It's cyan versus yellow in the latest Pro Tool Reviews Thursday Throwdown! We had a competition between the Makita 18V LXT and the DeWalt 20V Max XR impact driver to see who came out on top. Makita's XDT16 and DeWalt's DCF888 represent the flagship influences of both brands, with plenty of bells and whistles to appeal to your tool budget. Games start!
A short note about 20V max
Many people still think that 20V Max tools are more powerful than 18V, which is understandable. When DeWalt switched from Ni-Cad batteries to Li-Ion they changed the brand from 18V to 20V Max and the new tools are definitely better.
But it's not because of the voltage. 20V Max is 18V nominal – the exact same voltage as every 18V tool. You can read more about why and how here.
Let's take a quick look at our two contenders.
For Team Teal we have the Makita XDT16.
- Power supply: Makita 18V LXT battery
- No-load speed: 0 – 3600 RPM
- Maximum Torque: 1600 in-lbs
- Impact Rate: 0 – 3800 IPM
Read independent reviews here.
Yellow team report, it's DCF888
- Power: DeWalt 20V Max or FlexVolt battery
- No-load speed: 0 – 3250 RPM
- Maximum Torque: 1825 in-lbs
- Impact rate: 0 – 3600 IPM
Read an independent review of the non-tool connection model here.
footprint
Most high-quality impact drivers are very compact in size. Many even have shorter header lengths than their 12V counterparts. DeWalt starts with a very reasonable 5.3 inches head length and 7.7 inches height.
Still, the Makita is the most compact in the business. It has a head size of 4.6 inches and a slightly shorter height of 7.4 inches. While neither tool is bulky, the Makita is decidedly more compact.
Verdict: Makita
weight
We measured the impact driver on a bare digital scale and with a compact 2.0Ah battery. The DeWalt weighs just 2.1 pounds bare and 3.1 pounds with batteries.
Still, the Makita beats the DeWalt with a 2.0-pound bare weight and only 0.9-pound battery gain. The results are close, but the Makita has a slight edge here.
Verdict: Makita
feature set
Here are the standard features we look for on an impact driver:
| Makita XDT16 | DeWalt DCF888 | |
| Brushless Motor | Yes | Yes |
| speed | 4 standard modes | 3 standard modes |
| auxiliary mode | 4 assist modes | not any |
| led lights | 2 Lights around the chuck | 3 lights around the chuck |
| belt hook | Yes | Yes |
| One-handed drill insertion | Yes | Yes |
| Spring Bit Ejection | No | Yes |
| intelligent control | No | Yes |
This simple graph doesn't tell the whole story. We need to dig a little deeper to see just how special these two impact drivers really are.
The Makita's assist modes include slow start, reverse auto stop, and two self-tapping screw modes. The XDT16 goes a step further by adding a programmable button below the chuck. You can custom select any two modes to switch back and forth between. You can learn how to program it in our written review or in our video.
DeWalt enables smart control through its Tool Connect integration. You can customize several controls, trace tools, view diagnostics, and more.
On the other hand, I like that Makita has everything on the tool, you don't need an app to do it all. On the other hand, you can use DeWalt's tool-connected systems for tracking, diagnostics, inventory management, and more. Our office is divided on which is better, and it really comes down to preference.
In my opinion, DeWalt has advantages, but it is far from a decisive requirement for every user.
Verdict: DeWalt
strength
We have two methods for testing the power of an impact driver. In our tightening test, each impact driver tightens a hardened nut to a bolt, and we use a digital torque wrench to measure how much force it takes to break it. This test method will not give the same results as the manufacturer's specification test .
Averaged over a series of tests, the Makita required 2131 in-lbs of force to unbolt, while the DeWalt required 2237 in-lbs.
DeWalt followed suit.
In our second test, we verified that the same hardened nuts were loaded at specific intervals and how much nut breaking power each impact driver had.
The Makita endured 3300 inch-pounds of bolt-breaking force along the way. DeWalt stopped at 3000 in-lbs.
What's interesting about this mixed result is that the Makita has 12.3% less torque on paper than the DeWalt. In practice, however, the Makita can do well head-to-head.
Verdict: Tie
fastening speed
For tightening speed, we used a 1/4" lag screw to test which impact would keep it spinning higher after all threads were engaged.
Makita leads the entire 18V field by a considerable margin. Its 651 RPM makes the DeWalt spin over 200 RPM. Still, DeWalt's 429 RPM is efficient, just not as competitive.
Verdict: Makita
Fastening efficiency
By comparing the loaded speed in our ledger screw test to the no-load speed we tested, we can get an idea of how hard the motor has to work. The higher the efficiency percentage, the less stress we put on the motor and the longer we expect the tool to last.
The Makita's class-leading speed resulted in an efficiency rating of 21.0 percent. That's not top notch, but it's definitely top notch. DeWalt finished last with 13.1 percent.
Verdict: Makita
noise
Impact drivers are far from quiet tools. This is one of the reasons hydraulic impact drivers are growing in popularity. A few decibels can make a big difference in how loud an impact driver is and the sound pressure level that reaches your ears.
If that's part of your consideration, the Makita is the better choice. Under load, it produces just 97 decibels. Yes, it's still loud, but it's 7 decibels below the DeWalt's 104 decibels.
Verdict: Makita
compatible tool
The Makita and DeWalt are two of the deepest cordless lines available today. By 2020, Makita expects to introduce 250 tools that will all run on its 18V LXT batteries. It includes 18V LXT Sub-Compact, 18V LXT and 18V X2 (36V) LXT.
DeWalt is no slouch, though. There are currently more than 200 tools on its 20V Max platform.
The biggest difference between the two is when you want to boost your power. The Makita uses two 18V batteries to give you 36V, while the DeWalt requires you to buy another battery platform. Although FlexVolt batteries are backward compatible with 20V Max, 20V Max batteries are not forward compatible with 60V Max tools.
Verdict: Makita
price
Prices will vary depending on where you like to shop, you can get both at Acme Tools, Amazon, Home Depot, etc.
Makita 18V LXT Impact Driver
- XDT16Z bare metal: $177.99
- XDT16R kit with two 2.0Ah batteries: $289
- XDT16T kit with two 5.0Ah batteries: $325
DeWalt 20V Max XR Impact Driver
- DCF888B Bare: $135
- DCF888D2 kit with two 2.0Ah batteries: $229
- DCF888P2BT kit with two 5.0Ah Tool Connect Bluetooth batteries: $339
If you're not interested in the tool attachment feature, you can get the same impact driver without it and save some money.
- DCF887B Bare: $115
- DCF887D2 kit with two 2.0Ah batteries: $199
- DCF887M2 kit with two 4.0Ah batteries: $231
DeWalt has a significantly lower pricing structure than Makita. Even with the Bluetooth Tool Connect battery, DeWalt's is less expensive.
Plugging all the numbers into our value calculations, Makita scored a respectable 81, but DeWalt climbed further with 86.
Verdict: DeWalt
Warranty
Both Makita and DeWalt offer three-year warranties on their tools. However, DeWalt has added a 1-year service agreement and a 90-day money-back guarantee, tipping the scales slightly in its favor.
Verdict: DeWalt
final verdict
In this Makita 18V LXT vs. DeWalt 20V Max XR Impact Driver Thursday Throwdown, Makita pulled off a convincing 6-3 tie. Two of DeWalt's three wins have been close, and the only area where the Yellows really opened up the gap was price.
If you're looking for the best combination of size and performance with a rich feature set and wide range of compatible tools, get the Makita XDT16.
If you're looking for smart controls, a wide range of compatible tools, a rich feature set, and want to pay less for a professional brand name, get the DeWalt DCF888. Also, if the DCF887 sounds good but you're not interested in smart controls, consider it.