Fred wrote in about Festool’s new sleeved dust extraction hoses, which will be launching alongside their new EC brushless sanders. The cheaper of the two, a 3.5 meter (11.5 foot) combo, is priced at $250. The larger, a 10 meter (32.8 foot) combo, is priced at $375.
The new Festool hose with sleeve, models 500276 for the 3.5 m version and 500940 for the 10 m version, features a dust extraction hose and a power hose, wrapped together with a fabric sleeve.
These sleeved hoses are designed to help avoid hose wear and catching, which often happens as the hose is dragged after the tool during use. You would use one of these to avoid damaging delicate work surfaces, damaging your dust extractor hose, or to avoid potential issues that could arise when the ribbed hose catches and pulls on a worksurface or table top.
Fred wrote:
$200 to $375 each for a vacuum hose ?! I thought that other Festool prices seemed high.
I must admit, I too was surprised by the pricing. $250 for a sleeved dust extractor hose? Ouch. But then I looked at the nitty gritty. It’s not just a hose, it’s an antistatic hose, a power cord, a heavy duty sleeve, and a Systainer.
Let’s price out the components of the 3.5 meter sleeved hose system, which will probably be the more popular size.
- Anti-static hose, 3.5 meters x 27 mm: $119 via Amazon
- Plug-It power cord, 16 gauge x 13 ft: $46 via Amazon
- Systainer 3: $78 via Amazon
So that’s $243 for the separate components, not including the sleeve. The 3.5 m sleeved hose setup is $250.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
More Info(via Festool)
First Thoughts
Sticker Shock
If the sleeve was available separately, and I hope it will be at some point, it might be priced at what, $45-65? It’s made from heavy duty abrasion-resistant material, with a full-length zipper, a wrap at the dust extractor end, and pockets for the power cord.
Price-wise, yes, $250 is hard to swallow, especially since your dust extractor probably already came with a 27 mm hose, and your Festool tool already came with a Plug-It power cord. But when you price out the cost of the components, the $250 price tag doesn’t look so crazy.
A lot of Festool tools come with a little bit of sticker shock, and it’s no different with these hoses. Although the price seems reasonable once you look at the prices of the individual components, it’s still $250 for a dust extractor hose.
I own a Festool dust extractor (do you remember when I jumped onto the Festool bandwagon 4-1/2 years ago?), and although the initial investment really hurt my wallet, I have never regretted the decision. I also own another Festool antistatic hose – the 36 mm size – and I bought a short 50 mm hose for a different tabletop dust extractor. I also bought a cheap and simple ShopVac hose for when I don’t need Festool’s build quality or antistatic properties.
The sticker shock and wallet hurt has long since faded, but I continue to enjoy the stellar performance of my Festool extractor.
Hands-On Thoughts
I had the opportunity to check out the 3.5 m sleeved hose today, and I must say – it’s definitely not a thrown-together product. If Festool starts selling the sleeve separately, they’re going to have a big problem keeping it in stock, which is probably why they’ve launched it as part of new hose and Plug-It cord bundle packs.
Plus, there might be times when a user doesn’t want to couple their power cord to the dust extractor hose. I could definitely see situations where users switch will want to switch between using the sleeved hose, and an unsleeved hose and separate Plug-It power cord setup. It’ll depend on the tool and how it’s being used.
The material feels thick and durable. The zipper is snag-free, although I don’t think anyone who buys this will be removing and reattaching it to their hoses. On the outside of the main sleeve is a sewn-on pocket that the Plug-It power cord rides in. You could probably slide the cord out quickly, but reattaching it will be a huge chore.
Should You Buy This?
Should you buy this? That’s something only you could answer. Will it save you time? Will it save you some frustration? Will it prevent you from damaging delicate work? Will using it save you money?
Will the same $250 be put to better use on other tools or accessories?
If you have to ask me, I’m going to tell you no. If I’m tasked with spending your money, I’m sure I could find other things for you to spend $250 on.
But if you’ve come to the point where you think this is something you want or need, I’m sure you could justify the purchase. Close your eyes, place an order, and never think of the price again. It’s really well made, and I think that the price is fit for the quality.
If you cannot justify the price tag, cross your fingers and wait for Festool to possibly come out with a separate hose and cord wrap accessory. Or wait for a 3rd party accessory maker to figure out a way to make something similar for a lower price.
Would I Buy This?
When I first saw this in a newsletter or one a Festool dealer’s websites, I ooh and aahed. And then I ughed at the price. I could definitely use this, but at $250? There are better ways for me to spend the money. But that’s just me. This is something I want, but not something that I need.
The next time I have $250 to spend, it’ll be on a Festool DTS 400 EQ orbital sander, which is $255 at Amazon. I already own an ETS 150/3 EQ random orbital sander, which I only briefly mentioned in last year’s Best Random Orbital Sander port. It’s fantastic, which is why I oohed and aahed at the new sleeved hose in the first place, and now I want a new sander for getting into corners and edges.
For me, right here and right now, $250 would be better spent on something else.
10 m Hose with Sleeve
As for the 10 m hose with sleeve, it looks like that’s a special new size. Looking at Festool’s product lineup, their 27 mm antistatic hose is available in 3.5 m and 5 m lengths, and their 36 mm hose is available in 3.5 m, 5 m, and 7 m lengths. So this 10 m is a new substantially longer hose length, and the same goes for their Plug-It power cord. The 10 m hose doesn’t come with a Systainer.
Other Hose-Protecting Options
Festool makes a hose and cord deflector that attaches to the end of a guide rail ($21 via Amazon), but that only helps when you’re cutting or routing along a guide rail.
They also make a boom arm bundle that attaches to your Festool CT dust collector and hangs your hose and power cord from above. The one that attaches to CT 26 and CT 36 extractors is pricey – $378 via Amazon.