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Makita may be one of the biggest and most trusted names in tools, but there’s far more to it than saws, drills, and drivers. Throughout its sizeable catalogue, one can find a host of other products to help out while working. Just as Makita has several tools to complete a mechanic’s tool kit, it’s a solid brand to consider if you’re looking to bring your garage to the next level. After all, there’s more to a garage than the tools that help get work done within it.
As far as what the Makita brand and its non-tool products can do to upgrade a garage, it can help out in several ways. For one, it’s a good choice if you want to maximize your garage’s functionality. It also has offerings that make your garage easier to work in, no matter the season. When your work is done, and you want to get your garage cleaned up right, Makita can help out there, too. It truly has a little something for everyone.
Overall, there are some strong Makita additions to improve your garage. Here are some that just about everyone can benefit from, which specific models are best suited for a garage, and what they’ll cost.
A Makita Bluetooth speaker is a fine garage addition
Putting in work in the garage can get a bit dull, especially if you have a long or repetitive job ahead. Something as simple as a little music can help make things more bearable, helping your mind wander a bit to break up the monotony. While one of the many great sets of Bluetooth headphones could work, if you want to stay a bit more connected to the world around you, a speaker could be a better option. Makita sells a variety of Bluetooth speakers, with the 18-volt LXT or 12V MAX CXT cordless Bluetooth speaker being one of the brand’s standout options at $68.40 on Amazon.
As the name suggests, this speaker connects via Bluetooth but also features an AUX port and USB port for device charging. It runs on a 12V MAX CXT or 18V LXT battery or with the AC adapter jack. Should it use battery power, its Bluetooth connection means 31 hours of continuous function, while the AUX connection gets up to 32. It has a 4.4 out of five-star rating on Amazon based on 705 reviews, and a 4.3 out of five-star rating on the Home Depot website based on 144 reviews. The speaker is praised across the board for its sound quality and volume, durability, easy Bluetooth connectivity, and overall small footprint.
A garage is a perfect place for a multi-port Makita battery charger
Like most other major tool brands on the market, Makita has brought most of its products into the battery-powered age. Thus, lithium-ion batteries and chargers are all but essential for modern Makita collectors, and if the brand’s tools are must-haves for your garage workshop, the last thing you want is to run out of charged batteries. That’s why it could be a good idea to set up a Makita multi-port charger in your garage. One of the brand’s four-port 18V Makita chargers may seem enticing, but customer experience suggests the 18V dual-port Rapid Optimum Charger is the stronger buy — even at a higher list price of $127.97 on Amazon.
This unit simultaneously charges two 18-volt batteries between 25 and 45 minutes, depending on the batteries’ amp hours. It does so with diminished risk of overheating, too, as it features built-in fans for improved cooling while charging. A chip within also controls current, voltage, and temperature to maintain charging efficiency. Almost 5,400 Amazon reviews brought this model to 4.6 out of five stars, while 295 Home Depot reviews have cumulatively given it 4.7 out of five stars. Reviewers on both sites appreciate the downtime-reducing charging speed, the presence of charging status lights, and the performance level given the price point.
A Makita fan could be a garage life-saver during summer
More often than not, a garage isn’t a climate-controlled environment. Therefore, it can get chilly when working out there in the winter, and quite hot and stuffy in the summer. There are multiple ways to warm up a garage without a heater in the winter, and in the summer, a simple fan can be a serious game-changer. Fortunately for those in need, Makita has its share of garage-ready fans for one to consider, and the $174 18V LXT 9 ¼-inch cordless fan seems to be an especially strong option to keep a garage cool and generally improve air flow in such a confined space.
This specific Makita fan operates on a single LXT battery, giving it between 6 and 19 hours of continuous runtime depending on the size of the battery attached, with the option of using an AC adapter. It has the ability to tilt up 90 degrees and down 45 degrees, and with a battery attached, it can go virtually anywhere with a handle on top for easy carrying. 83 Home Depot reviews have resulted in a 4.6 out of five-star rating, while YouTube reviewers like Fix It with Fowler have given it high praise, too. It’s commonly applauded for its cooling ability, portability when battery-powered, and ease of use.
Any garage could use portable Makita lighting
The majority of home garages are well-lit, be it thanks to individual fixtures, garage door openers with built-in lights, or both. At the same time, for an area where work of all kinds gets done, ample lighting is essential, so a portable, battery-powered option is worth having around. Looking at Makita’s catalogue, an option many customers stand by is the 18V LXT cordless 12-LED flashlightwhich typically costs $72.99 on Amazon without the 18V LXT battery needed to power it. It comes with two brightness modes, the highest at 240 lumens and the dimmed at 120 lumens, which provide 12 and 22 hours of light, respectively, on a fully-charged battery.
While the brightness of this Makita work light is important, it’s only part of the story. This flashlight is also notable for its poseability, making it suitable for lighting at several angles. The head is on a hinge as well as a swivel, along with a flip-out metal hook for hanging. This hook is also articulated and can swivel 360 degrees. Almost 7,200 Amazon users have given this light a try, leading to a 4.8 out of five-star rating. It has the same rating on Home Depot’s website based on 241 reviews. Its ability to light awkward and tight areas, brightness, battery longevity, and overall compact nature are its most prominent strong suits according to reviewers on both sites.
At this point, it’s far from a secret that Makita has some useful products that aren’t tools. These are just a few helpful, customer-appreciated products and gadgets that the brand has released.
How we chose Makita products
Several key elements went into choosing these specific Makita products. For one, there was the question of usefulness, meaning how many Makita customers could realistically benefit from adding these specific gadgets to their garage. The idea was to cast a wide net with these selections, ensuring that the items highlighted were those that, no matter how you use your garage space, you could stand to have around.
On top of making sure these Makita gadgets were for all kinds of customers, we looked into whether these items were actually recommendation-worthy. The products needed to be backed by strong ratings and reviews, and there couldn’t be consistent reservations within said reviews about value for the price. The prices had to be widely considered fair, and the performance had to measure up to the price tag.