Bosch Reviews

Don't get me wrong - I love Bosch saws, in fact I got the Bosch 3915 compound sliding 10" mitersaw less than a year ago on Amazon for $379 - Which brings me to my point: This is a small light-duty table saw thats fine for small home projects, so why is it priced at $579!!!

I got a Ryobi tablesaw with almost identical specs (13 amp) on sale at Home Depot for $89 last summer (regular price is $99!), and Lowes has a Delta for about the same price. My Ryobi is cast aluminum table with a resin base, just like the Bosch. Sure this Bosch has it's "soft-start" motor, and it appears to have a domewhat better guide -- But is that worth $450 more???

No - I don't own this saw, and have never used it, and I'm sure it good quality, but again this (like my Ryobi) is a utilitarian tabelsaw and nothing more! And just think what other tools you could get with that extra cash!

I like the saw just fine. Its a bit heavy but still i can slide it into my van alone its just that the ruber handle needs wheels so you can roll it in rather than push it. If you have the grav-stand with wheels you'll know what i mean. I will have to make some kind of adapter or rest the handle on a plastic tray then lift and push it in. Also If you buy from amazon dont use eagal shiping 4 hours after it was droped off i had 2 mutts trying to break into my garage. The driver saw all my tools and made a phone call to his boys. i called the cops and eagal and my alarm company. free shiping almost emptyed my garage of tools

I have owned this saw for 3 years and have used it very heavily during this time. When I bought the saw, the gravity rise base wasn't available and the weight of the saw was an issue. I added the gravity rise after it became available and would strongly advise getting this great heavy duty stand with the saw.
Performance of the saw has been outstanding. I have used it for interior and exterior trim work and found the precision outstanding. Sure, it's a bit pricy but if you make your living as a carpenter, this saw is the one you can count on day in and day out.

I researched miter saws and read reviews, asked fellow contractors and what not, and decided to go with this instead of the hitachi 10" slider, because i noticed alot of complaints about the hitachi having way to much play with the slide rails. Amazon got the saw to me with a busted box and i dont know how it didnt fall apart carrying it to my door. So i opted to just open it up and see if anything appeared to be dammaged and it seemed fine. Took the saw out of the box and put it all together, and everything was off, the fence was way off, the bevel, miter, etc. So when i got that all squared up i cut a couple peices of 5 3/4 crown i had laying around flat, (yes it was 52Degree crown so the stops were at 31.6 and 33.9)
DIDNT LINE UP RIGHT AT ALL! Came to find that the table would lock into what degree you set in in but would have almost a full degree L & R of play. So where is it really being locked down at? .7 .2 ? I talked to a buddy of mine unfortunatly after a bought this saw and he said he had the same issue so i know it wasn't from the shipping. Unfortunatly issue wasn't adjustable so sent it back and got my refund with out a fuss, thanx amazon. Sux to because it seemed like a nice saw, just not acurate unless you dont do high end staingrade crown and cabinets and dont mind the caulk hehehe. Dont buy this saw if you want precession but if you dont mind your miters being off and dont do crown go for it, bitchin saw. By the way the fence is a 4" not a 4 1/2 so if you need to cut those 38 and 45 degree peices of crown be sure it isnt big because you wont be doing it against this little fence. Im gonna say screw a slider all together and get this beauty check this beast out (DELTA? Industrial Model 36-412 12" Dual Bevel Miter))

I am amazed there is such a difference of opinion about this saw. In my case, it required only minor adjustment right out of the box. After several months of use, the saw still cuts dead-on 90 degrees without any adjustment. I especially like the micro adjustment feature and use it frequently. Some complaints such as dust collection and less than premium saw blade are common to most saw brands. Really, to effectively collect fine dust from a miter saw you need to fit a dust hood behind the saw hooked to a very powerful dust collector. I agree with most of the positive comments other reviewers have made about the saw and would certainly buy it again.

After a whole lot of research on a lot of different brands of dual bevel miter saws Bosch came out on top for a number of reasons. The quality is top notch, it came out of the box staight and dialed in and needed no adjustments. I put it on a Craftsman stand and put it right to work. The saw performed perfectly and with out any problems I cut and installed all of my case mouldings. being that not all angles are created equal the fine adjustment feature came in very handy. The only complaint I have is the dust bag is not very useful...so I attached my shop vac to the dust bag port and solved almost all the dust problems. Bosch really delivered on the 4410L and I want to thank all of the folks that reviewed it.

I've had this kit for about a year. The jigsaw recently quit on me (after minor use), I could smell something in the motor burning. The power drill hand-tightened chuck seems loose and does not grip the bits well. The saw bits do not lock into the reciprocating saw well (they were third party bits though). And the circular saw is underpowered. The bag doesn't seem to be made for the kit either, it is too small with odd pockets. Next purchase will probably be DeWalt.

**Update**

This Bosch kit came with a 3-year "Proadvantage" warranty (which is a very good deal). Customer service was superb. I'm currently waiting on my jigsaw replacement now. So I'll upgrade my review from 2-stars to 3-stars.

When I was shopping around for a cordless combo kit Bosch was offering a free jigsaw and also a mail-in certificate for a free accessory with their 4-piece set. I chose a third battery as the free accessory because you can never have enough batteries when working with cordless tools. Also influencing my decision to purchase Bosch tools was the great reputation that their corded tools have. Plus you never see their cordless stuff on jobsites, and I wanted to stand out from the typical Dewalt user. I will be comparing these tools to Dewalt's because that's what I've used the most before this purchase.

Let's start out with the tool I use most, the hammerdrill/driver. It was the biggest disappointment in the whole kit. The auxiliary side hande would be a great addition to the tool if it actually worked. There is no way to attach it in a stable and safe manner due to the lack of notches or anything for it to grip on to. In fact, it seems as if the more you tighten the handle in place, the more likely it is to slip off. I think this is a huge safety issue, and I can't believe Bosch would sell such a cheap thing. As for the rest of the drill, it only has 2 speed settings, where Dewalts have 3. And compared to the Dewalt, Bosch's drill is extremely heavy and it's max rpm seems very slow. It does have a lot of torque, and works pretty good in hammerdrill mode.

The reciprocating saw was also a disappointment. At first it seems like a great tool with a lot of extras like 2 stroke length settings, the toolless blade clamp, and the pushbutton foot adjustment. The blade clamp is a joke compaired to Dewalt's. The blades seem to get jammed in there a lot and you can't undo the clamp without a pair of pliers. Overall, this sawzall vibrates way too much, and the dual stroke settings don't help this at all. Cutting metal conduit and threaded rod is a pain because this thing bounces all over the place. I think it has to do with the speed of the strokes, just like the drill it doesn't seem to have the speed of a Dewalt.

The circular saw is great. The only complaint I have is that it eats batteries very quickly. But this is a problem for all corless circular saws, and I would say that I like the Bosch better than the Dewalt corless saw.

The flashlight is a flashlight like all the others, but Dewalt's snakelight can be a lot more usefull. But I've seen a lot of those where the neck goes limp and then they become useless.

The jigsaw seems like a great tool but I haven't used it enough to give it an honest review. Bosch is known for having quality woodworking tools and this seems to be of very high quality.

The tool bag seems like a great idea but I began to dislike it after a while. There is almost infinite room for all your accessories but it just doesn't protect the tools like a hard case would. And as big as the bag is, it doesn't seem nearly big enough when all the tools are stuffed in it. Another thing I didn't like was the 1-hour charger that comes with the kit. Yeah it charges the batteries in about an hour, but it doesn't begin the charge until the battery cools down. Supposedly this is preserve the long life of your batteries but it is impractical in the real world. If you've just killed your battery using it, chances are it's too hot to be charged. So if it takes 1 hour for the battery to cool and another hour to charge, it's actually going to be 2 hours before that battery is charged and ready to use

So in conclusion, after about a year of using Bosch's cordless tools, I still feel I should have just stuck with Dewalt. In all fairness, I don't believe Bosch has been making cordless tools all that long and I'm sure they'll be making improvements over time.

I ordered this combo set back in July 2004 from Amazon based on reviews, an extra battery pack rebate, free shipping, and my experience with other manufacturer's products. I had the same problem as G. Shaw with the jigsaw. It smoked and stopped while working a fairly simple job. Thankfully I still keep my old corded tools around for just such occurrences. What really sets companies apart though is how they treat their customers.

We live in Ocean Springs MS and had decided to ride out hurricane Katrina at home which is several miles from the coastline. We have a bayou about a quarter mile from the house, but I have never worried about that as we are 20 - 25 feet above sea level. I had put my Bosch cordless tools and my portable tool box that holds my Craftsman's hand tools in the trunk of our car that was parked in our garage. I figured we would suffer wind and roof damage from Cat 3 winds and that would be the extent of our problems. However, around 10 AM Monday, Aug 29th, I found myself standing at my living room door with water up to my waist. Well to make a long story short, we lost 3 vehicles and the use of two homes, as my Mom is also my next door neighbor. It was several days before I could get to the tools and I thought they might have survived because the car appeared to be floating as I prepared my wife for moving into the attic -- Wrong. I found that my Bosch cordless tools and several batteries were severely corroded and the tool box was full of water. Lacking power, since the generator had been under water also, all I could do was let the tools air dry while I dealt with more pressing issues like throwing out furniture, carpet and saturated drywall.

Nearly 2 months after the storm with both houses in various stages of repair, I began looking at getting my tools repaired. I contacted Bosch and they gave me an address to ship my tools to for a "no charge inspection." I was at the post office the next day with my tools. Within a week I had my tools back, some were serviced and made like new and in the case of the drill, which had major problems, I got a replacement that looks either new or very near it. They even threw in a replacement battery. I really appreciate this type of service and it speaks well of the company. I can't speak of what other companies may be doing for its customers in similar circumstance, but Bosch treated me very well. As a homeowner and handyman, I always try to get the best value for my money and I think I made the right decision to go with the Bosch cordless tools. Thanks Bosch.

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Bosch invented them, black and decker destroyed Em!

This is the most accurate barrel grip we have in our cabinet and door company. This tool is just outstanding! I have a small problem with my right hand, turning my wrist is getting harder the more I build!

The ease of this tool in rotation gives me dead on cuts every time. If your working out a large template on a 4 X 8 sheet of 9 ply not a problem this tool will eat wood all day long!

The very problem most cabinet makers have is the saw dust getting on the cut line... Not with this tool. Directional air blows the lines clean for a perfect cut every time!

I have to give this tool a 9.5 out of 10.
Worth every dime!!

Having always used top handle jig saws in the past,
I thought I would replace my stolen jig saw with
this inovative barrel grip style.
It is everything as advertised. The barrel grip is
easy to hold and control, better in my opinion that
top handle styles. This saw is powerful and easily powers
through stock.
The only thing I could suggest improvement on is the Power
Switch. It is a thin surface mounted switch that is a bit
difficult to operate. For me, in one handed operation, it requires me to extend my thumb an unnatural distance to turn
it on and the same to turn it off. So with the saw running, I
have to extend my arm and contortion my thumb to turn it off.
This issue is minor trust me, the saw in total more than makes
up for it.

Someone finally got it right!

Starting with the blade install/removal. You push the blade into place. That's it, no tools, no twists, no turns or other mechanicions. Removal is even easier! Slide the release lever and the blade is ejected! This is the perfect blade handling system!!

The barrel design offers better control than traditional "top handle" models. For some this may be a matter of preference. This tool is an extension of my hand.

The (retractable) blade guide offers excellent stability for the blade. This is especially useful when cutting thicker (over 3/4") stock. This feature greatly reduces the blades tendency to "wonder" to the outside of a curve cut. This feature would typically not be used for sheet metal.

At over 6 amps, the 1591 is among the most powerful jig saws made. Despite the power, this unit is relatively vibration free. This is especially important for a barrel grip design, where you are basically holding the motor body. I have found this tool to be powerful enough to replace many reciprocating saw applications, while offering lighter weight and greater control.

The lone drawback to this design is the slide switch. While the speed is thumb wheel variable, it does not offer the variable speed trigger, common in top handle models (aka Bosch 1590). I have (and love) both models, but usually reach for the barrel grip model.

If a variable speed trigger were available on the barrel grip model, the saw would be perfect.

I am a homeowner in S Cal, and we hired a contractor for some backyard improvements. It turned out the guy really didn't know what he was doing. I got estimates of $3,600 to demo and remove his "work" and at that price I thought about doing it myself. Home Depot rents this same hammer for $76 a day or $240 a week, but I really don't like renting tools - I feel pressured to hurry up an get the job done and get the tool back to the store. Plus you have to work your ass off to get the job done in time. Since I bought this hammer, I can go out into the yard and bust concrete whenever I want. It chews through 6" concrete fairly easily - the hammer does most of the work. Even took out my 2' x 2' x 2' solid concrete with rebar foundations for some posts.

It weighs about 60 lbs so it can get a little heavy if your not use to it. I also bought the clay spade for digging out some new foundations. Again, the unit with the spade attached is getting up there in weight, but it sure chews throught the dirt and rock.

Once I am done with my project, I think I can sell it (if I want) for a pretty reasonable price, and recover most of my money - after all, they are considered "rental quality" I have been real impressed with Bosch and will continure to buy their products

I use t his breaker every day from digging to breaking up old concrete footer and it always gets the job i'v had it for over a year and havent had to service it yet I imagine its getting near that time but it has plenty of power to bust upsmaller portions(less than 2 yards of 3500 psi) concrete its also gtreat for bustin through shale and rock whilk digging. I know the one reviewer said it doesnt have the balls of a pneumatic but a pneumatic will cost you ten grand and you have to be able to get the heavy compressor near the job which can be a pain in the ass. I still use the pnuematic when i have alot of concrete to bust up or if it really hard 6000psi fiber reinforced stuff but for most smaller jobs this has more than enough power and the price ir right. I guess its sick when you say $1450 is cheap but in the demolition business nothing that works well and last is cheap so you learn to appreciate quality tools that allways start and thats was this hammer does

I bought this before Home Depot and everyone else started carrying them. Still a better deal @ toolcrib. I bought it to abandone my concrete septic tank and it worked perfectly. It only took about two hours to break up the lid, jump down inside, poke some holes in the bottom and finish crushing the lid into relatively small chunks. I have many more projects planned for it and I have to say it was worth it.

we have had trigger problems with every bosch tool in our shop period

I rarely write reviews but I always read them before buying a tool. I've owned this drill now for two years and am still impressed with it. I like it so much I'm getting one for my son who is starting his own collection of tools. After having it for two years I can't find one negative thing to say about it.

I love everything about this drill except for one small thing. I have been using this for one day, and as a prior reviewer mentions, this thing smells. If you have ever experienced a battery room for forklifts, etc in a warehouse you know the smell. Sort of like rotten eggs. I have no idea why this occurs or if it wears off over time. This came as part of BP-10CD, flash light, 2 batteries, and driver from Lowes on clearance for $219 - 10% discount = about $200. I don't think you can beat it. I am driving 1" holes in a maple work bench used forstner bits and this thing is killing it. Awesome.

I was really amazed at how smooth the operation is and the amount of wood you can hog out with this sander.
You can bear down on it and it won't bog, it has plenty of power.
The only problem I have is that the velcro pad doesn't hold the discs very tightly, even new out of the box.
I have a friend that uses them for production sanding and in about 4 months has gone thru 15 or more new backer pads on the 2 3725's he uses every day, the discs just start flying across the room.
I still have my old 3283 VSRO model and the pads on it grip the discs alot better.
This is a problem that Bosch needs to address, so that the sander will truly be a 5 star model.

I PURCHASED THIS AFTER MY DEWALT VS 5" QUIT. AFTER USING THE BOSCH, I WISH I NEVER PURCHASED THE DEWALT! THIS IS SUPERIOR IN EVERY WAY. I GETS THE JOB DONE MUCH FASTER AND IS NEAR DUSTLESS!(THE DEWALT LEFT A CLOUD OF DUST IN MY SHOP EVEN THOUGH I BLEW IT OUT FREQUENTLY. IF YOU'RE COMPARING THE TWO SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY AND BUY THE BOSCH...YOU WON'T BE SORRY!! IT WILL SAVE YOU SO MUCH MORE TIME THAN THE DEWALT IN ITS PERFORMANCE AND CLEAN UP!! WELL WORTH IT!!!

I purchased this orbital sander about a year ago, when I installed my wood floors. I absolutely loved it, and still do. It is quite the little workhorse. Just make sure you get the proper sand paper for it. It shreds the adhesive variety.

I recently purchased this router and within days of receiving it tried it out cutting mortise and tenons. While many of the features were nice I found the accuracy and ruggedness of the router to be lacking. The plunging action was fine except that the bit will move off of perpendicular due to lack of rigidity in the plunge mechanism and the rods the router moves on. I also own a Hitachi M12V and do not have a bit of problem with its plunging accuracy. I noticed this when I was using the router on my new Leigh mortise and tenon fixture. I have since put my Hitachin back on the jig fixture and am back in business.

Other features like the soft start are very nice. The micro adjust is ok but somewhat stiff to set. I have not spent much time looking at this feature and will see if I missed something in the instruction manual. The machine works fine as a pattern cutter and I have decided to keep it since I need a router for run of the mill operations.

I did a lot of research prior to buying this and am glad I did. I've had it for over 2 years now and really love it. After using various power tools from Bosch, Makita, Porter Cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Ridgid, Craftsman, Skil, Black and Decker, and Ryobi...only the first 3 I mentioned are in my top tier of toolmakers I really trust to make a good tool. With Bosch in particular, I know the tool will be well engineered to meet users' needs for: 1) comfort, 2) precision, and 3) performance.

The 1/2" and 1/4" shank adapters help because it give more flexibility in buying bits. When possible, buy 1/2" shank bits to minimize the vibration.

The variable speed is essential to control the velocity of the actual router bit cutters -- which will vary based upon the diameter of the bit itself and the RPM speed selected. Hence, for bigger diameter bits, lower RPMs are necessary. Speaking of using larger bits though, that is the only negative of this router, as a result of the opening in the base. That opening is around 2-1/2" so it makes it difficult to utilize the entire plunge distance with very large diameter bits (raise panel bits, etc.) that are bigger than the hole. It also makes it harder to change the bit and forces you to install the bit while the router is plunged. I knew if this before I bought it and still bought it over the Porter Cable 693VSPK which has a larger base opening. However, if large bits are used with the Bosch, it can be very dangerous if the plunge mechanism isn't tight.

I also use this occasionally in a router table. I suggest users that will use this router in a router table or with large diameter bits readjust the spring/plunge mechanism. I would disagree with one of the previous reviewers that said the plunge was ineffective. It is very effective when not used upside-down in a router table PROVIDED you tighten the plunge. However, by readjusting the plunge mechanism, you can make it even tighter and safer for router table use. Do a web search on how to make this adjustment, but it basically involves the loosening and repositioning of the plunge handle. It takes some trial and error...but it's worth it. Just be careful to control the plunge handle once you take off the handle screw so the handle (internally) does not detach from the end of the plunge spring completely like I did or it will turn a 10 minute task into a 25 minute task. After making this adjustment, the router's 13 lbs. of weight plus another 20-30 pounds of my pulling force weren't enough to budge the router at all in my router table.

Overall, this is my favorite tool and has turned me into a Bosch loyalist. I would buy this or the Bosch 1617EVSK if I needed to buy another router. If those weren't available, I'd get the Porter Cable which is comparable in price, a little better in performance, a tad less in precision, and a little worse in comfort, but unlike the Bosch, will work with most generic router accessories.

It was either this one or the Dewalt DW621, the two best routers in this class. For the readers sake I will compare its features to the Dewalt. Both machines are 2HP, both have a smooth plunge but the Dewalt wins in this respect. They both have dust extraction, Bosch via an attachment and the Dewalt built into one of the plunge posts. If you do not hook up the Dewalt's dust extraction you will inhale the dust and eat the chips. They both employ Soft Start and are variable speed with constant speed technology. As for motor noise the Bosch certainly wins, it has half the noise of the Dewalt, and is comfortable to operate without hearing protection. Both machines have micro adjustment knobs, the Bosch's can be adjusted while the plunge is locked, the Dewalt's cannot. The micro gauge reading on the Bosch is much easier to understand than on the Dewalt. I like the 1/8 step graduations on the depth stop rather than the three post adjustable on the Dewalt. This feature is a user preference you can make your own assumption. The base on the Bosch is larger and more conventional than the Dewalt's. As for quality you can't go wrong with either, time will tell. Bosch makes an excellent product, take the quality for the best and study the features you need.

I am a professional remodeler and have just about every tool on the market. I don't use it that often but this little saw comes to the rescue when no other can do the job. It's great at making perfect cuts on wall trim while the trim is on the wall (a rotary tool, sawzall, circular saw can also do this but with less accuracy) . It is very powerful for its size. The only drawback is that the blades are not designed to cut through metal (old houses are full of hard nails in unimaginable places) but a sales rep indicated that they are working on a metal cutting blade. All of my friends in the business are amazed at this saw and I can't understand why they all don't own one. Good job Bosch!

I received my Bosch 1650VSPKG via UPS yesterday. I was impressed with the speedy processing and delivery of my order (ordered Friday and received on Tuesday). The price was to my liking with a $10 coupon plus FREE shipping.

The small manual was printed on less than quality paper, but the instruction were straight forward.

The first thing I did was fine-tune the blade alignment; needed was a small T-square, small crescent wrench and a blade screwdriver.

I recommend permanently mounting the miter table attachment to a solid surface to eliminate viberation [that are likely to be caused by the loosening of the furnished mounting clamps].

Another suggestion would be to construct "extention wings", i.e., 6" to 12" on each end of the [pemanentaly mounted] Miter Table, to handle and stable the excessive lengths of wood.

I don't think the Workclamp is adequate to sufficiently hold the wood being cut. I'd suggest using a pair of hand spring clamps to do this job by clamping them over the Workpiece Fence holding the wood to be cut.

Replacement blades are available on a couple other websites. There was about a $2 differents per blade between the two websites I located.

The only drawback of this packaged deal was the flimsey carrying case. But, I can live with that.

A very clever tool with magnificent performance! This isn't a replacement for your circular saw or Sawzall (tm). But when you need it, absolutely nothing else on-the-market will do the job. Easily cuts through even when you need to begin your cut mid-sheet or mid-board -- with no pilot holes or wasteful pre-cuts. Surprisingly powerful, yet easy to handle even in awkward or confined spaces. I've never purchased a Bosch power tool, so can't yet comment on reliability. Regardless, this one is a real winner.

I am a carpenter and I do mostly finish work, I bought this drill about six months ago and it had a strange smell blowing out from the motor when I used it, I thought maybe it was dust in the motor from when it was assembled because nothing seemed to be wrong with it,it worked great nice torque well balanced the only thing I didn't like about it was it has terrible battery life but I did like the drill up until it just stopped working six months later with minimal use and I really never worked it hard when I did use it, I know its under warranty and I can get it fixed, its just inconvenient and this is the second bosch tool that was less than 6 months old that has had problems, I recently bought a bosch rotory tool and the motor smoked the first time I plugged it in, sent it back no problem but again inconvenient, I know bosch makes great tools but either I'm the most unlucky guy on the planet getting two lemons in a row or there's a problem with bosch quality control, on the good side amazon has taken care of any problems with products that don't work out and there customer service is outstanding , I would only buy here at amazon using the internet.that was in 2004 when they had the best customer service on the planet they are now outsourcing so there customer service is useless snotty and arogent so if you buy here make sure you get everthing perfect and hope for the best

This drill-driver out-works the competition in it's class. Ergonomically perfect, it is easy on the hand and wrist of operator....the balance is superb and more power than you will ever need.I highly recommend this tool for cabinet makers sun deck builders etc.

I replaced my old drill/driver (a 9 volt B&D that burned up) with this drill. Man alive! This thing has a lot of power. It is also very solidly built and is a sturdy tool. This drill has tackled several jobs that my old drill and several different borrowed drills couldn't handle. I am very pleased with this product and would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a new drill/driver!