I bought one of these to replace a defunct Craftsman "Professional" cordless drill I received a few years ago as a gift. When the Craftsman's batteries finally died and would no longer take a charge, I decided to buy a better drill rather than sink almost one hundred beans in two new Craftsman NiCd batteries. pThe difference is night and day.pThe Makita is incredibly comfortable to hold. The NiMH batteries are long-lasting and, so far, have none of the problems the Craftsman's NiCds did. (The NiMH technology makes for longer lasting batteries generally, both in use per charge cycle and total number of useful charge cycles. NiCd is garbage.)pThe clutch system works great, as does the two-speed transmission. The torque on this thing is monstrous for a cordless. I don't find the ability to "lock out" the clutch particularly useful, but it certainly doesn't hurt anything.pThe chuck works really well. Nice keyless. In all, this is a great drill. I've used it on numerous projects and it always does what I ask of it. And it feels like it is going to last for a long, long time.pNice job, Makita.

I owned a Makita 12v for several years and used it constantly, often drilling holes in hardwood and concrete. I invested money in replacement batteries, motor brushes, and even a new gear box to keep it going. Then the hi/lo speed gears finally gave out so that i could only use low speed. Even that I dealt with for almost two years. Finally i bought this 14.4v model and could not be happier. No other manufacturer even comes close to the Makita's ergonomics and weight balance. However...
br /
br /The hi/lo switch again, only this time after 1 month, not 5 years! Luckilly i bought it at Home Depot and promptly returned the item. That was in August and since then I've returned two more. I just can't give up on this awsome drill! So, now i'm babying my fourth one. Be very careful how you switch back and forth between hi and low speed. I use this drill all day, every day, so maybe you won't have this problem. Just be aware. Good luck!

This is a quality product. Ergonomics, weight, and power make it useful for just about every job around the house or shop. The battery life is incredible. I've hung sheetrock, taken down ceiling fans, screwed down flashing roofing paper, removed faceplates, and replaced rain gutters on a single charge with no problems.
br /
br /Used it to build a kiosk in a mall that needs to be screwed together as well as about 15 holes drilled (1.5" spade bit) into formica/particle, and sometimes 2 walls thick. Worked perfect. I usually use a corded drill for the holes (and hole saw bits) but didn't have it at the time. Really came through in a pinch and the Metal Hydrides are great. Lots of torque and power (16 clutch settings).
br /
br /The chuck has worked great for me. I like the all metal construction and bits seem to center up if I face the drill upright and jiggle it a little. I made the mistake of tightening down a bit with the clutch locked and burned my hand. I put on a glove if I want to wrench down tight on a drill or bit but I've never HAD to.
br /
br /The forward/reverse button is easily switched one-handed (the "above-trigger" levers I find annoying), the drill is ambidextrous, and the rubber grip feels good. I have a medium hand size but it looks like it scales well. The switch isn't too stiff and variable speeds are easily achieved as you squeeze, even for delicate work like switchplates.
br /
br /The drill is easily cleaned. After hanging sheetrock, it looks brand new after a quick wipe down.
br /
br /I only have one very small gripe. I would like to carry common items in the case with the drill but since the walls do not go from top to bottom, everything drops to the bottom making a big mess.
br /
br /I have no regrets about buying this drill. Quality is always my first concern. I still have an old 9v from back in the day - and the other mfg's drills just didn't seem to have the same feel. If I'm unsure about a tool, I always buy "up", hoping my skills/projects will improve to the point where the best is needed. With a Milwaukee corded, a hand drill, and this unit; I'm set for quite some time. Although, the 18v is also priced pretty well if you need that extra power and don't mind the weight. Either way - it's a great product.

Purchased 14.4 vt. model 6333D in Feb. 2000. It is tough and versitile. I have a Black and Decker Firestorm also, and when useing the BD, I often go grab the Makita. The drill has been wet four or five times. After five years one battery pack went out, so I opened it up and found evidence there has been water inside. One cell corroded. The other pack is strong. My spouse works for BD and gets employee pricing, but I'll stick with Makita.

Makita's 14.4 Volt Cordless Drill delivers long term power with excellent torque in a variable speed tool. It is considerably heavier than the old 9.6 Volt cordless I have but it is well balanced and fits the hand well. My only complaint, which is minor, is that Makita could do a bit better in the case that holds the drill, two batteries and charger. Plastic is okay, but at least stabilize the items inside. All-in-all a quality Makita tool.

This Makita is fantastic. It is reversable with ease and feels great in the hand. The really big plus on this system is the Nickel Metal Hydride batteries that are used in this model. They are the reason I chose the Makita in this model. They last a long time and recharge fast. The best part about them is that you don't have to be concerned about the timing of the charging unlike nickel cad's which are a real bear to manage (if you want the most from your battery life and performance). I looked at some of the other major manufacturers, but decided on Makita because of top shelf quality and absolutely because of these Nickel Metal Hydride batteries used in this system (I did not see these style of batteries in the competitions products). You can charge them at any time in their use cycle quickly and without worry. With the charger supplied, you don't even need to be concerned about overcharging the batteries. It's impossible to overcharge the batteries even if you leave them in for hours longer than the normal one hour charge time necessary to recharge them fully. It also has lights that display if the battery needs to be charged, when it's charging, when charging is complete, and even if the battery is no longer good (you'll probably never see this situation).
br /
br /This drill has two speed ranges. The switch to change from low to high and back is located ot the top of the drill. I will say that the only inconvenience I have found with the drill is that this this speed switch is mechanical in nature and recessed with not a lot of switch to grab onto. This makes it a little difficult to toggle.
br /
br /Other than that everything else is great. It has a fantastic amount of power to tackle any around the house and most professional tasks (within design parameters for a hand held drill/driver). It is very comfortable to use. It is heavier than cheaper and less capable drills, but you have to expect slightly more weight for the power and heavy duty quality you get from Makita.
br /
br /For any drill/driver system, I would recommend one of those quick change systems on the market. They let you switch from drill bit to screw driver to socket driver effortlessly without the need to constantly lock and unlock the chuck (this saves you tremendous time and effort).
br /
br /I bought this Makita here at Amazon at a great unbeatable price with free shipping saving me over one third the cost of buying it in-town. So if you are considering a good quality drill at a very reasonable price and one that you will probably never have to replace, look no further.

This is a solid unit in typical Makita form. The NMH batteries are superior to Ni Cad batteries and a main selling feature to me. The only issue I have is the stiffness of the 2 speed selector., if your hands are not really dry it is a real struggle to change speeds. I would recommend this drill to anyone and it has a solid keyless chuck as well. Overall a solid no nonsense unit that has an electronic brake that is super.

I am a contractor and use my tools hard. I have found this particular drill driver to be exceptionally good. The balance is exceptional and the relatively light weight is no problem over a long day. I am impressed with the battery run time and relatively quick charge. This is the 3rd 6337 I have owned (I work my tools hard) and probably not the last. This particular drill was reconditioned and it looks and performs as if it was straight from the factory.
br /I would recommend this drill to anyone.

Makita, in my opinion makes some of the best power tools around and this drill is no different. It is one of the most well-balanced cordless drills I have ever used, it weighs more like a 12 volt than a 14.4 volt drill. The 1/2" ratcheting chuck works great, it even holds onto 1/16" bits without the bit falling out. You can't beat the run time of the NIMH batteries, much better than the older NiCads. The only feature I didn't like was the case. It seems to be a universal (one size fits all) size, so the contents in the case tend to move around alot and the clasps are made of plastic not metal. I will still give the Makita 5 stars, because I am rating the performance of the drill, batteries, and charger, the case is just an added accessory.

Overall I like this drill. It's fairly light, has good balance, and good battery life. I really like having two-speed options and a clutch; I don't think I'll ever buy another drill without these options.

But I have had some issues.

At one point, the clutch was freaking out and not turning the drill at all. No matter what setting it was on, the slightest pressure caused the clutch to slip. I'm not really sure why this happened, but it did resolve itself and it has been working for 6 months since then without a repeat of this problem.

The other issue is the batteries. The batteries themselves hold a good charge that allows you to get a lot of work done. But after a year of use, I've noticed that the charge held by the batteries has gone down significantly. I've looked at getting new batteries, but they are so ridiculously expensive that it makes more sense to just buy a new drill... which I will be doing shortly I'm sure.

so far it's OK the price was the main factor for the purchase, also own a 18 volt Ryobi

Makita drills are the best. This is the fourth drill in my family and I will buy more when needed. I have dropped 2 stories, beaten on nails, cracked the case open and worked the heck out of them and they still work. No comparison to other drills I have had.

If you want a tool and not a toy, you have to pay a few extra bucks. This is an awesome tool. Best one I have ever owned.

My only prior experience with cordless drills is a Black and Decker Firestorm, so it should come as no surprise to hear me say I love my new Makita 14.4V drill. The BD felt "cheap" (and it was) - the Makita feels very solid and I love that the batteries are NiMH (not Ni-Cad!). I also asked for and received a Makita flashlight for Christmas that uses the same batteries - a nice flashlight with a tilting head. It works nicely when you are changing a light fixture in the dark and need a flashlight that you can set down and project onto your work area.
br /
br /So far I've used my drill for a few miscellaneous things - removing an old over-range microwave and installing a new one and installing a few light fixtures. With the "low gear" I feel like I've got all the torque I'll need for the types of jobs I do around the house. Next up - mount an HDTV antenna and drill some holes to run RG6 coax. I'll have to get some longer drill bits and drill through double-stacked 2x4s. I have no doubt I'll be OK with this drill.

This is the third identical cordless drill we have purchased: one for my husband and one for each of our young adult sons. I don't have any feedback to report from our sons, but this Makita is my husband's favorite tool of all time. He uses it for all sorts of projects around the house and has found it to have plenty of power. It is dependable; I've never heard him complain about any aspect of its use.

I tend to drop my tools a lot, and this drill doesn't seem to care. I have weak hands, but I find it light enough to use for a while without feeling fatigued, and the trigger is easy to pull. I am so pleased that it comes with two batteries, so I am never left without power, and the 14.4 volt model has proven to be perfectly adequate for everything I have had to use it for so far. I do wonder why the case is so big, but it does leave me room for a couple of drill bit cases and the extra battery, but they aren't very snug in there.

I purchased this item for the FANTASTIC price of $98 on Amazon. The price was cut for just a few days, so I grabbed it. It came with two NiMH batteries, not NiCd as indicated, which is fine...the NiMH's don't have "memory effect." Anyhow, the drill is a real professional model, 1/2 inch size, and it will do a super job. I'm just a DIY'er, so won't be putting it to daily use...it will probably outlive me.

The drill has performed beyond all my expectations. The service from Amazon was very good and I will return for more purchases.

I beat the heck out of this drill, I actually had it smoking once because I got a 3" hole saw jammed. I couldn't believe that after it cooled down it was still cranking away. Love it!

I bought this drill to replace a very old Makita 9.6. I have used it for several months on a number of projects. So far I have been completely satisfied.

Just got it a couple of weeks ago. So far no problems. I got the model with the light which runs on the same battery as the drill. The light cover needs to be screwed on tightly to work properly. Best feature: the only cordless drill I could find actually made in the USA. Even if it was made in Japan as some of their models are, I'd rather give them my money than companies that ignore their conscience and give their business to China.

This is my second Makita cordless drill set, the first one being a 12 volt, 3/8" chuck. It also included the battery powered light. This system has been a lifesaver, as I've done some work in new builds, installing cabinet drawer slides, drawer door handles, knobs, etc. Having the light, and a light weight cordless drill has made the jobs so much easier, since the lighting in the new builds isn't always up and running at the time I'm working there.
br / After 3 years of use, the 12 volt batteries have lost a lot of their "torque" power, and the drill was also beginning to wear out. When I finally broke down and decided to upgrade, there was no question my next cordless was also going to be a Makita. Settled on the 14.4 volt, 1/2" chuck model. Found the charger will still charge my old 12 volt batteries (I still use them for my light) and even though I've only had the new drill for about a month, it's serving my needs very well.

The Makita 14.4 volt drill worked great. My first use of it was in putting up a new back fence. The drill was easy to handle, the tension was easy to adjust, the batteries lasted a good length of time and were easy to change/recharge. Very happy with the purchase. Can hardly wait to do another project using the drill!

I was in the market for a new cordless drill since my 12V Craftsman gave up the ghost. I built a lot of furniture and did a lot of DIY projects around the house. As a result, I was looking for a drill that had very good battery life, good ergonomics, and on-tool storage for screwdriver bits.
br /
br /I bought this 14.4V drill and am pleased with the battery life, charger function, and charge time (1hr or less).
br /
br /I am VERY dissatisfied with the chuck on this drill! The chuck does not hold drill bits well and allows them to slip. Now my drill bits look like I tried to cut screw threads on their shanks.
br /
br /The second issue with the chuck is that the bits (screwdriver or drill) never self-center in the chuck jaws when going from a larger diameter to smaller diameter bit. The bit gets caught in between the chuck's jaws.
br /
br /I would not recommend this drill, at this price, to anyone.
br /