Makita Dual Charger

[Onoff]

I'm after a Makita dual charger.

 

Are the Chinese clone chargers worth a punt / safe? This sort of thing is half the price of the genuine Makita one:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fast-Rapid-Battery-Charger-for-Makita-DC18RC-Li-ion-LXT-7-2-18V-Double-Twin-Port/254452036281?hash=item3b3e85f2b9:g:9rcAAOSwKsRedcj~

[Carrerahill]

2 hours ago, Onoff said:

I'm after a Makita dual charger.

 

Are the Chinese clone chargers worth a punt / safe? This sort of thing is half the price of the genuine Makita one:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fast-Rapid-Battery-Charger-for-Makita-DC18RC-Li-ion-LXT-7-2-18V-Double-Twin-Port/254452036281?hash=item3b3e85f2b9:g:9rcAAOSwKsRedcj~

When it comes to my Makita tools, I always go genuine, I know a builder who bricked a brand new battery in a dubious charger, the batteries have chips in them, that I can confirm, I don't believe this bit though, but I was told 80 full charge cycles and then they stop taking a charge, as I say this figure seems too low, a tradesman could easily kill a battery in 40 days then, I don't know, maybe if he is that busy then £35-55 for a battery is just seen as an expense.

 

I have Makita 18V stuff and always just go for the 4Ah batterys which are not bad, never felt the need for the almost double the price 5Ah battery. I could maybe see it if I was using a big SDS drill or circular saw all day but for impact, 1/2" impact, drill the 4Ah has more than enough capacity - I still like corded, the rest of my Makita is corded - the grid has good capacity!

 

The first time I bought a Makita tool it was a bare unit, I then bought a £120 drill from Screwfix just for the charger and battery at the time it was the cheapest way to get the charger and battery. I have since nearly bought another whole set just to get more batteries as I see you can usually sell the bare tool for about 50% of the whole kit price.