Customer Reviews

Bosch PS50-2A 12-Volt Max Multi-X Cutting Kit

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Before selecting this tool, i looked at Fein, Dremel, Sonicrafter, Secco and the multifunction tool from Harbor Freight.
All are good tools, the guy at Harbor Freight store told me that they had many returns. I really liked it for the price and the cheap accessories i.e. diamond blade for $5.99.

I finally selected the bosch and i believe it is the best choice. I like it cordless, during my use, power lasted 9min, but have 4 batteries and 2 chargers on hand as i also own the PS40.
Very powerful tool. Did sanding, grouting, cutting and scraping all with ease and no fatigue on my hand (love the ergo).
i am not a pro, just a diy guy.

I strongly recommend this tool.

I purchased this tool prior to installing 600 feet of hardwood floor. It turned out to be just what I needed. After reading several review ([...]) I knew that I would need more than the alloted 2 batteries. So i purchased the reconditioned I-Driver with 10.8V ($69) batteries and that gave me two more. BTW the 10.8 and the 12V are the EXACT same Bat with a different sticker so stock up on 10.8V. I used this tool to undercut all the door jambs! PERFECT! I used this tool to Scrape glue I let sit too long. Perfect! I even used this toold to make angle cuts in the pieces after I undercut my fireplace. Perfect! This tool really is amazing. If the batteries were not an issue it would be an easy 5 star. If you are going to buy this then go ahead and invest in the pocket driver or I driver and get 4 batteries total. That should be plenty with the 30 minute charger

BLADES

I tried Bosch, Dremel, Craftsman, and even Harbor Freight. All work fine for this tool. So buy the ones you need. I personally think the craftsman rasps are the best. A 2 pack for 14.99 can't be beat at sears.

I would not buy this (In fact I returned it the next day). The big issue is not how it cuts, as it did just fine in this aspect. It is about the battery life. In addition, the batteries in my unit were very hard to remove, I even had to disassemble the tool to remove the battery once.

I bought the tool, because I extended my stairs and needed to make some modifications to the hardwood (basically cut two boards at 45 degree angles so I could put another mitered board against them). To accomplish this I went through 3 batteries before I completed the job. Each battery was lasting about 3-5 minutes before it lost enough charge that it wouldn't cut anymore.

With the battery life, it just doesn't seem like a valuable tool addition in my opinion. If they had a corded version then I would take another look as the one thing I really liked is that it is compatible with most other attachments (Such as the Fein) for this I gave them 2 stars, otherwise it would have been 1. If they could just come out with better battery life this would be worthwhile.

I love Amazon, but I purchased this tool at Home Depot, for a lot more than Amazon's price, because I needed it immediately. The tool works great, but both batteries that came with the unit ran out of power very quickly (i.e., in a matter of a few minutes of use). So I returned it and purchased a Fein Multimaster FMM 250 Start kit, which contains their electrically corded FMM 250 oscillating tool.

The Fein unit works just as good as the Bosch, without the problems related to a battery, but it is a bit heavier and more expensive.

Also, Fein has a very extensive line of tools/blades much more so than Bosch. And it did not appear to me that the Bosch tools and the Fein tools can be interchanged. Even the Bosch blades won't work on the Dremel oscillating tool (and vice-versa) even though Bosch owns Dremel.

These oscillating tools are really very useful, but they are kind of like computer printers and their ink cartridges. Once you buy the printer (or oscillating tool) you'll find the real expense is in the ink cartridges (or tools/blades).

I've used the PS50 for about 25 minutes of actual working time over the past 3 months. The good news is it's small, doesn't require an extension cord and cuts as advertised. The bad up to yesterday was the battery life, but with two batteries I can work around that for small jobs. If I needed a tool to work more than 10 minutes at a stretch, this is not the one I would choose. (The Dremel likewise is not on my list of tools to own as the blades are inferior.)
Yesterday the PS50 lost 5 stars. While cutting thin alumimium guttering, the plastic sleeve that fits between the drive shaft housed in the main body of the tool and the gear in the head stripped. (If you remove the 4 bolts holding the metal head of the PS50 to the body of the tool you will see where the drive shaft fits into the head. Actually, the shaft fits into a removable plastic gear fitted into the metal head gear.)
While I can understand that a sacrificial plastic piece is better than possibly burning out the motor, I am surprised that it would strip under a moderate load, that I must take the tool to a service center to be fixed as parts are not orderable and finally that Bosch would engineer such a tool.
I'm definately going to check out the inexpensive universal blades I've seen advertised for the Fein tool and if satisfied I will be faced with the trauma of deciding which of my kids I will be selling to buy a Fein.

I bought this tool when it first came out for $179, I think. I loved it! This type of tool is very useful. I run home repair business and the oscillating tool has become one of my go to tools for many things. However, the cordless Bosch version of this tool leaves a lot to be desired, especially after using other tools. Its battery life is horrible. It is underpowered even when it does have a full battery. Mine also broke and had to fixed under warranty. The fixit guy said something about some cheap plastic part inside. I am a big fan of Bosch tools, but not this one. Honestly, my $30 Harbor freight tool out performs this tool hands down.

bought it for a small job, went through both batteries in about 10 minutes! its getting returned tomorrow. I should have read these reviews. Fein is too much $ so I ordered a rockwell sonic crafter.

I am a home improvement contractor and have found this tool to be very convenient. I have a corded multi function tool for any project that requires extended run time. This tool is great for small jobs in tight spaces(under sinks) or when you're up on a ladder. Don't think your going to power through hardwoods or metals with this tool whether it's cordless or electric. That is not what these tools are made for. The only negative I've found is the relatively short charge of the batteries. The unit comes with two but purchasing a third would be advisable. Overall the conveniency and sleek profile make this a nice tool.

I'm glad I didn't read the reviews here before I bought my mine. I could not have done the job without it.
I used this tool to help relocate my refrigerator from a different wall in the kitchen. This required moving a pantry that was integrated into my custom cabinets, i.e., cutting the cabinets in half. And moving the cabinets above the refrigerator to their new location.
I literally have cabinets that are half the size they used to be, cut in half by this tool (I used a radial arm saw to cut the doors to their new size).

When I went to the store I decided to spend the extra cash for the Bosch rather the the smaller Dremel version. I was very glad I did.

I had no problem with battery life, it just kept going, cut after cut.
I tried to understand how these other reviews could be bad and the only thing I could think of was this: This tool is a vibration tool and if you put it in a position where it cannot vibrate, like plunging very deep into solid wood, the tool will not be able to vibrate and therefore will not be able to cut and will burn up the battery quickly.

Bottom line is... This thing works and works in many situations. I'm hanging a fancy light in the kitchen this weekend and had to cut some drywall in the ceiling and replace an electrical box in the wall. All good examples of where I use this tool.