When it comes to power tools, there are of course dozens of brands out there to choose from, but not all will provide you with the long-lasting quality that you expect out of your tools. Two of the most well-known and trusted brands at this time include Dremel and Makita.
What we want to do right now is a side-by-side comparison between the two to help you figure out which is the better one for you.
A Brief History of Dremel and Makita
What needs to be said right off the bat is that when people hear the word Dremel, they automatically think of a small rotary tool. Yes, the Dremel line of rotary tools is by far the most popular line of products from this brand, and for many people, it’s the only one they know. Indeed, for many, the words Dremel and rotary tool are synonymous, when in fact Dremel is actually a brand, not just a tool.
Dremel is an American brand of power tools that was founded in 1932 by the Austrian inventor, Albert J. Dremel. The company was founded in Racine, Wisconsin, and is still located there to this day. Albert Dremel invented a wide variety of electric tools that became quite popular, with the Dremel high-speed rotary tool becoming one of the most popular of all time, the product that it is still known for today.
What is important to note is that Emerson Electric bought this brand in 1973, and then sold it to Bosch, which still owns it to this day. Yes, Dremel is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Robert Bosch Tool Corporation. Dremel is estimated to have just under 200 employees with estimated annual revenues of $37 million.
Dremel
On the other hand, we have Makita, which was founded in 1915 by Mosaburo Makita, who created the Makita Electric Works company, in Aichi Japan. The company first started out by selling motors, transformers, and lighting equipment, but by 1960 had become a manufacturer of power tools.
A cool note about Makita is that it was the first company to introduce the nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery tool in 1978, a cordless drill. Makita’s main focuses are power tools and lawn tools.
Makita is known for being a massive company, with over 17,000 employees worldwide and estimated annual revenues of over $4.5 billion, complete with well over ten production plants in eight countries, and a presence in over 40 countries across the globe.
Makita
Dremel vs. Makita: Which Offers Better Quality?
In terms of quality, when it comes to Makita, it is known for producing some very high-quality power tools and gardening equipment, some of the best in the world in fact. Across the board, people are generally very pleased with the high level of quality and functionality, the durability and longevity, and the versatility of Makita power tools, particularly tools such as their cordless drills, their saws, and other related handheld power tools.
Most people would agree that Makita tools are professional quality, meaning that they can stand up to heavy daily use. They’re more than ideal for professional job sites.
In terms of where the products are manufactured, Makita has production plants located in Brazil, Mexico, Romania, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Germany, Dubai, and the United States. The products made in Japan, the UK, Germany, and the USA are considered especially good. Now, do keep in mind that this high level of quality does also come with a certain price. Makita tools are not cheap.
When it comes to Dremel, this brand also produces extremely high-quality products. Dremel may only produce a select few types of tools, not many at all, but the ones they do produce, especially the rotary tools, multi-tools, and small handheld saws, are seen as some of the best, if not the number one best in the world. At the end of the day, matching the quality that Dremel has to offer is almost impossible.
However, with that said, do keep in mind that Dremel tools are also not cheap, not in the least. Yes, this is one of the most expensive tool brands out there, but you get what you pay for, and what you get here is quality.
In case you are wondering where Dremel tools are made, the main manufacturing locations, from the information that we have managed to find, include the USA, China, and Mexico.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
When it comes to the warranties offered by Makita, they are very diverse and it really all depends on what product you get. All Makita tools feature a 30-day replacement guarantee, along with a one-year general warranty for product defects. Gas-powered tools have a two-year warranty, and all lithium-ion tools feature a three-year limited warranty.
All Dremel tools feature a full two-year guarantee, which allows for full repair or replacement free of cost if the tool breaks. If the tool is being used for professional purposes, then the guarantee is 12 months.
Overall, you should check the exact warranty conditions of the tool you are buying as they can differ.
Dremel vs. Makita: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?
There is a simple reality here, which is that if you need a great rotary tool or multi-tool, then there is no better brand than Dremel. Now, even within the three most popular categories of tools on the Dremel site (of four categories total), these being rotary tools, multi-tools, and saws, the selection is very limited. In total, Dremel only makes a few dozen products, but of course, they are very high quality.
On a side note, Dremel does also make 3D printers.
On the other hand, it is fair to say that Makita has the much better product portfolio of the two across the board. Makita makes literally thousands of products, pretty much any kind of power tool or piece of lawn equipment that you could imagine, plus more.
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose?
If you need a high-quality rotary tool or multi-tool, or a 3D printer, then Dremel is the brand to go with. For more or less everything else, Makita is the go-to brand.
Summary
There you have it folks, everything that you need to know about these two very high-quality power tool brands. Now that you know what each brand excels at, you can make an informed decision as to which one to buy your tools from.