Makita is breaking into the lithium-ion realm with gusto and is offering 8 new 18V li-ion combo kits, from 2-piece kits to full 15-piece master kits that will leaving you wanting for nothing. We took a first look at their latest 7-piece combo kit which includes, among other things, a 1/2-inch hammer drill, a 6.5-inch circular saw, impact driver, reciprocating saw, 4.5-inch angle grinder, flashlight and jobsite radio. This is a robust kit that only leaves off smaller-sized versions of what's provided here.

This is a spry new kit that, unfortunately, follows the recent trend of coming "bagged" instead of in custom cases. Like many other builders and renovators, I still like to pack my tools up in the evening into sturdy hard cases where I know they won't get pummeled to and from the jobsite. Makita redesigned their new 1/2" hammer drill to include a new 4-pole motor which delivers 450 in. lbs. of torque (not exactly class-leading, but it will do a nice job). As the drill weighs only 3.9 lbs. it seems to pack a punch in a small package and emphasizes usability over raw power.

The 8 lb reciprocating saw features tool-less blade changes (as we'd expect) and an adjustable shoe. The motor brushes are also replaceable - something we like to see in tools that are expected to get lots of use. The BLR182 doesn't feature an orbital motion for the blade, meaning that users of the saw may be in for a difficult time when attempting to cut into thicker wood or when making rapid cuts.

The rapid charger will recharge a battery in just 30 minutes. We've seen chargers do this faster, but that's partyl due to the size of the included batteries. A 30 minute recharge time is far better than what you will see from alternative NiMH or Ni-Cad chargers. The age of Li-ion, it seems, has finally arrived. Makita provides two 3.0Ah batteries to start and we'll suspect it won't be long before most users will want to pick up one or two more (expect to pay around $85+ each).

This is a set that will satisfy any homeowner, casual remodeler or hobbyist DIYer. We've seen street prices as low as $530 - not bad for tools of this caliber. Professional contractors may want to look at some of the other brands which offer more torque and better class-leading features and performance. There are a lot of choices but we think Makita has found a niche that it is filling nicely.

About Makita Tools
Makita USA, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of over 450 professional, industrial quality power tools and has over 2,000 industrial accessories. Makita’s LXT Lithium-Ion is backed by Makita’s new three-year warranty and all other Makita tools are covered by a one-year limited warranty against defects in materials or workmanship and may be serviced at any of our 19 factory service centers or by more than 1,000 authorized service centers nationwide. Makita USA, Inc.’s home office is located in La Mirada, California and operates an extensive distribution network located throughout the U.S. For more information, please contact us at 1-800-4-MAKITA or visit the website at makitatools.com.