Makita 40V max XGT Lineup Expansion: Ten Cordless Tools Worth a Look

Introduction

Makita has rolled out a substantial wave of new 40V max XGT tools, and the message is clear: the 40V line is where the professional-level power lives. The new arrivals span outdoor power equipment, metal cutting, woodworking, dust extraction, and even jobsite cleanup, all built around the same XGT battery platform.

What makes this wave interesting is that most of these tools make direct claims against gas engines or against Makita’s own 18V LXT equivalents. That gives buyers a fairly concrete way to judge whether stepping up to 40V makes sense for the work they do.

What We Looked For

When sorting through a batch this large, a few criteria help. We paid attention to claimed power equivalents (typically expressed in cc for outdoor equipment), runtime and cutting capacity figures, ergonomics such as vibration control and balance, and whether a tool genuinely benefits from the higher-voltage platform rather than just existing on it. Tools that share the XGT battery family also get a practical advantage: one battery line covers everything from a pole saw to a dust extractor.

Pole Saws: Makita GAU-01 and GAU-02

Makita is launching two 10-inch pole saws, the GAU-01 and the GAU-02. Both are rated to deliver the power of a 35cc gas engine, which is a serious claim for a pole saw. The difference between the two is reach: one is an 8-foot saw, while the other is a 13-foot telescoping pole saw that gets you higher for trimming without a ladder.

The pitch here is familiar for anyone who has moved off gas outdoor equipment: lighter weight than the gas equivalent, easier starting, easier control, and far less maintenance. For anyone regularly trimming high branches, that combination is the whole argument.

Hedge Trimmers

Alongside the pole saws come two single-side hedge trimmers, available in 24-inch and 30-inch blade lengths. The motor is rated as equivalent to a 22.7cc gas engine, with a claimed 13% more torque, and Makita says they are designed to cut through thicker branches.

The instant-torque character of electric motors is the selling point here: power arrives the moment you squeeze the trigger, with no pull cords or fuel hassles. If you have a lot of hedge line to maintain, the 30-inch version covers ground quickly.

String Trimmers and Brush Cutter: GRU04, GRU03, and GRU002

The 17-inch string trimmers, the GRU04 and GRU03, are 40V brushless machines rated equivalent to a 30cc gas string trimmer. Both use a steel drive shaft for lower vibration, and the GRU03 adds a debris shield for safer operation. These make sense for trimming on slopes or around obstacles where a mower cannot reach.

For heavier clearing work, the GRU002 brush cutter also uses an efficient brushless motor delivering the power of a 30cc engine. It features a steel shaft for lower vibration and a brake handle design aimed at improved grip and ergonomics. Brush cutters are normally run with a shoulder strap, and with a wide stance and steady sweeping motion they take down material a string trimmer would struggle with.

Deep Cut Bandsaw and Metal Cutting Saw

Moving indoors, Makita’s 40V deep cut portable bandsaw is a notably large, substantial tool compared with the trend toward ever-smaller cordless saws. The brushless motor delivers two times the cutting power of the comparable 18V LXT model, and it offers a 5-by-5-inch cutting capacity. This is the tool for cutting serious pipe on the jobsite.

The 40V brushless 7-1/4-inch metal cutting saw takes a different angle on metal work: it has an electric brake and a chip collector, which matters a lot on residential jobs where metal chips falling into living spaces create a cleanup problem. The brushless motor delivers up to two times the cutting performance of comparable 18V models, and Makita claims up to 160 cuts per charge on a basic 4.0Ah battery.

Reciprocating Saw: Makita GRJ02

The GRJ02 is a 40V brushless AVT orbital reciprocating saw that pairs fast cutting with lower vibration. It has a 15-amp class motor equivalent, putting it in corded-saw territory, with a setting for faster cuts in wood. Exclusive anti-vibration technology and an internal counterbalance keep it manageable during long demo sessions.

The form factor is a nice touch: rather than an extra-long body, this is a more compact design that lets you get into tighter spots, which honestly makes it easier to control during demolition work.

Circular Saws with Guide Rail Base: GSH03 and GSH04

The GSH03 and GSH04 are 40V brushless circular saws, one taking a 9-1/4-inch blade and the other a 10-1/4-inch blade. Both feature a guide rail compatible base, meaning they can run on Makita’s track saw system.

That guide rail compatibility is the standout detail. Track saws have been slow to catch on in some markets, but adoption is ramping up quickly, and for good reason: they handle most of the straight-cut work people reach for a table saw for, often faster and with a better safety profile. Whip out the track, set it down, and go. A 40V cordless circular saw that doubles as a track saw is a genuinely useful two-in-one.

Pin Nailer and Compact Router

For finish work, the new 23-gauge brushless pin nailer fires 15% faster than the LXT model. The real benefit of the 40V platform here may be runtime: a 2.5Ah battery should realistically carry you through most of a workday. It drives six different lengths of 23-gauge nails with a maximum magazine capacity of 120 pins.

The 40V brushless compact router is a full-featured trim router with a 1.5 horsepower class motor and five speed settings. Makita is not claiming big performance gains over the 18V version; the practical appeal is simpler. If you are already invested in the 40V line, you can now add a trim router without carrying a second battery ecosystem.

Dust Extraction: Wet/Dry Vac, HEPA Extractor, and Stick Vacuum

The 40V brushless 2.1-gallon wet/dry extractor vacuum is built for both jobsite and janitorial use. It moves 148 CFM with a 92-inch water lift, which is genuinely impressive for a machine this size, and a second battery bay lets you carry a spare 40V battery for extended runtime rather than draining both at once.

The GCV01 is the dry-side counterpart: a 40V brushless 2.1-gallon HEPA filter dry dust extractor with AWS capability. When you are cutting concrete or doing dust-controlled work, this kind of extraction is not optional; in many places it is required. It shares the 148 CFM and 92-inch water lift figures, and AWS-equipped tools can pair with it for Bluetooth wireless power on and off, which is a tidy bit of automation.

For lighter cleanup, the GLC02 is a 40V brushless four-speed compact stick vacuum built for tight spaces. It pulls 42 CFM with an 84-inch static water lift, which is remarkably strong for a stick vac, and delivers up to 64 minutes of runtime on a 2.0Ah battery. That is a legitimate cleanup tool rather than a novelty.

Polisher and High-Speed Dust Blower

The new 7-inch polisher brings cordless polishing to the 40V line for situations where mobility matters, with a variable speed trigger and a control dial to match speed to the application. Whether a polisher truly needs 40V power is a fair question, but the headroom is there if you want it.

The most unusual arrival is the high-speed brushless dust blower. Its inline fan design and shorter length improve balance and ergonomics, and it pushes air at up to 447 miles per hour at 39 CFM. With five included nozzles for precision cleanups, it is essentially a battery-powered compressed air gun. That is a niche tool on paper, but for blowing out dust from tools, fixtures, and tight cavities without a compressor hose, it has obvious daily appeal.

Buying Advice

If you are already running Makita 40V XGT batteries, this lineup gives you reasons to stay: the vacuums, circular saws, and reciprocating saw all lean on the platform’s power in ways the 18V line cannot fully match. If you are coming from gas outdoor equipment, the pole saws, trimmers, and brush cutter make the usual electric pitch: lighter, quieter, easier to maintain, with claimed gas-equivalent power to back it up.

Metalworkers should look hardest at the deep cut bandsaw and the metal cutting saw with its chip collector, while finish carpenters will find the track-saw-compatible circular saws and the long-runtime pin nailer the most compelling. Dust control buyers have both a wet/dry and a HEPA dry option at the same 2.1-gallon capacity, so the choice comes down to the work you do.

Conclusion

This is one of the more well-rounded XGT expansions to date, covering outdoor power, metal, wood, and jobsite cleanup with tools that make concrete claims about gas or 18V equivalents. Not every tool needs 40V power, but as a platform play, it increasingly means one battery family can cover nearly everything you do on site.