Makita just released new drills and saws to the construction market. These drills and saws are a lot different than the old ones. The last generation of drills used Ni-MH batteries these new drills use Li-Ion batteries. Now there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

The weight of the Li-Ion compared to the Ni-MH is way different. The 18-volt Ni-MH weighs in at 6.0 lbs with battery and the Li-Ion weighs in at a whopping 4.9lbs with battery. That means that the 18-volt Li-Ion weighs as little as the 12 volt Ni-MH. The battery amp hour rating on the Li-Ion is also higher (which is better). The Li-Ion has 3.0 amp hour where as the Ni-MH have only 2.6 which might not to be a big difference but it shows. The Li-Ion also only takes 45min to charge a battery pack from complete zero. The life cycle of the Li-Ion is also 2x more than the Ni-MH which means the batteries will in turn last two times as long. The Li-Ion is also way smaller which makes it a lot easier to work with than the Ni-MH. The Li-Ion is only 9 7/8” long where as the Ni-MH is 10 3/8” long. Again that might not seem to be that big of a difference but when you work with your drill a lot you will appreciate the smaller size. You may still ask is this all worth the extra $130. Well I would say for a homeowner no its not and actually I wouldn’t eve recommend an 18V at all. For the contractor I would say it is by far worth it your batteries will last longer, they will charge faster so you don’t have as much down time, you will be able to work longer because it is lighter leading to you saving more money and making more also. Some people might still prefer the Mi-MH because it is proven technology. It has been on the market for at least 10 years but it’s getting old and I think most people will switch to the Li-Ion after they see how it performs. You also need to remember that there is a much larger choice of tools when you go Mi-MH also. The Li-Ion is new and I believe that there will be a lot more tools coming out for it. So I would recommend the Li-Ion by far.