Customer Reviews

Dremel 8000-03 10.8-Volt Lithium Ion Cordless Rotary Tool

5 star:		(123)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I've used Dremel tools for over 15 years now. I've mainly stuck with the corded ones, as the battery-powered versions tended to run out of charge quickly, had less RPM, were generally heavier and usually had a lot less torque.

The lithium version has none of these drawbacks. Because there's no cord it's more comfortable to hold (and much more convenient to use!), about the same weight as a corded model, and has plenty of RPMs and torque. Battery lifetimes are very good, and the "fuel gauge" seems to be reasonably accurate. (Exactly how long a charge will last depends greatly on what you're using it for--working on balsa wood uses a lot less power than, say, grinding metal.)

Battery charge times are quite short, about three hours to charge a completely empty battery. (But thanks to a "smart charger" it should only take a few minutes to charge it after a typical job.) An added bonus is that lithium batteries hold their charges practically forever, so there's no need to "trickle charge" them; just charge it back up after you're done with it and put it away, and it'll be ready to use the next time you need it.

The only nit I've found so far is the need to remove the battery to charge it. (This is probably for safety's sake.) It'd be slightly more convenient to just put the whole unit in the charger after use, but since it doesn't need charging that often this is really minor.

I'd consider this to be an entirely practical replacement for a corded Dremel. For everything I use my Dremel for (mostly small models plus the occasional home repair task) this one seems more than adequate. It's a sturdy unit that should last a long time.

My one concern about lifetime is how long the lithium battery will last; only time will tell.

I've been using Dremels for a long time and always wanted a decent cordless. With the advent of decent cordless power tools (the first one that I had that was actually useful for something was an 18 volt DeWalt drill that went right through stuff my corded drills wouldn't touch, but that's another story) I've been waiting for Dremel to come out with a good cordless.

I've been hesitant about the earlier cordless Dremels but this one looks like "it".

So far it's done everything I've asked it to do but I haven't asked it to do much--I got it specifically to deal with a piece of acrylic that my cordless Rotozip melted instead of cutting--I figured the adjustable speed on the Dremel would take care of that and was right.

Just an aside about stalling--if you're stalling a Dremel then it's time to take a good hard look at a Rotozip, which, if you've never played with one, is kind of a Dremel on steroids--Dremel has an equivalent, the "Advantage", but only the one model and not cordless.

The lack of a provision to charge the battery with the tool attached is just carrying through the current practice with cordless tools--it's assumed that one will have two batteries, one on the tool and one on charge if this is an issue. There's space in the case for a second battery.

A "gotcha" to be aware of with the lithium ion batteries, always store them charged--if they self-discharge below a certain point a protective circuit kicks in and they disable themselves--this is a safety issue--trying to recharge a lithium ion battery that is discharged below a certain point can result in an explosion (I'm not talking about a little spill--exploding lithium batteries in emergency-locator transmitters have brought down light aircraft).

The bundled accessories are, near as I can figure it:

Aluminum oxide stone #932 and #8193
Silicon carbide stone #84922
Aluminum oxide abrasive wheel #541
2 rubber polishing wheels #425
3 Large felt polishing wheels #429
5 Small felt polishing wheels #414
1 cutter, looks like a #181
1 drill bit, #150
1 Mandrel #401 (for felt pads etc)
1 Mandrel #402 (for sanding disks, cutoff wheels etc)
Sanding cylinder mandrels 1/4" and 1/2"
4 80 grit 1/2" sanding cylinders
3 120 grit 1/2" sanding cylinders
4 80 grit 1/4" sanding cylinders
3 120 grit 1/4" sanding cylinders
11 sanding disks
17 cutoff wheels, 3 are thicker than the others, the others are in two containers of 10 and 4 but can't tell any difference between them.
1 wrench with screwdriver tip that fits screws on mandrels
1 case with a good deal of unused storage even after all the accessories are stored.

Mine is utilized for robotics projects--it finds a lot of uses with metal. I also bought the press accessory with it. This little accessory helps me make straight cuts and drill holes.

I'm telling you, I use this thing constantly and it works like a champ! It is powerful enough for me to cut all my brass and aluminum with the precision of that of a doctor. For as handy as this tool is--I'd pay twice as much to get one if need be. I've had mine for 5 months too.

One HUGE word of advice. WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES! I know this may sound lame, but it saved my @ss!!! When cutting some tubing, my disk exploded at full RPM's and the shrapnel hit me in the goggles. (Of course I had my fat head over top of it while I was cutting) Just be careful. The tool is A+, but the little thing could be dangerous if you slack on the safety.

I bought one of these at a local brick & mortar store for a project I'm working on. I am impressed with the power of the device and it is a really neat tool, but unfortunatley I've already had to return two of them for a defective speed control. While using it, the first one all of a sudden just jumped up to full speed and stayed there regardless of where the speed control was set. In other words, it was no longer variable. The second one did the same thing. Since I saw replacement brushes available for their tools (and therefore they must consider it somewhat user serviceable) I decided to open it up and see what it looked like inside. One of the transistors on the circuit board had gotten warm enough to melt the solder and shorted out two of the pins on the transistor. I'm on my third one now (just returned them at the store) and I first bought one about 2-1/2 weeks ago. Great tool but Dremel needs to work on their quality control.

I've been using Dremel tools for about 10 years in my model making hobby/crafts, working mostly with soft plastic resin and soft and hard woods. I never had a problem with the corded tools and currently own 2 corded models (the pro with the digital speed control and the newer XPR after my 395 model was stolen). I thought I'd give going cordless a try, particularly since this tool didn't seem to be lacking in power. The speed controller burned out after 2 months of moderate use (sanding, cutting soft resin). I don't know if it was a lemon since it was working fine for two months. It now is only a two-speed, on and off. I'm sending it back to Dremel for service since it's obviously still under warranty but to pay for shipping myself and not even have an RMA to feel secure about sending it in with doesn't strike me as good customer service. At least they're not charging me (as far as I know) to ship it back after they're done fixing it. As a long time Dremel customer, I'm disappointed both with the product and the lack of customer support.

UPDATE: I only think it's fair to follow up from my first negative review with the results of my return. I got around to sending the unit off for repair about a month after my review. I got it back from Dremel about 10 days after sending it (by First Class USPS). It came back by UPS. I can't tell if they fixed my old unit since it was fairly new when I sent it in, but what I got back was in like-new condition, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't someone else's refurbed unit, anyway. This one is still fine after over a year of use, so much so that the battery is starting to lose its ability to hold a charge--the way a well-used cordless tool should work. Yay, Dremel. They also sent me a flap-wheel attachment for my trouble. It's still in the package--I haven't found a use for it yet, but it's the thought that counts, I guess. If I could change my rating based on my experience with the repair, I would--to 4 stars. It's a good tool with good power. No cord means more mobility and in fact I've used it outside on my car or up on a ladder plenty of times, but battery is also less power.

Finally, a cordless rotary tool that holds it charge while being stored. Now I don't have to worry about charging my tool's batteries the night before I need it for a project. And the Lithium Ion batteries are environmentally safe--unlike Nickel Cadmium batteries.
This tool is surprisingly smooth, yet seems as powerful as my old standby corded Dremel Model 395. At 35,000 RPM it is the fastest cordless rotary tool I've seen on the market. I like the sleek, ergonomic design. Based upon my previous experience with Dremel tools, I expect this tool to be trouble free for a long time.

I've used Dremel tools for years, but never actually owned one, so this year, after taking up RC airplane building as a hobby (Dad really wanted a boy ;-) ), I decided to go with the Li-Ion Model 8000. The Li-Ion technology is incredible, plenty of power, no memory effect, keeps it's charge...just about perfect.

One of the reasons I went with a Dremel was the attachments, here's where the disappointment comes in...many of the attachments don't fit this model (I hope I can add the word "yet"). So if you're ordering this and it's your only Dremel, make certain the attachment says it fits the 8000...don't assume, like I did, that there is backwards compatibility...there isn't. I learned this the hard way with both router table and hand-held router.

If you're considering this, an incredibly handy addition is the chuck...no more messing with collets...hooray! Also, you'd be wise to buy the 145 piece accessory kit, it adds a lot more versatility in cutting, shaping, and grinding.

All said, this is one of my favorite tools...now if Dremel would make some cool accessories that fit it, I'd be giving this five stars, rather than four!

I had a dream I could find a small, rotary power tool that I could easily wield in one hand with accuracy approaching a dentist's drill. It was a tool not only convenient in size but did not have a heavy cord constantly "catching" on my chair, back of my arm, on the corner of the table etc. It was nearly as powerful as a corded version and ball-raced so it was quiet and smooth in operation. At my local home store amid the squeaking and clattering of lumbar carts and smell of cut pine I was awakened to the realization my dream may have come true...and her name was Dremel?? (Dr.Freud would have fun with me) The Dremel Model 800 Lithium-Ion Cordless (not 8000 as Amazon states) will not replace an orthodontist's precision $1000, stainless instrument. At under $ however, it's about as close as it gets. No dreaded anticipation here as this little Dremel is quite fun.

I have owned three Dremels, this is number three and my first cordless. The previous two worked adequately, nothing to shout about just did their job as expected. I would never purchase Dremel's previous cordless models and haven't to date. Small, cordless tools usually equate to poor power and no torque. There have been several earlier models at 7.2v and 4.8 termed MultiPro and MiniMite respectively. The consensus I've found were that torque and power were abysmal. I had a great deal of concern regarding this "new version". Would it actually replace my corded Dremels? In a word, yes.

With Lithium Ion technology, both torque and power (length of use) I found impressive. It exceeded my expectations. This is not a last minute, dump-something-on-the-market product from Dremel. I have the impression they really put some R&D into it. I don't know if the torque is equal to my corded. I can't tell the difference. (A compliment in disquise) The battery lasts longer than anticipated, again another compliment. The 3 LEDs are of questionalbe accuracy, but a nice benchmark to go by. The variable speed dial is quite accurate on mine, allowing me to speed up or slow down with a great deal of control. The fit and finish is as good as any previous model. The battery is easily attached/removed and quite cute. "Why does it remind me of a shoe off a Cabbage Patch doll?"

My only significant complaint is ergonomics. I fully admit this may be subjective. As can be seen, the tip has a rubber-like covering for better tactile feel and grip. It is also indented or tapered on the sides and underneath. It feels awkward to me. I think the problem could have been remedied if the tapering circumscribed the entire tip rather than just the sides/bottom. I'm pretty average when it comes to the size of my paws. I couldn't imagine someone with dainty fingers trying to hold this thing with one hand and getting maximum precision. The tool's weight is primarily at the other end, so the tip constantly wants to lift up (battery other end drops down). The center of gravity is toward the back 1/3 of the tool. Similarily for those with large paws I would think the difficulty might arise from the tip being rather narrow and the shaft lock button easily pressed. My solution? I use it inverted with LEDs facing down. This way I don't accidently hit the shaft lock button with my forefinger and the tapering on the bottom is more adapting for it (forefinger).

"Bling". Something that pleasantly surprised me was the ability to use many of the same accessories the corded models utilize. I shop for many mini tools from Micro-Mark, a small tool speciality site. In their catalogs it explicitly states the Right Angle Drive, Dremelite, Flexible Shaft and Plunge Router Attachment accept the 800 series, the only cordless model. This makes a huge difference to me as it now opens the world to most of Dremel's attachments for cordless use and at the same time doesn't make my corded model a dinosaur. Best of both worlds, cordless capablity with corded power and attachments, great! The case is another nice surprise. My previous Dremels had tiny, cheap cases that were clearly designed for light hobby use only. This case "appears" like it could be dropped off your roof and survive (no I haven't tried, I don't need Freud's advice that badly). Except for it's plastic hinge, it is of a build similar to my Bosch, Makita and Porter Cable tool cases. It's quite sturdy, capable of holding the unit, charger, accessories and two batteries (one battery in unit). It will also hold the manual in it's lid. A capable design.

The Dremel gets five/five stars not because it's perfect as the ergonomics are a bit quirky (to me), but there's nothing currently on the market that equals the Model 800 in price and capability. It's the best of its current class.


The Pros:

***No more cord!
***Impressive torque and power (for cordless)
***Pretty good compatibility with Dremel accessories
***Three LED power status indicators
***Convenient well designed case (will also hold extra battery)
***Price. (If purchased at Amazon or on discount elsewhere)

The Cons:

***Price. Accessories = profits. Xtra battery? Ouch!
***Ergonomically formed handle?
***Get it here or on sale. (Prices vary greatly for this unit)

Summary: Corded capability in a mini rotary and no "strings attached" is now reality. No more dreaming.

I wish I'd bought one years ago. I've only had it for a month, and I've used it several times. I do wish, however, that I'd bought it at Sears. They sell it for $65.
Edit: When I reported the price at Sears to Amazon, Amazon matched Sears price, lowered their price from $75, and gave me a refund on the difference, accounting for the tax that I would have paid here in Indiana. i.e., Amazon stays up with and ahead of competition. I even got free delivery.

I have owned a dremel corded tool for about 10 years. I wanted a cordless dremel to use at work. I bought a 7.2v cordless...but I did not use it. It did not have enough speed on the high end 15,000 rpm's. I took it back...for a refund. I looked at the 9.6v cordless dremel,but it was too long...the 10.8v cordless dremel... Light weight,fabilous battery, the control knob a plus...I have had it for 1 month and no complaints.