Corded oscillating multi: Fein v Bosch

[R-mm]

I've been reading about the new star lock oscillating multi tools. At this point in life I only buy good stuff and am sort of a Euro snob, to be blunt.

Bosch's 4amp and Fein's MultiMaster seem to compete directly.

A big use of this for me will be scraping nasty undercoating off German vehicles I'm restoring. This is why I'm staying away from 18v (which would be bosch based on my existing tools). I will unfortunately be scraping for a long while. I'll also use for a handful of home improvement / auto projects.

Anyone have a preference ? I suppose I lean to Fein, being the creator of the thing in the first place.

 

[PelicanPines]

There is no equal to the Fein Multimaster. I have 5 different oscillating tools by 5 different manufacturers...

The only CON to the Fein you ask? It's better built and a bit heavier than the others. Mine also came with a freakishly long cord that is supple to coiling and uncoiling. Ok it's not a total CON... but I had to say it. It is heavier than the others.

I will say... I don't have the Bosch but can't imagine they are an absolute equal.

Before all other oscillating tools... there was the Fein.

 

[R-mm]

pretty much my instinct. and the price difference is almost zero on amazon (that link wasn't working in my post)

 

[jonshonda]

I've got the Bosch and like it. I haven't used others so I cannot compare. It does have a nice long cord that isn't a hassle, it is not heavy and I haven't bogged it down so there is enough power imho. I am a fan of Bosch corded tools, and have their top end jig saw and 6" sander.

 

[Git]

They are both good brands. For the $20, personally I would buy the Fein. I have two Feins already, a corded and cordless and never had a problem with either. In fact, the corded version is probably my favorite detail sander

 

[ez-duzit]

Fein can't be beat.

 

[kapster]

I had had a Bosch for quite awhile, but not the quick change deal. I really like it, I almost always buy Bosch corded tools. I'm sure you can't go wrong with a Fein.

If the blades aren't interchangeable, I would check what cost of blades are. What sold me on the Bosch was the blades are Swiss made(were anyway) and very reasonable.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

 

[R-mm]

I thought the point of Star Lock was that they ARE interchangeable ? I've never held a star lock multi tool in my hands so I don't know if I'm missing something. Does the design of the tool make the accy's brand specific even if the mounting system is the same?

 

[bwringer]

I paid less than a tenth of that for my oscillating tool, and the thing has been amazing. I don't think my mind could handle the sheer awesomeness of a $200 version.

 

[R-mm]

I paid less than a tenth of that for my oscillating tool, and the thing has been amazing. I don't think my mind could handle the sheer awesomeness of a $200 version.

my hands literally tingled and felt burned from an hour plus with the harbor freight version... hence this post

 

[PelicanPines]

my hands literally tingled and felt burned from an hour plus with the harbor freight version... hence this post

Agree... can't drink a beer with one hand after using a cheap Oscillating tool all day... you need the old two handed grip for happy hour.

2 of my "other" Oscillators are cordless... BOY are those worth the price when you need a quick "How the hell am I going to cut that?" cut.

 

[gnpenning]

I have a Fein and a Dremel. Bought the Fein after having numb and hot hands using the Dremel. HUGH difference between a quality one and a toy on operator comfort even after a short time of use.

Haven't used a Bosch. I would buy a Fein again.

 

[M6erfan]

I bought the Bosch GOP40-30C back in 2016 for some home refurb I was doing. I love it. It's smooth enough and powerful enough for me. The tool free Starlock system is great. I've never owned a Fein, but I can definitely recommend the Bosch.

Fein Is pretty much the leader in oscillating tools but you pay the price for it. If you use an oscillating multi-tool every day, the difference might be worth it. For me the Bosch made sense and I've been very happy with mine.

 

[alinc100]

If you are going corded the Fein is the standard all others are measured against. I would not hesitate to buy the Fein. My hesitation/pause would be I'd shop until I got the best price.

 

[Dave455]

I own the Fein.

Got the 350 watt version. Thought it was overkill as I only needed it for one job, but got it on a deal so went for it. No regrets whatsoever. Awesome tool. Use it all the time. Probably my second most used power tool after a drill.

I can’t speak for the Bosch, but the Fein is faultless.

As a general note, I’ve regretted every really cheap power tool I’ve ever bought. I know the Bosch isn’t at the crappy end of the scale, far from it, but for that price I’d get the Fein!

 

[shawhite]

I would go with which ever I could get the cheapest out of those 2. I personally got a better deal on my Bosch when I bought it in 2018. Has done everything I have asked of it should if it broke today I would buy another one with out hesitation

 

[engineer2]

I found undercoating comes off nicely by softening it with a propane torch and scraping it off with a putty knife.

 

[R-mm]

I found undercoating comes off nicely by softening it with a propane torch and scraping it off with a putty knife.

Thanks for all the reviews guys. I ordered the Fein.

Re undercoating: i've gone the opposite way in the past: fill cabin with dry ice and chip/flake it off the bottom.

 

[M6erfan]

@R-mm I've restored a few older German vehicles over the decades and I can offer a tip on the undercoating material. . . Spray it down with full strength Castrol SuperClean, the nasty stuff in the purple bottle, and let it soak. It's caustic so wear a mask and eye protection, but it will soften up the cosmoline like nobodies business. Much, much easier to remove that way.

 

[dutchgray]

Fein invented the things and I am not aware of any better than Fein.
Cordless are great for small jobs and having the one for the batteries you already have is cost efficient, I got a Bosch as its good and I already had their finish nail gun and a drill. But its not as nice to use as my corded fein, which comes out for bigger jobs.
Fein is one of those companies that make nice corded tools that haven't been valued engineered to be as cheap as possible, they seem to build to a quality level and the price ends up being what it is.
I have from Fein, mag drill, nibbler, 2 screw guns, drywall and Tek (don't get used that much because cordless impact drivers are so good) and the multi tool.

 

[Monte]

Fein - virtually vibration free

 

[MoonRise]

Top line Fein MultiMaster or the BoschGOP-40 Starlock are both good to very-good OMTs.

The Bosch felt a little nicer in my hand than the Fein. And I liked the feel of the Bosch blade-change lever a little better.

Starlock blades are interchangable, so no difference there. Bosch usually makes good to very-good OMT blades. For the name-brand blades, no real price difference between the Starlock and non-Starlock blades that I saw the last time I went looking for blades.

No-name blades can be a lot cheaper, both in price and 'cheapness'. Don't remember seeing any no-name Starlock blades the last time I went looking for blades.

The Bosch has an LED light in the nose, the Fein doesn't. The light is kind of handy when working in a dark corner or recess, it won't overpower sunlight though.

Fein may have a slight performance edge in their anti-vibration tech, but the Bosch is pretty darn good in that regard.

The Bosch GOP-40 is 4 amps @120V (so 480 'nominal' watts) and 8k-20k OPM, the Fein Multimaster is 350 watts and 10k-19.5 k OPM. The Bosch cord is pretty long, the Fein is listed as 16 feet (5 meter) long. Bosch listed as 3.3 lbs, the Fein listed as 3 lbs.

The Bosch -was- more than a few dollars less expensive then the Fein (a few years ago), and the 'kit' had a few more 'goodies' in it, and had a hard plastic case and not a cloth tool bag.

Starlock and Starlock-Plus blades can both be used on the Starlock-Plus tools (if you can even find any 'plain' Starlock blades, Fein/Bosch rewrote the Starlock specs before it was really released IIRC and from then on it was Starlock-Plus. Or the big-boy StarlockMax.)

Starlock is nice, holds the blades pretty securely in the tool's nose and no wiggle in the attachment. Tool-free One-hand blade eject and reinstall (as long as the 'new' blade is sitting on a hard surface with the 'bottle cap' facing up) is nice and very handy. Well, two hands, one to hold the tool itself and one hand to work the blade-change lever. No having to touch a HOT blade that you were just using.

YMMV, and all that.

 

[dnschmidt]

Life is simple. Don't over complicate it.

You need a Sawzall you buy Milwaukee, you need a worm drive circular saw you buy a SKIL 77, you need an oscillating tool you buy Fein. It's the KISS principal.

 

[seber]

Fein is almost certainly a better built tool but it is also heavier. For undercoating you will be working overhead. That extra weight is going to become significant after a while. It is also part of the reason you don't feel as much vibration.

 

[Krokodil]

Let us know what you think when you get it.
Between those 2 it is much of a muchness. I would have taken the Fein as well.

 

[R-mm]

So far, impressed. But take that with a grain of salt because I have never used a star lock tool nor anything besides the beyond bad harbor freight. Made quick work of a wayward anchor bolt.

 

[Qualitytools]

You made a wise choice! Just for reference I purchased over a decade ago a Bosch oscillating tool, wired made in Switzerland, I don't use it much or often but have been very impressed with it anytime I use it.

 

[Monte]

Just needed the MM on the weekend. A pleasure to use...

 

[R-mm]

Nuff said

 

[Packard V8]

What is really nice is the lemming-rush to battery-powered tools is bringing down the price of corded units. I picked up a like-new corded Fein for $70 delivered.

And yes, it's better than anything else I've ever used.

jack vines

 

[JiminAZ]

I bought the Fein about a year ago. Never had a multi oscillating tool before. Now I wonder how I ever got along without it.

 

[Showkey]

The Fein saw blades are more expensive.......but.........worth every penny. I have some that are over 20years old.

 

[Qualitytools]

What is really nice is the lemming-rush to battery-powered tools is bringing down the price of corded units. I picked up a like-new corded Fein for $70 delivered.

And yes, it's better than anything else I've ever used.

jack vines

Please share where I can get one for that price. Thanks

 

[Rabid Badger]

I bought the Fein about a year ago. Never had a multi oscillating tool before. Now I wonder how I ever got along without it.

No kidding. I still run into issues on projects and I'll stand there thinking "Now how the hell am I going to do that?"

Then I remember the Fein and it's done in 5 minutes.

 

[ddawg16]

A big deciding factor....how often you use it.

I agree with the above opinions....'you wonder how you got by without it'.

I have the HF variable speed. It works fine. I've had it a few years and have used the dog **** out of it on a few projects.....like taking the vinyl off the kitchen floor.

Where you spend the money is on the blades. The HF ones are not exactly the best.