My tool experience is limited, but with Makita you seem to be describing the same anachronism principle you find in espresso machines.
Arguably the best espresso machines in a class are reminescent of the same model you found 40+ years ago. If you’re looking for the B+ range, everything worth buying has a big metal E61 grouphead with manual levers. In the S-class range, you tend to have more manual levers as often as bells or whistles. My new machine that cost more than I deserve (wife bought it) is basically an oldschool machine with nothing modern in it but a PID controller. Legend has it, it will be passed down in my family for generations to come (exaggeration, but not much).
Hmmm. You may be right. I have owned no Makitas. I’m going by tear-down videos. AvE may have gone a bit off the rails, but he’s done some really good tear-downs of different tools, and looked at the quality of the materials, the casting, the motors, switches, and so on. He consistently was impressed by Makita’s build quality… but all of those videos are, like, 6 years old, or older.
It’d be too bad if even the “good” makers like Makita went the quantity-over-quality commercial route.
Interesting, I would rank it: Milwaukee >= Dewalt > Makita >… Ryobi. Makita always feels like it was great for 20yrs ago.
My tool experience is limited, but with Makita you seem to be describing the same anachronism principle you find in espresso machines.
Arguably the best espresso machines in a class are reminescent of the same model you found 40+ years ago. If you’re looking for the B+ range, everything worth buying has a big metal E61 grouphead with manual levers. In the S-class range, you tend to have more manual levers as often as bells or whistles. My new machine that cost more than I deserve (wife bought it) is basically an oldschool machine with nothing modern in it but a PID controller. Legend has it, it will be passed down in my family for generations to come (exaggeration, but not much).
Makita is still great.
Definitely, all the top 3 are.
Hmmm. You may be right. I have owned no Makitas. I’m going by tear-down videos. AvE may have gone a bit off the rails, but he’s done some really good tear-downs of different tools, and looked at the quality of the materials, the casting, the motors, switches, and so on. He consistently was impressed by Makita’s build quality… but all of those videos are, like, 6 years old, or older.
It’d be too bad if even the “good” makers like Makita went the quantity-over-quality commercial route.
Yeah, they aren’t bad tools at all, (Except some of the batteries) They are just a bit dated and bulky compared to the other 2.