I’ve owned a Dremel rotatry tool for years and I’ve found about 102 uses for it in my woodworking shop, from drilling and sculpting wood to cutting screws and hardware to engraving salvaged copper name tags for my furniture. I even use it to hold tiny drill bits that are too small to fit in the chuck of my cordless drill.

Like my old Dremel Multipro 395, the new model is loaded with great accessories. The biggest improvement is that they’ve replaced the tiny, easy-to-lose chuck wrench with a toolless chuck that holds bits securely and makes changing them a breeze.

The variable-speed motor is small but packs a punch—or at least a good slap. The shape of the nose cap provides a comfortable grip when you’re choked up on the tool for controlled work. The tool comes with a simple router-type base that works well for small, freehand inlays. It doesn’t plunge, but it’s easy to adjust and holds its settings, allowing you to ease the cutter into the work. It’s plastic, though, so don’t overtighten the bolts.

The kit also comes with a handful of accessories for sanding, polishing, grinding, and cutting—a few of each to get you going. And it will accept all manner of Dremel bits. If you do a lot of detail work, such as sculpting small parts or texturing, the Dremel 3000 will be an excellent shop mate. It comes with a four-year warranty, but I’ve been using my old one for about 12, without a problem.

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