Dremel has come out with a new cordless Ultra-Saw, but the bigger story here is that they are launching their first-ever 20V Max cordless power tools.
You would be forgiven for thinking that the new Dremel 20V Max 2Ah battery resembles Bosch’s 18V battery, as Dremel is a Bosch brand.
At this time, there is no indication of cross-platform compatibility. Dremel’s 12V Max cordless power tools and batteries are not compatible with Bosch’s 12V Max system. It’s uncertain if Dremel and Bosch decided to make this 20V Max system more user friendly. We reached out to Dremel and will update this post once we hear back.
Update: Dremel 20V Max WILL be compatible with Bosch’s 18V System!
The new Dremel 20V Max battery charger also closely resembles the slower charger Bosch has been bundling with their cheaper tool kits, most notably their holiday-season 18V Freak impact driver special buy kit.
The new Dremel cordless Ultra-Saw, their first release in the Ultra-Saw product line since its debut 6 years ago, comes bundled with a couple of accessories. There will be a 1-battery tool kit and a 2-battery tool kit. Additional batteries will also be available.
Dremel boasts having the largest accessory system in this category, with 7 Ultra-Saw accessories available for different cutting needs.
The Ultra-Saw uses 3-1/2″ cutting wheels.
The Ultra-Saw can handle metal-cutting tasks, with their US510 cut-off wheel.
It can also cut tile, with their diamond-grit blade, US540.
Dremel also has a 4″ wood-cutting blade, US600, that has a “dome shape” so as to allow for flush-cutting.
It appears that the new Dremel cordless Ultra-Saw comes with a wheel of each of these 3 styles, as well as a dust collection adapter, removable auxiliary handle, edge guide for rip-cuts, and tool bag. The kits come with 1 or 2 batteries and a charger.
Dremel cordless Ultra-Saw features include a soft start motor, metal guard, and a design that allows for a clear line of sight for precise cuts.
Price: $179 for the 1-battery kit (US20V-01), $229 for the 20battery kit (US20V-02).
Additional batteries are $70 each (B20V20).
Buy Now: 1-Battery Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: 2-Battery Kit via Amazon
Buy Now: Dremel Battery via Amazon
Discussion
I did not see this coming.
It has been many years since Dremel has introduced any new 12V Max cordless power tools, and while their Ultra-Saw has persisted on the market, their list of 7 compatible accessories has remained unchanged since the saw’s debut in 2014.
It is surprising that Dremel’s first cordless 20V Max power tool is an Ultra-Saw. I would have perhaps expected to see a cordless version of their Saw-Max, which has a 3″ wheel size similar to Milwaukee’s M12 cut-off saw, but I can see reasons why they wanted a cordless Ultra-Saw instead, with its 3.5″ and 4″ accessory sizes.
Here’s a list of Dremel Ultra-Saw accessories, taken from my 2014 post:
- 4″ paint and rust surface prep wheel, US400
- 4″ diamond surface prep wheel, US410
- 4″ carbide wood-cutting wheel, US500
- 3.5″ metal-cutting wheel, US510
- 3.5″ masonry cutting wheel, US520
- 3.5″ diamond tile-cutting blade, US540
- 4″ wood flush-cutting wheel, US600
- 6-piece cutting wheel set, US700
Buy Now: Ultra-Saw Accessories via Amazon
There will also be a new Dremel Ultra-Saw US40-04 kit, which appears to be the same corded saw but with a smaller accessory bundle. This new 3-accessory set is priced at $130, but at the time of this posting, you can buy a 5-accessory kit for $109 (Dremel Ultra-Saw kit US40-03).
Buy Now: Ultra-Saw Corded Kit
See Also: Larger Ultra-Saw Kit
It’s good to see Dremel keeping things fresh and surprising.
Now here’s the big question – will this be the start of something bigger, or is Dremel 20V Max destined to be a very limited cordless system? One possibility is that it could be Bosch and Dremel’s answer to competing DIYer-focused cordless power tool systems. If you recall, Bosch sold Skil to a different brand, and they’re doing a lot with it.
Or, will this be the first and only tool in the Dremel 20V Max lineup, similar to how their 12V Max system presently exists only to serve a single cordless rotary tool.
We asked Dremel for more details and are also waiting to hear back as to whether Dremel’s 20V Max cordless power tool system is compatible with Bosch’s 18V cordless power tools and batteries.
Update: Dremel 20V Max WILL be compatible with Bosch’s 18V System!
While Dremel-Bosch compatibility seems logical, Dremel and Bosch have a history of avoiding this, not just with their cordless power tool systems, but also with accessories such as with their oscillating multi-tool blade interface systems. Dremel 20V Max and Bosch 18V compatibility is absolutely a very pleasant surprise.
