Makita has added a new cordless hammer drill, PH06, to their 12V Max CXT cordless power tool lineup.
Surprisingly, this does not appear to be brushless hammer drill. Digging into Makita’s spec sheets, all they say about the motor is that it is “Makita-built.”
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Makita’s brushless motors also typically have highly visible BL Motor branding, which this new model does not. This all suggests it has a brushed motor.
Makita does have a separate 12V Max brushless hammer drill. Compared to their brushless hammer drill, which came out more than 2 years ago, this new model is a little less powerful (~10% lower max torque), considerably longer (7-5/8″ vs 6-5/8″), and marginally heavier.
There is also an existing brushed motor 3/8″ hammer drill in Makita’s 12V Max CXT lineup, model PH04. Makita launched the PH04 6 years ago. Compared to the PH04, this new PH05 has the same max torque rating, the same speed range, and the same weight The older hammer drill measures 7-7/8″ in length, and the new model measures 7-5/8″, a difference of ~1/4″.
Makita PH06 Features & Specs
- 3/8″ drill chuck
- 0-450/0-1700 RPM max speed
- 0-6,750 / 0-25,500 BPM
- 250 in-lbs max torque
- Weighs 2.5 lbs with battery
- 7-5/8″ length
- LED worklight
Price: $149 for the kit (PH06R1)
ETA: Unknown; Tool Nut has a 30-35 day shipping estimate
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Compare:
- Older Model via Amazon
- Milwaukee M12 Fuel via Home Depot
- Makita Brushless via Amazon
- Dewalt Brushless via Lowe’s
- Dewalt Brushless via Acme Tools
Discussion
In their press materials, Makita says:
The PH06 [sic] an ideal solution for users seeking a more compact driver-drill for applications in tight spaces.
However, users seeking a more compact hammer drill would likely be better off with Makita’s brushless version, or competitors’ compact and more powerful 12V-class brushless hammer drills.
I’m really not seeing Makita USA’s reasoning for this model. It’s only 1/4″ shorter than the brushed model they came out with 6 years ago, and the kit costs $10 more. Despite being slightly shorter than their older brushed motor hammer drill, the new model is still 1″ longer than their brushless model.
After SIX YEARS, all they did was shave just 1/4″ off the length of the hammer drill?
Is it “more compact” than the older version? Technically, sure. But, it’s far from being the “ideal solution” for anyone working in tight spaces. Makita’s brushless kit ($179) is much more compact. Dewalt’s kit ($159) is also much more compact, with a 6.6″ length that rivals that of Makita’s brushless model.
When we’re talking about 7-5/8″ vs 7-7/8″ cordless drill/driver lengths, 1/4″ is not a big difference – it’s just 3.17% shorter. Maybe there are other differences that Makita USA is not disclosing?
Do you think the new model being ~3.2% shorter in length over the older model is worth paying $10 more for?
I would expect for the new PH06 model to replace the older PH04 model, but Makita seems to like having a vast number of drill and impact driver SKUs for customers to have to sort through.
Jared
Seems more like a (minor) update than a new model. Should have just kept the same model number.
That’s not a very powerful drill either. I assume you only buy this if you only want 12v tools. You can get way more drill for the money in the 18v class – albeit larger.
Django Sunny Leveson-Jones
This seems like a black friday kit tool
rob
For real
James Davis
I’ll take my Skil Pwrcore 12 drill / driver and hammer drill / driver over this upgrade anyday.
X Lu
This is how brands die. Not with a bang but a whimper. There really is only room for a couple of premium brands and this isn’t going to be one of them. Shame really If they break even in the US they are fine because they can spread development costs over whatever units they eek out here making the home market more profitable.
You either blanket the zone the way TTI and Dewalt has done or else you limp along with an ever dreading base of cordless customers.
fred
Makita is not in the same league as the big guys : SBD (14% of the tool market share) or Bosch (12.2% of the global market) or TTI (about 10%)
and Hilti (8.4%) – but their 6.86% is nothing to be sneezed at. I do agree that like Bosch, Makita seems to have some strange marketing strategies with regard to the US market – and some of the new tools that they bring to market seem to be flops. But their reported sales in 2020 were up slightly over 2019 – and showed a steady increase since 2013 year over year. With sales hovering around $4.5 billion I don’t see them dying off – but agree with you that continued missteps would not bode well for continued growth.
Rog
Regarding the US market. it seems like Makita either (A. doesn’t care or (B. Doesn’t get it or (C. All the above. Which is a shame cuz I really like their stuff and wish they’d built out the subcompact line
Marc
My friend showed my an Australian video of the new Mikita multi tool and it’s bad ass. It’s shorter and the body doesn’t vibrate. It’s reengineered and looks really cool.
Richard Fischer
That molti tool just went up on there website in the states as a subcompact.
Leo Bauer
Scott Brown Carpentry? He has a great channel out of New Zealand, Auckland primarily. Love his videos! I thought he did a nice job on the comparison of the various multi-tools and blade attachment systems.
Stuart
DTM52?
Available overseas, but not here.
Some Guy
Up for preorder
https://www.toolnut.com/makita-xmt04zb-18v-lxt-lithium-ion-multi-tool.html
Rog
Oh yes, give it to me!
James C
Maybe one of the parts is non OEM and was discontinued. E.g. if the motor isn’t made by Makita and the manufacturer switched to a new model, same specs, but 1/4″ shorter. Just a guess.
I’m interested in learning more about non OEM parts in tools. I know it happens but how common is it?
Rob
I would presume that not even diehard Makita fanboys/girls buy their 12v stuff.
Not to mention, this drill looks bigger than a couple of my LXT ones.
fred
While I’m sure that Makita sells more 18V tools than 12V ones – they must sell enough to justify the line. I know folks who have bought multiples of the SH02Z small trim saw and think it made buying into the extra battery platform worthwhile.
Blocky
I’ve opened the older fd05 drill body and there’s at least a 1/4″ empty space in the aft interior. A slight change in the clamshell gets us to the fd09, which is this same drill without the hammer function.
Charles_A
Well, I guess Makita still makes good drill bit sets…
Stuart
I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic. Are their drill bit sets that bad? They have a couple of cheap assortments on Amazon, but I always thought those were licensed products.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=makita+drill+bit&tag=toolguyd-20
They also have a ratcheting screwdriver and other generic-looking hand tools: https://www.amazon.com/Makita-D-58849-Ratcheting-Screwdriver/dp/B01BGVOHMS/?tag=toolguyd-20
Graham Z
This particular Makita product review seems to be filler material for you (i.e. you had nothing else to write about) and were looking for an opportunity to dump on Makita again.
Sure Makita has taken a backseat to Milwaukee and perhaps even Dewalt in many stores in my home city but they are still a solid company building great professional tools.
Randy
Agree 100%. Big nothing burger. A lot of filler and perishable content recently.
Stuart
I’m sorry that you’re not interested in the same tools or topics that I am.
I’ve checked my inbox, and there are no outstanding questions, requests, or suggestions from you.
I’m driving the bus, but there’s always a microphone if there are stops or detours you want to make.
G. Zeisner
Fair enough. I am very interested in the same topics and tools that you – and especially your readers are – (who for the most part provide excellent comments and feedback; where I get most useful tips tbh). However any topic related to Makita (my main power tool manufacturer) catches my eye. I think you have had some recent bad experience with Makita marketing but really that’s got nothing to do with the final quality of their tools. The industrial sales rep up here in Ontario is pretty weak in my opinion but the local reps are great and they stand solidly behind Makita product. In over 30 years I’ve never felt that I wasted my money on the Makita power tool.
Stuart
This post would have read the same regardless of the brand.
To be frank, I’ve had good and bad experiences with Makita USA over 10+ years. Their attitude towards my press/media inquiries have always caused frictions. I no longer ask for clarity from Makita USA, as they made it clear over the years they won’t answer any off-script questions.
With this new release, there could be other differentiating factors in its engineering or market intent (such as if it was designed around an aggressively low holiday season special-buy price point). I just cannot believe that after 6 years there is no meaningful difference between this 12V Max hammer drill and its predecessor aside from a meager 3% reduction in length.
I am sure that Makita engineers have their reasons behind this model, but none that Makita USA marketing has yet disclosed to users or press.
Brock Nevitt
I agree, it might be because I am a makita diehard but whenever I see a toolguyd post about makita I brace myself for harsh reviews.
The thing that gets me Stuart (if you are reading this) is it usually seems like you are solely going off of a spec sheet and not hands-on construction experience. I have usually found that where makita lacks in specs they more than make up for in functionality
Stuart
You can blame Makita USA for that.
Nearly every attempt I have ever made to gain off-script details or insights has been futile. They either cannot or will not answer most questions that can’t be answered with a spec sheet or broad marketing messaging.
If I can’t determine how or why a tool is different from preceding models, how else am I supposed to form an opinion?
It’s a pet peeve of my mine, but this is a news/new tool post, not a review. Hands-on experience or assessments usually aren’t a part of such posts.
Brock Nevitt
A news/new tool post makes sense, that helps me adjust my expectations although maybe a disclaimer would be beneficial?
Maybe just try to be a little nicer to us makita fans? lol
Stuart
It has nothing to do with being nice or not.
If I cannot differentiate between two products, other than a marginal dimensional difference, I have to make it clear, and I do make an effort to be as neutral as possible.
If I feel it’s important to understand how a new model differs from its predecessor, and the brand hasn’t made it clear, I have to point it out.
Sometimes I can try to make reasonable guesses. For instance, the new Makita subcompact drills are bundled with 1.5Ah batteries instead of the usual 2.0Ah. That suggests the redesign/update could at least partially be motivated by cost or retail price considerations. There could be more going on there as well, but there aren’t explicit details or obvious clues.
Reviews are usually labeled as such, and hands-on experience is usually described and discuss in such context.
News or preview posts usually don’t include hands-on-related assessments, but if they do, I’m clear about it.
I can’t label all of the non-review content as not being reviews; that would be like adding a non-organic label to all of the non-organic produce at the grocery store, or adding a “comes from cow” label to all of the real beef (as opposed to the new imitation meat).
I don’t review everything that I discuss in news or preview posts, and a lot of times that’s not even possible since announcements are often made before products ship out.
Stuart
Whenever I look at any tool – from any brand – I start with an open mind. “Ooh, that’s new. “How does this tool better serve users?”
I spent time looking into it, digging into details and spec sheets, and that time shouldn’t be for naught. If I ask a question about a new tool or wonder about how a new product is differentiated from others, I know I’m rarely alone.
How does this better serve users? Can you answer this question?
Maybe someone else has insights that I’m not privy to, or maybe a reader will come across this SKU and ask the same questions as I am.
C E WILLIAMS
I am a diehard Makita fan-boy I bought into the 18V lithium platform over 10 years ago and have to many tools to count– This said, just last month I threw in the towel and went 100% M12 for my 12V tools – Makita’s 12V lineup does not make sense, the tools are no more compact than the 18v counterparts, and they are often awkward – Look at the cordless ratchet- So for me its 100% Makita 18V and MKE M-12 for my 12V
Zach Of All Trades
I really wish Makita would expand on this CXT line of tools. I bought the CXT drill on a sore dick deal and so far no regrets besides wanting more AH on my battery selection. Charges really quick and very handy for my line of work. Hopefully this hammer drill is hinting at more tools for the CXT line up. I do want to pick up the recip saw with a paddle switch soon if I find a good price on one
David R.
I’ve got a Makita 12v set, drill and impact driver that I purchased like 6 years ago for “around the house”.
I used Ryobi 18v for “around the farm/outside” work, and was tired of going back and forth from the barn constantly for a drill.
I feel like the 12v line is good for doing things like, hanging picture, fixing screws, attaching child safety locks. So, it was perfect for around the house. The drill fell short of trying to screw a 3inch screw into a stud, so had to use the impact.
Moral of the story is, I have no idea why anyone would want a 12v hammer drill, maybe it goes into cinder block well? I feel like I use a hammer drill more often for concrete, and even my 18v Makita hammer drill struggles.