I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).
On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel (including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99) ?)
Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)
Before I retired, I used to use "real" brick shithouse dremels at work and cheap clones at home. A couple of years ago when mine died, I found you could buy a genuine one for under £40 (admittedly not built like the old industrial ones), so I got one of them. The electronics died recently, I replaced the triac but at that point I realised that the field coils had failed as well. Although spares were available, I'd lost confidence and binned it. After a bit of research I bought a Proxxon. It failed within a week, fortunately no problem replacing (Amazon? Axminster?) Nicely made, but one downside is that it only runs at 15,000 rpm rather than 30,000 like a Dremel. (I really would *not* buy one that was not variable speed, unless you only use it for drilling or polishing).
Shortly aftewards someone posted a Draper kit offer for, iirc, around £25 with quite a few accessories so I picked up one of them too.
I probably use the Draper more than the Proxxon. (One failing with the latter is that the switch is placed where it is easy to operate unintentionally when you pick it up).
Like the multi-tool, I don't use them all that often, but for the appropriate job they are indispensible.
You might want to think whether you want corded or cordless. I had a cordless Tandy one in distant days, good apart from the usual NiCad limitations. These days I only have corded, but if I was using one more often I would probably go for cordless.
I've got a 20+ year old model 395 (variable speed up to 37,000 rpm) which I tend to use more since buying the klik arbour/wheels rather than the old cut-off wheels.
I've also bought a keyless 3 jaw chuck to use tiny drill bits, though the collet chuck generally lives on it unless I'm doing drilling.
I suppose the model 3000 is the closest current dremel.
The klik arbour wheels are great, if a bit expensive. I was very happy that my client supplied them when I was doing a very awkward job in their workshops a few years ago.
I have had Black & Decker (very similar if not identical to
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for over 20 years. Only used very occasionally but works well. I also have a Dremel I inherited a few years ago, and might be of similar age. To be honest, I can't see much difference in use between them. But they appear to use slightly different size collets, so the tool shafts aren't interchangeable. I don't know if that is still the case with the newer models
I have an electric (240V) die grinder but whilst it's suitably fast and reasonably powerful it's bigger and heavier than most air powered die grinders I've used and wouldn't really compare it with any Dremel sized tool.
Air powered die grinders are ok, apart from the hose and the large / loud compressor. ;-)
I still have my original 12V Dremel with the variable output 12V power brick and a few other similar tools and have found I have used the positive features of each for different things.
Like, if I want 'small, adjustable and light' I'll use the original Dremel. If I want something with a bit more oomph I'll use the 240V Powerbase alternative.
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