When it’s time to drill holes and drive fasteners, a cordless drill is one of the easiest tools to use. Each generation is lighter and more compact without sacrificing speed and power. Let’s look at these two drill kits from Makita to see which one will help you complete your next job.
Makita XFD01RW 18V Compact 1/2-Inch Driver-Drill Kit
The Makita XFD01RW is a general-duty ½” drill that can handle a wide variety of tasks. You can use it for drilling wood, plastic, and metal, or attach other accessories like hole saws and sanding pads. The 16 + 1 clutch settings offer a good deal of control over a variety of tasks.
Makita mentions that they manufacture the 4-pole motor in this drill. Why bother pointing out that it’s a 4-pole motor when it’s not brushless? Because 4-pole motors usually have more power and less speed than the typical 2-pole motor. You can see this in the XFD01RW. It puts out up to 480 inch-pounds of torque, while the two-speed transmission offers a low gear up to just 400rpm, and a high gear up to 1500rpm.
But with their motor design, Makita manages to keep the XFD01RW compact and lightweight. It measures 7-9/16-inches back to front and weighs only 3.3 pounds with the battery. The weight is balanced well over the ergonomic, soft-grip handle.
Right above the trigger is an LED light that illuminates your work area while you press the trigger. After you stop working it continues to shine for a few more seconds until it shuts off by itself.
The two battery packs in the XFD01RW kit are lithium-ion with a capacity of 2.0Ah. As you know, this doesn’t mean you’ll get two hours of constant work time out of them, but they do recharge in 25 minutes. Unlike Ni-Cad batteries, you can top up Li-Ion ones whenever you need to because it won’t diminish their capacity. If you have larger-capacity Makita 18V LXT battery packs, you can also use them with the XFD01RW.
More features of the Makita XFD01RW drill kit
- Drill comes with two 18V 2.0Ah lithium-ion battery packs, a charger, and a tool case
- Makita offers a 3-year warranty on the drill and 1-year warranty on the batteries
Makita XFD10R 18V Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2″ Driver-Drill Kit
The Makita XFD10R drill has several upgraded features over the XFD01RW. First, the 4-pole motor has the same 480 inch-pounds of torque as the XFD01RW, but with greater speed. The two-speed all-metal transmission has a low gear that ranges up to 600rpm and a high gear up to 1900rpm.
Second, the 21 + 1 clutch settings give you more precise control over drilling and driving tasks. Just like the XFD01RW, you can use accessories like hole saws and wire brushes in the ½” chuck.
Third, the work light mounted under the chuck has dual LED bulbs for better illumination. They also have the afterglow function that keeps them lit for a few seconds after you release the trigger.
Fourth, the XFD10R is slightly smaller than the XFD01RW, measuring only 7-1/4-inches long. It weighs the same at 3.3 pounds with the battery, but comes with more soft rubber protection bumpers around the motor housing.
And fifth, the XFD10R has Makita’s proprietary XPT protection against dust and moisture. This helps tools survive longer under hard use.
This kit includes two lithium-ion battery packs that refill in under 30 minutes on the included charger. Although many features on this drill are new and improved, Makita only includes 2.0Ah capacity battery packs with this drill.
More features of the Makita XFD10R drill kit
- Rated for use with plastic, wood, and metal
- Drill comes with two 18V 2.0Ah lithium-ion battery packs, a charger, and a tool case
- Makita offers a 3-year warranty on the drill and 1-year warranty on the batteries
Recommendation
Most homeowners and people who like to take care of tasks at home will appreciate either drill. Professionals who occasionally need to drill or fasten will also do well with either kit.
But if you’re a pro who depends on your drill, get the XFD10R. It has more speed, more precision, more protection for tough jobsites, better LED lights, and it’s a little smaller.
Click here to purchase Makita XFD01RW on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase Makita XFD10R on Amazon.com!