When you have hard jobs ahead, you need the best tools available to get them done quickly and efficiently.
This is particularly the case when it comes to drills, which bear the brunt of many construction projects, and often have the longest workdays of all the other tools. You can’t afford to have your drill run out of charge too quickly or burn out from being too easily over-taxed.
But there are hundreds to thousands of drills out on the market now, not to mention that there are even more “categories” of drills than before, such as the newer kid on the block, the “impact driver.” Figuring out what type of drill, which brand, and which model to get for your work or project can be extremely confusing and frustrating.
So, we are here to help you out. In this Makita XDT111 3.0 Ah impact cordless drill review, we will discuss the Makita XDT111 3.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver, reviewing a bit about the brand, this model’s features and specs, the jobs it’s best at, and drawing a verdict so that you can know whether this is the tool for you.
Makita XDT111 impact driver features
The Makita XDT111 3.0 Ah 18V Lithium-Ion cordless impact driver is one of the lightest, most compact, yet versatile of the impact driver class of drills.
Makita, who has been creating an exclusive line of fast-charging, cordless 18V Lithium-Ion powered tools, has managed to combine compact, fast and easy to use with power, durability, and longevity – a rather rare combination.
The XDT111 is no different, with many heavy-hitting features that make this an incredibly versatile impact driver that can get the heaviest jobs done with incredible ease of use. Whether you are a contractor putting your tools hard to work every day all day, or a homeowner who likes DIY projects, the XDT can work for you. Add to that its advanced battery technology as well as its high-tech safeguards; it will last you a long time through the most intense workloads.
Here are just some of its great features:
- Variable Speed: 0-2, 900 RPM and 0-3, 500 IPM for greater versatility of application
- 1,460 in. lbs of torque: means the better range for the variety of fastening applications
- Metal gear housing: provides better stability on the job site
- Compact: only 5-3/8” long for convenient, compact transportation and storage
- Lightweight: only weighs 3.3 pounds with the battery for fatigue-free operation
- Convenient: one-touch ¼” hex chuck makes quick bit changes easy
- 4-pole motor with 4-brush design: performs with 26% more RPM without weakening the torque
- Dual LED lights: to light up dark and tight workspaces and make getting the job done easier
- Comfortable: soft rubberized grip for additional handling comfort
- Proprietary hammer and anvil impact mechanism: combination of best raw materials, top quality steel, and a heat hardening process to create the maximum fastening and driving power to drive screws through even the densest materials with little impact on the user
- XPT (Extreme Protection Technology): advanced technology creates water and dust resistance for drill protection in harsh job site conditions
- Star Protection Computer Controls: safeguards against over-discharging, over-heating, and overloading, extending drill life and ensuring frustration-free operation
- Rapid Optimum Charger: advanced battery technology optimizes battery life by enabling the charger to communicate with a built-in chip in the battery to control the current, voltage and temperature while charging
- Battery fan: Rapid Optimum Charger has a built-in battery fan to keep the battery fresh for faster loading
- Little Downtime: with its fast-charging 18 V Lithium-Ion battery combined with the advanced Rapid Optimum Charger, this Makita has a 30-minute charge time, meaning it can do a lot more work time with a lot less charge time
- Battery Compatibility: works with all Makita 18V Lithium-Ion batteries that have the Star symbol
- Three-year limited warranty: the tool, battery, and charger are covered by a 3-year limited warranty
Product Specifications
Though lightweight and rather small, the Makita XDT111 is a powerhouse, making it strong enough for the contractor, but convenient and easy fairly for the homeowner, which its specs make abundantly clear:
- Length: 5 – 3/8”
- Net Weight: 3.3 lbs with battery
- Shipping Weight: 10.3 lbs.
- Battery: 18V LXT Lithium-Ion
- Hex Shank: ¼”
- No Load Speed (variable speed): 0 – 2,900 RPM
- Impact Per Minute (variable speed): 0 – 3,500 IPM
- Maximum Torque: 1,460 in.lbs. / 165N*m
What can the makita XDT111 be used for?
Impact drivers, in general, are designed specifically to provide greater speed and power for “driving” screws in. Thus, they are built with extra power and speed, two to three times as much as the conventional drill, so that they can get even the fattest, toughest screws into the densest of materials quickly and without burning out, as a traditional drill might.
The Makita XDT111 is no different, built with incredible power and speed, with Makita’s proprietary hammer and anvil impact technology, to drive significant and long screws and fasteners, such as fat lag screws, without stalling or burning out.
If you are going to be working on projects that require driving a significant number of screws, or driving large, long screws into thick, dense materials, such as building decks, screwing down subfloors, or putting in tile backer board, and you want something lightweight and easy to handle, then the Makita XDT111 is the tool for you.
Makita XDT11Z brushed impact driver any good?
Overall, the Makita XDT111 3.0 Ah seems to be one of the best little impact drivers on the market, especially when you consider the quality you get for its rather reasonable price.
User testimonies repeatedly report that this Makita not only gets the job done well but that it lasts for years, even after some heavy use and even abuse on the job. Its battery and charging technology ensures great battery life with a relatively short charging time, and the safeguards such as the Star Protection Computer Controls and the XPT are excellent features that protect your investment and keep on-the-job frustrations to a minimum.
All in all, this is a superb impact driver whether for heavy-duty daily construction work or for the average DIYer.
- Read more: Makita XT269M 18V LXT Review