Makita 18V X2 LXT 16" Chainsaw Kit vs Makita 40V Max XGT 16" Chainsaw Kit
Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.
What owners like and complain about
Makita 18V X2 LXT 16" Chainsaw Kit
- Uses standard 18V LXT packs — the kit's two 5.0Ah batteries power hundreds of other Makita tools
- Light and nimble: 11.5 lbs with batteries, more than 2 lbs less than Milwaukee's 16" saw
- Noticeably quieter than competitors — owners prune at dawn without neighbor complaints
- Auto power-off and battery gauges prevent the dead-battery surprises common on other saws
- Tool-less chain tensioning and a large, easy-fill oil reservoir
- Kit includes a dual-port rapid charger, so both packs recharge simultaneously
- Only 32cc-equivalent by Makita's own rating — the weakest 16" saw in the big-brand battery field
- Burns through battery pairs fast under real bucking; owners report short work sessions per charge
- Needs two charged packs every time — one flat battery sidelines the whole saw
- 3,940 FPM chain speed trails EGO (20 m/s ≈ 3,940) and far behind XGT's 5,020 FPM in cut feel under load
- Makita has shifted OPE focus to 40V XGT, leaving LXT saw accessories in maintenance mode
Makita 40V Max XGT 16" Chainsaw Kit
- 5,020 FPM chain speed — the fastest chain in the 16" battery class, and it shows in cut speed
- Legitimate 42cc-class power that no longer embarrasses Makita next to EGO and Milwaukee
- Standard 3/8"LP/.050 91PX chain — replacement loops cost $15 anywhere, no proprietary sizing
- Outstanding build: XPT sealing, inertia chain brake, metal spikes, tool-free tensioning
- Variable-speed trigger with excellent low-speed control for careful limbing
- 45-minute rapid charger in the kit keeps a two-battery rotation viable
- $629 kit price is the highest in the 16" battery class — an EGO CS2005 20" kit costs less
- Included 4.0Ah pack manages only ~30 cuts in 12" wood by Makita's own claim; spares are $200+
- 13.9 lbs with battery — heavier than the LXT saw it effectively replaces
- XGT batteries don't interchange with Makita's own 18V LXT fleet, restarting your battery investment
- Modest 46-review pool at retail; long-term durability record is still thin compared to rivals