Alternatives for a Dremel...

[Steve]

or should I just buy a Dremel?

[Roger Mills]

Probably depends on how much you expect to use it.

I bought one of Argos' offerings a few years ago, and supplemented it with one of Maplin's accessory packs when that was on offer - and I've found it perfectly ok.

However, I only use it occasionally - perhaps I should seek out more things that it could so?!

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Steve" saying something like:

From what I gather, the best Dremels are the older models, from when they had the market to themselves and produced good quality stuff - at a price, of course. I was always impressed with them, but balked at spending the cash on something that would only see very occasional use. Fast forward many years and I bought a cheapy Lidl dremel-a-like and it's been in regular use. It's surprising how much service it gets pressed in to when it's part of my tool mindset. There's the irony - if I'd actually splashed out on a real Dremel all those years ago, I'd have found plenty of use for it. Anyway, so far I've found the Lidl (Powercraft) dremel to be quite good to use and reliable. Who knows how long it will last, but for 17quid I don't care if it blows up next week. I would say, the cheapy tool sets are mostly crap, but they're a good starting point to find out what ones to replace with better quality as you use them to obliteration.

[Tim Watts]

I've got one that came from Maplin in its entirety. Apart from the useless case (everything is just loose) it is adequate. With an extra stand it drills PCBs, and without it grinds, chops off nails and bolts, bits of my thumb and most other jobs a Dremel would do.

[The Medway Handyman]

Alternatives? Nail file, swiss army knife, electric tooth brush. All about as good as a Dremel IMO.

Got one in a box at the back of the workshop if you want one.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've found them overpriced. Not in the same way as a Fein Multimaster is compared to others - where you're paying for better build quality.

I've got a cordless Rohbi which I use mainly for PCB stuff and it's been great. It uses AA cells so easy enough to change when they wear out. A similar sized mains powered low voltage one from B&Q which is also ok but doesn't get much use. And a much larger cordless from Lidl which is good where size doesn't matter. All three cost less than one Dremel.

[Roger Mills]

Care to elaborate on what you use it for? It might give me some ideas!

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Roger Mills saying something like:

In a diy projector project; cutting ABS plastic shroud off a monitor and leaving it as a holder/frame for the LCD - zipped through it like butter, the small black wheels are fine for plastic cutting.

For cutting awkward and rusty nuts and bolts, diamond coated wheels are magic - available via ebay for a fiver-ish a pack of six, and last for ages.

I removed a rusty and broken cast iron manifold off the back of an Italian boiler using these - it would have been difficult and tedious otherwise.

For general small work, grinding and drilling etc, it's proved invaluable and much more convenient than a drill.

It's just horses for courses really - the price they are now, you can't afford to not try one.

[Roger Mills]

Useful - thanks. I've got one, but don't think to use it that often. Must try harder!

[NT]

The one thing I dont like about an old dremel die grinder is the on- off switch. Instead of being a sanely designed press a finger to go, let go to stop, its a tiny slide switch on the rump end, an arrangement that surely borders on unsafe.

NT

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember NT saying something like:

Yes, the Lidl one has that too, albeit a sliding toggle on the speed control/off. I don't particularly like that feature of it; if the tool falls it just keeps running.