GENERAL OPINION OF bOSCH TOOLS

[caroleb]

And the POF500 routers secret is well and truly OUT! Humbug!

 

[GLFaria]

I have owned almost exclusively Bosch power tools (presently green line, but I seem to remember they were another colour back then) for at least 40 years.
I have noticed a remarkable decrease in quality in the last ten years or so, so much so that I will probably no longer buy from them. The last ones were a circular saw (PKS 55A) which has the motor and blade badly misaligned with the base (cannot be fixed), and a PSB 650 RE portable drill with an almost useless electronic speed control, especially at low revs, and a keyless chuck which is plain junk. Both bought about three or four years ago.

I now came to regard Bosch power tools of the green line as another case of Stanley and the Handyman - amateurs deserve no more than junk, so why not give them plain junk? So much better if they can be enticed into buying it... Until the day...

 

[Roughcut]

I have a cheap Green Bosch corded hammer drill and a cheap Green Bosch cordless drill and both are ok and I would say reasonably good value for money.
However some years ago my wife spent £600-£700 on a set of Blue Bosch Professional range power tools as a gift to me.
I only used them for light diy use and I was very disappointed.
The batteries did not last long before ceasing to hold a charge, the cordless jigsaw burnt out and the cordless circular saw was so underpowered it was quicker to saw plywood and mdf boards with a hand saw.
The cost of replacement batteries for these tools is ridiculous!
Overall very unimpressed with the Bosch Professional range of tools and have vowed never to buy ever again.

 

[woodfarmer]

I used to rate Bosch highly, but no more. I have a late 70's reciprocating saw which has never faltered. A jigsaw from 1989 the same. But the screwdriver I bought 2 years ago failed completely and was fixed in warranty. But was always much less lively than before and for the last 6 months or so wont hold a drill bit. Will grip screwdriver (hex sided stuff) but not anything round. Last August my £69 German chainsaw died after 10+ years of arduous duty ( cutting 15-25 Cu metres of firewood a year). So I bought an expensive botche one. It is the worst power tool I have ever encountered. When you pick it up by the carry handle it is so out of balance it swings vertically with the blade pointing skywards. This trips the kick back safety so you then have to put it down and reset the kickback and pick it up with both hands to prevent it swing around again. Worse, the chain keeps coming off. It will work on clean perfect cross cutting mostly, but if you encounter a Knot or try to rip the chain just runs off the guide bar. I am waiting for Screwfix to do their £49 offer again so I will buy that and junk the Botche. They seem to be Chinese made design rejects that have been cost reduced these days. No quality at all.

 

[byyt]

I have a Bosch Professional GSR screwdriver and I dropped it into my pond (in error). I assumed that was that but after removing the battery and leaving it to dry overnight, I was amazed that it worked perfectly. I also have a planer and laminate trimmer and both work well. Having said that, I am yet to give them the water test!