Bosch hand tools - opinions

[Chris]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on Bosch hand tools, as per:

my experience Bosch power tools are reasonable, but I've no experience of their other tools?

TIA

Chris

[daddyfreddy]

Looks like a bog standard Chinese made kit labelled for Bosch. Makita have similar bundled kit with their 14 volt drill at Screwfix. Don't pay a premium for the Bosch badge, you'll probably buy it cheaper under a Challenge label.

[Pete C]

Cheaper 'ere:

Though if it's not on sale in Argos in the New Year, I'm a chinaman...

cheers, Pete.

[Andy Dingley]

[david lang]

It may be a chinese cheapy but if it has a Bosch or Makita label it must be better than the same product with a Challenge label. The factory probably make two different sets, one crappy for Challenge and super duper ones for Bosch & Makita.

:-)

Dave

[--s-p-o-n-i-x--]

Bosch is now just a brand that is stuck on cheap tools, in the same way that things like "JCB" etc have been used.

sponix

[Grunff]

Not true.

The Blue Bosch range of tools are some of the best quality tools available. In particular, their jigsaws are second to none. They also do a couple of very nice sliding chop saws.

In contrast, JCB have never made good tools. The JCB brand has simply been applied to a range of low quality, performance power level tools.

As for this selection, I think it's likely to be quite poor quality.

[--s-p-o-n-i-x--]

afaik, Bosch hand tools are manufactured under licence and are simply cheap tools with the Bosch logo applied, the same as JCB.

However, if the Argos/Bosch tool set turns out to be high quality stuff manufactured by Bosch I'll take it all back!

sponix

[daddyfreddy]

Unless I missed the sarcasm ;-), no, it's the same stuff. The quality isn't bad either. I got one of those Challenge Extreme Tool sets at an Argos clear out and it's pretty good stuff.

[Chris]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I was after a set of basic tools for occasional use at work, and recently received a whole bunch of argos vouchers - I figured the Bosch tools might be better than the rest, but have now settled for buying a tool bag and folding sack truck from Argos (seems well emough made), and will just fill the gap in the rest of my existing toolkit from the usual sources.

Cheers

Chris

[Andy Hall]

Yes they are, and as Gruff says, second to none.

[Joe]

Are they still made by the Scintilla factory? The first power jigsaw I saw was a Scintilla, made in Switzerland, and the Bosch drill I've used for over twenty years is Swiss.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

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

I have an ancient blue Bosch two speed drill, made in Switzerland. Still going strong, but now sits with an angle gearbox permanently attached for joists. Tough as old boots; all it's ever needed is the odd set of brushes and a cable repair.

[Bolted]

Grunff wrote: > The Blue Bosch range of tools are some of the best quality tools

Second to one would be more accurate, festool are better (at their usual price) with better blade support at the base for a start. I like my bosch though, at about half the price.