Dremel has come out with a new cordless Ultra-Saw, but the bigger story here is that they are launching their first-ever 20V Max cordless power tools.
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You would be forgiven for thinking that the new Dremel 20V Max 2Ah battery resembles Bosch’s 18V battery, as Dremel is a Bosch brand.
At this time, there is no indication of cross-platform compatibility. Dremel’s 12V Max cordless power tools and batteries are not compatible with Bosch’s 12V Max system. It’s uncertain if Dremel and Bosch decided to make this 20V Max system more user friendly. We reached out to Dremel and will update this post once we hear back.
Update: Dremel 20V Max WILL be compatible with Bosch’s 18V System!
The new Dremel 20V Max battery charger also closely resembles the slower charger Bosch has been bundling with their cheaper tool kits, most notably their holiday-season 18V Freak impact driver special buy kit.
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The new Dremel cordless Ultra-Saw, their first release in the Ultra-Saw product line since its debut 6 years ago, comes bundled with a couple of accessories. There will be a 1-battery tool kit and a 2-battery tool kit. Additional batteries will also be available.
Dremel boasts having the largest accessory system in this category, with 7 Ultra-Saw accessories available for different cutting needs.
The Ultra-Saw uses 3-1/2″ cutting wheels.
The Ultra-Saw can handle metal-cutting tasks, with their US510 cut-off wheel.
It can also cut tile, with their diamond-grit blade, US540.
Dremel also has a 4″ wood-cutting blade, US600, that has a “dome shape” so as to allow for flush-cutting.
It appears that the new Dremel cordless Ultra-Saw comes with a wheel of each of these 3 styles, as well as a dust collection adapter, removable auxiliary handle, edge guide for rip-cuts, and tool bag. The kits come with 1 or 2 batteries and a charger.
Dremel cordless Ultra-Saw features include a soft start motor, metal guard, and a design that allows for a clear line of sight for precise cuts.
Price: $179 for the 1-battery kit (US20V-01), $229 for the 2-battery kit (US20V-02).
Additional batteries are $70 each (B20V20).
Buy Now: 1-Battery Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: 2-Battery Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: Dremel Battery via Amazon
Discussion
I did not see this coming.
It has been many years since Dremel has introduced any new 12V Max cordless power tools, and while their Ultra-Saw has persisted on the market, their list of 7 compatible accessories has remained unchanged since the saw’s debut in 2014.
It is surprising that Dremel’s first cordless 20V Max power tool is an Ultra-Saw. I would have perhaps expected to see a cordless version of their Saw-Max, which has a 3″ wheel size similar to Milwaukee’s M12 cut-off saw, but I can see reasons why they wanted a cordless Ultra-Saw instead, with its 3.5″ and 4″ accessory sizes.
Here’s a list of Dremel Ultra-Saw accessories, taken from my 2014 post:
- 4″ paint and rust surface prep wheel, US400
- 4″ diamond surface prep wheel, US410
- 4″ carbide wood-cutting wheel, US500
- 3.5″ metal-cutting wheel, US510
- 3.5″ masonry cutting wheel, US520
- 3.5″ diamond tile-cutting blade, US540
- 4″ wood flush-cutting wheel, US600
- 6-piece cutting wheel set, US700
Buy Now: Ultra-Saw Accessories via Amazon
There will also be a new Dremel Ultra-Saw US40-04 kit, which appears to be the same corded saw but with a smaller accessory bundle. This new 3-accessory set is priced at $130, but at the time of this posting, you can buy a 5-accessory kit for $109 (Dremel Ultra-Saw kit US40-03).
Buy Now: Ultra-Saw Corded Kit
See Also: Larger Ultra-Saw Kit
It’s good to see Dremel keeping things fresh and surprising.
Now here’s the big question – will this be the start of something bigger, or is Dremel 20V Max destined to be a very limited cordless system? One possibility is that it could be Bosch and Dremel’s answer to competing DIYer-focused cordless power tool systems. If you recall, Bosch sold Skil to a different brand, and they’re doing a lot with it.
Or, will this be the first and only tool in the Dremel 20V Max lineup, similar to how their 12V Max system presently exists only to serve a single cordless rotary tool.
We asked Dremel for more details and are also waiting to hear back as to whether Dremel’s 20V Max cordless power tool system is compatible with Bosch’s 18V cordless power tools and batteries.
Update: Dremel 20V Max WILL be compatible with Bosch’s 18V System!
While Dremel-Bosch compatibility seems logical, Dremel and Bosch have a history of avoiding this, not just with their cordless power tool systems, but also with accessories such as with their oscillating multi-tool blade interface systems. Dremel 20V Max and Bosch 18V compatibility is absolutely a very pleasant surprise.
Mosh
I would have just wished they would have had a drill and impact for there 12v line so my batteries just wouldn’t be for only one tool (Rotary) hence another battery platform….
Tom D
It boggles my mind that companies that own multiple brands don’t use the other brand’s battery (like they’re doing with the 18/20V here, thank goodness).
Having two systems in your garage isn’t a major issue (I have M12/M18 and it’s pretty painless) – but having ONE TOOL with one or two batteries almost guarantees you’ll only find a dead battery when you need it.
JD
How much interest is there in another battery platform for a niche brand? I could see using the corded tool, but if you used this frequently, I imagine it would chew through batteries pretty quick. If it takes Bosch batteries, then it has a chance. If it doesn’t, I don’t see it selling well at all. Even if it does take Bosch I think it will be a low volume product.
There just aren’t good enough reasons to invest in Bosch Cordless, much less Dremel Cordless.
Tom M
Why wouldn’t they make it cross-compatible with the larger Bosch battery system? This would have been an excellent way to introduce the Bosch battery alliance idea to North America and start building it out across multiple brands, both in-house and external. It seems like a missed opportunity to build relevance and introduce Dremel DIY-focused users into the more extensive Bosch platform afterwards.
Stuart
Some users would inevitably try to use the Dremel battery on heavier duty Bosch tools and blame the Bosch tool for any reduced performance they might experience.
skfarmer
i am not following you. i assume the dremel battery is in that 1 1/2-2 amp hour size. almost every tool mfg has a small battery in that 18/20v, 1 1/2 -2 amp hour size and i assume bosch does as well. i know there are some dumb people out there but the vast majority know that when you use a small battery on a heavy duty tool performance can be reduced and runtime is greatly reduced . i hope you are not thinking that bosch or bosch tool users aren’t smart enough to figure that out. it just doesn’t seem like an issue to me. it doesn’t seem to be an issue in other brands, why would it be with bosch?
Stuart
This was when we were still talking hypotheticals.
“ Why wouldn’t they make it cross-compatible with the larger Bosch battery system?”
So I gave a possible answer.
Why else weren’t the 12V Max tools and batteries compatible from the start?
Consider Black & Decker and Dewalt. Both might have 1.5Ah batteries, but that doesn’t mean they have comparable power output capabilities.
I still get customer service emails from people that think I can somehow help with their Home Depot, Lowe’s, Dewalt, orders. I have learned not to make assumptions.
Dremel’s response suggests the battery and charger tech are Bosch. If there was a difference in battery performance or power, you could be sure that they would have blocked compatibility in some way as with the 12V system.
Scott K
So, does this mean that Bosch 18v batteries will work in these tools but Dremel batteries won’t work in Bosch 18v tools?
Stuart
No. This comment was posted before we knew there would be compatibility.
jsbson
Didn’t the the 12V max oscillating tool come first? Bosch batteries fit if you remove the part that latches to the tool. It’s the only difference I can see. Chargers work on both. Most knock off batteries come with two plastic clips, one for each platform. You can use the Dremel mount on a genuine Bosch battery after removing the original from the Bosch battery. Or move it from a Dremel battery to a Bosch. Some do appear to be fastened better than others.
Stuart
It’s a moot point, as 8300 isn’t in stock anywhere that I have seen.
But…
I posted about the 8200 rotary tool in April 2010: https://toolguyd.com/dremel-8200-lithium-ion-cordless-rotary-tool/
And the 8300 Multi-Max later that June: https://toolguyd.com/new-12v-cordless-dremel-multi-max-oscillating-tool/
So… the rotary tool came first. =)
8100 and 8220 tools came later, in May 2020: https://toolguyd.com/new-dremel-8100-8220-cordless-rotary-tools/
“It works if you modify it” isn’t cross-platform compatibility in my book, as I cannot encourage such modifications.
Jorn
I’ve never used one of these types of saws before.
It appears to be an angle grinder with a shoe and the head rotated 90*.
I’d be surprised if you couldn’t use this saw with a Bosch 18v battery, they appear to be identical (as you’ve mentioned).
Koko The Talking Ape
There are at least a few similar saws. One is a DeWalt 4 1/2″. Another is a Milwaukee 3″ “cut-off tool”, though it’s 12 volt and apparently not designed for cutting wood. Other people can probably name more. They seem popular with electricians, installers, I don’t know who else.
I got a 6 1/2″ Dewalt circular saw for some of the same jobs this Dremel is intended for, namely breaking down sheet goods (but faster, with more power, and probably a wider variety of blades available.) But if I ever need to cut up a lot of steel angle stock or sheet metal, I might get that Milwaukee cut-off tool.
Dave
Sheet metal actually cuts better by far with a diamond blade in an M18 grinder than it does with the 12v cut-off tool. Exponentially better. I cut quite a bit of 36” wide ribbed metal siding and I’ve tried about every way possible.
Place a piece of Gorilla tape on the edge of the head of the m18 grinder (To keep from scratching/scuffing the siding as the head slides along) equipped with a diamond cut-off blade, adjust the guard appropriately, lay the grinder on its side and let the taped portion of the side of the head glide along the siding.
DO NOT use a grinding wheel or a “normal” thin cut-off wheel as the sand,grit/whatever flings everywhere (including towards your eyes). Only use a diamond-impregnated metal wheel…..
Koko The Talking Ape
Hm, good to know. What size wheel did you use?
Dave
Use the size that the tool is suppose to have. In my case, 4.5”.
Koko The Talking Ape
Also, the M12 cutoff tool has a shoe and a blade guard, which is partly what drew me to it. That plus the reversible blade rotation should keep grit out of your eyes I thought. Am I wrong?
Dave
Diamond wheels rock. Abrasive wheels WILL put grit in your eyes eventually. Obviously never use either without eye protection, but the sheer volume of what’s flying off of the abrasive-type wheel ( they wear down very rapidly) will somehow end up in your eyes at some point.
Cheaper to use diamond wheels also. Costs maybe $30 for a good one and will outlast dozens and dozens of $3 apiece abrasive cutoff wheels.
fred
This style (or at least shape) saw – in the form of a Makita 9.6V NiCad tool – was a favorite of trim carpenters. Makita also had a version that came with a water bottle and diamond grit blade for cutting tile/glass. Fast forward a bunch of years and Makita sells a 12V LiIon version as the SH02Z for carpentry
https://www.amazon.com/Makita-SH02Z-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Circular/dp/B01DZJDTBY
and the CC02Z for tile.
https://www.amazon.com/Makita-CC02Z-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Glass/dp/B01G8HRHKO
Koko The Talking Ape
fred,
Those Makitas look interesting. Any idea how they’d do cutting sheet metal? And does anybody complain about them being blade-right?
skfarmer
this just seems like a weird move to me. dremel is noted for being in the compact/hobby tool market . hardly seems like a place where 18/20v is needed and then come out with a one tool and one tool only platform.
the only way i see this having any real success is if they ventured into some subcompact tool line. i could see dremel offering a such line with a 1/4-3/8 drill, sabre saw, one handed recip saw, sander, light etc. i could see the die hard dremel guys buying into that.
maybe this is just the first tool in a new platform but at least hinting towards it may entice some people to buy into it,
Tom D
I didn’t know Dremel was a Bosch brand.
Perhaps Bosch will sunset “Bosch” in the United States and replace it with other brands.
I would probably pay more attention to a Dremel-brand cordless OMT than I would a Bosch, even if they were the same.
John
Bosch is such a superior brand to Dremel. Dremel schmemel. Robert Bosch USA is just not doing everything they should be to promote and sell Bosch in this country.
JoeM
Sad but true. Bosch USA keeps passing down awful Bosch products (that is, tools that would be sub-standard for Bosch users.) to the Dremel brand, in the hope that the better-known name recognition of Dremel in the North American market will have the tool sell better.
The only TRUE Dremel products are their fine precision products. Rotary Tools, the Moto Saw (The motorized coping saw, not the SawMax or UltraSaw.), and the Versatip 1550 and 2000. The Versa cleaning tool is still… iffy. It’s only Dremel, but it’s got a lot of flaws that are straight out of Bosch’s handbook for mistreating Dremel. There have been a few other tools they stopped producing, but were 100% Dremel. The 6500 Sharpening Station, for example, I own, I use occasionally, and fits right in on the Dremel scale of things.
Tom D
It’s so sad too because dremel is so famously “the rotary tool” just like every reciprocal saw is a sawzall. Such a shame they don’t live up to the name the way they could.
JoeM
And it’s REALLY only the MultiMax, SawMax, and UltraSaw doing all this damage to Dremel.
The Bosch Oscilating Tool, with the Starlock interface? See how many ToolGuyd users love it, you’ll be shocked. Bosch Grinders and other mini saw tools? Ask the European users how much they like their Bosch editions.
Then compare the sheer STATS on the Dremel MultiMax, SawMax, and UltraSaw lines, to their Bosch cousins. There are some who swear by the Dremel MULTIMAX, but the other two? I’m honestly shocked they didn’t get discontinued like the Dremel Trio. Which I’m sure was a great design, and quite innovative… but it wasn’t a Dremel, and it didn’t fit in anywhere in Dremel, no matter how hard they tried. It basically just had a two-position locking mechanism so you could use it as a combo cut-out tool, and router. Which, in DREMEL User lingo basically shoots it in the foot. Because the MultiMax AND the Rotary Tools could do EXACTLY THE SAME THING. The overlap was just too much. Now the Trio is discontinued, and those who ever bought it are up a creek without a paddle.
I’m not going to mince words on this… This SHOULD be a Bosch tool, not a Dremel. Dremel needs to be cleared out of all the Bosch-Centric tools, and their MultiMax Blades and Unique Innovations handed off to one of the other cousin brands. Diablo? Freud? BOSCH? The manufacturing quality would go up, and we wouldn’t lose the innovation. All we’d lose is this weird tendency to think Dremel is some sort of North-America specific Super-Brand that people impulse-buy from. The reality is, Dremel has always been a very Niche brand, and Dremel USA has their thinking about the Dremel brand backwards.
That’s about it. Tiny flaw. Not surprised it’s because of the marketing departments. I say it again, the mount for the battery looks REMARKABLY like those phantom orbital sanders from Bosch that got on Stuart’s Radar earlier this week. That’s proof enough to me that this battery factor would work well for BOSCH Tools, including moving this UltraSaw over to that brand, and cancelling these saws on Dremel. It would make everyone’s life much easier.
I don’t know WHY Robert Bosch USA seems to think Dremel needs these extra “Homeowner” grade tools. Dremel is a Hobby Niche company. Why Dremel has a Laser Cutter and a 3D Printer, for that matter… Boggles the mind.
Lyle
I have the Bosch version of the cordless Dremel rotary tool. It’s the best in the business. I ordered from Amazon.de. Takes the same 12V batteries as the rest of the sold in USA Bosch 12V tools and is compatible with all of the Dremel accessories that I’ve bought so far. Bosch does make some good stuff, unfortunately they don’t sell everything in the US.
JoeM
That is the problem I have with Bosch USA. There’s no good reason to have the clearly-Bosch tools branded Dremel in North America. They’ll still be awesome as Bosch.
Matt
Not to be all Debbie Downer or anything but this is a weird product… the tool itself looks oriented towards hobbyists (and there’s nothing wrong with that), but the applications (cutting tile, metal and lumber) are things DIY/pros would presumably do with heavier tools. So what’s the market? If it were corded and I had some niche use for it I *might* consider it but in a cordless system I’m not bought into? No way. I’m biased given a shop full of M12/M18 but even if I was new to the game and looking to buy into a system there doesn’t seem to be enough depth to the Dremel/Bosch lineup to make that a compelling option. [scratches bald head, drinks coffee]
Scott K
My guess is that this appeals to people who want a tool that isn’t as intimidating, but is capable enough to handle a variety of smaller jobs around the house. I have a few Dremel tools that I’ve used for various tasks- cutting down plywood, trimming wire shelving, etc.
JoeM
It does make sense they would do this to the UltraSaw, as they intended the UltraSaw to be a replacement for the SawMax. Or, at the very least, an UPGRADED SawMax line. It makes sense they would give the power update to the more powerful tool.
Anybody else seeing the striking similarity between this Dremel monstrosity and those two phantom Bosch sanders from a few days ago? The 18/20 Volt mount is identical, and it has the slightly curved profile.
Tom D
Maybe we’ll see one in Bosch tradedress soon – perhaps in Europe?
JoeM
I’m hoping the Bosch brand of power tools takes the MultiMax, SawMax, and UltraSaw back from Dremel and uses them the way they were meant to be used. As Bosch Power Tools. I hope it happens World-Wide, and the focus Dremel has for Hobbyist tools gets the major focus again. We’ve had a handful of small updates to the Rotary system, but there have been some major “Dog Looking At You Like You Did Something Weird” types of releases.
About the only GOOD recent releases were the Dremel Stylo corded Mini Tool, and the 4300 Corded Updated Top-End Rotary. A precision tool, and a powerful rotary tool. Great updates. The Dremel Go!, Dremel Lite, Dremel Flashlight, and Dremel Velocity Oscilating Tools? Bad for Dremel, Bad Products as a whole. Remake them with BOSCH though? Dremel Lite aside, they would all be better products. Bosch is truly a superior tool quality brand than Dremel is. With the Rotary Tools, the housings being more lightweight makes a lot of sense, and that’s where Dremel shines. But all these built-in batteries, and weird form factors? They need Bosch builds. They need to NOT be so light weight that they shake themselves to bits, or blow their motors out. Under BOSCH I don’t think they would get out the factory doors without passing those tests. Dremel intentionally makes their tools lighter weight. They’re geared toward obsessive crafters and hobbyists, working 20+ hours to get a single leaf to show up out of their material. A lighter tool, and a lighter touch, is wanted there. Not so useful on particle board, or door framing. Even if that IS how they’re shown to be useful on the Dremel site.
Clay
I have had a Saw-Max for about 8 years and it is a pretty handy tool. Kinda bulky but ok. Came in a set with an OMT and rotary tool but it is the only one I still have.
I would probably replace it with a M12 cutoff tool if the opportunity presented itself.
Frank D
I am very interested in a compact, can do some small things, but no, it won’t be a Dremel. I was an early adopter of their rotary tools and did not fare well, with the lock pins and motors, forced to exchange in store several times. Store stopped carrying them … then I ended up with some heavy duty rotary thing that just sits idle.
My wife seems to need to buy a new Dremel battery rotary tool every other year, because battery format changed or the batteries cost more than a new tool, …
Toolfreak
Kobalt already has the almost-exact saw in their 24V Max line, it looks like the Dremel version just makes the wheels 3.5″ instead of 4″.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-24-volt-Max-4-in-Brushless-Cordless-Circular-Saw-with-Aluminum-Shoe/1000374037
I was considering the Kobalt but blade availability seems to be a problem, and a $100+ saw isn’t much use if you can’t get the blades you need to cut the stuff you want to cut with it.
I think I’ll wait until they settle on a standard size blade for these things before buying in, and just use a cutting shoe on an angle grinder in the meantime.
Robert Adkins
Dremel should learn to make a good rotary tool before experimenting with saws.
Bradley Stenstrom
I just purchased the Dremel Ultra-Saw US20V after having a rather frustrating experience with one of the Ryobi HP Series 18v Cut Off tools. “You can’t get replacement cut off diamond 3” blades”
But I did find that the Dremel Saw has an 89mm arbor whereas the ones available on Amazon are 85mm. I can’t afford to keep buying the Dremel Diamond wheels at that price.
Is there a different arbor or a spacer I can get ?
GKL
actually u dun need spacers for ur blades, also they dun make 11mm spacers to begin with