Makita GT500M 40V max XGT 5-Pc. Combo Kit with GRJ01 Recipro Saw review

GT500M is Makita's 40V max XGT five-tool combination centered on a GRJ01 reciprocating saw, not a saw-only kit with unrelated extras. Makita's exact U.S. page lists two 4.0Ah BL4040 batteries, a rapid charger and a wheeled tool bag alongside the five tools. This is a document-based assessment of that published package and the linked GRJ01 manual, not a hands-on test. It does not establish cut speed, runtime, comfort, vibration, seller stock or current price.

The exact GT500M box is the first decision

The maker names GPH01Z hammer driver-drill, GDT01Z impact driver, GRJ01 reciprocating saw, GSR01 rear-handle 7-1/4-inch circular saw and ML001G LED flashlight. The 2024 Makita release identifies the recip as GRJ01Z. The package also lists two XGT BL4040 4.0Ah packs, DC40RA rapid charger and a bag with wheels. Those details matter more than the generic phrase “five-piece combo”: the bag, second battery and other tools belong to GT500M's kit record, not to tool-only GRJ01Z. The maker's shipping data says 48 lb for the full package, with a 14 by 14 by 36-inch box; neither figure is the weight or dimensions of the reciprocating saw alone.

What the included saw documents

The GRJ01 body is a full-size, two-hand cordless saw on Makita's 40V max XGT platform. The exact GRJ01 product material and family manual specify a 1-1/4-inch stroke, low and high ranges reaching 2,300 and 3,000 strokes per minute, a brushless motor, a six-position lengthwise shoe and a lever-operated blade release. Makita explicitly lists no selectable orbital setting. The shoe's positions change its longitudinal position; the reviewed sources do not give a pivot-angle range. Do not confuse this older GRJ01 with later XGT GRJ02 models that have a documented orbital selector, or with the chain-vise GRJ03 pipe saw.

The manual calls for removing the battery before installing or removing a blade, seating the blade properly and checking its retention. It advises keeping the shoe against the work, stabilizing the material and accounting for hidden electrical wiring or piping and blade clearance. Capacity entries and no-load stroke counts are manufacturer specifications, not predictions that this particular kit will complete a cut at a given pace. The combo page does not itemize a recip blade; choose and confirm a material-appropriate blade rather than borrowing the contents list from GRJ01M1 or another bundle.

When the wider set makes sense

GT500M is worth considering when the drill, impact driver, rear-handle circular saw and light would all have a role, and the buyer wants XGT batteries and charger included in the same purchase. It is a poor fit if the only missing tool is a recip saw, if the owner has already standardized on a different battery platform, or if storage and transporting a large five-tool box are problems. The generic finder can match this as a current full-size cordless package with battery and charger; it has no Makita XGT choice, so a public match does not prove platform compatibility.

Checks before selecting this SKU

Confirm the printed GT500M model number and compare the seller's box with Makita's current exact item list. In particular, distinguish the rear-handle GSR01 circular saw from the GSH01 saw in GT501M, and check that the two batteries, charger and wheeled bag are present if they are part of the offer. Verify XGT battery and charger compatibility in the GRJ01 manual; an 18V LXT pack is not established as compatible by the Makita brand name. Ask whether a reciprocating-saw blade is included because GT500M's reviewed list does not say. Inspect the actual seller's condition and package details: a manufacturer reference page is not proof of stock or of the contents of every resale listing.