Ownership Review of Makita XPH012 Cordless Hammer Drill

Having a hammer drill can be a lifesaver when you need to make quick holes in hard or brittle materials like stone and concrete. 

I invested in the Makita XPH012 a couple of years ago on the advice of a few colleagues. Today, this article will give you a better understanding of this hammer drill from my perspective as an owner.

The Makita XPH012 offers great value for money as well as solid performance. It has multiple 18V Makita battery options to prolong the duration of single use. Its lightweight and ergonomic design ensured maximum comfort while drilling.  

However, it may lack the power you need when using heavier-duty materials such as masonry or steel. The drill is also very loud in comparison to other products on the market.

For those of you interested in the technical specifications of this product, this table below summarizes all the information you are looking for.

Max Torque	480 in.lbs.
RPM	1500 RPM
Voltage	18 Volts
Length	8-⅛ inches
Chuck Size	1/2 Inch
Weight	4.0 lbs.
Variable Speed	2 speed (0-400 & 0-1,500 RPM)
BPM	2 speed (0-6,000 & 0-22,500 BPM)
Dimensions	17 x 5 x 10 inches
Power	‎350 Watts

The Makita XPH012 cordless hammer drill is an excellent choice for homeowners or DIY enthusiasts who are looking for a versatile product with good performance at an affordable price point. 

This article reviews the features of this tool, its pros and cons, and how it compares to similar models offered by competitors in the market. Read on as I give you a deeper look at the various features this product has to offer in this ownership review. 

Not only will this help you understand the pros and cons better, but it will also ensure you make the right decision if you are looking at this hammer drill as a long-term investment.

For those of you who are confused about how to buy your first hammer drill, the buying guide towards the end will help you understand which models suit your requirements the best. 

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the end answer some of the most common queries regarding this product. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links.

Ownership Review of Makita XPH012 Hammer Drill

Makita has established itself as one of the leading brands in today’s market when it comes to power tools. They offer customers the perfect combination of performance, innovation, and comfort, ensuring their products have a user experience that is hard to beat.

The Makita XPH012 was designed along the same lines, with a greater emphasis on user convenience. This helps explain its cordless nature and compatibility with the 18V LXT Makita battery lineup. 

After doing my research, I was convinced that this product was the best for me and made the purchase without any hesitation.

After around two years of using this product, I can say that the investment has been completely justified. The drill offers superior performance even today, ensuring my work is done much more efficiently wherever I go. 

It has also helped me save a lot of time and energy at my workplace, making it one of my go-to tools in most general-purpose applications.

As someone who has worked extensively with this hammer drill over the years, I have been able to understand the various aspects of its performance, some of which have impressed me while others have not so much. 

Details

The Makita XPH012 is a product of the Makita 18V series, which means its power and versatility are comparable to other products in this line such as the Makita XPH05Z or the Makita XPH07T. 

The drill itself has an ergonomic design with a rubberized over mold for comfort when used during extended periods of time. It also weighs under 5lbs, making it easy to handle and work with while still being powerful enough to handle most material types including metal and wood.

Makita cordless hammer drills have a brushless motor that delivers high performance while being energy efficient at the same time. The speed can be adjusted from 0 to 1,500 RPM for different applications while its 1/2-inch single sleeve keyless chuck allows for fast and easy bit changes. 

The drill is compatible with the entire line of 18V Makita batteries, which means you can use your existing battery or purchase a spare to prolong the duration of usage before needing to recharge.

The benefits of owning the Makita XPH012 cordless hammer drill are its power, portability, speed, and compatibility with multiple battery options. 

It has an excellent reputation on online retail sites such as Amazon where it received 4.8 out of 5 stars based on customer reviews at this writing date. Its relatively low price point also makes it affordable for homeowners or DIY enthusiasts who are just starting out with basic drilling tasks around the house.

The downsides of this cordless tool are its power, loudness, and relatively short battery life. It works best for basic drilling tasks around the house but may lack the power needed for tougher material types such as masonry or steel. 

The drill is also very loud which may be an issue for homeowners living in close quarters with neighbors or family members. The Makita XPH012 cordless hammer drill retails at under $200 on most online retail sites making it a good value for money given its features and performance compared to other products within this price range.

One of the first things that impressed me even before I had made the purchase was its compatibility with the famous 18V LXT system. As I already own multiple Makita tools from the same range, I could interchange the batteries between these products, allowing me to maximize their run times. The quick charger also 

I was also happy when I received this hammer drill with a battery and charger included in the price. Most other products come with just the tool, forcing you to spend more money to get batteries and chargers as a result. Not having to do the same in this case helped me save some money, which is always nice.

Once I received the tool in my hand, I was amazed by how light and well designed it was. The handle was comfortable and the rubber grip gave me the confidence that I needed when I started drilling. At the same time, its lightweight design allowed me to operate the machine for longer periods of time without experiencing any discomfort in my wrist or hand.

When I turned on the tool, I was amazed at how powerful it was. It delivered a large amount of torque and helped me in most tasks that involved concrete or cement. The variable speed option also allowed me to get the exact settings required to complete the task.

Another useful feature was the option to switch between spin and hammer drill mode, allowing me to use the conventional drill bits when needed. This made the Makita XPH012 a very versatile tool to have.

However, over continuous usage, I realized that this product could not be used at its peak output continuously. It ran through the batteries quite quickly, while its top-end performance was lacking compared to other tools with similar specifications. 

I especially faced issues when drilling through concrete slabs. While I initially feared my drill bit had gone blunt, I soon realized that the machine did not have the required power to drill through to the depth that I needed. 

On reading a few opinions of online enthusiasts who discuss various power tools, I learned that this product was very susceptible to smoking due to overheating.

In many of the cases, the work being done was not so heavy as reported by the users, but nonetheless, it highlighted how critical the problem could be if this product was pushed beyond its limit.

Features

• Compatibility with Makita 18V LXT system

This product is compatible with the batteries and chargers of the 18V LXT system pioneered by Makita. 

As a result, users get the option of using a variety of batteries of different capacities in the Makita XPH012. The case for this hammer drill comes with a port for two batteries, allowing you to carry a backup battery no matter what.

One can also use the 18V LXT batteries from other Makita products in the series interchangeably. The quick chargers allow you to recharge batteries quickly, ensuring you have a continuous supply of power wherever you go.

• Compact and Lightweight Design

The compact and lightweight design ensure that the Makita XPH012 can be used for longer periods of time without causing any discomfort to the arm and wrist. It also makes it one of the most convenient drills to carry around if you are looking for portability. 

Another advantage of the compact design is that it allows the drill to fit in places that are difficult to maneuver. This allows you to complete drilling work in spaces that may be a tight squeeze in most situations. 

The oversized rubber grip absorbs a lot of vibrations created by the drill bit, allowing you to use it comfortably for single-handed operation.

• Powerful Performance

This drill has a powerful maximum torque of 480 lbs/in despite its compact size. It allows users to drill through most brittle surfaces, including rock. Its ½” chuck makes it compatible with most commercially available drill bits.

With an option to switch between hammer and spin drill mods, users can maximize this drill in a variety of situations. Dual speeds in both modes are provided to users for the most optimum settings.

In the hammer drill mode, users can choose between the 0-6000 BPM in the low speed settings or 0-22,500 BPM in the higher speed option.

Users can choose the low speed setting of 0-400 RPM or the high speed setting of 0-1500 RPM in the spin drill mode.

• Star Protection Control Technology

The Star Protection Control Technology is a Makita innovation that analyzes battery and machine performance data in real-time. 

This helps prevent overloading, over-discharging, and overheating of the battery and tool, helping prolong the life of the tool and battery while ensuring optimal performance.

PROs and CONs

Hammer Drill Buying Guide

If this is the first time you are purchasing a hammer drill, then here are a few things that you must identify from your end. This will help you make the right decisions for your unique requirement, which will allow you to identify the perfect hammer drill for you.

• Rotary vs Hammer Drills

Hammer drills come in two different types. While hammer drills offer drilling capabilities in a compact design,  a rotary hammer drill offers much more powerful performance, albeit at a larger size.

Hammer drills are perfect in situations where you may want to drill holes in tight spaces. They are portable and easy to carry around, making them an ideal choice for those looking for a drill they can carry from one job site to the next. They usually have a three-jaw chuck and operate at much higher RPMs.

Rotary drills use an SDS chuck mechanism to hold the drill bit. They offer a lot more power at lower RPMs, making them perfect for use by contractors and handymen with regular demand for maximum performance. They are bulky and difficult to carry around, while also being more expensive.

• Corded vs Cordless

Corded hammer drills allow users to have infinite run times as long as they can be plugged into a common electric socket. 

However, these drills are limited in range and are not the most feasible in remote locations or job sites with an irregular power supply. They are inexpensive options that work well for fixed setups like a house or workshop

Cordless hammer drills are perfect in portable applications or sites that do not have regular sockets. They run on rechargeable Li-ion batteries, allowing you to use them anywhere, anytime. 

However, they cannot be run continuously as batteries run out quickly in such power tools, which requires additional investment in batteries and quick chargers. 

• Size and Speed

The size of the drill defines the size of the chuck, which is the part of the drill that holds onto the drill bit. Chucks are available in diameters of ¼”, ⅜” and ½”. While the ¼” is perfect for household and light applications, the ½” chuck is ideal for those looking to use their drill in heavy industry applications. 

The ⅜” chuck offers the versatile option between these two, making it the perfect choice for those looking for the best of both worlds.

The speed of the drill determines the type of surfaces you can drill into. While high torque lower speeds are preferred for hard materials like concrete and rock, soft materials like wood are drilled using higher speeds and lower torque. This protects the material as well as the drill bit. 

Having a variable speed hammer drill with an adjustable clutch will help the users choose the right power setting, making it the best option for those looking to drill into different materials over the long run.

FAQ

Conclusion

At the end of this review after owning the Makita XPH012, I have a very positive outlook about this product and am assured that I made the right decision when I bought this hammer drill.

Its compact design and strong performance were suited to a number of low and medium-powered drilling applications in my daily experiences. With features unique to Makita like the 18V LXT range compatibility and Star Protection Control Technology, I was guaranteed a great user experience at a very affordable price point.

However, it lacked the high-end performance that some of its competitors offered at a similar or higher price point. Certain issues with overheating and battery consumption in high-performance environments made it less viable for professionals with a constant demand for maximum performance.

In the end, I would strongly recommend this product for homeowners and DIY project enthusiasts looking for a great value-for-money hammer drill. It offers great versatility and a host of useful features that make the overall user experience very enjoyable.

However, if you are a professional contractor looking for a better hammer drilling experience and more power, then you may want to look for models that are designed for such purposes and have a lesser maintenance requirement.