Makita XT505 18V LXT five-tool combo kit (3.0Ah) review

The Makita XT505 is not just a drill-and-driver pair: Makita lists five tools in the kit. The drilling tool is the XPH10Z, an 18V LXT brushed 1/2-in hammer driver-drill. The package adds a separate XDT11Z impact driver, an XRJ04Z reciprocating saw, an XSS02Z circular saw and a DML185 flashlight, alongside two BL1830B 3.0Ah batteries, a DC18RC rapid charger and a tool bag. This review assesses the drill arrangement and exact package from manufacturer documentation; it does not report personal use, laboratory measurements or independent performance tests.

The drill's three operating modes

The XPH10 manual describes rotation-only drilling, hammer drilling and screwdriving through a clutch. It also specifies a two-speed transmission: 0–600 rpm in low and 0–1,900 rpm in high, with a stated maximum 9,000/28,500 blows per minute. Makita's XPH10Z page publishes 480 in-lb maximum torque. Those are maker specifications, not comparative test results. The drill is described as brushed, so it should not be mistaken for one of Makita's brushless LXT hammer-drill packages. The manual's 21-step torque adjustment is for screwdriving; hammer drilling is selected separately and uses a different setup.

Makita lists drilling capacities of 1/2 in in steel, 1-1/2 in in wood and 1/2 in in concrete. They describe different materials and uses; none is a universal hole-size promise, and the 1/2-in chuck rating is about the bit shank that fits the jaws. In hammer mode the manual specifically calls for a tungsten-carbide-tipped bit, light pressure and a firm two-handed hold. It warns that a jam, breakthrough or embedded reinforcing bar can create a sudden twisting force. That guidance matters more than reading the headline torque figure as permission to force the tool through a difficult hole.

What the XT505 package adds—and what it does not

The box list makes the XT505 unusual among drill options: four other tools accompany the hammer drill. XDT11Z is a separate impact driver for fastening, not an impact setting on the XPH10Z and not a substitute for its hammer-drilling mode. The reciprocating and circular saws broaden the package only if those are useful tools for the buyer as well. If they would be duplicates or go unused, this five-tool kit may be a poor-value fit even though its drill matches a need.

The exact page names two BL1830B 3.0Ah LXT batteries, a DC18RC Rapid Optimum charger and a tool bag. That is a battery-included package, not the XPH10Z tool-only SKU. The closely related XPH10R one-drill kit instead lists two BL1820B 2.0Ah packs, a DC18RC charger, hook and case; XPH10Z alone is sold without a battery or charger. These package differences—not an assumed change in the drill body—are the useful comparison. The stated amp-hour labels are package facts, not a tested runtime estimate.

Length and weight need careful reading

Makita gives the XPH10 an overall length of 7-3/4 in. It does not provide a separate tool-head measurement in the reviewed sources, so the overall figure cannot verify a six-inch-or-shorter head. Nor does it establish whether the drill, installed battery, hand and bit will clear a tight cabinet or joist bay. For a strict recess limit, get an exact head dimension and check the complete working envelope rather than treating this as a compact drill.

There is also a genuine weight discrepancy. The XPH10Z and XT505 pages state 3.4 lb with battery without identifying the pack in that line. The XPH10 manual lists 3.4 lb for a group including BL1815N, BL1820 and BL1820B, then 3.9 lb for a group including BL1830 and BL1830B—the 3.0Ah battery supplied with XT505. I keep the kit's exact installed-drill weight unresolved instead of selecting the more convenient number. The 32.19-lb shipping figure on the kit page describes the shipped package, not the drill's carry weight.

Who should consider XT505?

Its strongest fit is a buyer deliberately starting or expanding the LXT platform who needs hammer mode, wants a conventional 1/2-in chuck and can use the other four tools. Two included 3.0Ah packs and their charger avoid a tool-only purchase, while the XPH10Z remains a brushed hammer drill with documented ordinary-drilling and clutch-screwdriving modes. The exact package is less compelling for someone who only needs a drill, already owns the saws or light, insists on a brushless tool, or requires a verified short head.

This is not an SDS rotary hammer. Match the XPH10 manual's material and bit guidance to the job; a hammer-driver-drill's listed concrete capacity does not certify it for every masonry task. For repeated large holes, ask whether a dedicated rotary hammer is the more appropriate tool rather than relying on a drill's maximum capacity line.

Purchase checks

Confirm the exact XT505 suffix and read the seller's written inclusions. Look for XPH10Z, XDT11Z, XRJ04Z, XSS02Z, DML185, two BL1830B batteries, DC18RC and the bag; do not let an image alone establish quantities or model suffixes. Check that the battery and charger are the exact versions you want, and read the XPH10 manual for mode selection, compatible packs, bit choice and reaction-force precautions. If you need only this drill, compare XT505 with the exact XPH10R kit or XPH10Z bare tool before accepting four additional machines.

Primary references: Makita XT505 U.S. product page; Makita XPH10Z U.S. product page; XPH10 instruction manual; Makita XPH10R kit comparison; Makita XPH10Z tool-only comparison.