Makita XPH07Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 1/2" Hammer Drill Driver - Powerful Tool Only for Construction, Woodworking & DIY Projects

Model Reviewed - XPH07TB other XPH07 models differ in Battery and case (See Below)REVIEWI hate posting a review before I have some time to give a tool the proper paces, but overall I can say that this drill is impressive at first touch. It has incredible power and torque and you recognize why they practically give you a pry bar to hold onto. If you are going to need the 1000 Foot Pounds of Torque, you are not going to be able to hold alone. I almost hurt my wrist attaching the drill to the lug nuts of my van and giving the trigger a squeeze. The nuts didn't budge, but the drill spun quickly with my wrist still attached. Clearly if you are wanting to leverage the full torque of this drill I recommend using the attached handle.The sound of the motor is clean. I press the trigger lightly and the drill hums to life, it doesn’t clack, it doesn’t pulse, it hums. Light trigger presses results in slow movement of the chuck as expected. There are no noticeable steps, it seems infinitely variable.The two speeds of the drill are useful vs just for show. The lower speed allows for better control and power, while the higher speed pulses up to 2100 RPM. The speed difference of the drill is noticeable over other drills, 2100 is generally 50% faster than other drills at a 1500 RPM speed including Makita’s other line of brushless drills.Many components of this drill are metal, the chuck is metal, if in your application the chuck is near heat or abrasion, a metal chuck will make a difference.The light like other drills comes on at light trigger press and stays on for around 15 seconds. The light comes from both sides of the drill. This is nice as I found that I often covered one of the lights with they way my hand was placed. Lights could be postioned differently (One above and one below the chuck) for better angles, but I am happy with this one.RESEARCHI did quite a bit of research before purchasing this drill. If you are considering this particular package against others, here are the key elements that I felt made a difference in my purchase:BATTERIESThe key differences between the XPH07 lines are the batteries. The XPH07TB has two of the new 5ah batteries with a battery charge indicator. Other big box stores do not stock the TB model, they are instead stocking the XPH07M or XPH07MB. These have a 4ah battery instead of the 5 amp hour battery. The battery included in the XPH07TB is the same that is purchased separately under the BL1850B model number.The 5ah batteries that come with XPH07TB model are the same size and weight as the 4ah batteries but with more power. This seems to indicate a higher quality battery was used in the 5ah batteries. In my mind, higher quality batteries = better deal, the batteries will wear out much faster than any other component will on the drill.The B at the end of the model number indicates a battery with a charge indicator built into the battery. At the time of this writing, the XPH07M and XPH07T are the older model number, but still in stock and around $50 cheaper. Basically they are working last year's model numbers through the system and providing a discount. $50 may be worth a battery indicator on the battery for you. For me, it meant a year’s newer technology on the batteries and electronics, and being able to find the charge of the battery on older tools that do not have the built in indicator like this drill does.The XPH07Z is the same drill without batteries, case, and charger and runs around $150 at the time of writing. This means that if you are paying around $350 for this package you are paying $200 for two 5Amp batteries, a charger and a case. Seeing that each of the two BL1850 batteries sell for around $125, paying the $200 extra over the bare tool seems reasonable.BRUSHLESSWhat they are doing with these brushless motors is pretty impressive. The claims are for stronger motors, less power consumption, and more durability. I can only attest for the power. Power of these brushless motors have doubled, and this drill is a monster.VS OTHER MAKITA BRUSHLESS MODELSThe brushless drill models for Makita are the XPH05, XPH06, and XPH07. Here is information on each:XPH05 Is a Brushless Motor and delivers 400 inch pounds of Torque, and has a top speed of 1,500 RPM. It weighs 3.8 lbs.XPH06 Brushless Motor delivers 530 in.lbs. of Max Torque and has a top speed of 1,550 RPM. It weighs 3.9 lbs.XPH07 - This model reviewed - is a Brushless motor that delivers 1090 pounds of torque and has a top speed of 2100 RPM. It weighs 4.5 lbs.When looking at the combo kits, they almost extensively use the XPH05 or XPH06, they hardly ever use this top of the line XPH07 drill.The XPT line, or those models that start with XP stand for Extreme Protection, and not Extra Power as you might expect. The XP means that there is greater protection against job site conditions like dust or water.VS Other BrandsI don’t know much about the other brands. If you are investing in Makita because you already have Makita, then recognize the value that the two additional batteries will add to your current collection.I have heard that the Milwaukee 18 volt Fuel Brushless is also a good kit. It appears to be a bit more for bare tool comparisons. The Milwaukee also appears to have less torque at around 700 torque vs 1000 torque of the Makita.