Things you should read before buying Makita compatible batteries. The results of a father of three's serious investigation were shocking
To everyone giving their all to housework, childcare, and work every day, thank you for your hard work!
👇 Please come visit my main blog (ele-app.com) as well!
When using Makita vacuum cleaners and power tools, I think you've probably thought about this at least once.
"What's the difference between genuine batteries and compatible ones?"
Genuine ones are 8,000 yen. Compatible ones are 2,500 yen.
When you see this difference, you think, "They're the same inside, right?" I get it. I thought so too at first.
But as a father raising three children, when I actually looked into it—
honestly, it was chilling.
235 fires in 10 years. And 97% of them were...
According to official data from NITE (National Institute of Technology and Evaluation), in the 10 years from 2014 to 2023, there were 235 accidents caused by non-genuine batteries.
Of those, 227 resulted in fires incidents.
This includes cases where buildings were completely burned down.
What if it caught fire while charging? In the middle of the night while the children are sleeping. In the living room.
—The moment I imagined that, the "difference of a few thousand yen" took on a completely different meaning.
But, I don't mean to say "so you must buy genuine."
"So, isn't there a way to buy genuine ones cheaply?"
There is. And it's a method that only those in the know benefit from.
It's called "set-split items (DZ items)".
Have you heard of it? If you don't know this, you are definitely losing out.
It's a way to buy brand-new, completely genuine products for several thousand yen less for a certain reason. It's not suspicious, nor is it illegal.
However—there are times when you might fail if you buy without knowing the precautions.
The reason why many people regret the 40Vmax battery due to its "weight"
Another point that is easy to overlook.
The weight of Makita's 40Vmax battery changes significantly depending on its capacity (Ah). The lightest BL4020 (2.0Ah) is about 690g, while the high-capacity BL4050F (5.0Ah) is about 1.32kg. The difference is actually over 600g, which is more than the weight of a plastic bottle.
When combined with the vacuum cleaner itself, the difference in total weight becomes a level that cannot be ignored.
But for families raising children where you are vacuuming while holding a child in one arm on a daily basis—this difference is a matter of life and death.
"I wish I had bought a lighter one" is a pitfall you only notice after purchasing.
I talk about everything in detail on my blog
A 5-axis comparison table of genuine vs. compatible, a list of specs and weights for all 40Vmax battery models, how to wisely choose items separated from sets and the precautions you absolutely must check, and even the "correct way to dispose of batteries" that was legally revised in April 2026—
I have written it all together on my blog.
👇 Click here for the complete guide seriously researched by a father of three
If you take the time to choose your battery properly once, Makita will become a partner you can use for a long time. I hope this serves as a reference for shopping without regrets.