Have had two Makita's over the years.... replaced them with a Dewalt
14.4 that now is suffering from tired batteries. It's been a workhorse though and given me good service. That said I will give serious consideration to the Panasonic 15.6 (?) ... a co-worker has one and it's a nice unit. I find most of the 18 volts are too bulky for my needs. The Panasonic offers a bit of an upgrade (over my Dewalt 14.4) but in a very compact package. Whatever you decide, make sure you go somewhere where you can handle 'em for yourself and see what feels right for you. Good Luck Lenny