Makita Impact Driver Review: All You Need to Know
As someone who works with power tools, it is almost impossible for you to deny the importance of a properly functioning impact driver. They are especially handy when you want to unscrew bolts and nuts that have been frozen over time by corrosion.
Apart from providing the much-needed support in unscrewing, impact drivers also double as drills. For example, using regular hex-shank drill bits, you can drill holes into steel and wood with an impact driver. With this level of effectiveness and dual-functionality, it comes as no surprise that you are in the market for a new one.
Whether you are replacing an old impact driver or you are making a first-time addition to your inventory, the Makita XT335S is an excellent choice of purchase.
Here, we will be telling you everything you need to know about this impact driver.
Table of Contents
The Makita XT335S Impact Driver
Makita is a company that is renowned for its high quality/efficiency power tools. The Makita XT335S is one of the latest additions to their inventory and an improvement over the previous models. This 3-piece brushless model is made of plastic.
Among other things, it is very effective at drilling, fastening, and driving bolts, nuts, and screws into the required places. In addition to that, it comes along with a xenon bulb flashlight that can deliver up to 180 lumens.
This helps to increase visibility and consequently reduce accidents while working. It might be especially useful if you often find yourself working at night or in closed, dark spaces.
The product comes in a kit that includes impressively fast-charging, slide-in 3.0Ah batteries. You can power up these batteries from zero to full-charge in a little over 60 minutes. Alongside the batteries is an expansive breadth-of-line, which makes it rather useful for powering any of your other Makita accessories or tools.
There are two speed settings on this product that works with its brushless motor to deliver about 440 In. Ibs of Max Torque. Its impact driver to has variable speeds that can deliver up to 1500 In.Ibs of Max Torque while working.
Product Specifications
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Item Weight: 11.9 pounds
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Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 14.8 x 10.04 inches
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Batteries: 2 Lithium-Ion batteries required
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Material: Plastic
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Power Source: Battery-powered
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Voltage: 18 volts
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Wattage: 54 watts
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Torque: 1500 In.Ib
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Speed: 900 RPM
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Battery Cell Type: Lithium-Ion
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Warranty Description: Limited warranty on battery, charger, and tool for three years.
Key Features
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Efficiency
A major thing that companies have always contended within the power tool industry is efficiency. There is always someone somewhere working on how to make a product more efficient. Ideas and innovations constantly fly around to that effect.
The Makita XT335S is an embodiment of that effort – it is super efficient. This model has a brushless motor that is controlled electronically. The purpose of that is to ensure that the battery’s use of energy is so optimized that it can run for up to 50% more time than it charges.
That is, if the product spends an hour charging, it can run for that full hour and a half-hour more. Additionally, with the Makita XT335S, you don’t have to worry about carbon brushes. Because the product eliminates them, they cannot reduce the cooling rate as well as the lifespan of the impact driver itself.
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Visibility with the included flashlight
Occasionally, whether for personal reasons or because you simply have to, you spend extra hours working late. Unfortunately, the thing about physical work is that your hands are always busy doing one thing or the other. As such, you cannot always afford to hold another flashlight in the other hand while using an impact driver. To further assist you in taking care of business, the Makita XT335S comes along with a flashlight and a powerful one at that. With a xenon bulb that can deliver up to 180 lumens, you would not have to worry too much about that extra visibility that you need. Simply point and drill.
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Impressive fast-charging capability
Due to the nature of their job, it is understandable for power tools to require a bit extra time than usual in replenishing their energy. However, some power tools take far too much time to replenish that energy. The whole purpose of getting one is to be able to get the job done when it needs to be done with as little lag as possible.
The Makita XT335S helps you to do that with its double 3.0Ah batteries. Unlike some others within the industry, this model charges for just about an hour. Afterward, it is ready to work for longer than it charged. This could be a useful feature for you if you spend more time working.
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Durability
On multiple facets, this impact driver comes with various means of protection that help to ensure it stays useful and healthy for an extended period. The first is the Extreme Protection Technology (XPT). The XPT on the Makita XT335S helps to provide some extra protection against dust and water.
This could be a really handy feature for you if you often find yourself working on sites that are a tad harsher than others. With less dust and water getting into the important parts, it guarantees an extended lifespan of your impact driver.
The second layer of protection that plays its part in the durability of this product is the Star Protection Computer Controls. This helps to prevent the occurrence of overloading, overheating, and over-discharging while using the product.
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3-year warranty
Not every company offers this. You can use the Makita XT335S for as long as three whole years without having to worry excessively about bearing full costs if it gets damaged.
PROS
- The product comes along with efficient and effective protection features that help to increase its lifespan.
- The limited three-year warranty helps ease you of excessive worries of damage while using it as you don’t have to bear the entire cost.
- It is light and easy to carry around on the site while using it.
- The battery charges quite fast and allows for as much energy efficiency as possible.
CONS
- With less than 1000 rotations per minute, the impact driver is not as fast as it can be.
- You are limited to only Makita chargers for the product.
How do you Maintain an Impact Driver?
The Makita Impact Driver comes with some efficient self-preserving features. They assist in maximizing their lifespan. However, this does not mean you should neglect care totally. Not taking proper care could be detrimental to your tool’s health. As such, here are a few tips on how to maintain your impact driver:
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Oil it regularly:
Like most other machines, your impact driver has several moving parts. As a regular – or even irregular – user of the tool, you should oil it as often as possible. This helps to reduce the amount of damage that can occur as a result of friction.
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Clean it often:
If possible, you can do this after each heavy use. This is even more relevant if you’re using the impact driver as a drill. Because while drilling into surfaces, dust particles fly up and about. Even though Makita X335S has Extreme Protection Technology, it is still not invincible. As such, small efforts like blowing out the crevices with an air duster could prove useful.
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Keep them away from wet places:
It is no new information that electronic gadgets and tools do not make great pals with water. As such, to properly ensure your product’s safety, you must keep it as far away from water as you can. If water does spill on its surface, do your best to wipe it off as soon as possible.
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Follow its temperature regulations:
Your impact driver has a battery to power it. This alone makes it vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. As such, you should not keep your impact driver in a place that’s too hot or cold. The room temperature should do very nice.
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Use sharp drill bits:
This is very important if you are using your impact driver as a drill. No matter how many rotations per minute you have, if your drill bits aren’t sharp enough to penetrate, you won’t get the job done. However, this is not the worst havoc that a dull drill bit could wreak. If you keep using blunt drill bits, you’ll end up burning out your driver’s engine as it has to work extra hard to penetrate a surface.
Buyers Guide Questions
Can you wear out an impact driver?
Even though it’s a cold, unfeeling machine, it is still possible for you to wear it out. This often happens when you exceed the driving capacity. That is why you have to be careful to maintain your driver properly.
What is the difference between an impact driver and a drill?
While an impact driver can double as a drill, it is still different from one. An impact driver is more lightweight and compact. Additionally, an impact driver can drive and fasten much larger pieces with a lot more torque.
Which is better between an impact driver and a drill?
These two are relatively different machines. While their services are similar, they still have their peculiarities. However, while it does not necessarily make it better, an impact driver’s dual-functionality gives it an advantage.
Final Thoughts
The Makita XT335S is a fine piece of machinery that would make an excellent addition to your inventory of tools. With its features as well as warranty from the manufacturer, you aren’t likely to regret purchasing this.
The Makita XT335S Impact Driver
The Makita XT335S is a fine piece of machinery that would make an excellent addition to your inventory of tools. With its features as well as warranty from the manufacturer, you aren’t likely to regret purchasing this.
