Accessories

best bang for your buck
I purchased this set because I needed some new cordless tools for a big job that I'm in the middle of right now. I'll review the various pieces individually:

the cordless drill/driver - this thing is built very well. I used it for drilling through 6x6 posts, putting in screws, and a variety of other tasks. It's definitely not too heavy and it keeps up very well with the demand of the task. All of the tools have a led light that comes on when you hit the trigger (definitely an advantage for those of us that sometimes get started on the project late).

the cordless impact driver - I can't say enough good things about this tool. It speeds up driving screws and lag bolts exponentially. I literally am amazed at how powerful this little tool is. For example, I drove 4 5/16" lag bolts through a 2x6 and into 2 4x4 posts in a span of about 2 minutes. Wow.

the cordless circular saw - This tool is vital when you're 16 feet off the ground on a steeply pitched roof and you need to cut notches, tails, etc. for the rafters. This thing is worth a lot more in those situations. It's light weight and can trim 2x4, 2x6, and other lumber with ease. Lastly, to repeat the earlier praise for the light, this tool is definitely improved with the addition of that light.

I'm not going to review the light...seriously...it's a work light what more do you need to know.

For the money, this set is top notch. BTW, at a local home improvement store, the price was 100 bucks more than Amazon and Amazon gave me free shipping... ;)

Still the best of both worlds...
Well, I have waited to do this review until all the other companies released their products. I think the Makita sets offer the homeowner to remodeler the best size/weight/power ratio of them all. The Milwaukee/Rigid Li-ion sets are just too bulky for most and seem better suited to contractors. I have a substantial tool collection and researched each of them before I bought. This set suits my expectations of quality, design and price.

Very nice tools
I love my Makita tool combo. Powerful, yet light and well designed.

4-1/2 Stars
I had the drill/driver repaired in the first year and just now have a dead battery (also in the first year). Before you judge the quality of this product it's important to note that I am a carpenter and general contractor so these tools get *constant* use. That is, I almost use them as a replacement to corded tools.

I pushed the drill/driver too far by asking too much when using a 5" hole saw. My fault. As for the battery, I cannot say. I will send it back and try to get a new one under warranty.

Overall I am very happy with the LXT and cannot wait until they expand the line. A jigsaw would be nice. I have the sawzall, light, drill/driver, impact wrench and circular saw.

The sawzall uses a lot of juice. Have an extra charged battery. It's comfortable to use and easy to swap out blades. I've never had a blade break off which can happen in some other brands. There's a hook on the side but I find it's improperly sized to hang off a tool belt. It's best used when on a ladder to hook on a rung.

The circular saw is light and easy to control. Following a cut line is simple. You may want to upgrade the blade but that's easy to do. This is the only tool that does not have a hook to keep close on your carpenter's belt. I wish it did so it could be more accessible.

Perhaps my favorite has been the impact wrench. I never thought I would use it but the handful of times I have it's been excellent. Code in MA requires engineered beams to be sandwiched together with TrussLok screws. The impact wrench zips them in with little effort.

The drill/driver gets the most use. All the tools have a "night-light" that turns on whenever the tool is activated. I first thought it was a gimmick but it has helped the most on the drill/driver in dark areas. I've even used it to find screws that I've dropped into a dark corner.

The LXT is a great product and comes close to a replacement for corded tools. As for the failures mentioned earlier I also judge a product on the manufacturers willingness to honor a warranty. The drill/driver was repaired under warranty despite the abuse I gave it and I'm optimistic that the battery will also be replaced without issue.

Makita has brought me back...
I'm a first time home builder who planned to do a lot of hands-on labor to save some $$$. So I invested a little bit of that into some nice tools. I had tried all the brands and ended up with Dewalt. Their cordless tools may be a bit dated but they're still good quality and get the job done.

Recently all my power tools walked off my jobsite. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, otherwise I would have never found these new Makita tools. Even though the Dewalt 18V set was nice, I didn't want to keep going with the NiCad batteries. I knew Makita made the improvement and used Nickel Metal Hydride batteries but that wasn't enough. I'm glad they went the next step and just in time for me. The Lithium Ion batteries affords them the best combination of power:weight:run-time. The tools look and feel awesome. I even used to think that lights on tools was a gimmick. That was before I was in a shadowed area of a room and the bright LED kicked in and I finally noticed it. Wow, the advantage of seeing your work better in low light situations is great!
These are by far the best designed cordless tools right now. I really can't see how you can improve them to make them any better. Excellent job, Makita!!!