Cost and Power Rating
Spend more—or less?
These oscillating tools cost
from $25 to $130. Despite that huge price
gap, we found only small differences in
how well they cut, sand or scrape. The real
differences are in convenience and comfort.
Spending more will get you a tool-free
accessory attachment system, less vibration
and a tool that's more confortable to
use for long periods. We also assume that
higher-cost tools will last longer, but we
didn't test for longevity.
If you expect to use an oscillating tool
regularly or have a big job planned,
choose a more expensive tool. For
occasional use, you'll probably be satisfied
with a tool with a low-cost model.
More power isn't essential
More power is better, of course, but we
don't consider it a key factor in choosing
an oscillating tool. We tested tools with
motors ranging from 1.6 to 3 amps. And to
our surprise, the performance differences
were minor. Tools with lower amp ratings
bog down if you press hard while cutting or
sanding, but so do the higher-amp models.
The tools with lower amp ratings work well
under normal loads.
