This week, we have two of the heaviest hitters in the game going 1 vs 1. Representing the premium professional class and with their most advanced, highest-performing models, we have a Makita vs Milwaukee hammer drill head-to-head review for you!
Check out our Makita vs Milwaukee overview for a higher-level comparison of these two powerhouse brands!
For Makita, it’s the 40V max XGT GPH01 hammer drill. Using Makita’s newest platform, it’s running at twice the voltage of Milwaukee and boasts Makita’s most advanced battery ever.
In the red corner, Milwaukee’s 4th generation M18 Fuel Hammer Drill is ready for action. It sports upgrades in both performance and features, earning our #1 overall recommendation in our 2023 Best Cordless Drill buying guide.
Both drills had to complete four performance tests as part of our evaluation. While certainly the most significant aspect of drills at this level, performance isn’t everything. We’re also going to consider size, weight, features, and price. We’ll set all that out for you, and you can decide for yourself which of these impressive tools deserves the win.
Isn’t There A Newer Makita Drill?
Makita does have a second drill on the XGT line. However, the GPH02 is a compact model and focuses on reducing size rather than getting the highest possible performance. For this test, we want the fastest, strongest models available, ADN that’s the GPH01 for Makita.
Makita Vs Milwaukee Hammer Drill Specifications
Before we jump into the performance tests, here’s how these two drill line up on paper.
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 | |
| Top Speeds | 650/2600 RPM | 500/2100 RPM |
| Max Torque | 1250 in-lbs | 1400 in-lbs |
| Max Hammer Rate | 39,000 BPM | 33,000 RPM |
| Head Length | 7.1 in | 6.9 in |
| Bare Weight | 3.7 lbs | 3.3 lbs |
| Weight w/Tested Battery | 5.3 lbs (2.5Ah battery) | 4.9 lbs (5.0Ah battery) |
Makita Vs Milwaukee Hammer Drill Test Results
We ran a series of four tests to gauge the performance of both hammer drills. Before each test, we fully charged the battery.
Soft Torque
To test the soft torque, we used an inline torque meter and drove a thick lag screw as far as we could into stacked OSB subfloor. This gives us an idea of how much torque each drill is able to put into wood fastening, but it’s not perfect.
Modern brushless motors sense the load and shut the motor off before it reaches its full power potential as a protection mechanism. Still, we get an objective, comparable number that’s representative of the soft torque in a demanding wood fastening application.
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 | |
| Max Measured Torque | 428 in-lbs | 539 in-lbs |
Spade Bit
For our medium-load test, we used a 1-inch spade bit with a self-feeding tip to drill through 4 inches of stacked and glued 1/2-inch OSB. The result is the average of three tests. Any outlier results were thrown out, and the run repeated.
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 | |
| Average Time | 2.6 seconds | 3.4 seconds |
Self-Feed Bit
To get an idea of how these hammer drill perform under a heavy rough-in load, we used a 2 9/16-inch self-feed bit to drill through a 2×4 pine stud. We tried each drill in high speed first, and if it was unable to complete the test, dropped into low gear. The result is the average of three tests. Like before, we eliminated any outlier results and repeated the test.
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 | |
| Average Time | 2.1 seconds | 2.6 seconds |
Concrete Bit
The final test was drilling through concrete. Using a 3/8-inch concrete twist bit, we drilled 3 inches deep in fully-cured 4000 PSI concrete. We took the average of three tests to get our results. Again, in the event of any outliers, we threw out the result and repeated the test.
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 | |
| Average Time | 4.2 seconds | 3.7 seconds |
What About Milwaukee’s High Output Battery?
To make out Makita vs Milwaukee hammer drill head-to-head review a little more complete, we also gave Milwaukee the advantage of running the same tests with its 6.0Ah High Output battery. You won’t find that battery kitted with this tool, and it adds a bit more weight to the package, but we did see some improvement. Here’s how it all stacked up:
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 w/5.0Ah | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 w/6.0Ah HO | |
| Soft Torque | 428 in-lbs | 539 in-lbs | 591 in-lbs |
| Spade Bit | 2.6 sec | 3.4 sec | 2.6 sec |
| Self-Feed Bit | 2.1 sec | 2.6 sec | 2.2 sec |
| Concrete Bit | 4.2 sec | 3.7 sec | 3.4 sec |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs | 4.9 lbs | 5.7 lbs |
Makita Vs Milwaukee Hammer Drill Highlight Features
As the flagship drills for their respective platforms, these some of the best features available from these two top brands. Here’s a quick breakdown of the major highlights:
Makita GPH01
- Brushless motor
- Kickback control
- Electronic clutch (41 low-speed settings, 21 high-speed settings)
Milwaukee 2906
- Brushless motor
- Kickback control
- One-Key customizable controls, tracking, inventory, and security
Makita Vs Milwaukee Hammer Drill Price
The last piece of the puzzle is price. As top-tier tools from premium brands, it’s not a surprise to find that these drills are on the expensive side of what’s available. That doesn’t mean they’re a bad value, though. When you need the best performance available or the most innovative features make a real difference in how productive you are, top-of-the-line tools can actually be a fantastic value.
One more quick note—Milwaukee’s hammer drill is also available without the One-Key features. We’ve included that price as well.
| Makita XGT GPH01 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2906 | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2904 | |
| Bare Tool | $244 | $249 | $199 |
| Basic Kit | $499 GPH01 Hammer Drill 2 x 2.5Ah Battery | NA | $299 2904 Hammer Drill 2 x 5.0Ah Battery |
| 2-Tool Combo | $469 GPH01 Hammer Drill GDT02 Impact Driver 2 x 2.5Ah Battery | $449 2906 Hammer Drill 2957 Impact Driver 2 x 5.0Ah battery | $379 2904 Hammer Drill 2953 Impact Driver 2 x 5.0Ah Battery |
