Dremel style mini tool - recommendations?

On 12 May 2021, David wrote

When I shopped around a few years ago for a basic Dremel-style tool, the price differential between brands that I'd never heard of and the Dremel was small enough that I bought the Dremel. I use it only occasionally, but I've been very happy with it.

(IIRC, the no-name brand was something like £35, while the Dremel was £40 or so -- a substantial difference if you express it as a percentage, but in the end, just an extra fiver.)

I'm pleased with this:

'Mains' or cordless?

I had a super Ryobi cordless. Just fine for doing those small jobs on a PCB etc without having a dragging cord. Sadly no more, and no longer made, as it fitted my hand perfectly. Better than any other, including corded ones.

I've got a couple of corded ones including a Dremel, but still miss that Ryobi.

Recently bought a Li-Ion JoustMax from Ebay which has the standard phone

Not a specific recommendation, but something to watch out for ... years ago I bought a Dremel which had on/off and speed control buttons on the top - it's a pain to use so look for one with controls on the side so they can be operated by the thumb

I bought the cheapest corded one I could find, it is fine, its not a tool I use that much or stress when using. If buying again I might go for a cordless one.

I suspect it is the included tools that make a good product. The cutting disks/grinding disks do break so good to have a few.

I've had various. I currently have Proxxon and Draper "mains" ones, both "Dremel" sized, the cheaper Draper isn't quite so nicely finished but it runs up to 30k, compared to the 15k Proxxon. One has a normal chuck, the other collets so which one I use depends on what tool I am using. I also have a small no-name cordless recharged via USB, it's more like the size of a volt stick. Although it obviously does not have the torque of the mains ones it is surprisingly capable for delicate jobs.

I did have a consumer "Dremel" but that had a winding failure, very unexpected after using industrial ones for a couple of decades. And IIRC I had to change the Proxxon after a switch fault. So you don't necessarily get what you pay for.

I've been impressed with Aldi/Lidl? Workzone 135W combitool , but I had to make a shroud around the one/off switch as it was too easy to avctivate while handling.

Lidl currently has a cordless one - £16.50, if I remember right! No - I have not used one. (I have a mains Dremel which is OK.)

I think it a bit bulky - so when partner wanted something like it for very light use, I bought a smaller one from AliExpress. She'd have found the Lidl one awkward - as she confirmed when we looked the other day.

Yup - most of them are too bulky for my taste. As you often use them a bit like you hold a pencil.

I picked the Lidl one up today. I have only charged it up and checked that it runs. This one is certainly on the larger side, but perhaps that means it has a bit more oomph than the smaller ones. Really for two handed use. 12 volt, 1300 mAh Li-ion, 5000 to 25000 rpm (click-stop speeds which is nice). Comes with five collets and half a dozen drills plus other usual accessories. Soft-ish start but a bit more vibration than I would prefer. Charges with USB C, 1.5A charger included.

Hope it works out for you.

I had a look at that but it is too big for what I had in mind.

My first impression was that the handle was huge but all the included tools were tiny and flimsy.

Could be wrong, of course.

Cheers

Dave R

You are right, the brushes are quite small and it does not come with the larger diameter reinforced cutting disks, only the smaller brittle ones. But, for some jobs you need to be able to hold the tool very securely and this will probably be good for those.