Makita XAG04Z (18V LXT Brushless 4-1/2 in./5 in. Cut-Off/Angle Grinder, Tool Only)

By Makita · Angle Grinders · Power Tools

  • 18 V LXT brushless
  • Wheel 4-1/2 in / 5 in
  • 8,500 RPM no load
  • Spindle 5/8 in-11
  • Weight 5.6 lb with battery

Lowest price seen
$179.00
from $179.00 at Ace Tool · Checked Oct 10, 2026

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A compact 18V brushless angle grinder for metal cutting and grinding, sold as a bare tool for the Makita LXT battery platform. Check whether you already own Makita 18V LXT batteries before you buy — the tool is priced without one.

Strengths

  • Brushless 8,500 RPM motor with soft start and bind-up shutoff.
  • Tool-less wheel guard and spindle lock make wheel changes quick.
  • Works with every Star-symbol Makita 18V LXT battery from the BL1815N to the BL1860B.
  • Ships with a grinding wheel, an ultra-thin cut-off wheel, guard, side handle and lock nut wrench.
  • 3-year limited warranty, registered through Makita.
  • Owners in r/Makita describe smooth operation and a tool that feels safe.

Weaknesses

  • No electric brake — the wheel coasts to a stop, and r/Makita owners repeatedly recommend paying extra for a braked model.
  • No variable-speed dial, no LED work light, no lock-off button.
  • Bare tool only: without Makita 18V batteries the total approaches $300-400 once you add a battery and charger.
  • No X-LOCK wheel mount; that system belongs to newer grinders such as the XAG25Z and XAG26Z.
  • No independent instrumented test exists for this exact model, so performance claims rest on manufacturer specs and owner opinion.

Verified specifications

ModelXAG04Z, the bare tool; XAG04T is the kit with battery and charger.
Battery platform18V LXT lithium-ion, slide style; battery and charger sold separately.
Motorbrushless, 8,500 RPM no-load speed.
Spindle5/8 in - 11 UNC with spindle lock.
Wheel size5 in. wheel shipped; the guard also takes 4-1/2 in. wheels.
Switchslide with lock-on; no lock-off button.
Electric brakenone — the wheel coasts after the trigger is released.
Variable-speed dialnone.
ProtectionsActive Feedback-sensing Technology (AFT) bind-up shutoff, Star Protection Computer Controls, anti-restart, soft start, XPT dust and water sealing.
LED work lightnone.
Battery gauge3-stage LED.
Dimensions14-1/4 in. long with a standard battery, 13-3/4 in. with a compact one.
Weight5.6 lbs. with a standard battery, 5.1 lbs. with a compact one.
In the box5 in. INOX grinding wheel (36 grit), 5 in. ultra-thin cut-off wheel, tool-less guard, side handle, lock nut wrench.
Warranty3-year limited, registration required.
Compatible batteriesStar-symbol 18V LXT packs including BL1815N, BL1820(B), BL1830(B), BL1840(B), BC1850, BL1850B and BL1860B.
Full research notes and sources

Battery platform, batteries and what it costs

The XAG04Z is a bare tool. It runs on Makita’s 18V LXT slide-style lithium-ion platform, and the battery and charger are sold separately, so the total rises fast if you do not already own packs. Every Star-symbol 18V LXT battery fits, from the BL1815N to the BL1860B.

Home Depot, Northern Tool, Acme Tools and ToolUp list the bare tool at $179.00 (October 2026). Jackson’s Hardware lists it at $179.99, MSC Direct at $221.97 and DK Hardware at $257.67. Way Source has shown a $119.99 cart price against a $169.00 list. Buyers without batteries face a tool-plus-battery-plus-charger total that approaches $300-400, and the kit version XAG04T is $474.00 at Home Depot.

Safety features, and the brake it lacks

Makita builds in several protections: Automatic Speed Change adjusts torque under load, Active Feedback-sensing Technology (AFT) shuts the motor off if the wheel binds, Star Protection Computer Controls guard against overload, over-discharge and over-heating, and anti-restart plus soft start round out the list. XPT sealing is aimed at dust and water on job sites.

The recurring owner complaint is the missing electric brake — the wheel coasts to a stop after you release the trigger. In a September 2024 r/Makita thread, one owner calls the XAG04Z the cheap option but says paying extra for a braked model is “100% worth it”. Home Depot lists the braked XAG11Z at $196 and the XAG16Z at $259. There is also no variable-speed dial, no LED work light, no lock-off button, and no X-LOCK wheel mount — that system appears on newer grinders such as the XAG25Z and XAG26Z.

What owners and reviewers report

Owners are thin on the ground but positive. In an r/Makita grinder thread, one owner calls the XAG04Z “a very nice quality tool to work with”, with very smooth operation and a feeling of safety. Walmart customer reviews land in the same place — “well built” — though one snippet notes that batteries can struggle. Angle Grinder 101 leads its Makita grinder roundup (2022, updated 2026) with the XAG04Z, but that review synthesizes manufacturer specs and user comments rather than measurements. Two YouTube reviews are positive and equally unmeasured. iFixit lists no recalls or known failures for the XAG04 (2017) and hosts repair guides and a parts breakdown. No independent instrumented test of this exact model has been published — treat the evidence here as manufacturer data plus owner opinion.

Is it worth it?

If you already own Makita 18V LXT batteries, the XAG04Z at $179 is a fair-value bare tool: brushless speed, solid protections and a full wheel kit in the box. Below $150 it is a strong buy; above $200 the missing brake and X-LOCK start to hurt against newer Makita grinders. The strongest deal documented in this research window is Way Source’s $119.99 cart price. Without the platform, the $300-400 all-in total weakens the case badly — at that money, look at what the kit competition offers.

Which model this is

This page covers the Makita XAG04Z, the bare-tool 18V LXT brushless 4-1/2 in./5 in. cut-off/angle grinder released in 2017. The kit version with battery and charger is the XAG04T. Do not confuse it with the corded XAG03 or the newer XAG11Z, XAG16Z, XAG20Z, XAG25Z and XAG26Z grinders. UPC 088381-684613. The US Amazon listing is ASIN B071KD1CHB.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Repair and parts:

Retail listings:

Related products