I've never owned or used a Hitachi tool, but I've handled them in stores and they look and feel very cheaply made. The first thing I noticed on the site was the 18V Li-Ion drill, which costs as much as my 18V Makita but has far less aH rating on the battery. I've also been told by people who have bought Li-Ion battery tools that when it runs out, it just stops, no warning that it's going dead, and if your backup isn't charged you're pretty much screwed for two hours. I got the last of the NiMH, which can sit in the case for three months and still have a full charge, and runs for a very long time even after it's noticably slowing down and getting weak.