Makita Xbu02pt 18v X2 36v Lxt Lithiumion Brushless Cordless Blower Kit Review
Makita 18V X2 36V LXT Brushless Blower XBU02Z XBU02PT Review
In this review nosotros will take a look at Makita's 18V X2 36V LXT Brushless Blower XBU02Z. This is the 2d in a series of Makita X2 OPE reviews that started with the X2 string trimmer XRU09PT and will exist followed by the X2 Brushless 14″ Chainsaw XCU03PT.
Makita is no stranger to outdoor ability equipment with all-encompassing coverage in gasoline, electric and battery powered backyard tools. Battery powered OPE has been very popular in recent years and this trend volition continue to grow as users movement abroad from gas powered units to battery powered units. Before battery powered OPE from several years ago were low on power and runtime only with many improvements in battery capacity and brushless motors many battery powered tools tin now compete head to head with gasoline tools. Makita also pioneered the use of using two battery packs together to double voltage with their X2 line which gives 18V users the opportunity to tap into 36 volt operation. Yeah all Makita X2 power tools are actually 36 volt machines simply while giving y'all the flexibility of using their pop 18V batteries. This means users can become more than performance without having to switch to a dissimilar battery platform. As with all Makita X2 power tools, even though they are actually 36 volt tools, they are even so role of the 18 volt family unit since they use 18V batteries but two at a time to achieve the extra performance.
Battery Powered OPE Pros and Cons
What's great almost bombardment powered OPE (from any brand) is that unlike gasoline engine equipment y'all don't need to purchase and refill gasoline, you don't have to mix oil, no tune ups, no fumes, no priming and no pulling strings. Battery powered tools are set up to go at all times with a freshly charged battery, they have push button starting and are generally quieter than their gasoline engine counterparts. The downsides of battery powered tools are that they are generally more expensive than gas powered tools notwithstanding their prices take come down a lot over the years and are more affordable than ever. Replacement batteries can be expensive but they have long lifespans. When a battery runs out of juice it ways the work is over even if the job is not washed until the bombardment charges fully once more all the same you lot can continue working if yous accept actress batteries on manus.
Ethic's Disclosure:
Makita was kind enough to provide the X2 Brushless String Trimmer XRU09, X2 Brushless Blower XBU02Z, and X2 Brushless 14″ Chainsaw XCU03PT at no cost for review. However as with all my reviews, I am not paid, sponsored, or obligated to give a positive review. This review is my opinion of the product based on my usage and knowledge and my review volition reverberate what I similar and dislike about the said production. I volition practice my best to provide you with an unbiased review.
Features and Specs:
Earlier we go into the performance department of this review, lets outset accept a wait at the Makita XBU02Z 18V X2 36V LXT Brushless Blower's features and specifications list as well as my opinion on them.
- 473 CFM
Beingness a 36 volt tool this Makita X2 leaf blower gets a operation bump from their regular 18V blowers and the brushless motor also helps achieve extra power over the original X2 blower which only had 155 CFM at 208 MPH. The new X2 brushless blower doesn't have the same high 208 MPH of the original but what information technology lacks in speed it makes up in volume at 473 CFM and however has a strong air speed of 120 MPH. With these specs, it makes information technology stronger than any 18V blower on the market today at the time of writing. Of grade I'll become into detail of how it performs in real life but more on that below in the performance section. With performance stats like this it catches up to higher voltage blowers on the marketplace from the likes of Ego and Echo from a few years back although today's latest blowers from the 56V+ market have far surpassed these numbers. Ego's and Echo's latest blower models both put out 580cfm/168mph and 550cfm/145mph respectively. That makes sense that those models have better performance stats since they are higher voltage tools. On the other end of the spectrum in the 18V world Dewalt'southward and Milwaukee'southward 18V blowers puts out 400cfm/90mph and 450cfm/110mph respectively and as we can see, Makita'due south X2 brushless blower is a prissy upgrade over those model. And then Makita'southward X2 brushless blower fits nicely between 18V and 56-60V blowers from the competition. Looking at information technology's direct competition from similar voltage tools we tin can take a look at Dewalt'southward 40v brushless blower which offers 400cfm at 120mph. The MPH is the same simply here we see that Makita's X2 blower beats the Dewalt 40v with a overnice upgrade in CFM'due south.
Looking at information technology'southward concrete features, the X2 blower has a everything you lot can inquire for in a blower in terms of controls. It has a variable speed trigger which is very responsive by the way and makes choosing only the right speed you want very unproblematic. It besides has a lock on knob for cruise command to lock the trigger in the on position for long sessions so information technology doesn't tire your finger out from constantly holding. A variable speed trigger and prowl control lock would be good enough only they as well included a prissy variable speed dial that limits the top end range of the trigger. A very prissy feature to have and has that same premium feel of their cordless 18V multitool I reviewed years dorsum. Milwaukee's second gen M18 Fuel blower has a two speed selector which is a great feature in my opinion however Makita'south variable speed dial gives their blower fifty-fifty greater flexibility when choosing speed. Basically whatsoever speed setting selected on the variable speed punch acts as a speed and you definitely take more than two similar on Milwaukee'south model so in essence you tin can take every bit many speeds every bit you lot want on Makita's X2 brushless blower. A feature I'k glad this model lacks is that annoying on/off button found on the X2 cord trimmer and X2 brushless chainsaw. Because of this the blower is ready to run at all times with a simple press of the trigger. If you like to store tools by hanging them on your wall, be glad to know that this blower has a keyhole slot for wall mounting.
Like all the other cordless leaf blowers I've tried in the past, this i likewise has a detachable blower tube that needs to be installed earlier utilise. Once it's on you don't always need to remove information technology once more but you have that option if needed. What'due south interesting nearly the one on this blower is that it's a two piece tube. You lot can use it with just one piece and the other works every bit an extension however using but one tube makes it seem also brusk in my opinion. I find information technology better to use with both sections installed for a more than "regular" length. What'due south also neat near the ii slice tube is that they are designed and so you tin cull different lengths when using both together to better suit your needs depending on how close you lot desire the tip to exist to the basis.
For the longest time, Makita was stubborn to update their batteries with built in fuel gauges and fifty-fifty though all their new batteries now include fuel gauges built in, this tool has a built in double fuel gauge to check remaining bombardment accuse for each battery which is skillful for those still running onetime packs without fuel gauges. Since this tool uses 2 18V batteries together to operate, and yeah they must both be installed to run, it would go a hassle to have to charge ii batteries separately. It would but if you buy this tool as a kit it comes with a dual charger that charges both batteries at a fourth dimension then you lot wont have to hassle with charging them separately. The dual charger is just as fast as all other Makita chargers and it charges both 5.0 ah batteries in 45 minutes which is pretty fast.
Pricing VS the competition
As far every bit pricing is concerned, Makita's X2 brushless blower is priced at $219 equally a baretool and $329 as a kit with 2 5.0 ah batteries and double charger. As was the case with their X2 cord trimmer, the X2 blower is also considerably more than expensive than it's competition. You can get better spec'd blowers equally complete battery and charger kit's for less than the toll of Makita's blower every bit a baretool. For example yous can get Ego's 56V blower (LB5302 model with 530cfm/110mph) with 2.5ah battery and charger every bit a kit for simply $199 which is $20 less than Makita'southward blower without a battery and charger. Makita treats the pricing of this blower equally if information technology was another ability tool and that would exist fine but when you factor in the fact and reality that amend spec'd and college voltage blowers from other brands can be had for less than this blower'south price every bit a baretool or kit, it merely doesn't brand sense from a upkeep standpoint. You might retrieve to yourself: "well the Ego is cheaper considering it comes with one smaller 2.5 ah bombardment while the Makita comes with 2 larger five.0 ah batteries. That's why the Makita is more expensive because it comes bundled with more batteries." That might brand sense but 56V batteries apply more cells than 18V batteries and can actually be larger in capacity than 18V batteries. To figure this out nosotros take to look at watt hours which is the universal fashion to compare batteries of whatever given voltage and amp 60 minutes rating. The watt hr formula is simple, y'all just multiply the voltage by the amp hours to get watt hours (V ten Ah = wh). So an Ego 56 volt 2.v ah battery is 140 wh while a single Makita 18v v.0 ah bombardment is 90 wh. This ways that one Makita 18V 5.0 is in fact smaller than a 56V two.v ah bombardment by 50 less watt hours. But since Makita's X2 blower comes with ii batteries, information technology makes the total combined watt hours 180 wh. Having more than watt hours than it's competition would justify a price increase yes but having only 40 wh total more doesn't justify a $130 toll increment as a kit in my opinion. In fact Ego has a 56v blower kit with their latest blower model LB5804 with 580cfm/168mph with a five.0ah battery and charger for $299. It'south notwithstanding less than Makita's X2 brushless blower kit priced at $329 and Ego's 5.o ah battery has a full of 280 wh which is more than 50% the watt hour chapters of two Makita 5.0 ah batteries.
I also desire to mention that at the time of writing Makita was offering deal offers for this blower as a kit for the same total cost of $329 simply you get a choice of either an actress set of two 5.0 ah batteries OR an extra cordless 18V brushless angle grinder. I'd say that this is definitely the way to go if yous are considering this X2 blower and only so does the value proffer of this tool become similar to other brands and actually get competitive in terms of pricing.
Performance
I recently tried out the 1st gen Milwaukee M18 Fuel blower (450cfm/100mph) and information technology was the strongest performing 18V I've tried and was very capable simply it only didn't take the grunt like the 2d gen Ego 56V blower I've been using regularly. The Makita X2 brushless blower while not having the same highend stats as the Ego 2nd gen blower, it'due south certainly a lot closer in performance thank you to it being a 36 volt tool. I felt more confident with it's functioning at blowing leaves on grass which although the Milwaukee can do, the M18 doesn't excel in this regard. So the Makita is definitely a pleasing experience to use with it's high performance and I liked it's variable speed trigger as information technology was very responsive and made it easy to tone downwardly the power when total blast wasn't needed.
Compared direct to the 2nd gen Ego 56V blower I've been using for and so long, operation is easily stronger on the Ego at full blast. However to get full ability yous need to utilise the turbo push to achieve that speed. Nix wrong with that just I prefer a variable speed trigger which the Makita has and the Ego lacks. The Ego lacks a variable speed trigger just instead uses a knob for variable speed apply. It works simply it's on the forepart and out of reach from the hand that is gripping the tool. Everything needed to operate the Makita X2 blower is within fingers reach and easy to access. I also want to mention that Ego fixed the weird command scheme on subsequently models. Although highend functioning of the Makita X2 blower isn't as shut to higher voltage blowers like Ego's for example, I believe information technology's close plenty to be very constructive at everyday employ. More and so than the Milwaukee 1st gen Fuel blower.
Handling
Next on the list is weight and the Makita's X2 brushless blower tops in at 9.nine lbs with batteries installed. I complained about Milwaukee's 1st gen 18V Fuel blower beingness a bit heavy for extended use with it's 8.1 lbs weight but fifty-fifty though the Makita is heavier it is better counterbalanced because it's not front heavy. That plus it's stronger performance means you become washed quicker and as a result I didn't experience I was as tired from use as Milwaukee'southward. I besides want to say that Milwaukee made their 2nd gen M18 Fuel blower almost a pound lighter and with slightly ameliorate performance.
Runtime
Equally far equally runtime is concerned, I was able to achieve a total runtime of 22 minutes and 9 seconds. This was achieved with all variable speed utilise with virtually 40 percent of use at full nail. Your mileage will vary depending on speeds settings used but hopefully my runtime figure will be of aid to you. You tin of course expect longer runtime if yous dont get full boom as much equally I did and you can get lower runtimes if you use full boom more than than I did. I also want to mention that I only count time while the tool is running and not the breaks in betwixt utilize so as to give you the most accurate runtime figures possible.
Compared to other blowers I've tried, the Milwaukee 1st gen M18 Fuel blower accomplished 30 minutes and 42 seconds under my runtime exam and most of that was using full nail. Dewalt'south 20V blower achieved 23 minutes all at full speed. Ego's 2d gen 56v blower go 19 minutes while mostly full blast. My assay is that Makita'southward brushless blower gets slightly worse runtime than the other two models mentioned. I believe it is because it's more than powerful than the ii 18v blowers mentioned and more performance eats up batteries faster even so compared to the 56V blower, information technology seems Makita's is only non equally efficient in this regard.
I'd say runtime is good enough and in my utilise gets my front and back yard washed with enough battery left to go for another circular.
Conclusion
Pros
- Nice combination of operation and features
- 473CFM / 120mph very constructive stiff blowing operation
- well counterbalanced not front end heavy
- variable speed trigger, cruise control, and multiple speed dial
- double battery fuel gauge
Cons
- premium price makes it overpriced compared to the competition
Overall this blower is a blast to use. I like it's strong effective blowing operation and not only excels in bravado leaves and debris on hard surfaces but is very effective and strong when pushing leaves on grass. Although not quite as strong every bit highend blower functioning from the higher voltage oversupply, it's easily much stronger than the strongest of 18V blowers. Although heavy at close to 10lbs information technology is well balanced with it non beingness forepart heavy and it's potent operation ways you'll become done sooner earlier yous tire out than it's 18v competition. My only gripe has to exercise with information technology's loftier price tag which makes no sense when higher voltage blowers not but cost a lot less, they perform better too. All the same Makita every so frequently runs deals on this blower as a kit with extra goodies such as an extra set of batteries OR an extra grinder which makes information technology a good value when these offers are available.
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