Makita XPH11RB cordless drill review

The Makita XPH11RB is a powerful hammer drill that is lightweight.

Makita XPH11RB cordless drill review
(Image: © Home Depot)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The Makita XPH11RB is a tough power drill that is unusually light for a hammer drill.

Pros

  • +

    Lightweight

  • +

    Powerful

Cons

  • -

    Faster spin speeds are available

  • -

    Only two speed settings

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The Makita XPH11RB is a cordless hammer drill designed to take on tough jobs and it’s fitted with all the elements you’d need including a brushless motor and long-lasting batteries. This Makita drill combines the power of heavy hammer drills but with the lightness of a smaller tool. 

Hammer drills like this one are designed to be used on tough materials but if you just need a drill that can take on simpler jobs like drilling screws and wood, you’ll find you may not need a hammer drill and can find something cheaper that’s great for what you need. To read about the other models we’ve rated, see our full guide to the best cordless drills.  

Makita XPH11RB: Features  

It may be simple, but the real standout feature of the Makita XPH11RB that’s well worth mentioning is how much it weighs, or rather how much it doesn’t weigh. For a hammer drill, the Makita XPH11RB is exceptionally light and only weighs 2.9-lbs, which means that when you’re using it you’re much less likely to get achy arms and wrists. 

Aside from how light it is, the Makita XPH11RB is also designed to be compact and work well in small spaces. It has LED lights to help you see better when you’re drilling and the handle is finished in soft rubber to make holding it as comfortable as possible.

The Makita XPH11RB is also covered by Makita’s Star Protection Management, which means that this drill is enabled with technology that makes the drill and the battery exchange data to monitor the tool and make sure it doesn’t overheat. 

This cordless drill has an 18-volt battery that has a handy charge indicator on it so that you know when it’s nearly time to recharge. The charger is included with this cordless drill and it has been designed to rapidly charge the battery in 25 minutes without damaging it. 

For around the $200 mark, you get this drill along with two batteries and a charger. 

Where this hammer drill is lacking slightly is the two speed settings as some other models offer three speed settings for more controlled drilling. If you need a cordless drill with three speed settings, check out our DeWalt DCD991P2 review.

Finally, the Makita XPH11RB comes with a three-year limited warranty that covers the drill, charger, and batteries from the day you buy them. 

Makita XPH11RB: Performance  

The Makita XPH11RB has a brushless 12-volt motor enabling it to be smaller, and more energy-efficient than its metal brush peers. It’s capable of spinning at a sizable 1700 RPM, which isn’t quite as impressive as the Milwaukee 0726-22 M28 Hammer Drill.

The motor offers 350 inch-lbs of torque which is decent but a little disappointing compared to other hammer drills. The fact that this is a hammer drill, however, means it’s more suitable for taking on tougher jobs and is has HVAC features which make it great for metal to metal fastening. 

Because this drill has a brushless motor, it’s more energy efficient as there aren’t any brushes to get in the way of this motor picking up speed. Priced at around $200, this drill isn’t the most expensive model we reviewed, however, it’s also not the cheapest option either. Whether it’s worth the money or not depends on what you’ll be using it for. If you only need to do small DIY jobs around your home, you could make a saving with a cheaper model, but if you need power and you don’t want your arm to ache in the process, this is a fantastic option. 

Makita XPH11RB cordless drill review

(Image credit: Home Depot)

Makita XPH11RB: User reviews  

The Makita XPH11RB scores an average of 4.9 out of five stars on Home Depot, with 100% of customers recommending it - pretty impressive! Five star reviews are not in short supply and users commented on how this drill offered plenty of power but in a compact size. Some users said this is ‘the perfect drill for any home project’ but others also added that they use this drill in a commercial setting too. Users praised the drill’s great torque and said that drills don’t slip when you’re using this tool. 

Another user commented on how useful this kit is because the batteries are compatible with other tools in the Makita range. 

There were a few criticisms. One user said that the battery charger was too bulky and another said that this drill was great for everyday use but it couldn’t handle drilling through masonry and cement. 

Should you buy the Makita XPH11RB? 

The Makita XPH11RB is brilliantly light for the power it provides. It has a two speed motor and some models offer three speeds, so just having two speeds may be a drawback for some users. This cordless drill provides decent torque and its motor is brushless. It can handle DIY jobs around the home and tackle some tougher jobs too, but you may be disappointed when it comes to serious masonry drilling. 

J.D. Chadwick
Contributor

J.D. Chadwick started writing articles for Top Ten Reviews 2008 and, after filling the role of Multimedia Editor, the keen video creator and expert in software was one of the most prolific members of the TTR team, authoring articles on things like antivirus software, video editing apps, and more.