Product Test: The Makita 10.8V CXT Two-Piece Kit

Product Test: The Makita 10.8V CXT Two-Piece Kit
Photo Credit To Makita

In this review Norman Bradshaw gets twice the bang for his buck as gives us his verdict on the Makita 10.8V CXT two-piece kit (model CLX203AJX1).

I remember the first drill I ever purchased was a Makita; if you didnโ€™t have a Makita in those days then you were essentially a โ€˜nobodyโ€™. As one of the most powerful drills in its class, not only did it help me to earn my keep, but it also got me out of many di๏ฌƒcult situations.

When I was given the opportunity to review the 10.8V CXT two-piece kit I was very curious about what would arrive, as youโ€™d usually expect a drill set to contain two drills (an impact drill and perhaps a traditional screw gun). However, this kit came with a combi drill and a multi-tool instead! My ๏ฌrst thoughts were that this was an interesting, but unconventional combination, but upon using them I reasoned that whoever thought about combining these two items into one kit had performed a stroke of genius!

Kit contents

The kit is comprised of a 10.8V drill which can drill, screw and hammer and boasted a whopping 18 torque settings. The stem is slender so the drill grip feels natural in either your left or right hand. For me the counterbalance is perfect โ€“ itโ€™s extremely light to hold and hasnโ€™t made my wrist feel tired in any way. To switch between forward, reverse and lock is just a matter of sliding your index ๏ฌnger up and pressing the switch or using your thumb to reverse the process. This process is so easy that you donโ€™t have to worry about losing your grip while youโ€™re doing it!

I found the motor to be very responsive and quiet and the unit was equally at home when putting down ๏ฌ‚oor boards or ๏ฌxing pendants to the ceiling. In addition to its power, small size and ergonomics is the toolโ€™s ability to perch neatly and safely on top of my pair of steps.

To round things o๏ฌ€ thereโ€™s also the traditional LED light which comes on as you pull the trigger, making it dead easy to see what youโ€™re doing when working in a low light environment. The drill has some added rubberised protection to avoid any heavy damage if itโ€™s dropped.

Multi-talented

In terms of the multi-tool, this has a very slender body and was a perfect ๏ฌt in my hand, whether sanding or taking up ๏ฌ‚oor boards. The multi-tool comes with an assortment of attachments for cutting wood and, fortunately, I have some other multi-tool attachments which also ๏ฌtted this unit so it now gives me a wider choice of accessories.

The feature that I really liked, however, was the neat and clever dust extraction attachment which clips on to the underbody of the multi-tool and attaches itself to the part where the dust is collected. You simply switch on the dust extractor and the extraction attachment then works like a dream. Many of our clients want the work done and, where possible, without the mess, so any tool that can multi-task within those categories must be worthy of consideration.

The tool also came with ๏ฌve speed adjustments so I always felt in control while using it. The only ๏ฌddly bit I found was the way that the attachments/blades were ๏ฌxed to the unit โ€“ this is achieved with the aid of a hexagonal key which can be stored in a little holder adjacent to the battery attachment, but it can take a bit of time to change over the attachments as a result.

In conclusion

After trialling this product I really feel that Makita has put itself right back in the tool innovation spotlight, yet itโ€™s great to see the company staying loyal to its traditional branding and styling. If youโ€™re after a powerful set thatโ€™s small in size but features the endurance to last the working day, as well as o๏ฌ€ering ๏ฌ‚exibility and the tidiness to get the job done professionally, then you should look no further than this set. I promise you that it will make you feel good to be a โ€˜sparkโ€™!

For more information about the Makita 10.8V CXT two-piece kit visit: www.makitauk.com

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