LXT 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless String Trimmer Kit

I wanted to like this product, but it falls short on two fronts - assembly and use. The assembly instructions are very poor. They have diagrams, but they do not provide a fully assembled product to view when assembling or when finished. In addition, the written instructions are inadequate. The grass trimmer itself is too long for a person of average height (5’ 10”) and the shield provided is not wide enough to provide adequate protection from kicked up dirt and pebbles.

Makita 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless String Trimmer Kit I’m a believer in the quality of Makita products and the long battery life for their cordless tools. This trimmer is no different. I used the chainsaw attachment to cut some branches of various sizes and it did a good job. This will never replace your main chainsaw for larger jobs, but it’s good for pruning tree branches overhanging your deck or roof line. The unit is sturdy and seems to be high quality. One thing that you should know is that it takes some time to assemble everything so don’t wait until you need to use it before you open the box! Also, you will need a container of chain oil. Start with a quart unless you find yourself cutting a lot. Also, you will need some grease for lubrication points during periodic maintenance. The main shaft (the power head as they call it) can be used with other accessories in addition to the chainsaw / pruner adapter. You can also purchase a hedge trimmer attachment. Overall, I believe this is a good investment.

This Makita String Trimmer and Pole Saw kit is just what you need for yard cleanup and upkeep. The brushless motor unit is heavy and well made with a steel cradle to protect the battery and it has a two speed control - go slow around tree trunks with the trimmer and save the bark, go fast in the weeds. The string trimmer also has a head that is easier to load than my old trimmer and the string seems designed to not tear and fray at the ends as easily as cheap line does. The unit comes with a shoulder strap and even though I feel like the trimmer is heavier than my old trimmer it is so well balanced that I haven't needed it yet. One reason my old trimmer was lighter was because it only had the power switch and battery at the head, and the motor was actually at the bottom where the string turns. I was always taking the cover off to clean the air screen on it - a really cheap design when you think about it. I like the Makita design better. On to the saw: An easy flip of the center lever and push of a button disconnects the trimmer attachment and lets you attach the pole saw. When you get the kit you have to assemble the bar and chain onto the saw head. Take care that you orient the teeth of the chain correctly - the instructions only use pictures to show you orientation. You get wrenches and an allen key and screwdriver to assemble everything. You also get safety glasses which is great. The only thing you don't get is a little bottle of bar and chain oil so make sure you pick up a quart. This saw has let me cut so many low limbs that presented a hazard to one's head and face, dead limbs, limbs overhanging the road etc that I formerly had to use a fiberglass pole hole saw on. Anything more than a 2 inch diameter branch was not an issue, but the large bar on this Makita lets me go for the bigger stuff. I'm about 5' 6" and with the pole saw I can reach branches that are about 10-11 feet up. As far as maintenance, this kit comes with Makita's fast charger so a fresh battery is usually about 45 minutes away. The gearbox on the string trimmer and the mating ends of the head unit and attachments require a special high temperature grease service every 30 hours as outlined in the manual, so if you use this commercially you should have some on hand Like my track saw, large belt sander and pad sanders, Makita quality continues to impress me.

Alright so theres a lot to say about this string trimmer, first of all it is super light and you have less fatigue after an hour or two of use, it also has an awesome shoulder strap that balances most of the weight for you! Not to mention the anti-vibe handle that minimizes vibrations and helps with the fatigue normally associated with trimmers. Another amazing thing about this trimmer is that I had it all set up and ready to go in 20 minutes because Makita includes EVERYTHING you need to assemble it, down to string for the trimmer and safety glasses to start cutting immediately! The only thing you will need to purchase is some bar oil for the chainsaw attachment. This is also surprisingly quiet! Even when you are on the higher speed and going full blast you won't need any hearing protection, it also starts 100 times faster than my gas trimmer, you just click your speed setting, and grip the safety trigger and you are going. Makita is a legendary company among tool manufacturers and this string trimmer/pole-saw is no exception to that fact. If you are in need of a string trimmer and if you want one that will last forever and weighs nothing and doesn't require gas and is really awesome and is teal, then look no further.

No more mixing 2-cycle oil to tame those weeds! I now own 3 string trimmers: an old 2-cycle gas powered beast, a smaller corded electric trimmer, and now this all-purpose battery powered Makita. I think soon I will only own 1: this is the one to buy and keep. As other reviewers noted, there is some assembly required. Don't get overwhelmed - instructions are well written. My model has the XUX02 Multi-Function Power Head and the EM409MP Grass Trimmer Attachment. Super quiet with the Brushless Motor. Includes a high quality shoulder strap, 1 18-volt Li-ion battery, and charger. No more mixing oil and gas. No more lugging extension cords around my yard. Highly recommend!

I was looking to purchase a new trimmer for the upcoming spring season and started looking at the the battery powered options as I've been hearing more and more good things about them. The 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless String Trimmer Kit by Makita caught my eye and the name had my mind made up. Upon delivery I was surprised to find out it also came with a 10" chain saw attachment. For the most part it was easy to assemble and comes with all the tools to assemble both accessories, but with so much in the box and a total of 4 instruction manuals it somewhat left you guessing which parts went where. Once it was assembled though, the tool worked like a charm. Both the trimmer and the chain saw both balance well in your hands and was very surprised at the speed both tools operate at as this is my first larger battery operated tool. I don't doubt that I will get a lot of extended use out of it this summer.

AWESOME TOOL MUST HAVE!! took about 20 minutes to set it up . Trimmer head was simple screw on. The chain saw attachment took some time to set up but not difficult. I did install the chain backwards first but was really easy to flip. The battery doesn't last very long, but was enough to do alot of cuts. I was able to cut the top of a 30ft crape myrtle tree alot faster than if i used a ladder and a chain saw. Love the long reach. You do have to press the power button often because it turns off after like 10 seconds. Cuts pretty fast but does cut off if jammed which i think is a good safety feature. I would recommend people to watch safety videos before cutting largger branches for safety. I like that its very easy to assemble for use and to switch attachments. Also another thing like it comes with strap .

Great multi tool power from Makita. I thought I was just ordering the string trimmer and it came with a 10" pole saw attachment. There are over ten available attachments pictured on the box. This unit has High and Load speed power switch to extend the battery life and has a variable speed trigger. It has a led on switch for safety.. It is a long unit with the trimmer attached but with the battery attached has a nice balance. Only semi negative are the instructions. Many pages, Lots of very small not HD pictures. took a little while to figure out. The trimmer head comes off and you insert string though hole to half way point and then twist and it draws the string in, Easy once you figure it out. comes with battery and charger. The chain saw attachment works good and comparable to another 120V electric 8" pole saw I have. Great for trimming and will cut 10" tree with no problem, larger if you cut from both sides. Makita includes everything you need, 2 wrenches, screwdriver, bag to keep everything in and even safety glasses!

My bride is not gonna like Makita, I have a confession to make; this is my first Makita tool. It WON’T be my last. After assembling and testing I can say this may be one of the best built tools I’ve owned. For such a sturdy build it’s surprisingly light and very balanced, making it comfortable to hold/carry. Adjustments to the handle, the shoulder strap etc are easy and intuitive. Well, it’s the middle of February, but I wanted to test out the battery life by doing my normal trim so I did it (neighbors already think I’m nuts). After about 25 mins, according to the gauge it still had at least half its charge left. My old trimmer using a 4.0 Ah battery might complete the task or I’d have to change batteries. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that excites you, this was the case with this trimmer. In addition to the impressive build and quality materials the string head has the newest & simplest method to load the line. Cut a 13ft piece of string, align the arrows, insert ½ the length straight through the case and twist the bump knob to get the line in. No more taking apart, losing springs, washers and patience. Did I say I love this?! I also got the Pole Saw attachment which has a 10” blade, it has a 7’ length. I am so bummed that I didn’t have one of these at my last house which I had about 70 fruit trees. What took weeks I think I could knock it out in a day or 2. This this is PERFECT for trimming branches too thick for the rope levered Pole Pruners. The kit includes a charger and an 18-Volt LXT 4.0 Ah battery. I got the shoulder strap and safety glasses as well as a bag to keep manuals and tools together. Overall, I am extremely happy with the String Trimmer and the Pole Saw. If you are reading this review and you are shopping for a good quality, well built, sturdy and easy to use String Trimmer and/or Pole Saw, this one is my suggestion. Without hesitation I say it exceeds all my needs and expectations. WELL done Makita, you have a new customer going forward!!!!

This is my first Makita battery tool and while I have heard good things about the brand I was not very impressed when I first opened to box. There were numerous parts bags and parts in the box and it required quite a bit of assembly compared to other brands of power tools I own. Assembly, while not very difficult as long as you follow the included directions, still took me about 40 minutes. The spool head had to be installed at the end of the trimmer shaft as well as the cutting guard and upper shaft handle. Luckily all tools required were also included in the parts bags as I didn’t own the correct size Allen key to hold the trimmer shaft still while tightening the spool into place. This model also included a 10” chain saw attachment that is used to cut high branches off trees. The chain bar and chain had to be installed and adjusted onto the end of that attachment pole as well. There is no bar oil included so make sure you pick up a bottle of that when you purchase this so you’re not running back out to the store for some. Do not use the saw attachment without oil or you’ll quickly dull and overheat the chain. Speaking of the chain it is a quality Oregon branded chain that should last long when properly cared for and easy to find a replacement. The included battery is a 4.0ah 18v that requires an initial charge. The charger included is a 2.6ah slow charger so charging the included battery took approximately an hour and forty minutes. With the new fast chargers on the market for a few years now I find this slow charger unacceptable. I’d recommend having extra charged batteries on hand before starting work so you aren’t having to stop for over an hour and a half waiting for a battery to charge. As for attaching the trimmer end and saw end to the power head that was a very easy task. Simply flip the locking lever to the release position, insert the attachment and flip the lever to the locked position. Easy peasy!!! Once attached the trimmer was well balanced and the length of the shaft felt perfect. Not too long and not too short that I was going to cut my shoes up. The power head has a 2 speed switch so you can tailor it to your cutting conditions and for maximum battery life. I tend to not trim every week so I used it on full speed for maximum power. The saw requires you cut in high speed as well or you’ll be standing there forever. Overall, once assembled, I liked the unit. It was well balanced and seemed to be well built. If you already have other tools in the Makita platform I’d recommend you check this out. If you have other battery platforms or are looking to invest in one, I’d make sure to check out other brands closely to make sure you are getting one that fits you well and has the tools you want available.