Review on Powerful Makita CX200RB: Sub Compact Brushless with Lithium Ion Technology by Larry Boyd

I have quite a few Makita 18v impact wrenches/hammer drills, at some point I also had an early 12v drill from them. I can say that these new "Sub Compact" drills are really "Sub" in the sense that they are really small. The batteries needed to be charged immediately and I wasn't expecting such a quick charge (I'm used to the old 3V batteries in my old charger). Power doesn't matter. Many of the reviews on the internet are true. They have 90+ percent of the power requirements, but the cases are really small in the hand. The shock absorber is very similar to the regular 18v Blue from many series over the last few years, but with one difference in overall circumference. The Driver Drill is far more impressive than any of the company's 18V drills. I didn't think of the name "Sub Compact" until I opened the case. Everything else is familiar to Makita owners in the 18-volt range. Great feel and ease of use. I work in a shop so a suitcase is not for me. I even take off the staples so they lay as softly as possible around the furniture and fixtures we make on tables/benches. A smaller battery has nothing to do with it. I work just a few meters from the charging station. I will say that my old 3 volt batteries will not work with these new drills. I think I missed a few versions of the battery, but the old 3V battery still holds up pretty well. That's not bad for lithium-ion. The chemistry is supposed to die out in a few years, but I can still get along well with older models after 6-7 years. Not bad and I expect the new batteries will last just as well. The good old 18650s just keep getting better. I bet this kit sells very well. My initial kit consisted of a hammer and a 320 series impact drill. A friend bought the same one a month later for a little more, maybe 340+? Even with government taxes, it was exactly 250 these days. The difference is that there is no impact drill on the Index drill. I have no problem choosing against a larger set. Good luck to those who do. If you find yourself digging into brick/mortar every once in a while, a hammer drill is a good choice, but you can always just buy a case to fit your current battery. I need 6 drills on or near my workbench. Someone with less construction urgency might find this a pleasant choice. I already know my 2 blue dashes have just taken a lower seat in the concert chair position ;) Best of all July 9th update - after several projects the batteries seem to be another sort of update, or is it a direct drive motor that consumes less energy ? Anyway, I checked the battery level several times during 3-4 days of heavy use on a specific project and found that it was almost full on the first charge. New batteries are always good, but I didn't expect the 2V size to work so well. This particular project had some weird drill angles where I had to hold the drill upside down to get into tight spots and pull the trigger with my thumb. I used to do this with my old shocks but this time it was a breeze with such a compact body. There is less fatigue for several hours. Sharing new information "Used" ;)