Being one of the last to the oscillating tool party has had its advantages for Porter Cable and their new PC250MTK ($104, Amazon) Multi-Tool. To start with they bumped up the horse power to a larger 2.5 amp motor and added a 10’ corded for better worksite maneuverability. The feel of the unit also seems a little more thought out and comfortable, like they laid out all the competitors and said how can we do this better. Check out this detailed Video from WoodCraft blog:
They also included pretty much every accessory they make in the case right out of the box. Most impressively a Grout Removal Blade which you typically will not find in any other base level kit. Here is the whole list: (1) Wood Blade, (1) Wood/Metal Blade, (1) Precision Wood Blade, (1) Flush Cut Blade for Wood, Drywall and Metal, (1) Sanding Platen, (27) 60-120-240G Sand Paper, (1) Flexible Scraper, (1) Rigid Scraper & (1) Grout Removal Blade.
The most impressive aspect of the tool however is the quick changing blade system. It really could probably be the easiest blade change process of any oscillating tool on the market to date, including the Fein Multimaster which has been the apex of the category. As long as that high tension spring holds up this system will be hard to improve upon.
Unfortunately this mighty tool does have some short comings which actually have nothing to do with the tool itself. To start the case is killing me, it just will not shut on the first try ever because the accessories are supposed to be arranged sticking strait up and need to align perfectly to close which doesn’t happen. Also the long cord is great use but terrible to cram back into the flimsy plastic case.
The bigger problem however is the accessories themselves. Porter Cable went lone wolf on their accessories which we feel is a big mistake. The universal OIS platform that Bosch, Milwaukee, Ridgid and others have all adopted already have tons of great accessories available. Had the PC250MTK been compatible it would have been pretty great but the set on the Porter Cable means you are locked into their platform. As it stands pretty much all the available accessories are included in the box, more available at Lowe’s or Amazon but it really is just the basics. The blades are also not very high quality but fairly inexpensive so not a big problem.
Overall for around $100 the Porter Cable package is a great deal. Everything is in the box so you can tackle many jobs right away. This also would make this a great gifts idea for a young home owner or occasional handyman for the holidays which are right around the corner.