Bosch Professional 18V or Makita LXT: which platform to choose

Bosch Professional 18V vs Makita 18V LXT

Too close to call for demanding home use and renovations. Choose Bosch Professional if you want the better guarantee (batteries included) or use other AMPShare brands. Choose Makita if you want the biggest own-brand range and plan to use it in the garden too.

Reviewed on 5 November 2026 · Data from the official websites, linked at the end · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Head to head

	Bosch Professional 18V	Makita 18V LXT
Tools in the range	Over 350 of its own; over 430 from 35+ brands with AMPShare	Over 440 products
18V batteries	ProCORE18V 4.0 to 12.0 Ah; EXPERT 4 to 15 Ah	2.0 to 12.0 Ah
Backwards compatibility	Every blue 18V battery since 2008	Every LXT battery
Guarantee in the UK	3 years if registered in PRO360, batteries and chargers included; 5 years on EXPERT	3 years on tools if registered; batteries and chargers 2 years, not extended
Starter kit	Combo GSR 18V-45 + GBH 18V-22 rotary hammer, 2 × 4.0 Ah	DLX2131TJ: combi + impact driver, 2 × 5.0 Ah

Where the difference lies

Guarantee

This is the clearest difference. Bosch Professional includes batteries and chargers in its 3 years; Makita doesn’t extend them. Batteries are the most expensive part to replace, so it matters.

Ecosystem

With AMPShare, the blue battery runs tools from Fein, Rothenberger, Wagner, Steinel and others. Makita goes it alone, but with more tools of its own.

The Bosch trap

Bosch sells two 18V systems that don’t mix: blue (Professional) and green (DIY). This comparison is about blue. If you already own green batteries, they won’t fit.

The kits

The Bosch kit comes with an SDS-plus rotary hammer, better for concrete; the Makita kit comes with an impact driver, better for long screws. Pick according to your first job.

The assessments summarise opinions that come up again and again in forums and reviews, linked in the sources. I haven’t tested these tools in person.