Bosch PMF 180 E Multifunctional Allrounder Oscillating Multi-Tool with Cutting Discs, Saw Blades and Sander Sheets

After much deliberation over whether to buy the original Fein multimaster I chose this far cheaper option and have absolutely NO REGRETS whatsoever.
I have used it for flooring, removing coving, repairing badly plastered walls, detailing work, tiling and it has never let me down. The accessories in this kit would cost a fortune over the Amazon asking price and I would say represent excellent value compared to the basic option which only contains the sander pad, plunge cut and bimetal semicircular blade.

You can get the generic sanding sheets much cheaper in the pound shops and on ebay, so don't pay the extortionate prices asked for Bosch originals, as there really is no difference. The one thing I would criticise is the flimsiness of the sanding pad which utilises the velcro hook and loop fastening to hold the sanding sheet in place. I have found that when detailing the pad can easily burn through and wear down especially on the apices which you mainly use. Bosch have changed the design over the past 6months with a softer white rubber beneath the hook pad but it's still prone to burn through so be careful and keep the pressure light and the speed low when doing the detailing work.

If you are a reasonably competent DIY (or maybe even a beginner) this is an ideal tool for the right job.
The one star review of spares is woefully out of date - just look anywhere and spares can be obtained.
The report on danger when retightening - does anyone REALLY mess aroung with the sharp end of an electric device without unplugging - madness.
So here goes...
I bought this to aid fixing laminate flooring around doors. I needed something easier than a handsaw to cut the architrave horizontally to allow the flooring to slide underneath. There is no doubt in my mind that it saved me a lot of time and my idea of buying this, rather than get someone else to come in, saved my a lot of money.
The two blades supplied are a very fine cut and I started cutting with the semi circular vibrating cutter (it does not revolve, just vibrates when cutting) and finished off, where needed, with the chisel-like attachment. Eventually they did blunt but are still usable after cutting out 2 doors both sides and another two on one side only. I also had to cut an awkward piece at the bottom of the stairs as well as undercutting the bottom stair around a bend slightly. The bottom stair has a curve and I didn't want to try and measure the curve so cut it approximatley and used the semi cicular tool to cut a curve made with a pencil line. I do have a jigsaw but this was fine for this particular job. I finished off in some parts using the tool vertically to cut my new flooring to a better matched shape. All in all 5 stars
BUT
I thought... how about trimming the bottom of a door where it scraped across my new floor, and also against the kitchen floor tiles. Neither was a major problem but has annoyed me for ages. I used a wall paper scraper flat on the floor where the door scraped, used the chisel attachment with the tool held verticall and the chisel attachement on top of the scraper (to protect the existing flooring slowly pulled the door over the top. This was an unbelievable success. As long as I went slowly, there was no splintereing as the tool attachments are a very fine cut.
Another 5 stars.

Any DIY person will know to let the tool do the work and not press too hard. This is the same here. use it gently and if necessary you can start with the tool and mix it with a handsaw for various jobs.
I have a circular saw for bigger jobs but this really is a beauty.
If the pictures don't show it properly, the bolt (that can be tightened OK) is not proud to the attachments, allowing the attachments to be used on a flat surface As I have tried to descibe when trimming the bottom of the door.

A very good piece of equipment !

I have owned this tool for less than a week. I am not a professional, but would say I am a fairly competent DIYer. My reason for purchasing this tool was to cut solid wood flooring in front of a fireplace opening so that a hearth could be laid. I do not know anybody who owns this tool already, so took a bit of a gamble buying it, however it was very competitively price (69.95) at a local major DIY store here in Ireland and I just happened to spot it on my weekly recce of the tools area!

My first impressions are that this is an incredibly useful tool. The fact that the blade oscillates rather than rotates means that you can work in very tight spaces. It also does not suffer from the 'grab' that say an angle grinder would. It is also a tool that requires no practice to get a very proffessional result. I made a test cut using some old skirting, then just went for it cutting a 16" x 55" recess in a very expensive wood floor! The result was perfect with the tool cutting right up to the chimney breast with no problem at all. Even the wife was impressed. I have since found several other sanding and cutting uses for it as we are in the process of refurbishing a house. The tool is very easy to control and comes with several useful accessories plus a sturdy carry case.

Pros: No experience needed, very little dust, very thin and accurate cutting, faster sanding than a standard delta sander, incredibly light and easy to control, good price

Cons: Accessories seem a little difficult to find, does not fit in carry case when the plunge cutter is fitted (this really is nit picking)

Would I buy it again? Absolutely - I don't know what I did before I had it!