Makita XEC01Z 18V X2 (36V) LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 9" Power Cutter, with AFT®, Electric Brake, Tool Only

Purchased this saw to cut concrete roof tiles on a roof and it performed very well. It was able to make about 50 roof tile cuts for the rakes of the roof. Note that we did not cut an entire valley and I can imagine that about 8 battery sets would be needed to cut an entire 40 square house with 6 valleys. Yes you will be swapping a lot of batteries on a big job and this tool may not be the correct one for those types of jobs. However for small roof tiles repairs it is very very very light to carry on one hand and to pickup to make the cuts. I do recommend.

I hate to even give this tool a review. I don’t want the competition buying this saw and using it too.I do a lot of masonry repair and remodeling work. These little saws are GREAT for my purposes. And the blades might be the best, longest lasting blades I’ve ever used.I only have one, tiny, little complaint. I wish the saws used blades that were 10” instead of 9”. With that extra inch on the blade I would be able to cut just over 1/2 way through a standard 8” block wall (7 5/8” to be exact) from each side. As it is I don’t quite reach half way in and the cuts aren’t as perfect and clean as they could be.I could use a 12” or larger saw and blade, but they’re heavier, louder and more dangerous to hold up against a wall. These smaller electric saws are so much safer and easier to manage.

I own both of these saws (DeWalt and Makita)The Makita diamond blade ( P/N E-02973) that comes with the Makita saw is head and shoulders above the DeWalt blade (P/N:DWAF8900) that comes with the DeWalt saw, and by a large factor; the DeWalt blade used up a 1/4" vs the Makita only 1/32" on the same job....that is a factor of about 8X. Conversely, the DeWalt abrasive blade (P/N: DWAF9818) that comes with the saw was markedly better than the Makita stock abrasive blade (P/N: E-23298)Both Makita and DeWalt rate of cut was not noticeably different; however, when I tried the new type Makita thin kerf blade (P/N: E-23298) that is designed specifically for battery saws, both tools cut at a faster rate, and I think this thin kerf Makita blade also helped the DeWalt batteries from over heating and shutting downThe comparative battery life was hard to determine; both tools could use up batteries at a good clip. I found that when pressing the DeWalt for a period of time the battery (9AH) would stop working and needed a cool down period; whereas the Makita batteries went to the very end.The adjustable blade guard on the DeWalt is a great feature to have, especially for plunge cutting into walls.Both saw's water system eliminated the dust completely. The double sided water system on the DeWalt could obstruct your line of sight on certain cuts.Both saws were comfortable, well balanced and easy to handle.The quick water disconnects are almost identical on both saws and I found to be interchangeable.I trust the water shutoff on the DeWalt much more than the Makita valve which broke internally on my saw for unknown reasons.Rebar embedded concrete is not a problem for either of these saws.I concluded that with either saw, I would use the Makita ultra-premium diamond blade E-02973 or Makita thin-kerf blade E-3298. DeWalt does indeed make a premium diamond blade, but it does not come with the tool and I don't know the P/N. DeWalt makes and comes with the much better abrasive type blade DWAF9818.Makita has the soft start, a work light and a battery charge level indicator that are really nice features to have. Both tools stop within about a second of releasing the trigger and both tools have overload warning lights and will stop automatically if jammed. The DeWalt comes with an on board wrench; the Makita wrench you will probably lose the first day on the jobActual Measurements that I made for myself:Makita w/ diamond blade, 5 ah bateries (2) installed: 14 lbs 11.6 oz, height 11.5", width 9.5", length 23"DeWalt w/ diamond blade, 9 ah battery (1) installed: 14l bs 13.4 oz, height 12", width 7.5", lenghth 26"The depth of cut with new blade:Makita 3-1/2"DeWalt 3-1/4"Incidentally, I discovered that I could fit the Makita 9" x 1/4" depressed center grinding wheel (Makita P/N A-96051) on the Makita tool, but not on the DeWalt; that ability can be very useful.The features between the saws are not precisely equal, however, you would probably be safe going with the tool you have the most batteries and chargers for.If batteries are not the issue, I would give Makita the advantage.

Purchased for my remodeling company. I do alot of basement remodels that include kitchen and full bathrooms. This saw cuts thru a 4" concrete slab easily.The water system works excellent to keep the dust to a bare minimum. I used one of those as seen on tv flex hose that stores and wraps up easily after use. This worked well to attach to the water system as I think it could be the only weak link with the saw. The saw has a appetite for batteries but not a problem as I have a extensive collection of Makita tools and batteries. I imagine concrete block would be a breeze to cut.The supplied Masonry blade worked flawlessly.A little pricey but I believe it paid for itself on the first job. I was able to cut about 40 feet of concrete in a few hours. Probably used 8 or 10 fresh 5amp batteries.

I haven’t really put it to the test yet, but I have cut some bluestone slabs with it and it cuts through them like butter.Battery life is decent

Cut cement block well and green concrete sidewalks. Make sure you have plenty of batteries. Overall worth its money

Purchased this before a retaining wall project, specifically for cutting Versa-Lok block and caps. 6" blocks were cut with a top/bottom pass, ~4" caps were cut with a single pass and cleaned up with a diamond blade angle grinder.Saw works great, but for extended work you really need dual 5.0 Ah batteries and the fast dual charger. The water flow is great, making a respirato unnecessary IMO. All in all, a great saw that paid for itself very quickly. Even cut a 14' long section of sidewalk without skipping a beat

Push the connection hose firmly into machine. It will be a firm push and an obvious click in place. If your connection is not complete it will pop off and leak. Once connected it will work great.