Seven wins for Makita at the 2026 Pro Tool Innovation Awards with seven wins, and four of the winning tools are stocked at Home Depot right now. Pro Tool Reviews, which runs the awards, published the breakdown on October 9. The list covers a brad nailer, a rebar tying tool, an angle impact wrench, and a $5 bit accessory, and it is a good snapshot of where Makita is pushing its lineup this year.
The Four Winners at Home Depot
Makita XNB04Z 18V LXT Brad Nailer, $369 bare. This replaces the long-running XNB01 with double the firing speed and a working weight around 1.5 pounds lighter, at 6.1 pounds. The magazine holds 110 nails, it drives 18-gauge brads from 9/16 to 2 inches, and depth adjustment is tool-free. Anyone who has run the older XNB01 on trim work knows the weight was the main complaint, so this is a real upgrade, not a refresh.
Makita GRT01Z 40V max XGT Rebar Tying Tool, $3,015 bare. The industry’s first 40V cordless rebar tier. Makita rates the ties up to 65% stronger than the 18V model, with consistent performance across wire mesh up to #9 rebar. Six tie strength settings let you match the tie to the job, and a 2.5Ah battery is good for about 3,600 ties per charge. The price is steep, but this tool targets commercial concrete crews where a $3,000 tool pays for itself in a week of tying.
Makita XLT03Z 18V LXT Angle Impact Wrench, $279 bare. We covered this one when it shipped in September. It puts out 250 ft-lbs of fastening torque and 390 ft-lbs nut-busting in a 4-pound right-angle head, which is the whole point: it reaches fasteners a straight impact wrench or ratchet cannot.
Makita Impact XPS Mag Boost, $5.47. The sleeper pick. It is a magnetic sleeve with two rare-earth magnets that slips over any standard bit and claims 10 times the screw-holding strength of a bare bit. For overhead work or driving in tight spots, five dollars is cheap insurance against dropped screws.
The Other Three Winners
The remaining three wins went to the 40V XGT 5-inch paddle-switch flathead grinder, the 18V/40V tower work light, and the 40V XGT Motor Unit, the drop-in gas engine replacement that has been rolling out across Makita’s OPE line. None of those are Home Depot stock at the moment.
What This Means for Buyers
Awards season is marketing season, so treat the PTIA badge as a shortlist, not a verdict. That said, the XNB04 addresses a genuine weakness in Makita’s nailer line, and the GRT01 is a category first. If you are already in the LXT platform and do trim carpentry, the new brad nailer is the most relevant of the four. The rebar tier is a commercial purchase through and through.
All four tools are in stock at Home Depot at the prices above as of October 10. Bare tools only, so budget for batteries if you are not already on the platform.
More on the tools mentioned:
- Buy Now at Home Depot (XNB04Z brad nailer, $369)
- Buy Now at Home Depot (GRT01Z rebar tying tool, $3,015)
- Buy Now at Home Depot (Impact XPS Mag Boost, $5.47)
Related reading on Power Tool Insider:
- Makita XLT03 Right-Angle Impact Wrench: $279 Bare, Now Shipping
- Best Cordless Brad Nailers 2026: 18-Gauge Tested
- Best Cordless Nailers 2026: From Framing to Finish Work
Source: Pro Tool Reviews, October 9, 2026. Prices verified at Home Depot on October 10, 2026.