The Makita XPH14Z is the drill I picked up after my Bosch PS31 finally gave up the ghost. Eight months in, I have built a couple of pieces of furniture, hung a wall full of floating shelves into 2x4 framing, helped a friend remodel a small bathroom, and used the drill for the steady drip of household tasks where any decent cordless drill earns its keep. The first thing my friend said when he picked it up: “This is so much quieter than my DEWALT.” That captures most of why this drill is worth knowing about.
Why you should trust this review
I am a hobbyist woodworker and a homeowner with a roughly 1500-square-foot shop. I bought the XPH14Z bare at retail because I had inherited a small stable of Makita LXT batteries from my brother. I have driven approximately 4,000 cabinet screws, 200 lag screws, and roughly 60 Tapcons with this drill since September. I am not a Makita partisan; I have owned drills from DEWALT, Milwaukee, Bosch, and Ryobi.
How we tested the XPH14Z
- Drove 3-inch GRK Cabinet screws into pre-drilled white oak hardwood with a 5 Ah pack until cutout, three runs averaged.
- Drilled 1-inch spade bit through doubled 2x4 framing while timing each bore.
- Set 1/4-inch Tapcons into a 3000 PSI concrete slab to evaluate hammer performance.
- Compared subjective noise against a Milwaukee 2804 and a DEWALT DCD805 under identical loads.
- Measured chuck runout with a dial indicator at start and at month 8.
- Cold-tested the drill at 22 degrees overnight, then ran it cold for trigger response.
- See our methodology page for full procedure.
Who should buy the Makita XPH14Z?
Buy this drill if you already own LXT batteries and want a quieter, smoother daily driver than the DEWALT or Milwaukee equivalents at a slightly lower price. It is a good fit for woodworkers, hobbyist builders, and remodelers who care about long-session comfort.
Skip this drill if you have no Makita batteries (start with a kit), if you regularly set 3/8-inch or larger concrete anchors (this hammer is on the lighter side), or if you do production work where every minute counts and the slightly faster Milwaukee will save real time.
Power and torque: real-world adequate
Makita rates the XPH14Z at 1090 in-lb. In my testing, the drill never bogged on the 3-inch GRK test in white oak, and it did not stall on a 1-inch spade bit through doubled 2x4. It is not as aggressive as the Milwaukee 2804-20 in absolute peak torque, but I cannot identify a real-world job at the homeowner or remodel level where the difference matters. The 2-speed gearbox is the smoothest of the bare-tool field. The shifter slides easily even with one hand, and the gear engagement under load is unmistakable but not violent.
Noise: the quiet winner
Under identical loads, the XPH14Z is the quietest of the four major-brand hammer drills I have on the bench. The motor itself runs at a lower pitch, and the gear meshing is quieter, which makes long indoor sessions more comfortable. Hammer mode itself is louder than drill mode, as expected, but the Makita still wins by a noticeable margin in side-by-side use. If you do a lot of indoor work where noise matters (cabinet shops, residential remodels, occupied homes) this is a real reason to choose Makita.
Hammer mode
The XPH14Z handles 1/4-inch Tapcons in 3000 PSI concrete without complaint. I would not push it past 3/8-inch anchors. The hammer is more present than absent, but it is the lightest of the three pro brands. Compared to the Milwaukee 2804, the difference is meaningful when setting larger anchors. For homeowner concrete work (mounting a TV bracket, attaching a wall plate), the XPH14Z is fine.
Battery and runtime
A 5 Ah BL1850 pack drives roughly 320 cabinet screws into white oak before cutout, averaged over three runs. That is competitive with DEWALT and Milwaukee on the same test. Cold weather drops battery output by about 12 percent, which is normal lithium chemistry behavior, not a Makita-specific weakness.
Verdict context
Against the DEWALT DCD805 hammer drill and the Milwaukee 2804-20, the XPH14Z is the quieter, slightly less aggressive option. If you already own LXT batteries, the choice is easy.
Makita XPH14Z 18V LXT Brushless 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Torque | Length | Noise | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makita XPH14Z | ★★★★★ 4.5 | 1090 in-lb | 7.0 in | Quiet | $159 | Recommended |
| DEWALT DCD805B | ★★★★★ 4.6 | 650 UWO | 6.9 in | Loud | $199 | Top Pick |
| Milwaukee 2804-20 | ★★★★★ 4.7 | 1200 in-lb | 6.9 in | Loud | $229 | Top Pick Pro |
| Bauer 1791C 20V | ★★★★☆ 3.7 | 640 in-lb | 8.0 in | Loud | $79 | Skip |
Full specifications
| Voltage | 18V LXT |
| Motor | Brushless |
| Max torque | 1090 in-lb |
| Chuck | 1/2 inch all-metal ratcheting |
| Speeds | 0-550 / 0-2100 RPM |
| Hammer rate | 0-31500 BPM |
| Length | 7.0 inches |
| Weight (bare) | 3.6 lb |
| LED | Dual front LED |
| Warranty | 3 year limited |
Should you buy the Makita XPH14Z 18V LXT Brushless 1/2-Inch Hammer Driver-Drill?
The Makita XPH14Z is the LXT-platform hammer drill most homeowners and remodelers should buy. The brushless motor delivers 1090 in-lb of torque, the 2-speed gearbox shifts smoothly, and the tool runs noticeably quieter than the DEWALT or Milwaukee equivalents. Sold bare, so this assumes you have LXT batteries already on hand.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Makita XPH14Z worth $159 in 2026?+
Yes if you already own LXT batteries. The brushless motor, all-metal gearbox, and quiet operation make this an easy recommendation against the DEWALT and Milwaukee bare-tool prices. Without batteries, the kit version (XPH14RB) is a better starting point at around $229.
XPH14Z vs DCD805: which is the better hammer drill?+
The DEWALT pulls slightly more raw power and feels more aggressive in hammer mode. The Makita is quieter, slightly lighter, and runs cooler over long sessions. Choose by the platform you already own; both are good drills.
How loud is the XPH14Z compared to its competition?+
Subjectively the Makita is the quietest of the four major-brand hammer drills under load. The combination of a well-isolated motor and the LXT gear noise profile makes long sessions more comfortable, particularly indoors.
Should I upgrade from an XPH12Z to the XPH14Z?+
Yes if your XPH12 has worn its chuck or gearbox. Otherwise no. The improvements are real (better LED, marginally more torque, refined ergonomics) but small enough that they do not justify replacing a healthy tool.
📅 Update log
- May 9, 2026Refreshed May pricing and confirmed warranty terms.
- Sep 8, 2025Initial review published after 8 months of mixed-use testing.
Alex Patel
Alex Patel writes for The Tested Hub.