Makita Cordless Drills Resale Value

Makita cordless drills: price by condition

Seller-declared grades, sterling with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). What each grade means.

What holds its value across Makita

• 18V LXT tools, which are the largest cordless range on the market and have the deepest pool of buyers already invested in the batteries
• Brushless models, identifiable by the badge on the housing, which outlast and outperform the brushed versions and are priced accordingly
• Healthy high-capacity LXT packs, which often sell for more than the tool alongside them and are the part buyers actually need
• Petrol and cordless garden machinery, where Makita is a genuine alternative to the specialist brands rather than an afterthought

What pulls Makita resale value down

• Confusion between LXT and the newer 40V XGT platform, which share nothing — listing one as the other produces a return and a poor review
• Degraded 18V packs, especially older ones with the raised terminals, which have usually lost a good part of their capacity
• Worn carbon brushes on the older brushed tools, which are a cheap part but signal a tool that has done substantial work
• Corroded terminals on batteries stored in damp garages, which prevent charging and are not reliably cleanable

Identifying and dating yours

1. The model number on the nameplate identifies the platform: LXT and XGT tools are named differently and the packs are not interchangeable
2. The brushless badge is printed on the tool body, and it is worth putting in the listing title because buyers filter on it
3. Battery labels give the voltage and amp-hour rating; photograph the label rather than describing it, since buyers check compatibility themselves

What lifts any cordless drill, whatever the label

The drill is rarely the valuable part — the batteries and the platform they belong to are what buyers are actually buying.

• Batteries holding a full charge on a current platform
• Brushless motors, which last far longer
• Complete kits with charger, case and spare battery
• Recognised trade brands with wide battery compatibility

And what pulls one down

• Degraded batteries, the usual reason these are sold
• Discontinued battery platforms with no replacements
• Worn chucks that no longer grip bits securely
• Bare tools with no battery or charger

Working out what yours is worth

1. Charge each battery fully and test under load
2. Tighten a bit and check the chuck holds without slipping
3. Confirm which battery platform it belongs to

What to state in the listing

• Brand, battery platform and voltage
• How many batteries, their amp-hour rating and their tested condition
• Whether the charger is included, and whether it is the fast charger
• Chuck size, clutch settings, and whether the case and bits are included

Brand, voltage and batteries: “DeWalt 18V Cordless Drill with 2 x 4.0Ah Batteries and Charger”. Battery count and capacity belong in the title because they are most of the value. Naming the platform matters — buyers already invested in a brand’s batteries search for it specifically.

Preparing and photographing it

1. Note the battery platform, voltage and the amp-hour rating of each battery.
2. Charge every battery fully and test how long each holds under load. Degraded batteries are the main reason used cordless tools are cheap.
3. Test the chuck, both speed settings, the clutch and the charger.

1. The drill with a battery fitted, from the side
2. All batteries and the charger laid out together
3. The battery labels showing voltage and amp-hour rating
4. The chuck and clutch collar, plus the case and any bits

When it sells best, and handing it over

Steady all year with a spring lift. Trade-brand tools with healthy batteries sell within days; tools with tired batteries need honest pricing.

Postable, but lithium batteries are restricted by some couriers — check before promising, and never post a damaged or swollen battery.

What buyers ask

Are Makita LXT and XGT batteries interchangeable?

No. They are separate 18V and 40V platforms with different fittings, and adapters are limited. Always state which system a tool takes, in the title, to avoid returns.

Is a bare Makita tool worth listing?

Yes — there is a large market of people already on the LXT platform who want the tool alone. Say clearly that no battery or charger is included and price it as a bare unit.

How much is a Makita cordless drill worth?

Roughly £33 to £198 depending on condition, against £30 to £180 for cordless drills generally. The identification points above are what move a listing to the top of that range.

What the fees would take elsewhere

At the mid-range £115 for a Makita cordless drill, against what the commission marketplaces would deduct:

Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026, percentages only — the per-order and processing charges those platforms add are excluded, so the real gap is wider.

Listing is free and there is no commission — read how to sell a cordless drill for the title, handover and timing, or the general cordless drill value guide if yours is not a Makita.

See also: all Makita value guides · value guides by brand · buying a cordless drill · Tools & DIY · condition grades.