About one year ago, Makita came out with an 18V entry-level hammer drill/driver kit, priced at $99. It was introduced at ~$125, but you can currently buy it for $99 at Amazon.
Well, they’ve just gone and done the same thing with an impact driver. The new Makita 18V impact driver kit, model XDT042, is now available for $99 as well.
Amazon’s direct pricing is $119, but there’s one 3rd party retailer on there offering it for $99 plus shipping. That’s an indication, to me at least, that the price will revert to $99 as the holiday season approaches.
The impact driver delivers up to 1420 in-lbs of torque, and is reasonably compact at 5-7/16″ long. Its speed range is 0-2,300 RPM and 0-3,200 IPM.
As with other impact drivers, it has a 1/4″ hex chuck.
No, this model won’t win any power, features, or performance contests, but it’s at a very appealing price point. For $99 plus shipping, you get the impact driver, a charger, carrying case, and a 3.0Ah Li-ion battery pack.
Seems like a real bargain, but you only get (1) battery. Most users would benefit more from having (2), but that would drive up the cost substantially. But for casual use, as opposed to big projects, a single battery might get you along just fine. This is also a very inexpensive entry into Makita’s 18V platform.