Dremel 8220 vs. 4000 & 4300: Breaking the Three-Way Deadlock!

Be honest with me here, would you consider your arsenal “Complete” without getting a rotary tool for yourselves? I know you won’t. No handyman would. That’s why we need to choose from the best brands and machines available.

Herein comes Dremel! This little brand is well-known for its innovations when it comes to handheld rotary tools. In fact, it’s my “Go To” brand for these devices.

You might ask, “Why?”

Well, have you seen their repertoire of devices? Let me point fingers. Beginning from Dremel 4000… portable yet powerful Dremel 4300, and Cordless Dremel 8220… these three are awesome. I would tell my readers to get each one if I could.

But as it happens… we are limited by budget. That’s why we need to pick one of these three. Which one? Well, let’s do a Dremel 8220 vs. 4000 and 4300. I’ll do a detailed rant on their features, benefits, and perks. Then, it’s up to you to pick your tool.

Dremel 8220 vs. 4000 & 4300 : Comparison Chart

Dissecting Dremel Dremel 8220-1/28 12-Volt rotary tool kit

This is one of the most popular tools around for the budget you have. In fact, I’d go as far as saying, “This rotary tool kit belongs to the upper echelon of Dremel Accessories.” Now, I’m not joking one bit. You’d get a powerful motor with variable rpm at its core to begin with.

Speaking of the motor, it gives you 5000 to 30000 rpm when you need it to. Of course, you can adjust things via a speed controller. Now, I see many of the users telling me, “What do we need it for? Is that much RPM range even necessary?” I’d say, “Hold on.”

With this tool at the helm, you can carve up wood, a bit of steel, and softer furniture as well. That’s not the end of it. Feel free to do some engraving if you like.

People will be able to do some sanding and cutting as well (not like dedicated sanding machines). Yeah, endless possibilities indeed.

I’ve not arrived at the coolest part yet. Dremel gives you the rare chance of replacing motor brushes if you want. This will allow users to run some maintenance and troubleshooting if and when things go bad for us. The replacement parts won’t cost us a fortune.

When the tool is at work, it’ll signal the users by flashing an LED worklight. Crafty Dremel guys even put in a mechanism for us to gauge if the device is overheated or not. When it is, all three indicators on battery will flash. It’s time to put the tool to rest until it cools down.

This is a cordless rotary tool to boot. Yes, you won’t have to face the hassle of tangled wires. Instead, I liked the 12V battery as it charges up quickly to deliver maximum performance whenever I needed it to. The battery needs about an hour to be fully juiced up.

Don’t worry, people will have as many as three lights to indicate how much juice your battery has. When two of these lights flash, it has 50% juice. When all three flash together, the battery is completely charged.

Since the battery is made of Lithium-ions, you will have fast charging (duh). Also, this thing will not suffer from any memory effects. But I can’t tell you about the exact runtime of the tool. This depends on the type of job you’re taking it on, the accessories it’s handling, etc.

Get Dremel 8220 at Amazon

Add 28 accessories and one attachment to the machine and it’s a complete tool-kit suitable for job assignments as well. The one attachment I spoke of earlier is a 3-jaw-chuck. It can take in all sorts of attachments (even those you need to buy as extras).

People can switch between different parts and bits of the tool thanks to a nice design improvement. The users will have access to an EZ twist cap.

They’ll have to twist the cap (duh) and the accessory will come off. Just set another one in its place and twist it the opposite way. New accessory will lock securely in place.

The hard-plastic body really makes our tool lightweight. Add to the fact that the users have a 360-degree ergonomic grip. This baby can push itself in some really tight spaces when people need it to. It’s the ideal tool for metal-workers, welders, and carpenters.

The entire package comes encased in a hard-plastic briefcase. It keeps the device protected against damages and makes the unit waterproof as well. It’s easy to carry for people looking for a portable rotary tool for their jobsites.

Things I Liked in this Rotary Tool

Things I Didn’t Like in this Rotary Tool

Putting Dremel 4000-4/34 Variable Speed Rotary Tool Kit to the Test

The basic rule of doing a three-way comparison such as Dremel 8220 vs. 4000 vs. 4300 is putting all three rotary tools through intense usage and then coming up with an analysis.

It’s anything but your average session, trust me. Now that we got that out of the way, it’s time to look into Dremel 4000 under the knife. Let’s see what secrets it holds within.

Let me say this first up: This tool is not an average run-of-the-mill machine. Use it well enough and you’ll discover its gems. Dremel 4000 is a capable sanding tool, a cutting machine, and nifty little carving device as well. it’s good at engraving too.

I asked the salesman himself, “Why is it so good?” The good chap told me that this little tool packs in as many as thirty different bits to go with the attachment. The attachment and tools can be set up using an EZ twist cap. Just twist it and they’ll lock into place.

Like all Dremel rotary machines, this too has a competent motor with a variable speed. The users will be able to play with RPM counts beginning from 5000 to 35000. This makes it easy on them when they want to handle plastic, lightweight metal, and wood with this device.

I noticed the fact that Dremel 4000 comes with a quiet motor. It won’t wake my neighbors up when I’m working at a job site or tinkering around my house (thankfully).

I have to thank the unique ventilation system with improved airflow for it. The system keeps the motor cool at all times as well. Also, your grip won’t be hampered by it.

Get Dremel 4000 at Amazon

Try as hard as they may but the users won’t be able to overheat this thing. There’s a circuitry system in place that tells us when it’s about to overheat. It’ll shut down automatically without causing any fuss or disturbances to our work.

Remember I mentioned the “Grip” a few moments ago? Well, it comes with a 360-degree ergonomic grip to make sure we do our jobs comfortably. No matter what you do, the tool won’t tire out your hands. Not even if you hold it at an awkward angle.

The whole thing comes packed in a “Hard Plastic” case for us to take advantage of. Don’t be deterred by “Hard Plastic.” This briefcase is durable to say the least. The tool (and all the bits and accessories) is waterproof as well.

Dremel 4000 is not cordless like it’s cousin Dremel 8220. It runs on electricity. This is not what I have issue with. Rather, it runs on 120V and 120V ONLY. I won’t be able to work with this product outside US boundaries. It’s a bummer if you ask me.

Things I Liked in this Rotary Tool

Things I Didn’t Like in this Rotary Tool

Putting Dremel 4300 Rotary Tool Under the Knife

For all newbies on my website, I’ve done a separate Dremel 4000 vs Dremel 4300 comparison article in the recent past. There, I’ve discussed the features of this tool in detail. Even then, for the sake of this article… let’s go over the benefits one more time in brief.

The 4300 rotary tool comes with as many as five different attachments that you can set up with the machine. There’s an EZ twist cap here as well (just like the 8220 and 4000 variants of the tool). I twisted it and the 3-jaw chuck came off. I set the new attachment with accessories for testing and twisted it back. It’s THAT easy. Trust me.

As usual, the motor gives us multiple RPM levels to work with (5000 to 35000). This tool can handle sanding, carving, cutting, engraving, polishing, and grinding on all types of materials.

Like its predecessor on today’s list, this one runs on electricity as well. It runs on 1.8amps. Considering the Amp count, it won’t even put a scratch on your electricity bills. People can work for hours without considering extra bucks for bills or strain on the machine.

I was pleasantly surprised with all the grinding stones and additional supplies I got from the package. Thanks to the grinding stones, people will be able to cut and engrave on porcelain items as comfortably as on hard materials like epoxy. Versatility at its peak!

Get Dremel 4300 at Amazon

The makers instilled a system that provides us users with constant feedback of what’s happening when we’re running the tool. The feedback system tells users when the tool is overheating and cannot work anymore. This is a nifty addition if you ask me.

The handle is ergonomic as usual. The 360-dgree grip doesn’t put strains on your wrists. Dremel 4300 comes with a pivoting light. It illuminates the area we’re polishing, carving, or sanding for that matter. Now people have a perfect tool to work with low light situations.

Things I Liked in this Rotary Tool

Things I Didn’t Like in this Rotary Tool

Similarities Between Dremel 8220 and Dremel 4000

Now, hold on! I know, the purpose of the article is to do a three-way battle between Dremel 8220 vs 4000 & 4300. Yet, I’m gunning for similarities between these two models. This will help us in narrowing down the field of differences that these have. Let’s get to it then!

Dremel 8220 vs Dremel 4000 – Comparing the Two Machines

Now that we’ve looked into the similarities, it’s time to see where these two devices differ in terms of capacity, operating method, and performance as a whole. Buckle up for a smooth ride people! You’re gonna enjoy it to bits.

Corded vs. Cordless Operation

As you know by now, Dremel 8220 is a cordless machine while Dremel 4000 isn’t. Now, corded rotary tools have their benefits. But the cordless ones will give you better angles to work with and greater versatility in terms of carrying it around.

Also, cordless rotary devices don’t consume electricity that much. It helps when you’re looking to save up some bucks annually. People need to charge up the battery and that’s it.

However, I must say that the runtime of the Lithium-ion battery could have been a bit longer considering this is a mid-range rotary tool from Dremel.

Subtle Differences in Motor Capacity

Yes, I know… Both the motors are quiet. That’s not why I made this point. The point is, you’ll have subtle difference in the RPM count. To be more precise, Dremel 8220 comes with the “High” RPM limit of 30000 while the 4000 variant comes with 35000.

The lower limit is the same for both the machines. It’s 5000 RPM.

People will not notice the limit that much when working with delicate objects like plastic and porcelain. When you’re using these things for high-speed tasks, the difference shows ever so slightly. Depending on which surface you’re using it on, you might even notice a whirring noise in case of Dremel 4000.

Which Tool Provides Better Performance for People

This is a tough thing to decide. A good chunk of “Performance” depends on how well you handle these machines. Also, where are you using your stuff.

However, I’ll tell you this… Dremel 8220 Cordless Rotary Tool slacks off a bit when the chips are down. You’ll need to charge it back up to make it work. The users will have to go through 1-hour charging period once the battery is depleted.

Dremel 4000 excels here by a hair’s length. It’s a corded device and takes up 1.2 amps of power to function. Yes, you’re sacrificing a few bucks in electricity bills. But people will get a constant output from the machine. It won’t suddenly turn off in the middle of the job.

Similarities Between Dremel 8220 and 4300

Since we discussed the similarities between the 8220 and 4000 rotary tools, it’s only fair to do the same for Dremel 4300 and 8220 as well. Without further ado, let’s get to the topic at hand and discuss what these tools have in common.

Dremel 8220 vs. 4300 – Which Tool Comes on Top?

Let’s do a comparison between the two tools and see which one wins. Now, I won’t go too deep into the discussion. Only bullet points will have to do for now. That’s because we already know the basic differences from the reviews I put up.

So, what’s next? I know! You guys are waiting for a duel between Dremel 4300 and Dremel 4000, right? Well, I’ve done a comparison article between these tools in the past. I don’t want to bore you to death by stating what I already put there. Go and have a look!

Let’s End Our Chatter Here, Shall We?

So, here ends my article on Dremel 8220 vs. 4000 and 4300. As you can see, we’re splitting hairs here. There’s not much to go on when pitting two tools against each other in Dremel 4000 vs. 4300 battle. Both tools run on electricity and have near-identical features.

When Dremel 8220 joins the fray, things are a bit different. There’s an obvious difference in how the machine operates (cordless, anyone?). Yet, there’s not a lot to say when it comes to power and precision. That’s why it comes down to preference.

I mean, get the cordless tool if you want a bit more freedom. However, remember the fact that you’ll have to stock up on battery juice.

Get either Dremel 4300 or 4000 if you prefer constant power and are good with tool handling. My vote? It goes to the latter model of the 4000 series when comparing both.

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