Makita DUB185Z vs XBU05Z: My Real Shop Test

Makita DUB185Z vs XBU05Z tools look the exact same. I tested both tools in my own wood shop. I want to share my real test facts with you. Read on to see which tool wins this test.

Makita DUB185Z Cordless Blower

I bought the Makita DUB185Z a few months ago. I got it for my own busy wood shop. This is the world version of the blower tool. I shipped it here just to test it out.

I use it to blow off my table saw. I tested it on thick dust and wood chips. The tool cleared my bench in five flat seconds. The air power is very good for its size.

It feels very light in my bare hand. I even used it to dry my wet car. It pushes the water right off the car paint. This saves me from using dirty shop rags.

After weeks of use, it held up very well. I dropped it twice on the hard cement floor. It did not break or crack from the fall. The rubber grip is thick and feels very nice.

The power life is good but not very great. A big pack lasts fifteen minutes on max speed. You will need a spare pack for long days. It is much better than sweeping with a broom.

I tested the noise level in my closed garage. On low speed, the sound is very soft today. On high speed, it whines with a high pitch. I wear ear muffs to keep my ears safe.

I also tried it on my dirty yard patio. It blows dry leaves off the hard stone fast. But it fails on wet leaves stuck to grass. The air tube is just too short for yards.

Makita XBU05Z Cordless Blower

Next is the Makita XBU05Z hand shop tool. I bought this tool from a local hardware store. This is the official US version of the blower. I wanted to see if Makita changed the parts.

I took the XBU05Z to a real house job. I used it to blow dust out of walls. It worked just like the other world model. The trigger feels very smooth to the touch.

I used it to clean my messy work truck. It blows dirt out of the floor mats fast. I do not have to drag out a huge vacuum. It saves me time every single work day.

I checked its power with my old shop blower. The Makita is smaller but pushes air much faster. The tight tip gives you very safe air control. You can blow dust without losing small loose screws.

There were no bad issues over the long weeks. It starts up fast every time I grab it. The motor sounds smooth even after rough hard use. It is a very stable piece of shop gear.

I use the XBU05Z to clean my miter saw. Wood dust gets trapped deep inside the slide rails. The fast air blasts the sticky dust right out. This keeps my saw cuts smooth and very safe.

The tip curves down just a little tiny bit. This helps point the air right at the floor. You do not have to bend your back down. It saves my sore back after a long day.

Details Comparison for Makita DUB185Z vs XBU05Z

I want to compare these tools on real work. I do not care about shiny brand tool ads. I care about how they work in real life. Here is my hands on test shop data.

Core Capability Comparison

Both tools have the exact same core work traits. They blow air fast but move a small volume. They are not made for big yards or lawns. They are made for tight spots and quick jobs.

I found they work best for blowing off tools. They do very poorly on wet green grass leaves. You need a big yard blower for that work. For daily shop work, they are just perfect.

I want to talk about the air speed modes. Speed one is a soft breeze for light dust. Speed two is great for standard dry wood chips. Speed three gives you the full max wind blast.

You must pick the right speed for the job. Too much wind will blow your parts away fast. Too little wind will leave heavy dirt right there. The three choices make the tool very handy.

Airflow Accuracy and Control

You might wonder why control matters for a blower. It matters when you clean near small shop parts. You do not want to blow away loose screws. Both tools give you very stable air streams.

The speed trigger reacts fast to your light touch. I can squeeze it to move light dust away. Or I can pull it flat for max air. The results are the same every single time.

The trigger is not an on and off switch. It is a true change speed pull hand trigger. You can pull it slow to build up wind. This gives you exact control over the air stream.

I test this by blowing dust near open paint. I pull the trigger slow to keep paint clean. A cheap blower would just blast dust in paint. This exact control is why I love this tool.

Design and Practical Use

These blowers are exactly the same size and weight. They are very easy to swing with one hand. They feel nice even after a long clean up. The tool never feels heavy in your bare grip.

One small work issue is the side air vent. It sits on the left side of the tool. If you hold it close, it sucks your shirt. This is bad but very easy to avoid.

The tool stands up flat on its flat base. You can set it down on your work bench. It will not roll off the edge and break. This small design touch is very smart and helpful.

The battery slides in on the back end flat. This puts the heavy weight behind your hand grip. It acts like a counter weight for the tube. You do not fight the tool when you work.

Build Quality

The build quality is what you expect from Makita. The plastic body is thick against hard shop bumps. The rubber grip gives you a tight safe hold. It feels very solid when you use it.

I checked the dial firmness on both blower units. The speed dial clicks right into the exact place. It does not feel cheap or loose at all. Both tools can handle the drops of a job.

I look closely at the seams of the plastic. The two halves fit together tight and very flush. There are no wide gaps for dust to enter. This keeps the inside motor clean and very safe.

The switch has a good rubber boot on it. This stops fine dust from ruining the power switch. I have seen cheap switches fail from shop dust. Makita knows how to seal a tool up tight.

Battery Life and Power

Battery life is the biggest limit for small tools. Small blowers use a lot of power from packs. On speed three, a large battery drains very fast. I got fifteen minutes of hard solid shop use.

If you turn the speed down, it lasts longer. The small motor gets warm but not too hot. The long term cost is low for Makita fans. You do not need to buy brand new cells.

The tool runs on the old eighteen volt line. This means you can use your old shop batteries. You do not have to buy the new type. This saves you a lot of hard earned cash.

The motor uses standard brushes inside the tool shell. Brush tools cost less but run a bit shorter. I think the brush motor is fine for this. It keeps the retail price low for us all.

Conclusion

The Makita DUB185Z and XBU05Z are the exact same. Buy the XBU05Z if you live in the US. Buy the DUB185Z if you live in other places. Both are great tools for your daily shop work.