jmbfestool said:
You cant fault Metabo for quality and reliability really.
Metabo does tend to cost more so to get like same spec you tend to pay more.
I completely disagree with that statement. YES you can fault Metabo for quality and reliability. I have two Metabo machines from their good era, that was until a year or 8 ago. After that they found out the big box stores and started to release tools that competed in price range with hobbyist brands like Black & Decker, Skill and Green Bosch. I really can't say anything good about those tools. They're just lumps of plastic. If you pick them up they're so light you know right away there's not a single piece of hardened steel in it. They have a sander just like the DTS400. before I had my DTS I borrowed one from a friend to do a job and I was amazed at how short I could use it. It heated up really quick and started to make a funny noise. That was like after 10 to 15 minutes with it. Had to let it cool down before I could go further. Not cool.
And I said I have two Metabo tools from before they discovered the bog box stores and the hobbysit market, well I am not satisfied with them either anymore. My Metabo detail sander gave in long before it should and after opening it up I discovered the most important bearing that had to endure the most force was fitted with a plastic part inside. Ridiculous! In a 'quality' tool? You can't use plastic parts in a bearing that gets real hot and gets a lot of force from pushing it to the workpiece. Like it was put there on purpose to act as an auto-suicide. Of course it broke after not that much of work with it and in the proces also tore out the flimsy plastic support of that very same bearing.
And my second Metabo is a jigsaw. I have used this one a lot and I was always very pleased with it and it's still running strong, but unfortunately I can't cut square with it anymore. Don't know if it's the base or the alignment of the blade but I'm cutting at 93 degrees now instead of 90. Btw, when I say 'a lot' I mean, as a hobbyist, which is no where near the amount of time a pro would use it.
I am really disappointed with Metabo. No more Metabo for me. On the other hand, I have 3 DeWalt tools, which, after 12 years still run effortlessly and still look as new.
And Metabo doesn't cost more than other brands. In fact, with most comparable tools, brands like blue Bosch and Makita cost more than Metabo. For instance, this Metabo saw mentioned here, is from the former Elektra Beckum brand of stationary tools, which was bought by Metabo and rebranded into the blue Metablo line (blue Metabo = stationary, green Metabo = hand tools). Elektra Beckum was always known as a 'value' pro brand, which means it was a brand that did make professional tools, but from a bit cheaper materials than other pro brands would so that their tools were cheaper but also didn't last as long. Funny thing, after Metabo took over, the tools became even cheaper. Now I can buy a blue Metabo miter saw for 169 euro at my local big box store while a comparable blue Bosch or Makita cost over 500 and the Kapex 1300. Even a green Bosch (hobby line) costs twice what the Metabo costs.
Short to say, Metabo lost my trust as a 'pro' brand.
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