Whether you are a kitchen fitter, a furniture installer, or need to do a little plumbing, you need power tools that won’t let you down. A good Hammer Drill and Driver Kit is an essential set of tools for any serious tool buyer. Hilti vs. Makita is a Hammer Drill and Driver Kit showdown you need to watch.
Designed to get your projects up and running even faster, either one of these cordless drills with lithium-ion batteries is going to make your jobs much easier while you’re at it as well.
Table of contents
Hilti vs. Makita: Brief Company History
Makita Company History
Makita, founded in 1915, started out with just one product: electric motors. Since that time, however, over the last 100 years, they’ve expanded to cover a wide range of different tools and electronics. Not only that, but they’ve expanded their customer base to sell in 40 different countries around the world, with ten plants currently in operation across eight different countries. All of that leads up to a company that’s very well-known in the industry and provides its customers with great quality products.
Hilti Company History
Founded in 1941, Hilti had its first big breakthrough in 1957, when it created the first powder-actuated tool in the world. It didn’t take them much longer to expand to cover a total of 30 different countries. Today, Hilti has a presence in over 120 countries, which definitely says something about its quality and its following. With plenty of construction-related products available, it’s easy to see why as well.
Hilti & Makita Parent Companies
Martin Hilti Family Trust
Hilti is a family-owned company; just like Makita, it’s one of the few remaining power tool brands that is not owned by a larger company. Hilti also doesn’t have any subsidiary companies underneath them.
Makita
Makita is just Makita. It’s one of the few remaining power tool brands that is not owned by a larger company. Makita did acquire the Dolmar brand, increasing its already-impressive line of outdoor power tools.
Hilti vs. Makita: Product Line Depths
Both Makita and Hilti sell a wide variety of products. Below, you’ll find what each brand’s product line consists of.
Hilti Product Line
Hilti sells a wide variety of corded and cordless products. While they may not sell as many products as Makita, that doesn’t mean they won’t have what you need. For the average consumer, you can find everything that you need.
Here are some of the specific types of products you can purchase from Hilti:
- Rotary Hammers
- Demolition Hammers
- Drill Drivers
- Screw Drivers
- Impact Drivers
- Impact Wrenches
- Grinders
- Sanders
- Circular Saws
- Reciprocating Saws
- Jig Saws
- Jobsite Lights
- Jobsite Radios
- Vacuum Cleaners
- Dust Management
- Dispensers
- Batteries
- Chargers
- & More
Makita Product Line
Makita sells corded, cordless, and gas-powered products. While they may not sell as many products as other companies out there, that doesn’t mean they won’t have what you need. For the average consumer, you can find everything that you need.
Here are some of the specific types of products you can purchase from Makita:
- Blowers
- Chainsaws
- Hedge Trimmers
- Lawn Mowers
- Pole Saws
- Circular Saws
- Miter Saws
- Metal Cutting Saws
- Hammer Drills
- Impact Wrenches
- Nailers
- Vacuums
- Area Work Lights
- Random Orbit Sanders
- Polishers
- & More
Hilti vs. Makita: Brand Reputation & Cost of Tools
Here we’ll go over the reputations and cost of the tools of each brand.
Hilti Reputation and Tool Affordability
Hilti is a famous independent power tool brand. They make tools that are of great quality, powerful, and long-lasting. Because of this, they run high in price. They are perfect for someone who works on heavy-duty jobs and needs reliable tools to get the job done. They also offer a good battery life.
Many users prefer to choose a tool based on its price, which is completely understandable. Hilti is a little bit more expensive than Makita. The quality of the Hilti tools is very high, which may be the reason for this. They also last longer and have an extremely comfortable design. All of these factors increase the price of tools.
Makita Reputation and Tool Affordability
This company has received some high praise due to the performance and high quality of the tools they make. Makita tools are truly durable, long-lasting, and tough.
Unlike a lot of other brands, Makita uses high-quality raw materials for its products and holds itself to high manufacturing standards as well. You can literally drop these tools on the ground over and over again, and they’d still work like the day you first bought them.
Consumers have found that Makita tools last a long time; the electrical components, motors, and other components can withstand high amounts of heat, friction, and general wear. It’s also noted how Makita tools are usually comfortable to use, functional, and have a variety of features too.
Overall, Makita tools are viewed as some of the best tools you can buy. Makita tools are great for DIY jobs, crafts, home use, and more. However, Makita products are marketed toward tradesmen, professionals, and anyone else who needs reliable, high-quality tools for daily, heavy-duty use.
The quality you get with these tools does come at a cost. Makita is one of the pricier brands. However, you really do get what you pay for.
Hilti vs. Makita: Warranty Comparisons
Hilti Warranty
Hilti gives a way better warranty than Makita does. Hilti offers a two-year free service agreement and also a 20-year quality warranty. Even damage that happens due to wear and tear is covered. This warranty is truly excellent and hard to beat.
Makita Warranty
Makita offers really good warranties on its products. They have a 30-day replacement guarantee on all of their products. Additionally, all tools have at least a one-year general product warranty for defects. Also, all gas=powered tools have a two-year warranty, and all lithium-ion tools come with a three-year limited warranty.
Hilti Hammer Drill/Driver Kit
The Hilti Hammer Drill/Driver Kit comes with a cordless drill as well as two lithium-ion batteries, a charger, and a tool bag to carry it all in. Designed with a precision clutch to give you just the right amount of control while you’re working, voltage current and temperature sensors to monitor the motor, and a double LED to reduce shadow, it’s definitely a high-quality tool. A little on the heavier side, it has a 12-volt, lithium-ion battery, and an ergonomically designed handle.
Makita Hammer Driver-Drill Kit
The Makita Hammer Driver-Drill Kit comes with a variable speed unit with what they call extreme protection technology to make it more resistant to dust and water. It’s longer than the Hilti version and weighs in lower, even with the battery, to make it easier to use for an extended period. It uses a lithium-ion battery and comes with one as well as a hard-sided case to carry everything in. It has a bit higher voltage power, at 18 volts, and can screw through just about anything.
Head to Head: Features and Benefits of Each Tool
So, when you’re comparing your drill drivers, where are you going to go? What are you really looking for? You’re definitely going to be looking for capabilities, power, price, portability, and comfort.
Capabilities
The Makita drill comes with an 18-volt motor, which is going to give you a decent amount of power (about average overall).
It’s going to get through just about anything, and many have used it not just with wood and softer materials but even with metal sheeting.
There’s not much that this thing isn’t going to be able to get up the power to do and the variable speed function definitely improves that even more.
The Hilti has a 12-volt motor, which is going to be enough for most purposes, but it might be just a little bit low when it comes to some more advanced or high-power uses.
You’ll definitely be able to do quite a bit with it, though, and you’ll have no problem with soft materials, moderate-strength materials, even harder wood, and more.
Price
Price shouldn’t be your determining factor if at all possible, but sometimes it’s important to take a look at it anyway.
Between these two options, you’re going to pay a bit more for the Hilti version, but you’re not going to have a whole lot of difference.
In general, the price difference is not accounting for much, as you’re paying more for a little smaller size and power in the Hilti.
Portability
You want something that you can take with you wherever you need it, and that actually works for both of these. The Makita version is a little bit larger and longer overall, but it’s also lighter weight.
You’ll get a hard-sided case, which can be good for protection purposes because there’s less chance of it getting bumped around or damaged in any other way while you’re transporting it.
With the Hilti, you’re going to have a soft-sided bag that you can carry around in. The bag offers a little more space for you to put other things in, and you’ll be able to store it a little more easily because it can be folded down slightly.
You’re not going to get quite as much protection out of this type of bag, however. Also, the tool itself is a little bit smaller, which can make it easier to carry around with you as well.
Comfort
The size of each of the tools plays a bit of a part in how comfortable they are, but it’s also about the actual grip.
The Makita is a little bit longer, but it is lightweight, and it’s designed to have an ergonomic style handle to make it comfortable for extended use.
The Hilti has a slightly flatter handle, and though it’s smaller, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be more comfortable for you to hold onto.
When you’re using it you’ll need to find a grip that works for you, but the handle itself doesn’t really help with that.
Wrap Up
Though both of these units are high quality and will provide you with plenty of capabilities, we think Makita beats Hilti by a slim margin.
That little bit of extra power is definitely a bonus and means that you’re going to get just a little more durability from this unit for the advanced projects you might have. It’s also a little bit less expensive, which is a great bonus.
If you really like Hilti products, you’re not going to go wrong with this one—you’re just going to spend a little more money and have a little less power in the end.
Hilti vs. Makita: Frequently Asked Questions
Are Makita and Hilti the same company?
No, Makita and Hilti are not the same company. They’re separate, independently owned companies.
Is Makita good quality?
Makita is often seen as one of the best tool brands that you can purchase today. They offer both brushless and brushed options, and the quality is great for both DIYers and professionals.
Are Hilti tools worth buying?
Hilti tools are absolutely worth buying. They’re great quality all around and come with an excellent warranty. However, they are more pricey than other options out there. Be sure to keep that in mind.
Are Makita tools as good as Hilti tools?
For the most part, Makita has several tools that are right on par with Hilti tools, but there are some Hilti tools that are of higher quality than the Makita version.
Is RIDGID better than Makita for cordless hand tools?
There isn’t a direct answer to this question. Hilti tools are of good quality and perform well. Makita tools are cheaper but can get the job done. However, one is technically better performance-wise. But Makita may be better for you if you’re just performing tasks around the house. Makita makes excellent tools for heavy-duty projects and jobs, but if you don’t need that, why pay the extra money?
Do Makita batteries fit Hilti?
Although Makita and Hilti are in the same market space, they each have their own accessories, including batteries, to fit their tools. This is how companies ensure customer loyalty.
