Milwaukee 3602 M18 Compact Brushless Hammer Drill vs Makita XPH12 18V LXT Compact Brushless Hammer Drill
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Quick take: The Makita XPH12 18V LXT Compact Brushless Hammer Drill costs $5 less bare; the Milwaukee 3602 M18 Compact Brushless Hammer Drill is lighter (2.3 vs 2.9 lbs); they live on different battery platforms (Milwaukee M18 vs Makita 18V LXT), so the deciding factor is usually which batteries you already own.
| Spec | Milwaukee 3602 M18 Compact Brushless Hammer Drill | Makita XPH12 18V LXT Compact Brushless Hammer Drill |
|---|---|---|
| Price (bare tool) | $159 | $154 |
| Kit Price | $219 | $274 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (59) | 4.4★ (218) |
| Category | Hammer Drill | Hammer Drill |
| Battery Platform | Milwaukee M18 | Makita 18V LXT |
| Voltage | 18V | 18V |
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (bare) | 2.9 lbs (bare), 3.6 lbs with 2.0Ah |
| Released | 2023 | 2016 |
| Max Torque | 550 in-lbs | 530 in-lbs |
| Top Speed | 1,700 RPM | 2,000 RPM |
| Max BPM | 25,500 | 30,000 |
| Chuck | 1/2 in all-metal | 1/2 in keyless |
| Speeds | 2 (0-550 / 0-1,700) | 2 (0-500 / 0-2,000) |
| Length | 5.8 in | 7-1/8 in |
Pros & cons
Milwaukee 3602 M18 Compact Brushless Hammer Drill
- ✓Dramatic downsizing - at 5.8 inches it's over 12% shorter than the previous generation while raising compact-class torque from 500 to 550 in-lbs.
- ✓2.3 lbs bare and 3.2 lbs with a CP2.0 battery makes overhead and in-cabinet work genuinely comfortable.
- ✓All-metal ratcheting chuck and all-metal gear case - flagship-grade construction points at a mid-tier price.
- ✓New mechanical clutch that ToolGuyd readers and owners praise for consistent, repeatable fastening depth.
- ✓25,500 BPM hammer mode handles Tapcons and light masonry, which the drill-only 3601 sibling can't.
- ✓REDLINK intelligence plus compatibility with every M18 pack since 2008 - the 250+ tool ecosystem is the platform's superpower.
- ✓4.5-star average across 59 Home Depot reviews, with owners calling out the torque-for-size ratio as the standout.
- ✓$159 bare / $219 kit undercuts the Fuel 2904-class hammer drill by $60-100 while covering most of the same daily work.
- ✗550 in-lbs is well under half the Fuel flagship's rated torque - big self-feed bits, long augers, and large hole saws are the wrong job for it.
- ✗1,700 RPM top speed is the slowest of the big-three compacts (DeWalt's DCD805 turns 2,000), costing real speed with twist bits.
- ✗On paper it's a torque step down from the 725 in-lb 2902 it replaced, which rubs spec-sheet shoppers the wrong way.
- ✗Lower RPM plus 25,500 BPM makes concrete drilling noticeably slower than rivals' 34,000 BPM compacts.
- ✗No kickback/bind-up protection at this tier - a safety feature that is spreading through flagship drills.
- ✗The CT kit's CP2.0 compact batteries are the platform's weakest packs; the drill wants a 5.0Ah to show its best.
- ✗Milwaukee holds street pricing far firmer than DeWalt - the deep $75-100 promo cycles DeWalt compacts see rarely happen in red.
- ✗Only on the market since late 2023 with a modest review base, so the long-term reliability record is still thin.
Makita XPH12 18V LXT Compact Brushless Hammer Drill
- ✓Standout power-to-weight: at 3.61 lbs with a compact battery it was among the lightest hammer drills in Pro Tool Reviews' compact shootout.
- ✓Makita's 18V LXT 2.0Ah packs recharge in 25 minutes - the fastest charge turnaround of any mainstream platform, so two batteries never leave you waiting.
- ✓Owner reviews consistently praise trigger smoothness, low vibration, and precise low-speed control for finish and cabinet work.
- ✓Proven since 2016 with a 4.4-star average across 218 Home Depot reviews - the long-term reliability record its newer rivals can't match yet.
- ✓Brushless motor delivers up to 50% more work per charge than Makita's brushed models, and owners echo the strong battery life.
- ✓The 18V LXT ecosystem is the industry's largest at roughly 300 tools, all sharing the same Star Protection batteries.
- ✓Street pricing runs well under list - Walmart sells the bare tool for around $110 versus $154 at Home Depot.
- ✓30,000 BPM hammer mode covers Tapcons and shallow anchors without carrying a second tool.
- ✗Middle-of-the-pack muscle: PTR's compact shootout measured it 6th in torque (126.4 in-lbs average under load) with a 62% efficiency rate.
- ✗Owners report slow going and heavy battery drain when hammer-drilling in hard masonry - it's a wood-and-metal drill first.
- ✗A recurring complaint: after a few uses some units' mode collar sticks in the hammer setting.
- ✗The design dates to 2016 and has never been refreshed, while DeWalt and Milwaukee have each turned over their compacts twice since.
- ✗530 in-lbs on paper trails the DeWalt DCD805's 796 in-lbs at nearly the same street price.
- ✗Kit pricing is uncompetitive - $274 for the 2.0Ah XPH12R kit versus $199-219 for rival kits with equal or bigger batteries.
- ✗No anti-kickback protection, no multi-mode LED, no app features - it's a bare-bones spec sheet by 2026 standards.
- ✗Makita's US push toward the separate XGT 40V platform leaves LXT buyers wondering how long flagship development continues.