Makita LXT Review: Long-awaited charging radios | UK Planet Tools

Welcome to Makita’s LXT system, the world’s largest compatible cordless tool system powered by both single 18V and 18V + 18V (36V) double batteries. The range features Makita’s purpose-built motors, battery technology, and enhanced communications, to provide you with exceptional power, quick speed, and extended run time. As the first brand to introduce 18V li-ion batteries, it is only natural that they release the unmatched 18V-compatible LXT range, with over 300 solutions. The brushless products have been developed with tradespeople in mind, offering cordless designs to get to tough, hard-to-reach areas without the hassle of a cord, perfect for demanding environments.


We’ve had so much fun making this video about the Makita DMR301 that Darrell and Courtney will be visiting us again soon to profile outdoor products by Makita. Stay tuned!

[aquachimp]

I'm gutted with disappointed to find that it wont take the battery for my Makita 18 volt drill. Apparently, having bought it at the end of June 2020, it's now "old generation" so not compatible.

Elsewhere, I also mentioned how disappointed I am to find this radio's adaptor is not built in and it was suggested I use a hammer and screw driver to break-off the square "nipple" on the inside to make room. What do you think? Pay a chuck of money to then have to break with a hammer to make it realistically function-able?

The lump in question is held in place by a screw so no need for a hammer which would almost certainly result in a splintered and broken housing with cracks and maybe even a great big hole and the bottle opener will have no where to be fitted into.

You'd think they'd have given priority to ensure the practicality of having an in-built adaptor instead of the bottle opener gimmick.

Luckily, the engineers responsible for other Makita products aren't such geniuses, who don't already know we've been opening bottles without an official bottle opener since bottle caps were invented and so don't need to go walking over to a radio.


There used to be a a different brand of site radio which, along with proving it was fully waterproof, as seen in absolutely torrential rain, for hours and still kept working, also have an extra external socket so you could use the radio to run power through for other equipment. That meant we could charge two batteries at one time, while still having the radio playing.

It didn't have an axillary port like this one. It didn't have USB port, which will be handy. It also didn't Bluetooth and didn't have DAB either, though on that point, my new Makita radio tells me that that particular service is "unavailable" I haven't tried the USB port.

In contrast to the idiot design whereby you have to hang the adaptor on the outside where it's even more likely to fall off, get damaged and then maybe also lost in the darkness of winter, that other brand had a fixed cable and hooks to wrap it around the radio along a moulded grove, everything else, like the adaptor was in-built, out of sight, you wouldn't even have to think about it, and it had a green light on top which lit to say you had power and would flash continuously while the battery was charging, that way, you'd know at a glance from a distance if it was ready.


But, no... no, no no ....they had to put all their brainpower into adding a bottle opener.

[aquachimp]

Anyone know what do I have to do to get the "DAB+" to work?

On selecting it, it says "scanning" and proceeds to do so.
Then it says "Connecting" and proceeds to do that.
But then it says "No service available".
I have taken it to a couple of different places, 10km apart and it does the same thing, even when I park and check it in my car which clearly has no problems getting DAB.
It's brand new.

[ilck-ym-blals]

Why did they change the ariel situation ...was better when the ariel was built into the handle!

[hutchjx]

It would be cool to actually turn on the radio…

[Larcomes]

rather then adding pointless crap like bottle openers, it would be better to address the fact these radios suffer badly with interference, be it from your own makita tools, LED lights, multi tools etc.

Not only do they suffer badly with issues mentioned above but the build quality is cheap, yeah you may out a fancy bumper around it but the insides are nasty cheap and unreliable.

I have had multiple versions of your radios and have had to return them all within under 6 months - the 115 failed to power on after just 2 months and it was barely used in that time which ended up in a refund.

you need to focus more on the stuff people want and need, these radios need to be more reliable, less interference, better range on the bluetooth, the ability to turn them up and get louder sounds, THESE ARE SITE radios. and even at maximum they can be a struggle to hear over some bloody wind.

also, adding a charging option isnt a reason to then whack £100 on to a sub par radio.

no wonder everyone is going bosch, dewalt etc.