, no matter what brand then you'll be able to convert your drill into a stand drill. Just make sure that the chuck's diameter doesn't excede this measure. I confirmed my hunch trying with Skil, Black & Decker and Bosch drills, all of them with a 1/2" chuck. Enjoy

Luis Rivas

This is a very well balenced drill, it has a good solid feel and allows nice control. The nickle metel hydried bat. are also a perfect match. I would recommend this drill to anyone needing
a high performence cordless drill.Better feel than Dewalt. My last Makita cordless lasted 20 years and I think this one will also.

I bought this drill because I liked the balanced feel over the classic 6095 model. It takes the same battery (9.6V stick) as other Makita tools in the 9.6V stick family. Mine is a European model as it was made in England. Same quality as you would expect in any other Makita tool.

I replacd a Ryobi and a DeWalt cordless drill/driver with the 6217DEX - both were old and underpowered. The Makita may cost more than the competition, but look carefully at what you are getting: top notch build quality and features that others don't offer, especially the NiMH batteries! My two older drills were had NiCad's and I have been largely disappointed with the performance of those batteries. The ability to hold a charge and tool run time gets worse with age. I bought the Makita 18V cordless combo about 3 years ago and they came with NiMH batteries - what a world of difference! Excellent run times and no battery problems. I needed a lighter drill/driver for general around the house use and the new Makita was an easy choice, especially after seeing how they have improved the overall design and added features like a rubber grip, selector mode switch for screws or drilling. Add to that a 2-speed gear box and you have a tool that will keep on working for years to come. I look at buying the Makita as a LONG TERM INVESTMENT, not some "use and throw away junk" like you'd find offered from other manufacturers (my DeWalt falls into this category as far as I'm concerned)

I have had my share of "cheap" cordless drills and finally decided to spend my money for a professional model.

And this 12 volt qualifies. This is a fairly heavy 12 volt, but metal gears and a high quality motor weigh more then plastic.

With two Ni-MH battery nickel-metal hydride batteries, this baby has great battery capacity and a longer run time then other battery types. One good thing (or bad, depends) is when the batteries run out of juice, thats it, they run strong right up to the end. Recharge time is fairly quick though, about 30 - 45 minutes. I always have the second battery charge up because of this.

This 12 volt runs circles around other 14.4 volt models I have owned. It has great turning power and the chuck locks tightly around bits.

Bottom line: this is quality tool, built to last many years and it just gives you confidence when you have it in your hand.

Here is a review I wrote about the Makita 6228DWE. It applies to the 6227 which is the 12 volt, and this Makita 6226 at 9.6 volts. Here is the review:
I just got this exact drill, and I use it all of the time. It's lightweight at only 3 1/2 pounds. That is its shining feature. I also own the Milwaukee 14.4 which is a very substantial drill. It has the highest torque in the industry at 460 foot pounds. This Makita is only 200. The Milwaukee has all copper windings, metal gear and housing, and is built to fall off the ladder. The problem is that it weighs 11 1/2 pounds.
I originally got this Makita 6228DWE as a promo on an expensive compound sliding miter saw. I thought I would sell it on eBay. After getting it I decided to keep it. Ergonomically, it fits your hands well, is well balanced, has a lot of torque when you charge it up and is well built overall. The reason why I like it so much is that I just did a wiring job, running a dozen lines, and upgrading a service panel from 100 to 200 amps. That Makita drill was with me all the way, whether I was tightening screws in the outlets, or square driving the lines on the breakers, or tightening the clamp connectors. It was a 12 hour job, and I am glad that I didn't have to lug the Milwaukee around. I love the Milwaukee for doing heavy deck jobs for example, but the one I now use the most is this Makita. It's like a pet.
I think the gear housing is a strong grade of plastic, and the windings may or may not be a copper mix or all aluminum, buy hey, that all adds up to less weight, which equals less work.
If you're looking for a tougher and heavier drill in the Makita line, then look to the MForce line. The torque is around 350 and of course it is heavier, depending on the model. They also have the faster charging Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, which last longer as well. The only problem with NiMH is that their shelf life isn't very long, and with the price of new batteries, that is a major consideration.
What Milwaukee did was take the NiCad batteries to the next level. They charge in one hour, unlike the usual 1 1/2 hours, but not as fast as 45 minutes like the NiMH, but enjoy the long shelf life as a NiCad.
This Makita drill is a 3/8" drill also, instead of a 1/2" like the Milwaukee. Like I said, a really nice lightweight drill, that you will find using it more often than the heavyweight. Once the love affair is done with the Makita, I will probably go back to using the Milwaukee a little more often. For now the Makita rules. Hope this helps.

I have been using Makita battery drills for twenty years. I have managed several exhibits production shops and I have converted them all to all Makita battery tools. They stand up to every day abuse. Makita stands behind their warrenty and the service centers are widely distributed, and they have the best overall selection of battery tools so one charger will take care of diverse needs. The egonomics of the 14.4 and power are second to none for its size it really fits my hand and the controls are logically located. In my opinion if you need a more powerful drill you may want to go to a corded drill because bigger battery drills get really heavy. This drill is also available in a 1/2 inch chuck which it has plenty of power to support. Finally the flashlight is excellent also. It sits securely on its base and its exceptionally bright light is on a handy rotating head. Every Makita I ever bought is still in service. There are other excellent drills like Panasonic and Bosch but the Makita product line is still the best overall value.

If your looking for power you will not be dissapointed. Purchased this not so little guy after being frusterated with the lack of power of my old 9.6 Duwalt. My only wish is that it was a bit lighter as it is a bit heavy to lug out fot the many small projects around the house where you just don't need the 358 in.lbs of torque. Compared to the Duwalt XRP line I liked the feel and the brake on the Makita much better. The XRP just did not sound that happy when you stop it suddenly. Now since I parted with my old 9.6 I am looking to augment this big guy with a good cordless screwdrive for thoes smaller projects. If I had to do it all over I would have gone with the slightly lighter 12 volt instead. But 5 stars regardless because it's well made, has the power it claimed, and weights 5.1 lbs - exactly what they said it would.

It's THE amazing set for any woodworking at home. If you are looking for something not heavy, medium powerful and easy to use, you should check this. The flashlight is very powerful and stands long time. I bought this because here, in Brazil, Makita is knowledge as the best tools for heavy duty.