I'm curious to know your favorite Festool product(s) compared to the competition, once price and performance are considered. For example, I'm under the impression that the RO150 is MUCH better than the competition due to the outstanding dust removal. However, from FWW reviews and other comments, I get the impression that certain other tools, while good, aren't sufficiently superior to justify the difference in price. So, to focus on the good stuff, if you could only have three Festools, (other than the vacuum which is a must have in my opinion), what would they be?
Favorite Festools
- Thread starter marrt
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nickao
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RO 150, ETS 150/3, MFT and boom arm are the tools from Festool that I use the most and to me are the best Festools. The Festool sanders do have competitors that work as well, but the Festool sanders are their best products, to me.
Oh, the RO 150 is NOT much better than the Bosch unit at near 1/2 the cost. Though I do prefer it over the Bosch, the Bosch performs the same to me as far as rough removal of stock.
Oh, the RO 150 is NOT much better than the Bosch unit at near 1/2 the cost. Though I do prefer it over the Bosch, the Bosch performs the same to me as far as rough removal of stock.
Matthew Schenker
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Nick,
Good to see you back in the forum!
And thanks for jumping in on this discussion. It's a good topic.
I agree with you about the sanders. Since I started using the Rotex and ETS sanders, I never worry about clearing dust off a surface. Sanding used to be a part of the project I hated. Now I look forward to it!
But I would have to say the sanders are only slightly ahead of the plunge saws as far as being the best and getting the most use in my shop.
Then again, the MFT comes in for every project, and the dust extractors are hooked up to whatever Festool tool I'm using at the time.
Stay in touch,
Matthew
PS: Nick, any new inlay designs?
Good to see you back in the forum!
And thanks for jumping in on this discussion. It's a good topic.
I agree with you about the sanders. Since I started using the Rotex and ETS sanders, I never worry about clearing dust off a surface. Sanding used to be a part of the project I hated. Now I look forward to it!
But I would have to say the sanders are only slightly ahead of the plunge saws as far as being the best and getting the most use in my shop.
Then again, the MFT comes in for every project, and the dust extractors are hooked up to whatever Festool tool I'm using at the time.
Stay in touch,
Matthew
PS: Nick, any new inlay designs?
I have aquired the Rotex 150 FEQ, 5" ROS ETS 125 EQ, C12 Drill and the Kapex.
I'd have to say my 3 fav's are the Rotex, 5" ETS 125 and the C12 Drill. The dust collection on the sanders alone is worth the outlay and the drill holds its charge forever with great speed control under varying loads.
Wayne
I'd have to say my 3 fav's are the Rotex, 5" ETS 125 and the C12 Drill. The dust collection on the sanders alone is worth the outlay and the drill holds its charge forever with great speed control under varying loads.
Wayne
bonesbr549
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The ones I own! Seriously, I have the Domino/ct33e & kapex. I really like the domino and the vac is great. I've only had the kapex for one week-end so to soon to say.
I must say that my three favorite Festools are:
1) The C12 drill because of its versatility and function I use it on nearly every woodworking and DIY project.
2) The Rotex 125 because of its ease of use and effectiveness in everything from removing material to polishing.
3) The EQ 55 plunge saw because it does what it is supposed to do without a lot of fiddling around.
I have a domino and 1400 router which I have not used yet, so I cannot include them. My Trion jigsaw and ETS 125 sander work well and I would not trade them, but I just not rank them up there with the others.
As far as pricing goes, yes Festool tools are higher priced than the competition, in many cases twice as much. Even more expensive when you add in the price of add-ons and consumables. The upside to this is that all Festools have high quality operational and mechanical characteristics that cannot be found in other tools at any price.
Neill
1) The C12 drill because of its versatility and function I use it on nearly every woodworking and DIY project.
2) The Rotex 125 because of its ease of use and effectiveness in everything from removing material to polishing.
3) The EQ 55 plunge saw because it does what it is supposed to do without a lot of fiddling around.
I have a domino and 1400 router which I have not used yet, so I cannot include them. My Trion jigsaw and ETS 125 sander work well and I would not trade them, but I just not rank them up there with the others.
As far as pricing goes, yes Festool tools are higher priced than the competition, in many cases twice as much. Even more expensive when you add in the price of add-ons and consumables. The upside to this is that all Festools have high quality operational and mechanical characteristics that cannot be found in other tools at any price.
Neill
Gary Nichols
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Marrt,
First off, I have to say that I read FWW's tool reviews with a grain of salt. For the most part they are the picks of just one person, not a juried committee of woodworkers. You will notice that the "Reader's Choice" and "Editor's Choice" are rarely in line with each other.... Almost makes me wonder if maybe advertising influences the "Editor's Choice".... The best thing to come away with is the pros & cons the writer lists for each tool and decide for yourself what features, or lack thereof, are most important to what you wish to do with the tool and then go from there....
That said, my top favorite Festool would have to be the Domino.... the closest competition would be.... the Leigh FMT, which I was about to buy before the Domino was announced, and maybe my entry-level biscuit joiner, the Lomello Cobra, but biscuits to Dominos is like apples to oranges.
Next would probably be a tossup between the sanders or the Kapex. I didn't originally plan on buying the Kapex, since I'd just replaced my 8 1/2" Hitachi with the 10" Bosch, based on it's high rating in the FFW or FHB review. But having read so much about it on the FOG, once it got to NAINA-land and I saw it in person, well, the rest is history. I haven't had or used it long enough yet to compare it to the others I now have gathering dust, but the only thing the Bosch has that I miss so far is the horizontal handle.
Now for the sanders. Dust collection alone is what made me buy Festool sanders; the additional features are just gravy... I have the OLDER Rotex 150 and the DTS 400. I don't know about the Bosch sanders, but I do have some PC sanders to compare with and can tell you that PC does NOT stand for dust collection... And I don't know if the shaft is bent or the PC pads are all tapped crooked but watching that old PC orbital sander wobble almost makes me seasick sometimes. Otherwise the PC sands pretty decently. All you gotta do is look at your black Festool t-shirt to see the dust it makes.....
I would rank my plunge saw next, but I don't use it that much. Mostly do frame & panel, very little sheet stock, so it's major use for me is trimming doors... both entry and flush cabinet doors. My only only disappointment with Festool is that I bought the ATF 55 on closeout instead of waiting for the new, improved TS 55..... so, I guess #3... or is that #4?.... would be the C-12 since it gets used every project. All those clutch settings work nicely when installing cabinet hinges and such, the magnetic tip holder is a nice touch, and the feel. The only time I use either of my Makita's anymore is when I'm on a high enough ladder that the thought dropping my C-12 would bring a tear to my eye.
Well, besides my CT Mini and a small fortune in miscellaneous attachments, that's about all the Festools I own, or else ranking them like this would be even harder. I do own and use other tools, don't get me wrong, and feel ripping small stock on a table saw is quicker/easier than setting up the ATF for the sake of using it. I'm on my second table saw since 1965; not about to stop using them now.... BUT if/when Festool comes out with a 10" cabinet saw, 6" jointer, 15" thickness planer and a.... and a.... I'll probably be looking really closely.... and counting my pennies....
You may notice that I didn't mention any Festool routers.... well, to me, routers are like wood clamps; you can never have enough.... I have eight, four of which are PC SpeedTronics mounted in router tables (long story), but no plunge routers in the lot..... I had planned on the OF 1400 to go with that Leigh Frame Mortice & Tenon Jig, but then the Domino came out and like I said, changed those plans.... But once my Festool credit card is paid off..... unless Festool comes out with a table saw first.... one that won't cut hot dogs......
Gary Nichols
PS: welcome back, Nick
First off, I have to say that I read FWW's tool reviews with a grain of salt. For the most part they are the picks of just one person, not a juried committee of woodworkers. You will notice that the "Reader's Choice" and "Editor's Choice" are rarely in line with each other.... Almost makes me wonder if maybe advertising influences the "Editor's Choice".... The best thing to come away with is the pros & cons the writer lists for each tool and decide for yourself what features, or lack thereof, are most important to what you wish to do with the tool and then go from there....
That said, my top favorite Festool would have to be the Domino.... the closest competition would be.... the Leigh FMT, which I was about to buy before the Domino was announced, and maybe my entry-level biscuit joiner, the Lomello Cobra, but biscuits to Dominos is like apples to oranges.
Next would probably be a tossup between the sanders or the Kapex. I didn't originally plan on buying the Kapex, since I'd just replaced my 8 1/2" Hitachi with the 10" Bosch, based on it's high rating in the FFW or FHB review. But having read so much about it on the FOG, once it got to NAINA-land and I saw it in person, well, the rest is history. I haven't had or used it long enough yet to compare it to the others I now have gathering dust, but the only thing the Bosch has that I miss so far is the horizontal handle.
Now for the sanders. Dust collection alone is what made me buy Festool sanders; the additional features are just gravy... I have the OLDER Rotex 150 and the DTS 400. I don't know about the Bosch sanders, but I do have some PC sanders to compare with and can tell you that PC does NOT stand for dust collection... And I don't know if the shaft is bent or the PC pads are all tapped crooked but watching that old PC orbital sander wobble almost makes me seasick sometimes. Otherwise the PC sands pretty decently. All you gotta do is look at your black Festool t-shirt to see the dust it makes.....
I would rank my plunge saw next, but I don't use it that much. Mostly do frame & panel, very little sheet stock, so it's major use for me is trimming doors... both entry and flush cabinet doors. My only only disappointment with Festool is that I bought the ATF 55 on closeout instead of waiting for the new, improved TS 55..... so, I guess #3... or is that #4?.... would be the C-12 since it gets used every project. All those clutch settings work nicely when installing cabinet hinges and such, the magnetic tip holder is a nice touch, and the feel. The only time I use either of my Makita's anymore is when I'm on a high enough ladder that the thought dropping my C-12 would bring a tear to my eye.
Well, besides my CT Mini and a small fortune in miscellaneous attachments, that's about all the Festools I own, or else ranking them like this would be even harder. I do own and use other tools, don't get me wrong, and feel ripping small stock on a table saw is quicker/easier than setting up the ATF for the sake of using it. I'm on my second table saw since 1965; not about to stop using them now.... BUT if/when Festool comes out with a 10" cabinet saw, 6" jointer, 15" thickness planer and a.... and a.... I'll probably be looking really closely.... and counting my pennies....
You may notice that I didn't mention any Festool routers.... well, to me, routers are like wood clamps; you can never have enough.... I have eight, four of which are PC SpeedTronics mounted in router tables (long story), but no plunge routers in the lot..... I had planned on the OF 1400 to go with that Leigh Frame Mortice & Tenon Jig, but then the Domino came out and like I said, changed those plans.... But once my Festool credit card is paid off..... unless Festool comes out with a table saw first.... one that won't cut hot dogs......
Gary Nichols
PS: welcome back, Nick
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Good to see an old familiar face and poster again.
My favorite tool in comparison to similar products offered is definitely the systainers versus those da__ plastic cases. As I accumulated tools I rapidly filled up my trailer with plastic cases that required everything to go in in one exact way and took up too much room. I frankly stopped using the cases. Now if I can I am using systainers to carry other brands. Sacralegious I know, but they still have green on.
With a plug on, the plunge saw is beyond comparison. Does what it is supposed to do with little fuss and keeps me from carrying a portable table saw most of the time.
I wonder how much gas Festool has saved me?
Peter
My favorite tool in comparison to similar products offered is definitely the systainers versus those da__ plastic cases. As I accumulated tools I rapidly filled up my trailer with plastic cases that required everything to go in in one exact way and took up too much room. I frankly stopped using the cases. Now if I can I am using systainers to carry other brands. Sacralegious I know, but they still have green on.
With a plug on, the plunge saw is beyond comparison. Does what it is supposed to do with little fuss and keeps me from carrying a portable table saw most of the time.
I wonder how much gas Festool has saved me?
Peter
MiterMaster
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So far my favorite Festool is the C12 drill, it is so nicely built, every time I use it I'm reminded of what quality really stands for.
Mike
Mike
ROb McGilp
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That's easy, TS75..no, wait, RO150, no, Domino, uh..OF2000?
Damn it they're all my favorites!!! ;D
Regards,
Rob
Damn it they're all my favorites!!! ;D
Regards,
Rob
ChicagoMike
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I have had the C12 drill for a little over 2 years now. You would have to pry it from my cold dead hands!!! I LOVE this freakin' drill. I have owned DW, MW, MAK, and dare I say, B&D. Nothing even comes close.
My #2 would have to be my TS55. I use it a lot and it always amazes me how accurate and fast it is.
My #3 would be the 1400 router. Th most impressive thing about this router is it's smooth plunge function. All others I have used it seems like you have to push down hard at first to get it going, then hold it back to prevent it from plunging too fast. With the Festool, it is as smooth as a baby's.......
My #2 would have to be my TS55. I use it a lot and it always amazes me how accurate and fast it is.
My #3 would be the 1400 router. Th most impressive thing about this router is it's smooth plunge function. All others I have used it seems like you have to push down hard at first to get it going, then hold it back to prevent it from plunging too fast. With the Festool, it is as smooth as a baby's.......
stvrowe
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I agree the Festool sanders are the best and admittedly my favorites.
Now Matthew, you look forward to sanding?? Get real - you have to be one sick puppy no matter how great the Festool sanders are. ;D ;D ;D For me, I just hate sanding less than I used to.
Steve
Now Matthew, you look forward to sanding?? Get real - you have to be one sick puppy no matter how great the Festool sanders are. ;D ;D ;D For me, I just hate sanding less than I used to.
Steve
Matthew Schenker said:
I'd say the TS 55, Domino, Kapex are all tied in first place for me, with the OF 1400 in close second. I have yet to buy a rotex, but plan on it soon. The ETS 125 is an incredible sander, although not as aggressive as others, I think it's a good thing???
I just recently purchased the plexi-template guide for the routers, and have to say it's a great tool if you make doors, gates, etc...
I just recently purchased the plexi-template guide for the routers, and have to say it's a great tool if you make doors, gates, etc...
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I like all of my Festool's. The Domino is the most unique tool I own and therefore would have to be my favorite.
If you ask this question to my wife she'd pick the CT-22
. She wants a Midi or Mini for Christmas.
Dan Clermont
If you ask this question to my wife she'd pick the CT-22
. She wants a Midi or Mini for Christmas.Dan Clermont
1) TS75 plunge saw - this is hands down the best circular saw I've every owned. Precision, dust-collection, speed and versatility. I just did jamb extensions on 10 windows for a 110 year old house for new window install. Not a single piece was the same dimension (walls out of plumb to window and windows out of square to face of inside wall). Normally this would be a PITA with a table saw and jig. With the TS75 it was easy work. Paid for the saw 5x over on that job on labour savings.
2) Domino - is there really anything else like it?
3) MFT 1080 (wish I had a MFT3) - slices, dices and purees.
2) Domino - is there really anything else like it?
3) MFT 1080 (wish I had a MFT3) - slices, dices and purees.
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