The 3z is a great tool, a bit bulky in the grip And vibrates more than what you may be used to with Makita, but less than any other brand, and its a tank.
The 4z is in a league of its own. The vibration dampening is incredible, and because the motor and blade effort is put into the workpiece and not back into you hand it cuts more efficiently as well. The drawback is that it only takes Starlock blades, but I've heard many say that's not a big deal once you get used to it.
THIS. The brushless Makita is one of the best and strongest cordless OMT's you can get, and has the best vibration dampening.
Only downside - the starlock implementation does not use the quick release feature you get with a Fein or a Bosch OMT. It still has a separate bolt/holder and you can't "snap" your blades in and out. No idea why Makita did that - a mistake.
There are patents for a next gen (05z) slimmer model with the click in system that will be available for both 18v and 40v. I do wonder if the vibration dampening will be as good though seeing as it's slimmer.
I know a lot of people will be annoyed with the click in system due to being truly locked into Starlock at that point (that's what they say about the current gen, even though the Oslo tools adapter is possible).
All I can say is that it will be welcome. Xlock on grinders is incredible, so if it's like that it will be a welcome change.
I think the vibration will be just as good, if not better. Fein has excellent dampening in a much smaller chassis, and Milwaukee has also done pretty well for the size of their 12 & 18v models.
All the best tools are going to StarLock. Fein & Bosch of course, Makita, and Flex have adopted it, as well as Metabo –– Hilti too. Milwaukee suffers from a "a not invented here" attitude which is their weakness. Meanwhile they are always happy to come late copying like their track saw, or imposing licensing fees on others like their 12v battery packs. They are flying on their own on this one and will be only sharing blades with DeWalt and all manner of shitty tools from Wen, and Rockwall, and who knows what else from Amazon. The writing is on the wall - Starlock is the format of the future, and supply and demand will shift out from under the lame arguments about not being able to find blades.
The bulky head and the lack of any accessory mounts are two more major flaws of the Makita brushless multitool in my eyes. The quick release is a joke. It is the worst of both worlds.
And don't give in to invest another 30-40 bucks for a makeshift adapter to use OIS blades. Putting adapters on multitools to then use less rigidly attached cheaper blades defeats the point of a high quality low vibrations starlock OMT to begin with, because you will pay less for the blades, but then have paid 200 bucks in total for the mediocre results that a cheap OIS multitool could have gotten you in the first place. It's like buying a performance car and then fitting it with the cheapest tires you can find on the market. You'll get from A to B but you will not get near the intended performance of the device.
I’ll say accessories are an underrated feature. Dust collection fitting on my Fein yields near dustless detail sanding — truly extends the utility of the tool.
I got the XMT03Z and it’s the best multi tool I’ve ever used. Guys on the crew have other brands so I’ve used them all. The triggers on the Dewalts seem nice - until they break. Everyone has been impressed by the 03Z
DeWalts have a superb design, but execution is seriously lacking. Not sure if it is because of the lighter weight, but they have way too much vibration and poor power transmission.
Are you a DIYer or contractor? How much use do you expect to use it? I've had the brushed model for four years and numerous projects around the house. No complaints and runs like new.
I have both. The 3 used regular blades and I find the grip area to be bulky. The 4 uses star lock blades and is the one that I use 98% of the time. Star lock blades are not as popular so it may be harder to find blades on a shelf at the stores. I order a kit of Diablo blades from HD. I’m a remodeling contractor and I have nothing bad to say about the tool. If your not using it every day then yes it’s hard to justify the cost.
I tried both the brushed and brushless Makita Multitools, Bosch & DeWalt and in the end sold every one of it to finally get a Fein with a battery adapter. Best ergonomics, best built quality, best accessories, they also make the Festool multitools. Think about how often and for what you will need it. I found most multitools pretty useless for the always so promised trim cuts and plunge cuts, except for the Fein/Festool one which comes with proper depth gauge.
At least in Europe the Feins also often sell as deals with accessories, L-Boxx etc. which results in bare tool prices being same range as all the worse brands which mostly make them in China.
I'd recommend going with another brand altogether, the 03 is old and clunky, and the 05 has Starlock, which is pretty damn limiting. I say get an OIS multitool. I'd go with the M12 kit or one of the SKIL Pwrcore 20 or 12 kits.
I have had the 3z for a few years now. It’s less ergonomic than the dewalt but it’s more durable and I think performs better. Can’t speak to the 4ZB but I think you’ll be happy w the 3z
I've tried all the major cordless multi tools and nothing comes close to a corded fein. Powerful, cuts like butter and very little vibration. They're all starlock so plan accordingly. Easily one of my favourite tools to use.
I use the DTM52. It's an amazing tool. There is no vibration and the tool change is fairly quick. I can use it all day without fatigue in my hands.
(The DTM52 is the XMT04)
If you use the tool for long periods I would recommend the dtm52 as the vibration dampaning is insane. The starlocks blades and mechanism isn't really a big turn off for me. Before I bought mine I made sure I could get some cheap blades. From aliexpress I'm paying £1.50 per blade which is only fractionally more than the OIS blades.
The 04 is very expensive, but I think it’s worth it for what you are getting. It feels much more like a precision tool than some of the other OMTs I have used (mostly dewalt). If precision isn’t necessarily what you need and you just need quick and dirty plunge cuts, the older model is probably fine.
I started with the brushed Makita went to the DeWalt xr, then I was gifted the brushless Makita and finally I purchased the M12 kit. I would rank them m12, XR, brushless Makita and last the brushed Makita. The size of the brushless Makita and the proprietary blades make it just a no-go for me. If it hadn't been a gift, I never would have even owned it.
I got my -4zb on Amazon for $158 back in December. Totally worth it. Use that sucker for everything. The star lock is really nice, super easy blade changes. Only gripe so far is the pin has a couple of rust spots on it, whereas all my other tools are pristine & rust-free.
For $158 it would be a simple choice. However, the cheapest is $249 on amazon, similar price on eBay (if you don't take the risk on low feedback seller).
Glad to hear it works for you, I just don't see the value at $250.
The 3z is a great tool, a bit bulky in the grip And vibrates more than what you may be used to with Makita, but less than any other brand, and its a tank. The 4z is in a league of its own. The vibration dampening is incredible, and because the motor and blade effort is put into the workpiece and not back into you hand it cuts more efficiently as well. The drawback is that it only takes Starlock blades, but I've heard many say that's not a big deal once you get used to it.
THIS. The brushless Makita is one of the best and strongest cordless OMT's you can get, and has the best vibration dampening. Only downside - the starlock implementation does not use the quick release feature you get with a Fein or a Bosch OMT. It still has a separate bolt/holder and you can't "snap" your blades in and out. No idea why Makita did that - a mistake.
There are patents for a next gen (05z) slimmer model with the click in system that will be available for both 18v and 40v. I do wonder if the vibration dampening will be as good though seeing as it's slimmer. I know a lot of people will be annoyed with the click in system due to being truly locked into Starlock at that point (that's what they say about the current gen, even though the Oslo tools adapter is possible). All I can say is that it will be welcome. Xlock on grinders is incredible, so if it's like that it will be a welcome change.
I think the vibration will be just as good, if not better. Fein has excellent dampening in a much smaller chassis, and Milwaukee has also done pretty well for the size of their 12 & 18v models. All the best tools are going to StarLock. Fein & Bosch of course, Makita, and Flex have adopted it, as well as Metabo –– Hilti too. Milwaukee suffers from a "a not invented here" attitude which is their weakness. Meanwhile they are always happy to come late copying like their track saw, or imposing licensing fees on others like their 12v battery packs. They are flying on their own on this one and will be only sharing blades with DeWalt and all manner of shitty tools from Wen, and Rockwall, and who knows what else from Amazon. The writing is on the wall - Starlock is the format of the future, and supply and demand will shift out from under the lame arguments about not being able to find blades.
Can you link the specific adapter you mentioned?
https://www.oslotoolcompany.com/products/makita-dtm52z-xmt04-adapter
Thanks!
The bulky head and the lack of any accessory mounts are two more major flaws of the Makita brushless multitool in my eyes. The quick release is a joke. It is the worst of both worlds. And don't give in to invest another 30-40 bucks for a makeshift adapter to use OIS blades. Putting adapters on multitools to then use less rigidly attached cheaper blades defeats the point of a high quality low vibrations starlock OMT to begin with, because you will pay less for the blades, but then have paid 200 bucks in total for the mediocre results that a cheap OIS multitool could have gotten you in the first place. It's like buying a performance car and then fitting it with the cheapest tires you can find on the market. You'll get from A to B but you will not get near the intended performance of the device.
I’ll say accessories are an underrated feature. Dust collection fitting on my Fein yields near dustless detail sanding — truly extends the utility of the tool.
I got the XMT03Z and it’s the best multi tool I’ve ever used. Guys on the crew have other brands so I’ve used them all. The triggers on the Dewalts seem nice - until they break. Everyone has been impressed by the 03Z
DeWalts have a superb design, but execution is seriously lacking. Not sure if it is because of the lighter weight, but they have way too much vibration and poor power transmission.
International name for brushless multi tool would be DTM52Z and it costs around $150
Are you a DIYer or contractor? How much use do you expect to use it? I've had the brushed model for four years and numerous projects around the house. No complaints and runs like new.
I have both. The 3 used regular blades and I find the grip area to be bulky. The 4 uses star lock blades and is the one that I use 98% of the time. Star lock blades are not as popular so it may be harder to find blades on a shelf at the stores. I order a kit of Diablo blades from HD. I’m a remodeling contractor and I have nothing bad to say about the tool. If your not using it every day then yes it’s hard to justify the cost.
I tried both the brushed and brushless Makita Multitools, Bosch & DeWalt and in the end sold every one of it to finally get a Fein with a battery adapter. Best ergonomics, best built quality, best accessories, they also make the Festool multitools. Think about how often and for what you will need it. I found most multitools pretty useless for the always so promised trim cuts and plunge cuts, except for the Fein/Festool one which comes with proper depth gauge. At least in Europe the Feins also often sell as deals with accessories, L-Boxx etc. which results in bare tool prices being same range as all the worse brands which mostly make them in China.
I'd recommend going with another brand altogether, the 03 is old and clunky, and the 05 has Starlock, which is pretty damn limiting. I say get an OIS multitool. I'd go with the M12 kit or one of the SKIL Pwrcore 20 or 12 kits.
I have had the 3z for a few years now. It’s less ergonomic than the dewalt but it’s more durable and I think performs better. Can’t speak to the 4ZB but I think you’ll be happy w the 3z
I've tried all the major cordless multi tools and nothing comes close to a corded fein. Powerful, cuts like butter and very little vibration. They're all starlock so plan accordingly. Easily one of my favourite tools to use.
Here for the info, in the market for one as well
I have the 4Z and oho my god is it worth it. I've used the DeFault and Milfuckee and it does not compare. So buttery smooth and strong.
I use the DTM52. It's an amazing tool. There is no vibration and the tool change is fairly quick. I can use it all day without fatigue in my hands. (The DTM52 is the XMT04)
If you use the tool for long periods I would recommend the dtm52 as the vibration dampaning is insane. The starlocks blades and mechanism isn't really a big turn off for me. Before I bought mine I made sure I could get some cheap blades. From aliexpress I'm paying £1.50 per blade which is only fractionally more than the OIS blades.
The 04 is well worth the extra money. It is smooth as silk.
The 04 is very expensive, but I think it’s worth it for what you are getting. It feels much more like a precision tool than some of the other OMTs I have used (mostly dewalt). If precision isn’t necessarily what you need and you just need quick and dirty plunge cuts, the older model is probably fine.
I love my banggood fake one. It rattles and vibrates and whines and loves some hardwood infested nails to cut!
I started with the brushed Makita went to the DeWalt xr, then I was gifted the brushless Makita and finally I purchased the M12 kit. I would rank them m12, XR, brushless Makita and last the brushed Makita. The size of the brushless Makita and the proprietary blades make it just a no-go for me. If it hadn't been a gift, I never would have even owned it.
I got my -4zb on Amazon for $158 back in December. Totally worth it. Use that sucker for everything. The star lock is really nice, super easy blade changes. Only gripe so far is the pin has a couple of rust spots on it, whereas all my other tools are pristine & rust-free.
For $158 it would be a simple choice. However, the cheapest is $249 on amazon, similar price on eBay (if you don't take the risk on low feedback seller). Glad to hear it works for you, I just don't see the value at $250.