Review: Makita BTD141Z 18v

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Great power, long-lasting lithium-ion batteries, competitive pricing, and attention to detail demand that you at least give this one a look. It’s light-weight at only 3.4 pounds, but solid enough that you won’t feel vibrations like in some of the sub-compact drivers. And since it’s a Makita tool, it comes with their standard 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The Makita BTD141Z is a small but impressive addition to the LXT Lithiom-Ion series from Makita. Including the battery, it comes in at a slim 3.4 lbs – more than a pound lighter than the DeWALT DC625B – which makes for a less tired arm at the end of a long day. Additionally, the grip has been designed to be ergonomically pleasing to the hand and they did a pretty good job of it.

Bit replacement is done with what Makita calls the 1/4-inch hex “one-touch” chuck. Basically, this works by simply pushing the bit (or socket) into the chuck sleeve. To remove, it’s a matter of pulling up (or out) on the sleeve to release the bit, then remove the bit.

The small size and light weight make it easy to use in close quarters, or for long periods of time. With the headlight that turns on when you pull the trigger, it would be ideal for under the sink or inside a closet or attic.

The lithium-ion batteries are an improvement over the NiMH. Depending on how much it is used, many professional carpenters report being able to get nearly a whole day of both driving screws and drilling pilot holes. And when they finally die, a recharge can take less than a half hour.

Although you can drill holes with this tool, the minimum speed is still much faster than you can achieve on a plain drill. In cases where you need more finesse than power, you may still need to switch back to your sturdy drill.

Some have complained about the location of the foward/reverse switch. If you aren’t careful, it is easy to accidentally hit the switch into neutral as the button is almost in line with the trigger.

Finally, there have been complaints that the high-end of the torque range may not be as powerful in practice as on paper. This comes from users who try to use the BTD141Z as an impact wrench to try and remove lug nuts on their car. While in theory this should have enough torque, it may not perform well in that application. If you are looking to use it mainly as an impact wrench, you may want to consider getting one of those instead.

There are a couple nice features included with this driver that are absent from some of the others. For starters, there is the belt-hook that lets you securely hang the tool on your belt. Handy for when you’re heading up a ladder, or just need your hands to carry other things.

Many of the impact drivers we review have lights, and this one is no exception. But, the afterglow light on the BTD141Z has an additional feature that keeps it on for roughly 10 seconds after you let go of the trigger. This is great for those times we are working in low-light and drop something on the ground – you can look around with out having to keep it running. It’s also nice that you can see what you just finished driving and inspect your work, instead of being in the dark as soon as you let go.

As with most of the higher end tools, the motor brushes are replaceable for when you’ve logged hundreds of hours of fastening.

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Makita BTD141 info and prices at Amazon

	Makita Bare-Tool BTD141Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver (Tool only) 18v cordless impact driver, bare tool (no battery)
	Makita BTD141 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Kit (Discontinued by Manufacturer) 18v cordless impact driver, two 18v LXT lithium-ion batteries, 18v charger, carrying case
	Makita BTD141A 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Kit with Rapid Automotive Charger (Discontinued by Manufacturer) 18v cordless impact driver, two 18v LXT lithium-ion batteries, 18v rapid automotive battery charger, carrying case
	Makita LXT702 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-Piece Combo Kit (Discontinued by Manufacturer) 1/2-inch hammer driver-drill (BHP452Z), impact driver (BTD141Z), a 6-1/2-inch circular saw (BSS611Z), a recipro saw (BJR182Z), a 4-1/2-inch angle grinder (BGA452Z), a rechargeable flashlight (BML185), and an FM/AM Job Site Radio (BMR100W).