Look Out Milwaukee Here Comes Bosch

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Bosch May be late to the table but some new offerings are in the future.

New Products

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I was just so excited I duplicated the above somehow. So this is my peace offering.
Edit Yikes The tools in the pic above are existing.
The new offerings are above in guess what....New Products.

 

[ChevyEFI]

The buy more save more at Lowe's in the U.S. going currently has some of those tools. Grinders, the finishing sander, circ saws, cutout tool, heat gun. The screw gun and cutout tool are bogo 2x4ah.

How is distribution up north?

 

[dnschmidt]

I like BOSCH. One thing I can tell you is that their Profactor 8.0 batteries are a hell of a lot better than the Milwaukee which I've sent at lease four very lightly used ones into Milwaukee for replacement. Milwaukee's 12.0 and 8.0 batteries completely ****. Their 6.0 M12 batteries are complete **** as well.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

How is distribution up north?

I wasn’t even aware of the product launch. My last Bosch purchasers were corded, Plunge Router, Orbital and 1/4 Sheet sanders. My cordless kits include the 12 volt Milwaukee due to the fact I purchased their 12v jacket so you could say I drank the KoolAid. Drank enough to buy each of my daughters kits as well.
My 18v Bosch Kit has pretty well all that was previously available at the time. This included 4 identical drills which were handy when I was doing some contract work.
Lowe’s in Canada were repurchased from the US network and will be rebranded into the Rona chain. We do have as well Home Depot which of course is the competitor.
I’m at the lake at the moment but when I get back I’ll be sure to check on availability of there new products. Not sure I need anything offered but you nev r know.

 

[Walkers]

Milwaukee and Makita have nothing to worry about. The current line up of bosch tools is very underwhelming. I used to love Bosch power tools, but they just didn't keep up with the times. Very few bosch tools in the hardware stores, and their battery line up looks pretty slim.
Interestingly, Bosch engineers wrote the emission cheat code for VW, and is on the hook for hundreds of millions to american consumers.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Probably you were correct this may make a difference however. I’m not here as a fanboy but thought it was interesting with many of the other majors being owned by one conglomerate.
As for the VW aspect they were hired to do a job, nothing to do with their new tool line up. Maybe a new thread is in order.

 

[flyingblind]

I like Bosch stuff with cords. Routers, jigsaws and Worm drive things. Cordless to me just doesn't have the umpf needed for what I use it for. I do have a few Dewalt screw guns that are cordless and some M12 things only because I have some of the coats.

 

[billp603]

Was excited to see the title for this thread, but still no 3/8 ratchet?

 

[Wamsutta]

I like everything Bosch that has a cord attached to it.

 

[jonshonda]

I like everything Bosch that has a cord attached to it.

Exactly!

My first cordless drill and driver was Bosch because I had a Menards gift card and anything was better then the Masterforce junk they sell....so I went Bosch. When the chuck went to **** I really tried to convince myself to stay with Bosch, but there were just so many different manufacturers with such a better variety of tools they pretty much seemed to NOT want to compete.

I went with Milwaukee, and don't regret it. While I don't have the variety of tools I really want, the ones I have I do like. But I will note Bosch did a much better job of armoring the tools with rubber and even after 5 years of regular home owner use, the Bosch was in excellent condition.

 

[lardy1]

I'm happy with my Bosch 18v lineup. I have several of their tools and batteries as my main cordless platform. I'm not making a living repairing auto's. My background is construction and Bosch is pretty well regarded in that arena. I don't compare to other brands because I committed to Bosch and don't buy into the red or yellow.

Still waiting for a decent inflator though. I have a few cordless yard tools in the B&D 20v platform and I see they make an inflator. I think that and a Bosch 18v oscillating tool are my two next cordless purchases.

 

[Davefr]

I like everything Bosch that has a cord attached to it.

For indoor/corded woodworking I've always preferred Bosch and using a cord is perfectly fine. IMHO Bosch is too little/too late to invest in a new battery platform but competition is always a good thing.

 

[Trapps]

Actually there is not much new on the list; the concrete nailer and a couple of table saws are the only items I was unaware of. I am a solid Bosch fan with a strong 18V collection in addition to several of their corded tools. I recently added Makita's 18V to my arsenal simply because they have so much more range to offer. I own tailed versions of Yellow and Red tools, but I do prefer Blue for most applications.

 

[ez-duzit]

The corded Bosch tools I own are extremely high quality. Their saber saws, belt sanders and routers are hard to beat.

 

[tak1313]

I have a whole bunch of their laser levels and measuring lasers they have been great. I'm already entrenched in Milwaukee and Ryobi though. TO ME, both platforms offer more versatility (if not better performance) than Bosch's offerings.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Bosch is top quality but $$$ !

 

[ChevyEFI]

I like BOSCH. One thing I can tell you is that their Profactor 8.0 batteries are a hell of a lot better than the Milwaukee which I've sent at lease four very lightly used ones into Milwaukee for replacement. Milwaukee's 12.0 and 8.0 batteries completely ****. Their 6.0 M12 batteries are complete **** as well.

I started with Milwaukee 5.0ah 18v and with Bosch, 4.0ah. What turned me off on Milwaukee was the use of older cells. I think Bosch went 21700(?) a couple years before Milwaukee slowly implemented them. I really think the 4.0 Bosch batteries I have will outlast the older Milwaukee 5.0s in heavier use.

Milwaukee and Makita have nothing to worry about. The current line up of bosch tools is very underwhelming. I used to love Bosch power tools, but they just didn't keep up with the times. Very few bosch tools in the hardware stores, and their battery line up looks pretty slim.
Interestingly, Bosch engineers wrote the emission cheat code for VW, and is on the hook for hundreds of millions to american consumers.

Slim? They have 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 12
0 (and maybe a 5.3? which to me, is all that's needed.

Milwaukee has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 12. I don't know wtf for except to keep the dizzying rotation of sale kits at HD going while they ponder which to bundle with the 12v meat grinder, the 18v meat grinder, and how many days before the holidays to introduce the double battery version.

Bosch was doing FI way before my time. How surprised are we exactly, they were the tier 1 supplier to an OEM in the last 30 years?

 

[PelicanPines]

The color clashes with my decor.

 

[Walkers]

Slim? They have 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 12
0 (and maybe a 5.3? which to me, is all that's needed.

I was just basing that on the picture of what they have.

 

[MarcSeattle]

I have the new 6.5" 18v circular saw (left blade and a dust port!) (GKS18V-22LN) and the new 18v sander (sheet base plus detail sander triangle base) (GSS18V-40N). Not cheap but great stuff. I've always have been pleased with their corded gear. I have a plunge router (doesn't everyone?) and saber saw and a corded sander.

 

[Firebrick43]

Exactly!

My first cordless drill and driver was Bosch because I had a Menards gift card and anything was better then the Masterforce junk they sell....so I went Bosch. When the chuck went to **** I really tried to convince myself to stay with Bosch, but there were just so many different manufacturers with such a better variety of tools they pretty much seemed to NOT want to compete.

I went with Milwaukee, and don't regret it. While I don't have the variety of tools I really want, the ones I have I do like. But I will note Bosch did a much better job of armoring the tools with rubber and even after 5 years of regular home owner use, the Bosch was in excellent condition.

I ironic, I have a bosch impactor and drill for the exact same reason.

I keep them in the basement so I don't have run up stairs and get the milwaukee when doing wood working projects. The are fine for that kind of work but every time I pick it up I think to my self, "what was I thinking?"

I have a SDS bulldog and what ever their largest rotary hammer SDS max was 15 years ago, a glide miter saw, and colt router, all phenomenal tools but not the cordless ones.

 

[dnschmidt]

I ironic, I have a bosch impactor and drill for the exact same reason.

I keep them in the basement so I don't have run up stairs and get the milwaukee when doing wood working projects. The are fine for that kind of work but every time I pick it up I think to my self, "what was I thinking?"

I have a SDS bulldog and what ever their largest rotary hammer SDS max was 15 years ago, a glide miter saw, and colt router, all phenomenal tools but not the cordless ones.

This is changing with the Profactor tools. Yes forever and a day their cordless line was behind the competition but I think they finally decided to compete.

 

[Firebrick43]

I like BOSCH. One thing I can tell you is that their Profactor 8.0 batteries are a hell of a lot better than the Milwaukee which I've sent at lease four very lightly used ones into Milwaukee for replacement. Milwaukee's 12.0 and 8.0 batteries completely ****. Their 6.0 M12 batteries are complete **** as well.

And just how do you surmise this? They both use Samsung INR21700-40T cells. How long have you had a Profactor battery vs your milwaukee batteries?

 

[dnschmidt]

And just how do you surmise this? They both use Samsung INR21700-40T cells. How long have you had a Profactor battery vs your milwaukee batteries?

The TTC just mentioned the same thing I've had problems with. They too have found the 8.0, & 12.0 M18 to be highly defective and I've returned under warrantee six of these in total. I've returned four of the M12 6.0 in total. I've never needed to return any other version of Milwaukee's batteries. You're right about the Profactor as I haven't had these for years as they aren't that old but I have at least 20 Makita 5.0 batteries that are just as old as my Milwaukee and I've never had a bad one. DON'T forget that the warrantee on Milwaukee's bigger batteries is three years so that all of these failed in less than three years or I wouldn't have had them replaced for free. Less than three years for $250@ batteries is pretty damn lame.

 

[Firebrick43]

The TTC just mentioned the same thing I've had problems with. They too have found the 8.0, & 12.0 M18 to be highly defective and I've returned under warrantee six of these in total. I've returned four of the M12 6.0 in total. I've never needed to return any other version of Milwaukee's batteries. You're right about the Profactor as I haven't had these for years as they aren't that old but I have at least 20 Makita 5.0 batteries that are just as old as my Milwaukee and I've never had a bad one. DON'T forget that the warrantee on Milwaukee's bigger batteries is three years so that all of these failed in less than three years or I wouldn't have had them replaced for free. Less than three years for $250@ batteries is pretty damn lame.

I am not questioning the HO batteries failing, I have heard the same thing as well. I have not experienced it as I have stayed with the XC batteries that use the 18650 cells.

I am asking why you think the profa tor battery will be any better long term when they use the exact same cell/manufacture as the Milwaukee HO batteries use?

 

[acer66]

I started to run Dewalt‘s 20 max besides Bosch because I got a Dewalt chain saw and then Bosch didn‘t offer a 6&1/2“ brushless circular saw when it was time to get a new one.

I am pretty happy running Dewalt 20 and Bosch 18 next to each other.

Just got the Bosch 18v drywall tool and the dust collecting is great.

Bosch’s cordless 18 ros sander is also very handy and well balanced.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I started to run Dewalt‘s 20 max besides Bosch because I got a Dewalt chain saw and then Bosch didn‘t offer a 6&1/2“ brushless circular saw when it was time to get a new one.

I am pretty happy running Dewalt 20 and Bosch 18 next to each other.

Just got the Bosch 18v drywall tool and the dust collecting is great.

Bosch’s cordless 18 ros sander is also very handy and well balanced.

The drywall single speed rotary tool? I wish that was multispeed.

Is the 6.5 circ. saw brushless that's available w/LH blade? I was thinknging of getting the 7.25 but if I can get LHBlade and brushless . . .

 

[ChevyEFI]

I am asking why you think the profa tor battery will be any better long term when they use the exact same cell/manufacture as the Milwaukee HO batteries use?

They haven't sold enough ampshare batteries to convince you. But once D starts moving to Bosch, they will. Watch and see.

 

[Firebrick43]

They haven't sold enough ampshare batteries to convince you.

But once D starts moving to Bosch, they will. Watch and see.

Convince me that Bosch use different cells than Milwaukee?

They don’t, people have torn apart the profactor/ampshare batteries and the Milwaukee HO batteries and they both use Samsung INR21700-40T cells.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Okay. So elaborate on what sucked with the XC 18650 batteries in certain sizes.

Maybe the packaging / reduced cooling since lesser ah sizes weren't having problems. Now go back and look at the Profactor batteries and tell us you don't want finned cases for cooling.

 

[acer66]

The drywall single speed rotary tool? I wish that was multispeed.

Is the 6.5 circ. saw brushless that's available w/LH blade? I was thinknging of getting the 7.25 but if I can get LHBlade and brushless . . .

Yeah and I never thought about multi speed on a drywall tool but makes sense.
Is there a Manufacturer that offers one?


The GKS18V-22N is the Right 6-1/2 In


and the GKS18V-22LN is the left one.



The 7&1/4” is also available in left and right.

 

[Firebrick43]

Okay. So elaborate on what sucked with the XC 18650 batteries in certain sizes.

Maybe the packaging / reduced cooling since lesser ah sizes weren't having problems. Now go back and look at the Profactor batteries and tell us you don't want finned cases for cooling.

I havent heard nor had any issues with the xc 18650 batteries or know any contractors that have. Many of them have had issues with the HO batteries however. One contractor that I am friends with stop buying the 12 HO and went back to buying the 9.0 even if it means more battery changes.

Finned plastic with no air holes? Plastic that is somewhat of an insulator not a conductor? Sure, all my radiators use plastic fins to reject heat.

Gimmick marketing.

Sort of like this page https://core18v.boschtools.com/

The 4amp hour battery states it has TWICE the run time of (in small numbers) bat612. Well of course, bat612 is a 2 amp hour battery

Same goes for the 8 amp battery TWICE the run time (in small numbers) GBA18V40. Well of course, GBA18V40 is the 4amp hour battery listed before.

And so on. But apparently some dont pay attention.

 

[dnschmidt]

Milwaukee's battery problems are not universal. As I've stated I've had big time issues with the 12.0 and the 8.0 M18 and a lot of problems with the 6.0 M12. All the rest have been fine so far. There must be a reason Makita has not gone with the larger cells. I wonder if their testing showed the bigger batteries to be problematic. Of course the other possibility is their 2X tools that will not fit the larger batteries. I guess we'll never know.

 

[acer66]

I know very little at best when it comes to batteries but I think I have one failed Bosch 18V in over 10 years of maybe a dozen.

Biggest ones I have is just 4a though.

I have similar experience with the batteries of Bosch’s 12v line which I use even longer than the 18v.

 

[M6erfan]

I've been a Bosch 18v &12v user for years, no complaints. But the latest offerings are kind of underwhelming IMO.

 

[joendoodle]

I spent big $$ on a Bosch orbital (5") sander several years ago .. it wears thru the "velcro" pads pretty quickly.. I bought a few new pads on Amazon for $10 each.., and every 6 months or so, I swapped 'em out when it throws the sanding disc around my shop...
Then I noticed HFT had their "Bauer" variable speed 5" orbital sander on sale for $19.99, I got it and (wasted) $10 on the extended warranty, figuring when the velcro wore out I'd bring it back.. 4 years down the road the Bauer still works like new.. the Bosch.. sits in the drawer with 3 new pads in their boxes.

 

[Robinson1]

Bosch is pretty hit and miss.

The CS10 circular saw is a total lemon. Plastic blade depth and bevel adjustments that break off easily and a weak base plate design that flexes if the blade is set to anything less than full depth. I actually had two of them because the first one was so bad I thought it had to be a fluke.

I bought into their 18v line back when they made the jump to Lithium batteries. Coming from 18v Dewalt nicad it was night and day difference. This was back when no one had a huge cordless selection and buying cordless tools basically meant a drill and impact driver.

Then I wanted a cordless reciprocating saw. So naturally I bought Bosch. Even then it was an old design and carried the “Litheon” badge although Bosch had moved away from that branding years prior. Meaning Bosch hadn’t updated the saw.

At this point I was about 3 years into my Bosch relationship and using them every day as a remodeling contractor. All the major manufacturers had made the switch to Lithium batteries. Milwaukee was gaining steam and Dewalt was steadily releasing tools and updating tools.

The Bosch purchase that really made me start questioning the brand was a 1/2” impact wrench. I was building alot of decks and running a lot of lag bolts and was really tired of twisting them in with a socket and ratchet. That tool was a total disappointment despite the claimed torque rating it struggled with 3/8”x5” lag bolts in pine with pilot holes.

Then the trigger went out on my drill and a few days later my impact driver just quit working. I actually replaced them with more Bosch and while the drill was an updated version the impact was not. This raised a bit of suspicion as all the competition had released 2-3 or more drills in the same time frame.

Somewhere along this time I got to wanting a cordless circular saw and after my previous experience with the CS 10 I just could bring myself to buy a cordless Bosch. So I bought a Dewalt.

Also about this same time frame I bought Bosch’s version of a cordless work light. It was about as bright as a 2D incandescent mag lite. It ate batteries and it used incandescent bulbs! This in a time where everything was going or already gone LED. And you guessed it. Tool still carried the Litheon badge. Another obsolete tool that Bosch was ignoring and failing to update.

The final straw happened when I was in Lowes and finally opened my eyes and realized hey Dewalt has a huge display of cordless and a lot of tools that would make my life easier. Bosch has like 2 drills, and 3 outdated saws.

I’ve been buying Dewalt since. Finally branched out into some 12v Milwaukee as well.

The bottom line is Bosch isn’t interested in innovating their tool line. They recentely introduced a cordless drywall screw gun. Atleast 10 years behind Dewalt. They finally updated the Litheon badged reciprocating saw after offering it for 10 years or more. They still don’t have a circular saw to compete with Dewalts flex volt.

Bosch is such a large company offering everything from appliances to car parts. Tools seem to be only a small portion of their business and as such they don’t hold much market share. I don’t hate Bosch but I’ll likely never buy another cordless Bosch tool

 

[lardy1]

I bought the 18v oscillating tool last week. What a nice tool. After fumbling with the blade retention on two cheaper corded ones, this thing is like jumping out of a Corvair and into a Cadillac.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The older Bosch corded tools were either made in Germany or Switzerland. I wonder if these new ones are?