Makita BTD140 LXT 18 Volt Lithium-Ion Impact Driver Kit

• Makita 194205-3 18 Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Battery BL1830
• Makita BML185N 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Flashlight
• Makita LXT202 18-Volt Hammer Drill & Impact Driver Lithium-Ion Combo Kit
• Makita 194230-4 LXT 18-Volt 3-Ah Lithium-Ion Battery, 2-Pack
• Makita BDF452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Driver Drill Kit

But perhaps the coolest innovation is what Makita calls its 45-minute Optimum Charger. It actually talks to the batteries it charges throughout the cycle, using a built-in memory chip in the battery and, believe it or not, a CPU chip in the charger itself, which analyzes the data stored in the battery chip to decide on the best charging method at that time.

Slide one of these batteries onto the supremely designed impact driver and you’ll be amazed at what you can do. Despite its size (for the record, it’s 5-3/4 inches long and weighs barely 3 pounds), this driver kicks out an unbelievable 1,280 in./lbs. of efficient torque, a no-load speed of 2,300 rpm and 3,200 blows per minute, putting it way out in front of the pack. We really like the integrated worklight, too. It illuminates as soon as you pull the trigger, and it stays on for 10 seconds or so after you release the trigger, too – a handy little feature.

Makita’s always made ergonomically positive tools that feel good in your hand and take the strain off your body, and this one’s no exception. The slightly curved grip is so comfortable, and because it’s super compact and lightweight, this driver’s an absolute pleasure to run. -- Kris Jensen-Van Heste

What’s in the Box
Impact driver, two LXT Lithium-Ion 3.0Ah batteries, 45-minute optimum charger, tool case

However, I put down a floor of cement board, ran lag bolts into a few ledgers, and forced a few deck boards down, and this tool was indispensable while performing those jobs. The chuck leaves the bit too wobbly from the start. I'm not speaking of the front to back spacing to allow the impact action, but the overall grip on the bit. It's an absolute necessity for the contractor's arsenal. It's possible that if they provided a bit more control via the trigger, this would be remedied.

Needed impact driver to do assembly work for a very large retailer. Would recommend it to anybody. Friends and co-workers recommended Makita 140. Because of it's light weight and long battery life I feel I made the right choice.

I have a Panasonic 15.6V drill (which I love) but this gun requires little pressure, does not torque the wrist and has an amazing battery life. If you're looking for just a cordless drill (your one and only) I wouldn't start with this one. You don't know what you've been missing until you've tried one of these. If your not careful, you can send a screw right through a piece of wood (and it takes surprisingly little effort). Just bought this gun a couple of weeks ago and all I can say is.

The Good: Drills ok, but it's strength is in driving screws and bolts. The little LED light sure is handy as well. This is a great gun for decks, etc. A cordless drill would be much more versatile than an impact driver BUT. WOW.Screws just melt through wood (and keep on going if your not careful).

Light weight and powerful. If your looking for an impact driver, and know what their limitations are, this is the one.Will report back in a few months to offer feedback after I've put it to the test. The not so good: Drills ok, and a little loud, but heck, it's an impact driver, what do you expect.

The driver wants to go right to full speed, so you slip out of the screw or tear up the head. The bosch worked great, but the battery would run down fairly fast.The Makita, with it's Lithium battery runs all day long. I got this impact driver to replace my Bosch 14 volt. I previously had gotten a Makita Lithium drill/driver to replace one of my Porter Cable NiCad cordless drills, and I love it.The problem with this Makita is that there isn't enough "feel" in the trigger. The balance of the driver is fantastic, and fit and finish is normal Makita quality, but I'm sad now that I sold my Bosch for the sake of extra run time. It's very hard to slowly startup when screwing in something.

am not happy with this product. i also have a 14v impact driver and it is just great. i don't know the reason but it spins out of screw quite often. my guess is it's overpowered.