Does investing in the Makita DLX2539ST 2-Piece Combo Kit LXT (Drill & Impact Driver) make sense for every DIYer?

Whenever you buy one of the best cordless drills, you’re often also paying for the potential to use the same battery and charger with other tools from the maker’s range. This Makita bundle gets you off to a flying start, giving you the DTD157 impact driver along with the DHP490 combi drill in a two-piece combo kit.

The two tools offer wide-ranging drilling and driving capabilities. With the DHP490 combi drill, you get drill, hammer drill and screwdriver modes, plus two gears, a variable speed trigger and torque up to 65Nm. Meanwhile, the DTD157 impact driver has a hex. 1/4" drive shank and can turn a wide range of machine screws and bolts, with hard impact and soft impact modes ranging up to a mighty 140Nm of torque. Both tools boast a brushless motor and Makita’s famously on-point ergonomics.

In theory, this two-in-one combo should therefore offer the best value for money, and strong performance of both tools. As an experienced DIYer, I put them both through the ropes to see if the investment was worth it.

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Where to buy the Makita DLX2539ST 2-Piece Combo Kit LXT

Key specifications

• Cordless tool family: Makita LXT
• Intended uses include: drilling wood, plastic, metal and masonry; driving screws and lugs
• Battery capacity: 5.0Ah (x2)
• Voltage: 18V
• Drill speed: 0 - 500 / 1,900 min⁻¹
• Impact driver torque: 140Nm (max)

What's included

• Makita DHP490 cordless combi drill
• Makita DTD157 impact driver
• 2 x 18V, 5.0Ah lithium-ion batteries
• DC18SD battery charger
• Hard carry case

Both tools included are 18V models from Makita’s LXT range, and they can also be bought individually. The Makita DHP490Z 18V Cordless Brushless Combi Drill costs £68.50 from B&Q as a bare unit without the battery, while the Makita Impact Driver DTD157Z, also from B&Q and again as a bare unit, costs £62.99.

However, buying both tools together as the DLX2539ST kit could represent the best value, as also included in the set are two 18V, 5.0Ah lithium-ion batteries, the Makita Battery Charger LXT DC18SD (which can also charge 14.4V Makita batteries), and a slimline hardcase to store and carry the set.

How I tested

I tested the Makita DLX2539ST 2-Piece Combo Kit LXT by using it for an appropriate selection of DIY tasks, including drilling into brick and installing fixings.

1. Hammer-drilling holes in brick

Among the dozens of cordless combi drills I’ve tested, the Makita DHP490 from this kit is one of the very best at drilling into hard, dense materials like brick and breeze blocks. I’ve used many different models to drill holes in my home’s walls, which are built from very hard brick, and this has proven difficult with some drills. The DHP490 took around 30 seconds to perform the same job that demanded several minutes of struggle with competing models. My only gripe was that the chuck struggled to keep a secure hold of certain narrow drill bits.

You can see the sort of project that’s easily achievable with this drill in my article on how to hang shelves.

2. Driving screws

Both of these tools can drive screws. The DHP490 combi drill performs the task perfectly well, with its choice of 20 torque settings, two gears and the variable speed trigger collectively giving you excellent control over the force applied to the screw.

But it’s the DTD157 impact driver that really excels in this area. With a hex screwdriver bit securely installed in the collar, it turns fastenings with impressive power. I found this tool extremely helpful when working with long or stubborn screws that had proven impossible for me to turn using a screwdriver or combi drill. Just take care not to apply excessive force, as this can strip the drive on a screw – especially if the screw is relatively low-quality.

3. Drilling into wood

This is another job for the DHP490 cordless drill. I found that it worked quickly and powerfully when drilling into test pieces of hardwood and engineered board, boring neat holes with minimal effort. Where holes needed to be especially neat, I used the gear selector to choose the lower rev range for highly controlled drilling.

Ease of use

Even though this power tool kit is aimed at the more experienced end of the DIY market, it’s no more difficult to use than an equivalent set for occasional users or beginners. The controls, such as the direction selectors on both tools, and the mode selection collar on the cordless drill, work fluidly and intuitively. Charging the batteries is as easy as slotting one onto the charger.

If you’re new to using impact drivers, then you might face a slight learning curve with this component of the Makita kit. An impact driver typically has higher torque than a comparable cordless drill, which means drill bits and screws are subjected to stronger force. That’s generally a good thing, but it means you should use high-quality screws and extras such as this Makita E-12011 10 Piece Impact Black Bit Set from Amazon to minimise the risk of these components breaking, or the screws being stripped. In routine use, the DTD157 impact driver is even simpler to use than the DHP490 combi drill.

Battery performance

The Makita DLX2539ST kit never let me down in terms of battery life. Between the two included batteries you have ten amp-hours of work potential, which proved more than enough to get me through a day of DIY. I found that the included charger could recharge one of these hefty batteries within less than two hours, so there’s scope to power one of them back up during a mid-renovation meal break.

As with all lithium-ion batteries, the ones supplied with this kit will noticeably degrade after a number of years (or after sustained heavy use). You’ll maximise their good performance by following good battery maintenance practices, such as keeping the batteries charged to a moderate level and storing them at room temperature.

Who should buy it?

Clearly, this twin-set of tools is most relevant to users who will make good use of an impact driver, as well as a cordless combi drill. If you’re a keen DIYer and you often need to drive large or awkward screws, then using the impact driver will make this easier.

With this Makita bundle, you can work quickly by using the drill to make holes, and the impact driver to install fastenings into them. As there are two batteries included, you won’t even need to switch this component between actions (unless one battery is recharging).

On the other hand, I wouldn’t recommend this kit to casual DIYers who would rarely use the impact driver. If this sounds like you, then you might be better off buying the Makita DHP490SFX2 18V 1 x 3.0Ah Li-Ion LXT Brushless Cordless Combi Drill & Drill Bit Set from Screwfix that comes with the same drill, plus a high quality set of drill bits and other accessories in place of the impact driver.

Final verdict

True to form, Makita has delivered an impressive and capable power tool kit. The combi drill and the impact driver are both excellent tools in their own right, and when used together during complicated DIY projects they can bring a welcome boost in speed and convenience. Battery life and recharging are excellent, and the hard carry case is a smart and practical solution for keeping the set in good and orderly condition.

I have only a few gripes to mention – a drill chuck that’s not ideal for the narrowest drill bits, and a price that will put off some occasional DIYers – but neither is a deal breaker. The Makita DLX2539ST 2-Piece Combo Kit LXT is another powerful piece of evidence that Makita is the ultimate ‘prosumer’ brand for DIYers who are taking their home renovations seriously.