Comments on: Dremel 4002/51 400 Series XPR Rotary Tool Kit

By: Matthew D. Lavallee

Matthew D. Lavallee — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Not even close to an “old” Dremel
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
My 3981-01 got stolen a few days ago, and I picked this up as a replacement since the box makes it sound like the next best thing since sliced bread.

This Dremel is far shy of the quality of my old one — it’s definitely cheap plastic, with even cheaper button & dial materials. While the additional RPMs are all well and good, I highly doubt it will last long in regular use. Looks like it’s off to RotoZip for me!

By: SG

SG — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Buy the 6/90 instead!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I am a novice with all things dremel (had only heard of them 2 weeks before my purchase). I had one particular project in mind and was very wary of spending 75 bucks for one reason but thought that I will probably come up with a multitude of reasons over the next 5 years (hopefully it lasts that long). With that said, it has worked very well. It does get very hot after 10 minutes but I use that as an excuse to take a break (and write a review). I would actually recommend buying the 400-6/90 instead of this especially for only 30 dollars more. The individual accessories are very expensive to buy so buying the 6/90 (which comes with the planar and the jigsaw) would be a great deal better. It is very lightweight so I suppose it could feel like a toy. However, it is adept at doing what I wanted it to do. Now hopefully, I will be able to find more than 3 ways to use this thing. Dremel should commission someone to write a book about the various uses of this. I would have appreciated that more than anything else.

Don't forget the protective eyewear!

By: C. HSU

C. HSU — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Poorly made, overheats
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Just bought it to replace my older Dremel (which lasted 10+ years!). Within 10 minutes of using it, I heard a popping sound and smoke started coming out of it! So I finally get a replacement, and guess what? It starts smoking after another 10 minutes of use, won’t even rev up anymore, just sputters along. I still like dremel, but this is a very poorly thought out and made item. Overheats like crazy!

By: Rabbit Queen of Brookfield

Rabbit Queen of Brookfield — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

So poorly made it’s dangerous!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
From day one I had a problem tightening the collet. No matter how hard I held down the shaft lock button, I would feel it tighten and then click and spin past the tight position – just going around and around and never truly tightening. Numerous times the metal bit flew right out while the tool was running. Once it flew out with such velocity I never saw the bit again (couldn’t find it). Finally the metal teeth of the collet broke off and the thing is now unuseable. I also had the same problem as another reviewer where the switch gummed up and could not be slid from off to on without the help of a screwdriver or such. And there was no documentation describing what the different bits are for – pretty stupid.

By: Christopher Powell

Christopher Powell — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Decent tool for its use.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this dremel for small project work in wood, plastic, and aluminum. I've also used it for a little tile cutting. It's worked well without issue. I don't understand all of the negative reviews I've seen here.

The case and included pieces are varied and useful.

By: M. Wilson

M. Wilson — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dremel’s best tool in a great case!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent little kit. I’ve replaced my older multitool and toolbox and I’m quite happy. The XPR has a much smoother drive and the change to an on/off switch plus the speed control is extremely welcome. The toolbox is also very well designed with space made for each of the attachments. The top of the toolbox has room for two accessory kits to snap into (included.)

By: C. Gafton

C. Gafton — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

it could have been so much nicer…
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The tool does have a lot of uses and is definitely versatile. But, what other people have remarked holds very true:

- a first time owner would have probably liked to have some instructions explaining what everything in the kit does and how it is used. Having to search online to figure out which one is supposed to be the #401 mandrel is lame;

- the tool feels in your hand as if Dremel outsourced the design and manufacturing to Fisher-Price;

- overheating seems to be a problem – a short session sharpening my lawnmower blade made the motor scary-hot (it hasn’t burned out yet, but it feels like it’s heading in the general direction)

- some attachments are supposed to be limited up to a certain rpm – but in this latest and greatest version of its mainstay tool, Dremel marks the speed selector from 0 to 10. Hard to know what number is supposed to be 15k rpm, the max speed advised by some attachments.

I fell into the trap of “newer must be better”, even though the 300 series felt so much better in my hand when I visited the home improvement store…

By: Charles Evans

Charles Evans — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Hundreds of uses - Some better than Others
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2I0V2QO4MCQ37 The Dremel 400 is a handy tool that you will find is your tool of last resort. The fact is that Dremel's are effective for variety of jobs - however they are "great" for only a few.

Some have complained about the quality of the Dremel 400. I really have never had a problem. It has run hot a few times, but never enough to cause it to shut down. Now the attachments are a different story - in fact, my opinion is that you should expect for the attachments to break.

NOTE - ALWAYS wear safety glasses while using your Dremel!

Here are some jobs that I use the Dremel
- Cutting the heads off of screws
- Polishing metal
- Opening up holes (Such as in the video)
- Cleaning golf clubs
- Removing/Sanding wood

Areas where your Dremel will lack functionality

- To be used as a drill
- As a router
- To cut/saw wod
- Any major project

Final Verdict -

Dremel's are handy for small jobs that are hard to accomplish with other tools. For large jobs you may want to look elsewhere. The Dremel 400 has performed up to my expectations - the attachements... not-so-much.

4 Stars

By: Larry Quilala

Larry Quilala — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dremel 400 burns up on first use
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTIDWFOTU9L0E This was the first time I had ever used a Dremel. I had just bought it 1 week earlier and decided to go with 400 XPR. What a disappointment, even though it felt kind of cheesy in your hand I still thought it was a quality product (From what I’ve heard in the past about Dremel) I was so wrong! I had not been using it for more than 10 mins before it overheated and had a meltdown. Just so you know I use METABO and End grinders at work everyday, and I know to let the blade do the cutting and not to force the blade. What a piece of junk! Maybe the 300 series is better, but to late for my business. DO YOU HEAR ME DREMEL!!!

look me up at http://www.youtube.com/user/WestCoastMods

LazyMan

By: P. Dworian

P. Dworian — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

What a hunk of junk
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Burned up in five minutes of use. Improper usage? I’ve owned a dremel tool for 15 years and it always worked perfectly. I finally broke the old one and decided to “upgrade” to something better. What a mistake. I managed to cut about 6 inches of flooring before a truly impressive amount of smoke pored out.

I’m in shock. Dremel – what’s the deal?