Dremel reviews – any alternatives?

I thought I needed a Dremel for a couple of jobs at home but reading reviews it looks a bit hit-and-miss whether they’ll last or not.

Some users saying that they’ve had three replacements under warranty in 18mths.

What’s STW experiences with them? Anything else I should consider? I don’t want to spend a fortune as it’s likely to be just for occasional light DIY use.

I’ve had one for about 8 years for occasional light DIY use.

It’s not quite as amazing as I thought it would be, but equally it’s not shit and it gets the job done.

Every now and again there’s a job that you really can’t work out how to easily do and that’s normally when the Dremel comes out.

Mine has a kit with the skinny attachment bit on a cable and a box of bits. It was massively reduced in B&Q for some reason.

Mine- an older model genuine Dremel- is over a decade old- I just broke my snakey drive and I am heartbroken. TBH the cheapies can be good too. I don’t use it all that often, but over the years it’s paid for itself and then some- even just for helping remove stuck bolts it’s worth it

Mine is mains, so I got this wee cordless draper and it’s actually really pretty good, though the battery’s just a little bit weak for some jobs- if it’s not fully charged it’ll tend to cut out when sanding. Ended up being a gateway drug into the Draper/Sealey 12V tools range which has some useful stuff

https://www.frankhoward.com/draper-draper-storm-force174-108v-power-interchange-rotary-multi-tool-kit-50-piece?gclid=CjwKCAjwzOqKBhAWEiwArQGwaCQ4_i74jhuXwPjRYjTAgqWz0FXn9RByKaLxtvMSUVUbFjYQ2MEj0RoCkvcQAvD_BwE

Im on my 2nd. I used to make brass hash pipes and the like and sell them at Glastonbury etc. I’ve had it burning hot, too hot to hold and it just keeps on going(after a cool down). Prefer a corded model rather than cordless. Cant see a point in cordless tbh
The current one ive not put the same effort into, so cant say how good it is other than its lasted and has been up to smaller polishing and grinding jobs, but I dont know if its the same spec as my old 395. Current one is a 3000.

You should be able to find a 395 for about 40 quid, and if it looks in good condition it probably will last you as long and be up to any amount of work.

I bought the fancy cordless one the other day with the big box of bits. It did the job I needed but to be honest it all felt like pretty cheap crap I wasn’t overly impressed.

I got the Parktools cordless one from Lidl for £15 or so. Been very good so far, done everything I’ve asked of it.

They have them on sale every so often and worth the price. I’ve always found Parktools gear to be pretty good. Not outstanding but always value for money.

If they have the corded one up any time I’ll get that too as sometimes that little extra grunt is useful.

I picked up a Draper a few years ago with a bundle of heads.

Use it maybe 3-6 times a year for the odd stuck bolt/woodwork.

Been faultless for the money.

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-135w-rotary-multi-tool-kit/p56097?store=NJ&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=515847200303&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAjw7–KBhAMEiwAxfpkWFQGHprbyn6_o1NDqKt4I7i2L4ahKVn7gh12tdZbEOaXt09ChRb8ihoCheIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Got a corded genuine one (3000 I think?), used it for a few years, a few jobs a year, and it randomly just gave up. Not impressed.

Will be replacing it with a cheapy middle of lidl one.

I’d just get a draper, dremels were good for their time, but now everyone does rotary tools, they’re nothing special, and due to the size of the drive and tools you rarely need a huge power output, these types of motors should last for years, no matter the brand.

Cheap Aldi one that I’ve had for 10 years. Does the job.

I’ve got a corded one. Never missed a beat and exponentially better than the B&D one it replaced. Gotta be honest though, it scares the hell out of me!

Thanks all. I’m giving a mains-powered Draper 180w one a go.

Forty quid which is about as much as I wanted to spend really.

I got the Parktools cordless one from Lidl for £15 or so. Been very good so far, done everything I’ve asked of it.

This. I’ve had mine at work for the last 3 years. It gets abused and used most days. Still faultless.

My dad gave me a **** Chinese one (unbranded, will have been from eBay) and it burned out within a few months. Cheers dad 😀 . If I get another it will be an actual Dremel, or whatever I can find with a two-year warranty.

The Bosch 12V coordless one is an alternative that should last better and is compatible with the rest of hte 12V range if you already have some of those tools.

The Bosch 12V coordless one is an alternative that should last better and is compatible with the rest of hte 12V range if you already have some of those tools.

Assuming it’s a green one you’re talking about the batteries are exactly the same, the blue one uses the pro batteries which are incompatible with green or dremel.

I’ve had a cordless 8200 for years, it’s handy but heavy and the batteries never last as long as you need them to. I’ve inherited another and a corded version though so should have enough batteries for remote jobs and a corded one for the bench.

I got the Parktools cordless one from Lidl for £15 or so. Been very good so far, done everything I’ve asked of it.

This. I’ve had mine at work for the last 3 years. It gets abused and used most days. Still faultless.

Where as i binned mine as found totaly under powered and useless. Will get a corded one eventually.

Definitely go mains if you can.
Lidl ‘Parktool’ (mainly rebranded Einhell stuff) are great and usually have a 3 year warranty!
Anything cordless under 18/20v is underpowered.
A lot of the Dremel ‘failures’ will be down to new brushes being required-cheap and simple fix.

Yep, if mains will work for you definitely go mains, you need to spend a lot to get a cordless that’s as good as a cheap mains one, or accept a bulky battery.

Cordless is really useful sometimes and I’m glad I have both, for quick jobs but if I could only have one it’d be wired for sure

can you get the snakey attachment for teh draper one? thats the bit i need for working in the tight places in the van.

This looks like the latest Dremel thread. Any advances in the best Rotary Multi Tool? I have a few jobs coming up where I think such a thing may be useful. I quite fancy the Titan one as it is cheap, I am not planning any heavy use, screwfix returns are really good if it goes pop and it comes with a load of attachments.

Anyone got real life experience? Will 130w be enough?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb863mlt-130w-electric-multi-tool-kit-220-240v/931PP?tc=WA2&ds_kid=92700055256569560&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6NOPBhCPARIsAHAy2zA_1Su0PT4djutD2ogfFgoBdOlMYHWEBbnWMo_XHfEdOgi7E2YW9G0aAnR7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or would the Draper be a better bet with 180w?

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-180w-rotary-multi-tool-kit-111-piece/p89805?store=BR&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=560268661338&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6NOPBhCPARIsAHAy2zAH7DjtIW_QMfStSCU4-NzGcjeKBfmh2sRFdQk5DbJjppred0CAcLgaAqjYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

thanks

I have a basic mains Dremel, probably 20 years old. Been used for all sorts of diy jobs and bodges. Still going strong, mostly only used for cutting model railway rails nowadays.

Had 2 dremmel 3000 corded both just stopped working, not under load and not worked hard, probably 2/3 times a year. wont be buying dremmel again. you can buy 3 cheapies for the price of a dremmel. Cheapie still going strong.

Proxxon

Had 2 dremmel 3000 corded both just stopped working, not under load and not worked hard, probably 2/3 times a year. wont be buying dremmel again.

Thats very unusual. Dremel, pretty much only make rotary tools and thats what theyre known for. To have 2 that you only used lightly a couple of times a year, just doesnt sound right. There has to be something that made them stop.

They’ve been making them since 1934 and likely sold hundreds of thousands. Were they not up to the task they wouldnt have the sale figures they do.

I was given a dremel as a present and it’s been excellent. It’s a mains powered one and has about 8 different speeds for those tricky jobs. Bought a cheap kit of wood carving attachments which has been fun.

Been impressed with an alternative branded Wolf. Google Wolf Dremel.

To recap.

“Dremel, any alternatives ? ”

No.

I have a Proxxon which appears to be an alternative. Works fine, I don’t use it much though.