Fein’s Multimaster Start is designed with the beginner in mind, but just because it is simple doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. It has a 250-watt motor and is capable of all grinding, cutting and sanding home repair projects. The Start is lightweight and easy to handle for even the most inexperienced user. Some of the most common jobs it can be used for are tile and woodwork, including cabinetry.
Next up the line is the Multimaster Select and Top. Both offer the same features as the Start, but with a few more bells and whistles for the more experienced handyman. The Select can be used to work with such materials as plaster and concrete. The Top is for master craftsmen and mostly used in the commercial industry.
After dominating the market for many years, Fein is now facing some stiff competition from both the Bosch Multi-X and the Dremel Mulit-Max.
The Bosch PS50 Multi-X is powered by a 12-volt battery system and operates at a variable speed of 5,000 to 20,000 OPM and has the largest speed range of all three multimaster tools. The Multi-X comes in one of two kits: Cutting kit and the carpenter kit. Both kits include the hard case, a 12v battery and a 30-minute charger. Since the carpenter kit comes with more accessories it will run between $25-30 more.
The Dremel Multi-Max has a 1.5 amp motor that moves at a variable 10,000 to 21,000 OPM, which puts it in favorable company with both Fein and Bosch’s oscillating tools. The Multi-Max comes with a hard case and a good variation of accessories. One benefit is the ability to change accessories on the Multi-Max, which can be quite cumbersome with the Fein tools.
While you can never go wrong with a Fein in my opinion, the new multimaster tool options have increased greatly with the entrance of Bosch and Dremel into the market. If you need more power and precision then I would suggest investing in a Fein Top, otherwise you should stick with the lower end models.