Makita XGD01PT 36V (18V X2) LXT® Brushless Earth Auger Kit (5.0Ah)

Received in May 2022. FYI, for those interested, the country of origin statement is “Made in Japan.”I’ve only used it for a few holes so far, but it’s powerful and yet manageable. I had to bore a total of fifteen 6-inch holes, about 18 inches deep in undisturbed soil with a little clay, and stones from fist sized down. I was kind of worried this thing would over power me. But the auger was controllable the entire time (for ref, I’m 5’8”, 155lbs, 60y/o, male, no physical problems). In fact, it’s easy to drill a little deeper than you want to. The auxiliary handle that sticks out to the side was very helpful (it’s reversible in case you want to use it left handed).If you’ve never used one before (like me), think of this as a huge right-angled drill. There’s a conventional (large) chuck, and the adapter gets chucked into it (chuck key included). Then the auger bits are slipped onto the adapter very simply.THE PRO's:Powerful and yet controllable.I think under certain conditions, this could be used as a gigantic right angle drill, should that be useful to you.THE CON's:None that I can think of.THE "NO BIG DEALS":This is an oddly shaped tool, so storing it may be a laugh and half. And as you can see its expensive, so plan on keeping it locked up.SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENT(S):None that I can think of.SUMMARY:It’s a keeper. I’ll be using it a lot more over the next few years and beyond, and probably even when I become a “really” old goat.

This is an update to my initial review of this tool after it broke:I bought this 32 days ago and have used it for a total of about 75 holes. It is now completly dead and only makes a clicking noise without spinning the chuck. This was a very expensive purchase for what is now a brick that I will need to send into Makita for warranty repair. I cannot return this product to Amazon or get any Amazon support because they only offer 30 days of returns and support. I was not aware of this, but it gives me pause knowing that if I buy tools from Amazon the only support I will get for returns in 30 days. I have heard that Makita has a reliable warranty program, but the problem is that this tool is essential and now it is going to be out of service for awhile. My reccomendaiton is to avoid this tool and buy something else, because while it was the most amazing tool while it worked, it does not matter how well it works if it stops working altogether after only a month. I have probably more than 25 Makita tools and they all work great except for this one. I am left wondering if this tool is trying to accomplish to much as an earth auger and it can't stand up to the rigors of its intended use. While it worked you can see my review below. Since it is broken it is now a 1 star product that I do not reccomend at all.Review before the tool broke:I am rarely wowed by tools. This tools blew my mind into another dimension and I have a hard time putting into words how in awe I am over this thing. First, where I live the ground is a total nightmare. I can't dig with a shovel for more than 3 inches without using a rock bar and a pick. With the right tools, breaking concrete is less work vs the ground I am in. The ground is also interwined with a spider web of palm tree roots packed like spagetti - they are the bane of my my existance. Bring on the makita. I bought the 18V because I am not ready to give up my thousands of dollars in batteries yet for the 40V. I tested the tool with a 10" ryobi auger bit - Makita only makes an 8" bit. I need the 10" because I am going to plant over 300 1 gallon pots and want more room for the roots to grow out than an 8" bit. No joke, I unboxed this monster and within 20 seconds I had 4 1 foot deep holes. It turned the ground into a powder and shredded the roots like they were not even there. The best thing was that this thing has ZERO kick! I have used 1 man and 2 man augers which have nearly ripped out my shoulder or twisted my back. When the clutch engages on this, you feel absolutely nothing other than the sound of the clutch. Release the trigger, maybe a slight jiggle and it's back to drilling. The clutch is truly outstanding. Do not hesitate, this thing works and it will blow your mind. I have not tried it yet on a smaller Makita auger bit and from reviews it should really rip on those. Never again will I tough a gas auger and now I also have a right angle drill so it's a twofer of a tool

Drilled 600 4" holes with this last week both with and without the extension. The tool works wonderfully, drilling 15-20 holes per 5aH battery at 4" dia. through clay-silt-loam with minimal rocks (usually <1" if any). The only reason I gave it 4/5 was because after about 25 holes, the aluminum bar that's supposed to hit your body and prevent it from spinning around bent and the aluminum was torn quickly by the torque. About 3 holes later, despite getting a new bolt and putting it through the torn hole shown in the photo, it tore completely off. It should have been made of higher-quality metal or without the adjustment holes which obviously weaken the aluminum. Thereafter, I held the auger in such a way that my left arm would hit my shin (sometimes the tool would), which was not ideal, but it was much faster than my PTO-driven auger, so i'll take the occasional bruised shin.One other small annoyance was the play/loose-fitting aspect of the connections between the extender bar and the auger itself, which resulted in quite a bit of jittery shakiness with the extender attached. If you're getting this to dig >4' depth, I wouldn't recommend drilling in volume. If doing a dozen or fewer holes, I wouldn't see any problem. Drilling 600...the extender makes it a bit shaky and increases fatigue so I ended up removing the extender and making peace with shorter holes.TLDR: Great tool. Fix the weak/cheap support bar and I'd give it 5/5.

Now I have to take it to a service center.

I'm a general contractor and have used a lot of tools. The auger bits are pretty good - they have parts that are exchangeable to account of warn out tips (something you don't see on the cheaper option); however, the Earth Auger Kit works well if you only have a few holes to dig (about 3-4 holes) it's not an all-day tool or even half day. I'm looking to purchase a new set of batteries so I can get further with my project. Just guessing, but it might take about three sets of batteries to get a half-day (that's if you keep charging the three sets)I had high hopes for this product since I'm converting my gas tools into electric. Finally, it works, and it's a start. I'm reading about the backpack battery system, and perhaps that might help with the short life span of the charge.