Milwaukee vs Makita ? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

RomZes13 · 07-02-2009, 10:00 PM

Tough question for me
Milwaukee 2691-22 vs Makita LXT211
I just bought them last week from HD and it cost me
$168 for Milwaukee and $207 for Makita.
???

Javelin350 · 09-27-2009, 08:02 PM

Milwaukee has made great tool for many many years circular saws i saw makita tho basic simple and reliable

protechplumbing · 09-27-2009, 08:10 PM

Milwaukee makes a better drill and sawzall. Makita makes a better circular saw.

Patrick · 09-27-2009, 08:11 PM

We have tried them all, Makita followed by Dewalt.

Aframe · 09-27-2009, 08:17 PM

I've always used Makita cordless drills (20 years) and have had good luck with them. My electrician bought a Milwaukee set last year and was happy with it.

look into battery replacement costs as well as other tools that use the same battery.

Patrick · 09-27-2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aframe

I've always used Makita cordless drills (20 years) and have had good luck with them. My electrician bought a Milwaukee set last year and was happy with it.

look into battery replacement costs as well as other tools that use the same battery.

The milwaukee batteries suck in the winter though

WarnerConstInc. · 09-27-2009, 08:35 PM

The milwakee battery's suck in general.

csv · 09-27-2009, 08:56 PM

Why is it that most electricians use Milwaukee? My wifes uncle is an electrian and all his stuff is Milwaukee. Their corded stuff is great but his cordless stuff seems to be thrown in the corner because of constant battery issues.

Greg Di · 09-27-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick

The milwaukee batteries suck in the winter though

All Li-ions SUCK in the winter.

bwalley · 09-27-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protechplumbing

Milwaukee makes a better drill and sawzall. Makita makes a better circular saw.

Milwaukee makes a better circular saw than makita.

BCConstruction · 09-28-2009, 07:00 AM

Why do some of you guys have problems in the winter? The cell being cold is the best thing for it when being charged and discharged. You will get longer life and longer run times due to less heat? I race RC cars and boats and before i use the cells they are put into a freezer to cool down and then they give me a little bit longer run time and more power. Plus they are a little cooler at the end of a race.

thom · 09-28-2009, 07:18 AM

Milwaukee was a great company making high quality tools. Their corded tools were the best. They were bought out a few years back by a Chinese company (ITT or something like that) and now most of their stuff is made in china and is crap. Milwaukee is now the same company as Ryobi and Rigid (Rigid power tools which is different than Rigid plumbers tools).

The Milwaukee batteries have been a weak point but the battery tools have their own problems, pieces break.

I had a rash of battery failures with the 18V system. Milwaukee told me that a bad charger can destroy a battery and that battery can then destroy a good charger which will then destroy the next battery. There is no test to see if the battery or charger will take out others.

They also will only warranty a charger for 1 year, even though the written warranty clearly says 5 years.

RomZes13 · 09-28-2009, 10:47 PM

Thanx everyone for replying.
I went with makita, more powerfull, hummer drill is +, it's GLOWING in the dark! + i have extra battaries(pick up on sale 2 for $60)
I am happy with my choise =)

TBFGhost · 09-29-2009, 09:51 AM

never been a fan of Milwalk....not saying they are bad tools, just never really fit my "taste" I guess.

tccoggs · 09-29-2009, 02:42 PM

Don't own any cordless Milwaukee, but I will say I love thier Tilt-Lock circular saw. Its light, powerfull and runs smooth. I have a 15 yr old 4 amp sawzall that just won't die either. I typically use it on metal cutting were the big orbital saws tend to jump around alot. Great tool, never lets me down.

Have 4 Makita Circ saws as well, the 4 3/8, the 5 1/2, a 7 1/4 sidewinder (Old School), and the 7 1/4 hypoid. All good saws as well. My oldest tools are makita, and that is the Sidwinder, and a 3/8" 6402 corded drill. I got them for my 14th B-day, I'm 34 now and they still work just fine. Only thing I have done to them is cord replacements.

Come to think of it, I have too many Circular Saws

TBFGhost · 09-29-2009, 03:01 PM

lol, my oldest tool(that was not handed down) is a 3/8" Craftsman Corded Drill that I use now and again around home. I got it when I was 9....but that was only 14 years ago....

woodworkbykirk · 09-29-2009, 04:04 PM

i have the tilt lok circ saw, havent found anything that compares to it for a sidewinder, next saw will more than likely be the ridgid worm drive.

i find the newer makita recips better than the milwaukee. changing blades is easier on the makita when the blades are hot as it ejects it where the milwaukee it requires pulling the blade out..

as for cordless, i have an older makita 18v from 5 years ago which out performs my 2 year old milwaukee compact lith ion. the milwalk has torque issues and runtime issues

tccoggs · 09-29-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodworkbykirk

i have an older makita 18v from 5 years ago which out performs my 2 year old milwaukee compact lith ion. the milwalk has torque issues and runtime issues

That must be a nicad makita, there is no way its Nimh, as the makita Nimh batteries were crap. I was a Makita fanboy for a long time and that one ruined it for me.

Phillip Marsh · 10-05-2009, 03:20 PM

Many electricians bought Milwaukee as that is the brand most often found at the electrical wholesalers in the past. Milwaukee had a lot of problems with their 18v NiCad batteries and chargers (had all my battery packs rebuilt by Voltman) and was very slow in issuing a recall years later.

The new Milwaukee M18 only works with the new M18 lithium-ion battery packs and these recharge in about twice the time required for the Makita lithium ion battery packs or the DeWalt lithium-ion battery packs. The Makita work well but do not put out as much real power as the M18 or the DeWalt regardless of the manufacturer's specs. We do a lot of hole cutting in stucco and brick and the M18 and especially the new DeWalt DCD970 3-speed will cut through in half the time of the Makita's - using a Blue Boar TCT Stucco & Wood bit that is similar to the ones from Relton.

Milwaukee has had a conservative approach with lithium-ion and they will do a safety override that kills power at a lower amp level than the Makita drills. Over time I expect that the Milwaukee batteries will last longer and make it through more recharge cycles but the cost for that is charge times of 30 minutes instead of 15 with the Makita and DeWalt battery packs and chargers.