Fein Multimaster Look Alike Tools at B&Q

savageseadog

savageseadog

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I've got the Bosch 180e. Don't buy it. Mine's been back for repair under guarantee and twice more in the last two years, despite very light use. If it were as capable as the Fein, I'd use it a lot more but it's not really man enough. Next time it goes I'm buying the Fein.

I can't comment on the others, but my local builder has the Worx one and he reckons it's good value as (for the price) they last around a year to fifteen months "professional" useage after which it's "written off" against tax and if it fails within 12 months, he gets it repaired/replaced under guarantee
 
chinita said:
I suggest you avoid all but the 240 volt offerings...
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On the contrary, a 240V device is not made for Europe, but for Australia. It may only work upside-down. :D The UK hasn't been 240V for (guess) 10 years.

I have a guideline: don't pay more than £30 -£40 for a battery tool with Ni-MH batteries, and don't pay more than £1 for one with Ni-Cd batteries.
 
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Nice to know about cheap alternatives as my Fein has developed a switch issue - only runs now when inverted, how bizarre. I am, however, getting it serviced as it does get a lot of use. It has the most versatile sanding and cutting capabilities I've ever known.
 
savageseadog said:
Was in B&Q recently and they have a number of Fein Multimaster type tools at reasonable prices. AEG were known for good quality tools and Ryobi are reasonable mid range tools, not sure about Worx or Bosch non pro tools:.......
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I think Fein still make these tools in Germany. AEG and Ryobi are now just brands of TTI (Techtronic Industries) originally from Hong Kong and who made their early success making cordless drill for Sears in the US. Worx is a brand of Positec (formerly Greapo) in Suzhou, China. They also do a lot of house brands including the recent JCB range for B&Q. Both Positec and TTI are now firmly established companies. Bosch make many of their tools in China, but I think mostly in their own factories.

If the tool works for your needs, its the right tool. As with everything else, all this reflects our brand values. Generally, the best respected brands have the highest prices regardless of cost of manufacture.
 
chinita said:
nigelmercier said:
On the contrary, a 240V device is not made for Europe, but for Australia. It may only work upside-down. :D The UK hasn't been 240V for (guess) 10 years.


Really,

http://www.toollineuk.com/product.php/site/froogle/sn/FEIFMMSELECTPLUS240V

+ many other suppliers. Are they selling us duff Ozzie kit!!!
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We 'harmosised' our voltage with Europe years ago. In theory, they went up to 230v from 220v and we went down to 230v from 240v. In reality, the voltage band latitude meant nothing much changed. All the tools you describe will work in the range 200v to 255v. Only when you get high load motors on, e.g. big angle grinders, fitted with long cables might you have a problem.
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LadyInBed said:
I can't say I like multitools, I tend to think that they are a bit 'jack of all trades . . .'
I am more a 'horses for courses' type.
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I think if you ever have to use a multitool for tasks that it was originally designed for, you will find it is indisputably "the horse for the course"
 
ksutton said:
I think if you ever have to use a multitool for tasks that it was originally designed for, you will find it is indisputably "the horse for the course"
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Quite,

For me, it's the ability to plunge cut into wood. In my trade as an electrician it's about the only way to cut a hole for a socket box in a solid block of wood.

If you are using it say just as a circular saw or sander, well there are better circular saws and sanders available.
 
ProDave said:
Quite,

For me, it's the ability to plunge cut into wood. In my trade as an electrician it's about the only way to cut a hole for a socket box in a solid block of wood.
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I bought a Worx for a specific job on the boat... enlarging ply bulkhead holes to get more cable through. I since loaned the tool to a friend who needed to trim his cockpit sole, a job which would have involved lifting the entire floor without.
On the downside, B&Q don't sell replacement blades. The Bosch ones they do keep don't fit the Worx. I got some mail-order.
Obviously someone else thought as highly of the Worx as mine got nicked from my garage.
 
I bought the Aldi offering about 4 months ago, £30 IIRC, good bit of kit.
Bosch blades fit.

A reasonably priced source of blades would be handy as the Bosch ones are about £9 a go.
 
Sailfree said:
Do the blade from a fine interchange with this make? Looks good otherwise.
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I bought a Bosch multi from B&Q a few years ago, and it's done what I wanted it to. However, I bought the Fein sanding attachment for getting into nooks and crannys, and it didn't fit.

If I buy another multitool, it will be a Fein.
 
Topcat47 said:
I've got the Bosch 180e. Don't buy it. Mine's been back for repair under guarantee and twice more in the last two years, despite very light use. If it were as capable as the Fein, I'd use it a lot more but it's not really man enough. Next time it goes I'm buying the Fein.

I can't comment on the others, but my local builder has the Worx one and he reckons it's good value as (for the price) they last around a year to fifteen months "professional" useage after which it's "written off" against tax and if it fails within 12 months, he gets it repaired/replaced under guarantee
Click to expand...

I bought the Bosch Pro range as it wasnt that much more than the green DIY one. Not convinced as a tool it is as usueful as they like to claim;more like one of those tools that does a weird job. Great if that weird job is what you do all day long, but I wasnt over impressed with its functionality. Build quality seems damn solid on the pro range though.
 
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