Makita vs Milwaukee:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Milwaukee had more branded searches than Makita among wood router brands worldwide. Milwaukee had about 18,100 branded searches, while Makita had 14,800. Milwaukee made up 24.6% of all wood router brand searches we track, and Makita accounted for 20.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about wood router brands, Makita appeared in four of the five answers and Milwaukee in one. Makita was mentioned before Milwaukee in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Milwaukee, about 22% more searches than Makita
Who does AI mention more?
Makita, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Milwaukee in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Makita, named ahead of Milwaukee in 3 of 4 answers
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Top wood router brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Makita was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Milwaukee was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Makita was listed before Milwaukee in three out of four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
DeWalt5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Makita4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Milwaukee1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Ryobi1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Festool0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Triton0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about wood router brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best wood router for a beginner?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which plunge router should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best cordless router for woodworking?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wood router”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“plunge router”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 27, 2026.
Is Makita or Milwaukee more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Makita and Milwaukee by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six wood router brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Milwaukee, Makita. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | DeWalt | Milwaukee | Makita | Ryobi | Festool | Triton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 35.6% | 19.4% | 19.4% | 15.9% | 7.1% | 2.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 36% | 19.7% | 19.7% | 16.1% | 5.9% | 2.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 37.4% | 20.4% | 16.7% | 16.7% | 6.1% | 2.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 32.8% | 21.9% | 17.9% | 17.9% | 6.5% | 2.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 35.8% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 16% | 5.8% | 3.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 40.6% | 18.1% | 18.1% | 14.8% | 5.4% | 2.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 35.8% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 16% | 5.8% | 3.2% |
| May 2026 | 36.5% | 19.9% | 19.9% | 16.3% | 4.8% | 2.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 33.4% | 22.3% | 18.2% | 18.2% | 5.4% | 2.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 33.4% | 22.3% | 18.2% | 18.2% | 5.4% | 2.4% |
| Aug 2026 | 30.5% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 6% | 2.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 30.2% | 24.6% | 20.1% | 16.5% | 6% | 2.6% |
Milwaukee and Makita sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “milwaukee router”.
How has the Makita and Milwaukee comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Milwaukee was ahead of Makita in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Makita’s share of searches among wood router brands worldwide moved from 19.4% to 20.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 14.8K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Milwaukee’s share of searches among wood router brands worldwide moved from 19.4% to 24.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14.8K to 18.1K.
How did search popularity change for wood router brands worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Milwaukee overtook Makita to rank 2nd among wood router brands worldwide, with 24.6% of the searches.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Makita’s and Milwaukee’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among wood router brands
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