Makita is adding a cordless microwave to their XGT system of cordless power tools.
There have been April Fools Day jokes and mockups over the years, but Makita is really introducing the first-ever cordless microwave that is directly powered by cordless power tool batteries.
The new Makita cordless microwave can deliver 500W of power for up to 8 minutes, after which it automatically switches to a lower power 350W mode. It has an 8L (~0.28 cubic feet) capacity.
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With (2) XGT 40V Max 8Ah batteries installed, the cordless microwave can reheat about 11 refrigerated lunches or 20 drinks (each 200 mL/~6.8oz).
Makita says that their new cordless microwave lets you heat food in many different environments where there might not be an AC power source.
The microwave is advertised as being suited for:
- Building and construction sites
- “In-car dining”
- Disaster preparedness
Given Makita’s growth in the outdoor recreational space, I would anticipate the microwave also being marketed for camping, tailgating, and other such activities.
See Also: Makita Outdoor Adventure – a New 18V Cordless Power Tool Series
The microwave features a folding top handle, and an optional carrying strap loops through slots in the handle for an additional carrying option.
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Makita cautions that the microwave cannot be used for storage or to carry things; it’s not a tool box.
It weighs 8.8 kg (19.4lbs) without batteries.
The microwave will immediately deactivate if the door is opened during use, and there is an additional safety feature that deactivates the microwave if it’s tilted.
The cordless microwave also features a USB port for charging electronic devices. Its USB-A port can deliver a maximum output of 2.4A at 5V.
Makita provided a handy chart with approximate runtime when powered by (2) XGT batteries. Keep in mind that 500W operation is limited to 8 minutes before automatically switching to 350W, presumably with a cooldown time required.
At this time, Makita has only announced the XGT microwave in Japan. It will cost ¥71,500 (~$540 at the time of this posting) excluding VAT for the tool/appliance-only.
If Makita also plans to launch this here, would you buy one?
fred
Across our different businesses we’d regularly ask the guys what new tools were needed or wanted – then consider trial purchases. I can see this on such a list. When I’d be out and about on our jobsites – I’d often see a small microwave or toaster oven stowed away in the back of our vans.
Mike
Microwaves seems popular with roofing crews in my area. My neighborhood was built in the early 90’s so basically every house is coming due for a new roof and I regularly see a microwave sitting in yard hooked up to a long extension cord. Price might be the deal breaker for individuals to buy. $540 tool only feels very expensive.
Jared
True. Microwaves aren’t terribly expensive. If you don’t NEED cordless, there must be much cheaper ways to get a hot lunch.
Heck, seems like you could get a cheap microwave and a Dewalt power station for less than this.
Steve
I like the idea myself, but a cheap microwave and a power station is probably a much better bet, as you pointed out. Will heat faster…
Max
If you don’t live in California, you can pick up a cheap thousand-watt generator and used 500-watt microwave for less than $300.
Josh Walters
Framing crew on one of our projects a few years ago had a big utility bed truck, the biggest box was devoted to a microwave and as many Cup of Noodles as would fit
Caleb
Get hot logic on Amazon. I use mine all the time when I want a hot lunch. Put in leftovers or a tv dinner. Basically a insulated hot plate. Best $50 ever spent
Jeff
At 500 watts it will take the whole 8 minutes to warm up a hot pocket.
John Banister
On the boat where I work, crew members are not allowed to have heating appliances plugged in to the outlets in the rooms, because the amperage draw would overload the circuit. There’s no similar regulation about battery charging. During shipyard, the community use microwave gets kind of scary.
Bo Lorentzen
Boat use was exactly my thought, the trickle charge of the batteries with a low-performance charger, one of the 110v plug-ins that take like an hour to top off the battery – rather than the 10min charger would be very boat-power compattible. basiclly the batteries are a capasitor to let you use that overnight charge in 5 minutes to heat something without blowing the fuses.
*though, the turn off when at an angle may be a problem
JMG
At that price point it would be difficult to even remotely consider for purchase, even if I was already on the XGT platform. Having to invest in batteries and charger on top of that price and it is a solid “nope”… Not interested.
fred
Agreed that you probably can’t make a cost/benefit use case for this at that price point. But lots of things get bought based on their novelty or wow factor appeal.
Mike
Two 8mAh batteries and a dual charger adds $900 as non-kit items!! A dual charger will be essential. a 4 mAh XGT battery takes 45 minutes to recharge. In my dust exactor I get 30 min of runtime on high out of (2) 4 mAh batteries that then take 90 minutes to recharge.
Rafe
Even a standard microwave is a pain to lug around. Just bring a food you don’t need to heat up guys, is a jobsite not not a spa. But for people who disagree, maybe this is for them?
fred
I can see the case for both. Working outdoors in the cold – a hot cup of soup or other hot meal item for lunch can be rejuvenating. Not all crew members will want to do a hot food take-out – and sometimes the takeout run can mean a loss of productivity. I’m not saying that a $540 cordless microwave is the best solution for this use. A thermos bottle – even with months of canned soup would cost a lot less.
andrew
Heck, for scouts we use the spice packet for Lipton chicken noodle soup and just leave out the noodles, fill a 5 gallon insulated water cooler with boiling water and it’ll be hot enough to warm you up 12 hours later.
fred
One of our things with the scouts was hot Jello.
Steve
This is very much a Japanese thing. You would never ask to use a homeowners microwave. It can even seem rude to ask to use their power. Plus it would be expected to keep lunch and breaks as short as possible. That’s also why Makita makes the coffee pots. My half brother is Japanese and runs a construction firm in Tokyo and he is looking forward to these for his crews
I can’t see this being released in the US, just because of the different cultural norms but who knows.
JTRD
I would 100% buy this in USA. This is perfect for overlanding (car camping). I can heat up my burrito in the morning and start hiking without wasting any time on cooking & cleaning.
IDT
This comment is aimed at Rafe. Unsure why the thing says I’m responding to fred. Anyways. One of the best things I’ve ever bought was a plug in water kettle while on my deployment. Our trucks had power plugs and it held just about 1L of water. Just enough for A hot shave, hot tea or cocoa, and hot oatmeal every morning, no matter where we were or how shit a situation was or how little time i had to enjoy it. Meanwhile most of the rest were dry shaving and eating cold breakfast and being miserable before the day even started. Granted my kettle was substantially cheaper than this is. But, my point is, ” it’s not a spa it’s a job site” is silly thinking. Wanting nice things is only a problem once it gets in the way of or causes delays in getting things that need doing done. Not until then. If someone’s willing to do the hard or crappy thing same as you, and they get it done fast as you, thats plenty. If they thought to bring a comfort you didn’t, and it doesn’t slow them down any, good for them. Choosing to be miserable for no benefit or gain doesn’t make someone tougher or better than the guy who doesn’t, it only makes them dumber. .Begrudging other people their “nice thing” doesn’t make any sense so long as that nice thing doesn’t get in the way of the task at hand.
I would have loved one of these microwaves back then, and so would have the rest of the guys I worked with, if the number of times I had to refill my little 1l kettle most mornings is any indicator. Personally I love this idea, though I no longer have a use for it. Glad to see it’s a thing. And who knows, if enough people pick one up, maybe the price will go down to something more reasonable
Mackenzie
Agreed, morale boosters can change the situation from feeling like the worst thing you’ve ever done to being a tough day that you’re powering through.
Fritz Gorbach
Have you ever worked a day or several outside in sub zero wind chills? You find quickly the value of a hot lunch on the jobsite.
I probably still wouldn’t use a portable microwave. Usually in the winter I carry a thermos full of soup or chili or something plus another with a hot beverage. And if we’re real cold we will leave and hit a restaurant for a bit.
I do work with a couple of contractors though that will bring a fridge and a microwave and a coffee pot all too long term job site.
If this were on a Milwaukee or Dewalt battery platform that I already have I would probably buy it for novelty. Maybe emergency use maybe., Maybe camping trips. I don’t see myself buying into another platform though for this item.
Ecotek
Yeah man. I keep a cheap ass Walmart microwave in the enclosed trailer, always have. Customers would often be surprised to see it. Why? It was like $50, and it doesn’t take up much space either. Why not be able to warm up your coffee in a few seconds? Heat a quick fruit pie for a snack? We’re in upstate NY and it gets cold in the winter.
John dixon
Not really. Small portable microwaves can be had for $100. They’re meant to be taken with you. And most newer trucks have inverters built in or it is an option. My truck has 2 outlets in the bed and two outlets in the cab with a 1500 watt inverter.
MM
I wouldn’t buy one, I can’t think of any need this would suit. It’s far too large and bulky for what I call camping, and in my mind it also sort of defeats the point. For me camping is about getting away from the ordinary, not carrying the ordinary out in the woods with me. I can’t imagine cooking with an electric appliance at all for tailgating–that’s an opportunity to break out the grill, smoker, or the big gas burner–but if I had to arrange something like that I’d use an RV microwave or a normal model running on an inverter, that solution is much cheaper and more powerful.
If I had to go to a remote worksite with no heat and I wanted a hot lunch I’d either bring a thermos bottle, use a packpacking stove, or an MRE heater. If I had that same situation with multiple people? Folding camp stove makes it easy to cook for everyone.
But even though this is expensive, weak, and inefficient in terms of its bulk vs. its internal volume, it’s also the first product of its kind. Bring on the competition. Later models are going to be a lot better and you gotta start somewhere.
Chris
No dual power option?
Only 500 watts for 8 minutes…I guess that makes sense based on the rated size.
For reference, it claims to do 11 ~6.8oz lunches per battery.
I might call that a side…
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/choicehd-8-oz-microwavable-translucent-plastic-deli-container-and-lid-combo-pack-case/128HD8COMBO.html
This seems designed to eat batteries, and I guess if you can afford this in the first place, then it won’t matter.
MM
Very good point about the dual-power option. It probably would have been trivial in terms of cost to add that feature. Might as well make it function as a battery charger at the same time. In my opinion that would have been a huge improvement.
Richard
Any update on the new Makita Air Fryer?
Rog
After the Makita 40V blender.
Colin
I used to take a small camp stove if I wanted a warm lunch on a job site without a generator.
Seems a lot more reasonable and cheaper than a 20lb microwave with another 20lbs of batteries that are going to get pulled down.
500 watts is unimpressive too. About half the power of a regular home microwave.
Cristobal+Figueroa
Exactly this. For substantial less investment you can get a propane powered stove that will heat soup, drinks, etc in a fraction of the time at a fraction of the cost.
Stephen
I think the idea is, the average construction crew is more likely to have batteries and a charger available than they are a propane tank and cookware.
Mac
I’ve seen, and installed, inverters in lotsa work trucks – just for microwaves, and maybe battery chargers. Way cheaper if no power, no generator. They’re set up everywhere on large jobs once there’s temp power. Microwaves are dirt cheap. I don’t think it’s the market for this here. Too small, too weak, to expensive, too gimmicky
Nate
I agree. But there are a few edge cases. The Asian market definitely supports this. I’ve lived in Korea several years. I’ve seen several Korean jobsites where a “butane-gas” burner was pulled out to cook instant ramen. Workers don’t ask a homeowner to use their kitchen, as that would seem rude. Also, a high end trim carpenter who works indoors and wants to make minimal impact to the client here in the US might also want it.
MM
I don’t think this will replace those butane gas tabletop burners anytime soon. Their main purpose is to be used on the center of a dinner table, indoors, to keep a hotpot style dish warm or also to put a cast iron plate on top and then everyone dining can cook their own meat on it right at the table. A battery operated microwave will never replace those functions. Furthermore, those gas burners are very inexpensive, even cheaper than a camping stove or a basic model plugin microwave. The Asian supermarkets near me sell them for $20. There are a lot of people who will buy the $20 cooker before the $500 one, especially when you can do so much more with the gas one. It’s smaller, lighter, more powerful, you can put a pan on top and fry with it….
Jared
While the cost makes this unreasonable unless you’ve got a super niche use-case, it’s still very cool. It makes me happy to know it exists even if it isn’t something I need.
Micah
I own mostly/all DeWALT battery tools but I want this so badly 😅
Mr. Creek
100% Agree. Tough System Flexvolt microwave.
Big Richard
ToughSystem battery cooler is a real possibility. One was potentially spotted on an official DeWalt Thailand video that has since been taken down. Not sure about a microwave, but it would be cool.
Mr. Creek
I would buy a tough system battery cooler in heart beat. Even though the sticker shock on that is going to be high when first released.
Wayne R.
Any job site I’ve been on that could’ve used a microwave also had either commercial AC &/or a generator.
Hard to imagine a scenario where this thing would beat 100+ alternatives to a hot meal.
Daniel L.
I kept a $30 walmart microwave screwed to the bins on my utility bed truck for years, and loved having it, especially in winter. Just run a drop cord to it, and would heat everyone’s lunch. These days with power supplies and and inverters readily available it must be even easier than pulling a cord, but I’m in the office most of the time now.
Steve
Don’t need one but want one for the boat. Even though the price is ridiculous – c’mon DeWalt!
ravenzfuse
I need this for the movie theater
Joe
More gimmicky garbage from Makita,
You want a battery powered microwave? Use the one you got at home and buy a power source like m18 carryon or DeWalt power source and you can run a 1500 watt microwave. Or coffee maker or whatever.
What a joke. A frozen dinner would take your whole lunch break to warm up.
Must be for union workers or something.
taras
True. Union workers would be the only ones that could afford this.
Harrison
Lol. Make it in red, add Packout comparablity, double the price to $1000 and guys will line up around the block to buy it…Union or not…
Champs
Credit where it’s due, Makita is the Cheesecake Factory menu of power tools.
Do American perceptions of brand not let us have fun, too? Market failure shouldn’t be the end of the world unless it’s badly made, but at that price and likely volume there aren’t many corners to cut.
Ahmed
Why not use a good quality charging/power station which easily lets you use all sort of appliances on the go or at remote site? Like that no one is limited to only a microwave!
I see this as faliure, Makita most probably is not engaging and listening to their customers. That’s how companies decline when they start to ignore their customers needs and market demand. There are other tools people have been asking for so long such as a jobsite table saw, and they are releasing stupid microwave, coffe machine and toasters. Hello Makita, stop wasting your resources and start field studies, engaged with your customers need.
Hon Cho
Makita sells lots of gimmickly things, far more in other countries than in the USA. However, declaring this a failure is shortsighted because someone doesn’t think it’s worth their money doesn’t mean that there are not enough buyers that DO think it’s worth buying. Only Makita will know if it’s worth the effort and resources to bring to market. Stretching beyond what customer surveys and feedback provides is how the marketplace advances in new and interesting ways.
Mike+McFalls
Well said!
Munklepunk
Makita sells a ton of this stuff to their Japanese audience, being a Japanese company and all. We in the west don’t get a lot of what they release, we may never see this. They are allowed to do whatever they want and can do multiple things at once, if you don’t believe me go to their website, then go to their Japanese website.
OldDominionDIYer
Would not have any use for it I guess maybe if you’re remote camping and have no ability to cook real food, but then why would you be remote camping?
Eric
If you go remote camping then you carry a portable camping stove of some kind. Something that at most weighs a few pounds with enough gas to last you for a week or more.
xu lu
None of these products- microwave, coffee maker etc without a dual power option are sensible. As noted by others, a small mw and a power station is far more effective. Add some solar panels and you have real solution. What this does show is the potential for creative DC portable solutions.
I’m actually quite surprised that none of the tool manufacterers have developed solar chargers for their platforms yet. Seems ideal. I’ve used solar panels to charge a a solar generator to charge tool batteries but the transmission loss is crazy and uts cumbersome. A 6 battery charger that plugs into daisy chained panels is a huge win.
Collin
A small microwave and a power station is more effective?
A small microwave weighs probably the same as this unit.
A DeWalt or Milwaukee Power Station requires 4 batteries, all with at least some charge, and a huge power station. The M18 inverter is 28 pounds without batteries. With 4 12.0 batteries it’s 42 pounds.
Lugging around a M18 Carry-On with batteries and a small microwave is basically the equivalent, in weight, of lugging around 3 microwaves.
I’d much rather have one microwave that directly accepts batteries than dealing with 70+ pounds worth of crap to microwave my food .
DC
Pass, cost it too high. I would not only buy the microwave but will also have to buy the charger and batteries. I only have Makita’s 18 volt line.
Koko The Talking Ape
I’m with the others. I think anybody who could afford the money, batteries, and bulk of this thing would get a regular microwave for 1/5th of the cost, plus a small generator which can be used for other things, like powering tools.
Scott K
My first reaction was that we’re still 2 weeks away from April Fools’. On second thought, I remember seeing a microwave plugged in outside when we had a landscaping crew working for a few days on a project.
This seems like a really expensive lunch. It’s been said above, but microwaves are pretty cheap and this has a pretty high battery demand. Given the runtime, I would think this puts a lot of wear and tear on the batteries.
S
I’m left thinking what else it can do.
If I buy a $600 generator, $140 microwave, and a $60 extension cord, I’m at $800. I can run any number of things off the generator and extension cord.
The only benefit I see here would be noise/fumes running a gas generator.
Stuart
Can you carry all that in one trip with one hand? =)
Derek
This is a great idea, and I hope Milwaukee follows suite. But I would like to see a lower price & higher wattage. This thing is clearly aimed at cooking cold food, and not frozen food.
TomD
Milwaukee better make it a packout microwave with battery charging and power cable, too, or what’s the point
Chip
I load and install custom cabinetry, space is very precious in the box truck.
I currently have the cheapest microwave that Wal-Mart sells $50.
Eating out was expensive before inflation, but now it’s minimum $15 (fast food isn’t food it’s simply renting junk).
At $60 per week eating out, is an ROI of less than 3 months at $900 with 2 batteries.
Running 300 ft of extension cord in the rain to heat up food isn’t a great option.
An inverter or genny is a far better deal currently.
However if this was x2 Makita, or m18 which I have batteries for…. I would buy it.
From tablesaw -drill, every tool is cordless and time isn’t wasted on cords and hoses.
80% of homes I install in do not have power, less than 100 ft away from where I am using it.
JMG
I still have upwards of five hundred feet of heavy gauge cords from my days of installation work. Along with that is a tool box filled with twist lock ended adapters because every job site seemed to have a different type of plug in the temporary power pole. I would plug into the 220v outlet with an adapter to split the circuit because too many other tradesmen would use the 110v plugs and pop the breaker over and over, or just roll up and unplug any other cord and insert theirs without adding a splitter. Spent way too much time walking back and forth looking for why my power supply had failed.
The advantage of cordless power tools was immense and worth a premium price for the time savings over dealing with power issues and wasted time and space carrying the cords. I was never able to completely break away from the cords, but I was able to minimize the amount that I had to drag along to the jobs.
At the time I was working in a warm climate, so job site cooking was never considered. The most we ever worried about was if there was enough ice for the cooler. This particular item just doesn’t seem viable to me, but if a version showed up on one of my existing battery platforms, I would at least take another look. I did purchase the first coffee maker Makita produced for the US market though.
If I were still in the job market now, I would take advantage of the latest tool offerings that were not available when I was still working and operate as cordless as possible, but lunch would probably still be on the cooler side of things…
Mac
Your ROI is much higher if you plan to put food in the microwave during those 3 months.
Gotta do investment÷(cost of takeout – cost of home meal) rather than just investment÷takeout.
Fast food may be flavored sawdust, but it’s not much more than real food in price – cheaper even sometimes. You should yell at your electricians about the temp power not being convenient, we love that. Trades bring generators to new construction. Batteries are awesome. There are much cheaper, and full powered, solutions that aren’t a battery powered easybake oven
I imagine Japan has some need for this, but many tradesmen in the states have had onsite microwave solutions since well before the alternative power sources were so cost effective and plentiful
MFC
2500 watt generator $300
Used microwave with 10x the capacity $40
50′ extension cord $30
Satisfaction using the Makita microwave: Priceless
There are some things money can’t buy, Makita tools aren’t one of them.
Bob
This cool but it cord too??? It should be both just with the batteries it sucks but good for small things and you can small microwave for less $100 and weighs 10 lb
Perry
I don’t see myself buying this one, but only because I’m not in the XGT line.
I wasn’t going to buy the LXT fridge, but after seeing how well it was built compared to the cheap Amazon 12v fridges and how many 18v batteries I have, I’m happy with it. I also owned the first coffeemaker they had because it was dual power, unlike the newer one. Unfortunately I broke that one on a jobsite.
I can see a few use cases for these microwaves on jobsites. If I was in the XGT line, I’d probably buy one
Eliot Truelove
I like the idea of this alot, and although the use case has many people scratching their heads, I think this paints a bigger picture:
If Makita can make a microwave viable power wise, then they can make a table saw and thicknesser.
This may seem gimmicky, but it’s often the gimmicks that make people buy things, if only for novelty sake. If you’re already in the XGT platform and you run a small crew of you and maybe 2 other guys, all 3 people could heat their lunches without killing the battery. After using it, throw the batteries on a dual charger or if you don’t have main power, put the batteries and charger on your driver seat as a reminder to go home and charge it at the end of the day. Any tradesman worth their salt prioritizes keeping their batteries topped up and/or having enough batteries for their tools.
I think its an awesome idea, despite me not being in the 40v line.
Mike McFalls
You have an excellent point about this being a platform expanding capability. I’m sure the price is what it is because they acknowledge that it probably will not sell in vast quantities. But by developing the technology, it can lead to greater expansion down the road.
Paul
A teal Easy Bake Oven. Can it hook up to Makita’s Portable Power Backpack for extended run time?
Stuart
It looks to be compatible with the PDC1200.
Bob
At first glance I’m thinking that’s pretty cool. Would also be fun on camping trips or where propane burner or a gas generator isn’t allowed. Although some of those portable power stations are a viable option for a small 120v microwave these days
Only 500 w, low run time, price and I’m not on makita battery platform make it less desirable. Still a hot lunch in the cold is awesome!!!! I wonder if they could push the amperage up to 850w if you were using that massive 15 amp hour DeWalt battery? 850w to 1000w is how much the cheapo 120v microwaves usually run at.
I ran an open station CAT 977 track loader for a month in the winter as a kid. If you wrap your food up in a lot of tin foil and place it on top of the engine block it gets heated up pretty quick.
mattd
I am still hoping their bicycle will come back and be available in the US
Crow
The idea is cool, but the way it is won’t work well. They would have to use new technology and invent a new way to microwave food, to be effective in this application.
It’s Soo underpowered at 500 watts then drops to 300?
You get better results just sitting on your lunch on the way to the job site.
The alternatives are so much better. I worked in remote areas before, I brought my little butane stove to heat water, or cook my food in a pan . It burns very clean, in fact you can use it in doors too.
Also had a small 700 watt microwave, whenever the site had a spider box . I also added a generator recently to my arsenal. That thing can power damn near a whole house,( including a microwave), and still be under 500 bucks .
Franco
A lot of detractors. Quite a bit of people that are coming up with all the cheaper alternatives….you would need to be crazy to buy this!
I don’t agree, it is not for me, but could be worthwhile for some.
First off, there are times when a genny is not an option. Then if you are a crew that has a formidable collection of XGT tools and batteries, this would not be a terrible option, any more than the coffee maker.
And all these “it’s so much cheaper… to do this, or other scenario”, then the heck with all the other cordless tools. Every corded tool is always cheaper than the cordless + battery + charger, and either as powerful or more powerful; so why cordless?
Again, I have no use for this, which is what Stuart was asking. Too many haters.
I personally like that Makita is trying these outside the box solutions.
Pete M
Given it’s intended use Makita should had offered it with a roll over cage design.
ben
I think its a good idea, I have said for year that Dewalt should make a k-cup coffee machine.
TonyT
And Bosch should make an 18V powered Nespresso pod machine 🙂
Myself
An Ecoflow/Jackery/whatever power station, or heck, even the Milwaukee 2845 Carry-On power station that uses M18 batteries, would pair just fine with any cheap microwave and deliver more power. Is it a little less cute? Perhaps, but it’s a lot more versatile.
I mean, DeWalt was there yeeeeeears ago with the DCB1800B.
Even if I was already on Team Teal, this would be a hard sell. As-is, it’s made of nope.
George
An induction cook top and running it off of a power bank would be more useful. Cost more but…