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Makita 12V vs 18V drill

Updated: 2026-10-23

A Makita 12V vs 18V drill choice is a pack choice, not two sizes of the same tool. The CXT packs on the five listings we kept do not run an 18 V LXT drill or saw, and an LXT pack does not run these drills. Stay on 12 V for light work you are willing to start on CXT. Stay on 18 V for a day of brick or a pack that must also run a saw. This page does not pick a chuck and does not rank the kits. The [Makita cordless drill 12V comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/makita-cordless-drill-12v) is the table. We used Makita UK's battery-platforms page and the amazon.co.uk listings on 21 October 2026.

A Makita 12V vs 18V drill choice is a pack choice, not two sizes of the same tool. The CXT packs on the five listings we kept do not run an 18 V LXT drill or saw, and an LXT pack does not run these drills.

Our top picks

Makita Makita DF333DWAE

Best overall

Makita Makita DF333DWAE
7.1/10about £112.69
View offer
Makita Makita DF032DZ

Best value

Makita Makita DF032DZ
6.7/10about £98
View offer
Makita Makita HP332DSAJ

Alternative

Makita Makita HP332DSAJ
6.0/10about £144.73
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.The packs do not fit
  2. 2.When the 12 V drill is the one to use
  3. 3.When to stay on 18 V
  4. 4.Which platform to choose

The packs do not fit

Makita sells CXT, LXT and XGT as separate battery platforms. A CXT pack does not fit LXT or XGT tools, and the CXT slide is not the LXT slide. Every drill we kept is 12 V Max CXT. Some voltage cells say 10.8 V and the titles say 12 V Max. That is one slide platform. Older pod-style 10.8 V batteries do not fit these slide tools, so a pod pack will not run a DF333 or an HP332. One United Kingdom review of the HP332DSAJ is the practical version of the mistake. The buyer had read CXT as LXT, then kept the drill for pilot holes.

When the 12 V drill is the one to use

Buy 12 V CXT when the work is light and the packs you own, or are willing to start, are CXT. United Kingdom reviews of the DF033DWAE use that kit for curtain rails, doors off for painting, plasterboard and lighter DIY. Reviews of the DF032DZ use the body for blinds, shutters and overhead screws, including a 6 x 150 mm screw in unpiloted timber. The DF333 family bullets put wood at 21 mm and steel at 10 mm. Makita UK gives 30/14 Nm on the DF033 and DF333, and 35/21 Nm on the DF032 and the HP332. The DF333DWAE at £112.69 names two 2.0 Ah batteries in the box row. The best Makita 12V cordless drill page matches the kits to jobs, and the Makita 12V cordless drill buying guide sorts chuck and box before you buy a second charger.
Makita Makita DF333DWAE

Testsieger

Makita Makita DF333DWAE
7.1/10about £112.69
View offer

When to stay on 18 V

Stay on 18 V LXT when the pack has to run a saw, a recip saw or a grinder. Those tools will not take a CXT pack. Buying a 12 V drill so that everything is Makita still leaves you with two chargers. The HP332DSAJ is the only combi we kept, and Makita UK states 8 mm in masonry. That is a few plugs, not a day on a solid wall, and not an SDS rotary hammer. BS EN 62841-2-1 covers drills and impact drills, not rotary hammers. We are not naming an 18 V ASIN here.

Which platform to choose

Choose 12 V CXT for furniture, plasterboard and the odd 8 mm plug. Choose 18 V LXT if you already own those packs, if a saw must share them, or if the masonry is more than a handful of plugs. The how to use a Makita 12V drill page is the clutch and the cable check, not a new battery system. A qualifying purchase through our amazon.co.uk links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

Common questions

Can I put my 18 V Makita battery on a 12 V CXT drill?
No. The LXT pack and the CXT tool do not share a connector. Makita UK presents the platforms separately, and a CXT pack does not fit LXT or XGT. Forcing the pack does not make it compatible. You would be buying a battery system.
Can a CXT pack run an 18 V LXT drill or saw?
No. The small CXT slide pack does not run an LXT drill or an LXT saw. If the point of the purchase is one battery for the drill and the saw, stay on 18 V. A CXT kit beside an LXT saw means two chargers, which is reasonable only for tight spaces.
Is 10.8 V CXT the same as 12 V Max CXT?
On these listings, yes. Titles say 12 V Max and some voltage cells say 10.8 V, and the DF333D/DF033D manual rates the family 10.8 V to 12 V max. That is one slide platform. It is not 18 V, and it is not the older pod-style 10.8 V pack, which does not fit these slide tools.
Is a 12 V drill enough for furniture and plasterboard?
For the jobs United Kingdom reviewers describe, yes. Curtain rails, doors off for painting, plasterboard and lighter DIY appear on the DF033 reviews, and overhead screws appear on the DF032 reviews. Stay inside the stated capacities, such as 21 mm in wood and 10 mm in steel on the DF333 bullets. A long structural screw or a dense hardwood that stalls the tool is the moment the 18 V combi still earns its place.
When should I buy 18 V instead?
Buy 18 V if you already own LXT packs, if a saw or another LXT tool must share them, or if the work is more than a few 8 mm plugs. The HP332 masonry figure is 8 mm. It does not replace an SDS rotary hammer, and it does not turn a brick house into a 12 V job. One DF032 reviewer already keeps an 18 V combi for the heavy end.
If I already own LXT, is a second CXT kit worth it?
Only for the tight, light work the 18 V drill is awkward for: overhead screws, a cupboard, a curtain rail. It is not worth it as a way to use your existing packs, because they will not fit. One HP332 buyer misread CXT as LXT and kept the tool for pilot holes. If you did not mean to own both systems, return it.

Related pages

Makita hex driver or keyless chuck

Makita cordless drill 12V

Best Makita 12V cordless drill for your stated job

Makita 12V cordless drill buying guide: head and kit

How to use a Makita 12V drill: charge, clutch, stop

Sources

Public sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the product display for this comparison.

  1. Makita UK: DF333D drill driver (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Makita UK: DF033D drill driver (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Makita UK: DF032D drill driver (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Makita UK: HP332D combi drill (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Makita: DF032D instruction manual (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Makita UK: BL1021B 12V 2.0Ah battery (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. HSE: Control of Vibration at Work Regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Screwfix: Makita DF333DWAE 12V CXT drill driver (retrieved 22 October 2026)