Makita XGT Price Increases 2026: Which Tools Jumped the Most and What to Buy Instead

Introduction

Makita’s XGT line has a lot going for it: strong power output, better heat tolerance in hot climates, and a 40V max battery platform that feels genuinely commercial grade. But the recent wave of price increases across the lineup is hard to ignore, and some of the jumps are big enough to change the buying math entirely. Below is a rundown of the biggest XGT price moves and an honest look at whether each tool is still worth it at the new price.

Makita XGT Mower: The Sharpest Price Hike

The XGT mower kit used to sit at $699 with two 4.0Ah batteries and a dual charger, which already felt like a stretch when two LXT mowers could be had for around $400 each. Now that kit has jumped to $1,000, an increase of roughly 40 percent. The tool-only version moved from about $649 to $849, and it has become harder to find at big-box retailers anyway.

The higher-tier model, which ships with 2.5Ah-class higher-capacity batteries and a dual charger, rose from around $1,000 to $1,300. That is another $300 jump, and neither the battery count nor the specs explain it. A battery mower is mechanically simpler than a gas machine, so a move of this size is difficult to justify. If you were ready to buy at $699, waiting for a serious sale is the smarter play.

Makita XGT Rear Handle Saw: A $100 Bump

The rear handle saw climbed from roughly $350 to about $450, a $100 increase. It remains one of the more compelling XGT tools because the rear-handle format is genuinely useful for framing work, but the jump pushes it into territory where LXT and competing brands look more attractive on value.

Makita XGT Chainsaw: Great Tool, Hard Price

The XGT chainsaw now lands around $630, and that gets you only a 5.0Ah battery with an 18-inch bar and chain. As a tool, it is excellent; many owners have moved away from their gas saws entirely after switching. But at $630 the value case collapses. At that price point, a high-quality gas chainsaw is the more rational purchase, especially since one battery is rarely enough for a full day of cutting.

Makita XGT String Trimmer: $500 for One Battery

The 36V-class XGT string trimmer kit costs around $500 with a single 4.0Ah battery. These are commercial-grade, heavy-duty trimmers that hold up well in hot weather, and the performance is not in question. But $500 for one battery is a tough sell. With three or four batteries included, the price would feel far more defensible for crew use. Budget-conscious buyers can often find comparable performance elsewhere, and deals on the older LXT trimmers remain common.

Makita XGT Starter Kit: The Weakest Value in the Line

The XGT starter kit has historically hovered around $570. It now sits at roughly $740, and what you get is a drill, an impact driver, an inspection light, a top-handle circular saw, a 2.5Ah battery, and a 4.0Ah battery. The light is a throw-in rather than a real tool, and the top-handle circular saw is a niche format for most buyers. At $740, Milwaukee M18 Fuel, Makita LXT, and DeWalt XR combo kits all deliver more usable tools per dollar. This is the hardest kit in the lineup to recommend right now.

Buying Advice: Where XGT Still Makes Sense

Not every XGT tool moved the same way. The 4.0Ah battery sits around $220, roughly unchanged. Blower kits ticked up modestly. Miter saws have long floated in the $1,200 to $1,500 range depending on size, so there was no dramatic single jump there. If you are already invested in XGT batteries, incremental tool purchases still make sense. If you are starting fresh or trying to convert an entire LXT collection, the math at these prices simply does not work. Retrofitting a full setup could run into the thousands of dollars, and LXT tools go on sale often enough that waiting pays.

The realistic hope is a year-end sale that brings these prices back down. Until that happens, buy XGT selectively for the tools you genuinely need at 40V-class power, and lean on LXT or competitor platforms for everything else.

Conclusion

Makita makes some of the best cordless tools on the market, and the XGT platform is impressive in its own right. But price increases of $300 on mowers, $100 on saws, and $170 on a starter kit are excessive by any measure. Stick with LXT, watch for sales, and only pay full XGT prices when a tool truly has no cheaper equivalent you trust.