Dremel 4000-1/45 Review

Like the Everise kit, the Dremel 4000 also includes polishing tips, which are often omitted from other rotary tool kits. These are similar to polishing wheels (the Dremel 4000 includes three of these too) but are more precise, with a pointed end for reaching into nooks and crannies.

To accompany these, Dremel has included a small tub of polishing compound, which can be added to the polishing accessories to provide a shiny finish. The Dremel 4000 also includes a nylon bristle brush, but lacks much in the way of grinding stones and engraving tips, with just a cutting tip, and a 20mm silicon carbide and 10mm aluminium oxide grinding stone included.


By far the most interesting item in the case, apart from the Dremel 4000 itself, is the Flexible Shaft attachment. This retails separately for around £30, and attaches by removing the plastic collar and locking cap of the Dremel 4000, securing the attachment directly to the tool.

It’s essentially a flexible extension that gives you a much smaller and lighter tool to manage. The business end is barely larger than a pen and is very light, making it fantastic for tasks that demand high precision, such as engraving. It’s an incredible device that revolutionises the Dremel 4000, which can feel large and ungainly, despite its moulded rubber grip.

The Dremel 4000 wasn’t as pleasant to use as the Dremel 300, mainly due to its weight and size, but it came a close second. This is partly thanks to its superb cooling – despite bristling with ventilation holes, your fingers never cover any of them. The smoothly applied power, intuitive speed settings and spindle-lock switches all make the Dremel 4000 a joy to use.

Conclusion

Our initial concerns over the Dremel 4000-1/45’s high price were laid to rest when we saw just how many cool features and accessories it sports. The SpeedClic cutting disc and Flexible Shaft attachment are worth nearly £40 on their own, and are both excellent to use. Combined with the electronic feedback, additional power and torque, plus the extra speed range that the Dremel 4000 offers, it’s a great investment. The Dremel 4000 may not cover all the bases as far as accessories are concerned, but its compatibility with Dremel accessories outweighs this issue.

Our only wish is that Dremel had included a better carry case; its bag doesn’t offer any protection and the accessories move around in their compartment. As such, the extra £20 for the hard case and extra accessories of the Dremel 4000-4/65 is very tempting. If you don’t need the power that the Dremel 4000 offers, the Dremel 300-30 is also adequate – the 300-1/45 model for £60 includes a hard case and the Flexible Shaft accessory. However, the Dremel 4000-1/45 is still a supremely useful and powerful tool that offers respectable value for money.