Professional Builder’s Tibby Singh gets a chance to check out the latest upgrades to one of the industry’s most iconic tools – the Fein Multimaster.
I’ve heard people referring to a Multitool as Fein in the same way people call a Vacuum cleaner a Hoover. Calling a product by a brand name is a rare occurrence but it screams that that particular brand was the first to create that product. Fein introduced the first ever Multitool in 1967 and, after its patent ran out in 2008, multiple other manufacturers brought theirs to the market. I’ve had a couple of older models of the company’s Multitools, so I was extremely excited to test out the new Fein Cordless Multimaster AMM 700 Max Top.
I’ll be honest, I might go a few days without using a Multitool but when it is needed, there’s no other tool that can do the job. A typical example is when needing to trim down a door jamb in order for flooring to run under to create a better finish. A flawless design feature is the actual shape of this tool. Unlike other Multitools that are just straight, this one has a dogleg at the point where the battery is inserted. This is simple but effective as it means the battery is less likely to interfere while working.
This tool primarily uses an oscillating action – which means vibration. So, it is satisfying to know that Fein have designed it with an anti-vibration system. On closer inspection, I noticed that the head of the tool has very little contact to the body itself. This means that minimal vibrations are transferred from the head to the body and then to the user’s hand. A round of applause for this idea but I think the star of the show is the StarlockMax system. This allows you to fit the accessory to the tool without using any tools – and, more importantly, in the blink of an eye. It is also an efficient system because 100 per cent of the power is transmitted to the workpiece.
With the StarlockMax tool mounting you can access around 180 Fein accessories and 60 are included in this package. The range includes everything for cutting wood, metal, plastic, and tiles, to silicone joints and carpets, as well as removing residues and tile adhesives – and more. I wasn’t expecting a hose accessory attachment to be included but it is brilliant for when using it for sanding applications.
The switch also gets a thumbs up from me as it’s located at the top of the body which means it can be switched on and off using your thumb. As expected, it has a speed adjustment as well as a brushless motor. The speed can be adjusted from 1-6 and you don’t need to worry about the turning knob rotating due to vibrations, unlike some other models. This Fein Multimaster comes with a 3.0Ah 18V Li-Ion Battery, which also has a battery level indicator, which again is becoming more popular with many power tools. This is always a bonus because it means you can have a quick check on whether it will last for the job before climbing the ladder. Just when I thought I had seen it all, I came across the battery charger that had an integrated USB port – now that’s a first. This is a great call because it means you can, if needed, also charge your phone at the same time.
The Fein Multimaster 700 Max Top comes in a slim solid box and what caught my eye was the robust metal catches, meaning that you know this is made to last. This is a top product, and I’ll be finding every excuse I can to get it out of the box.
For further information on Fein visit https://fein.com/en_uk/
Tibby Singh – www.TibbySingh.com
