Makita vs Milwaukee:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Makita had more branded searches than Milwaukee among drywall sander brands in New Zealand. Makita had about 9,980 branded searches, while Milwaukee had 2,950. Makita made up 38.5% of all drywall sander brand searches we track, and Milwaukee accounted for 11.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about drywall sander brands, Makita appeared in three of the five answers and Milwaukee in none.
Who do people search for more?
Makita, about 3 searches for every 1 for Milwaukee
Who does AI mention more?
Makita, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Milwaukee in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Makita, the only one of the two named
Follow Makita vs Milwaukee and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top drywall sander brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Makita was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Milwaukee did not appear in any of the five 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.
- Makita3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Festool3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Full Boar3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Mirka3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Ozito2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
DeWalt1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Milwaukee0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about drywall sander brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which drywall sander brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best drywall sander brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best drywall sander brand in New Zealand for sanding walls?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“drywall sander nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“electric drywall sander”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 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 seven drywall sander brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Makita, Milwaukee. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Makita | DeWalt | Ozito | Festool | Milwaukee | Full Boar | Mirka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 38.7% | 22.1% | 17.5% | 10.2% | 10.4% | 0.85% | 0.33% |
| Nov 2025 | 35.3% | 28.4% | 17% | 8.3% | 10.5% | 0.52% | 0.09% |
| Dec 2025 | 38.8% | 23.3% | 19.5% | 7.5% | 10.1% | 0.57% | 0.24% |
| Jan 2026 | 39.4% | 22.8% | 20.3% | 8% | 8.6% | 0.59% | 0.24% |
| Feb 2026 | 39.4% | 23% | 16.1% | 9.8% | 10.5% | 0.78% | 0.34% |
| Mar 2026 | 38.2% | 23% | 16.3% | 10.8% | 10.7% | 0.71% | 0.24% |
| Apr 2026 | 39.8% | 22.6% | 17.5% | 8.8% | 10.4% | 0.59% | 0.25% |
| May 2026 | 38.6% | 22.6% | 14.8% | 10.4% | 12.7% | 0.71% | 0.19% |
| Jun 2026 | 35.9% | 25.2% | 14.9% | 10.9% | 12.2% | 0.66% | 0.31% |
| Jul 2026 | 37% | 22% | 16.8% | 11.2% | 11.9% | 0.87% | 0.32% |
| Aug 2026 | 34.3% | 23.6% | 16.3% | 9.2% | 15.5% | 0.74% | 0.29% |
| Sep 2026 | 38.5% | 22% | 15.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% | 0.69% | 0.27% |
How has the Makita and Milwaukee comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Makita was ahead of Milwaukee in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Makita’s share of searches among drywall sander brands in New Zealand moved from 38.7% to 38.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.2K to 10K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Milwaukee’s share of searches among drywall sander brands in New Zealand moved from 10.4% to 11.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2K to 3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand drywall sander brands in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Festool overtook Milwaukee to rank 4th among drywall sander brands in New Zealand, with 11.6% of the searches.
In September 2026, Makita gained share of searches among drywall sander brands in New Zealand, from 34.3% to 38.5%.
In September 2026, Milwaukee lost share of searches among drywall sander brands in New Zealand, from 15.5% to 11.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
8 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 drywall sander brands
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.