I’ve grown very disillusioned about Festool and their latest generation of cordless power tools and accessories, but something’s got to be said about how their newest products are just toys.
The circular saw features a quick blade change feature, adjustable cutting depth stop, and LED light.
In what looks to be a first for Festool, the battery features USB-C charging, and also has a built-in charge level indicator.
Advertisement
Festool also has a new cordless drill with Centrotec bit chuck, reversible direction selector switch, trigger switch, and built-in work light. It’s also bundled with a battery that recharges via USB-C port.
The new Festool drill is also bundled with a couple of starter accessories – a drill bit and two screwdriver bits.
In case you didn’t look closely enough yet, these are indeed toy tools, and the most realistic-looking and most functional ones I’ve seen yet.
Oh, and they both feature “original sounds.” The toys must have been designed by parents because the sound volume can be adjusted or turned off.
Of course, they have to be packaged in boxes that look like real Systainer tool cases.
The pricing – converted from Euros and excluding tax – converts to around $40 for the QUADRIVE TPC 18/4 drill and $50 for the TSC 55 K plunge cutting circular saw.
Advertisement
Farkleberry
Just imagine how rabidly (and irrationally) attached to their “real” Festools they’ll be when they grow up?
I’ll suspend judgment on the exoskeleton, but I’m guessing all the brilliant inventors who gave us track saws, dominos, sanders, superior dust collection and novel ergos and cords have all retired?
Is their product development pipeline basically just assorted generic consumer products assigned to nearby university marketing students?
Their cordless offerings seem pretty much outclassed by everyone else at this point, except for price (obviously not in good way). I don’t think they’re actually toys in the same way these are, but I’m questioning the wisdom of inviting the comparison:
“I just got my little boy some cordless Festool toys!”
“Why, did he get tired of using yours?”
Stuart
Stick some masking tape over the brand label?
I was amazed that the toy saw I got for my kids that had a removable battery pack. I don’t know how I feel about more USB-rechargeable stuff, but these look several levels cooler.
Farkleberry
There’s no hiding Kermit! Another great innovation or at least design decision, coloring up the controls.
I’m certainly not as salty as my comments sound, and they don’t care, I’m not really their target customer anymore. It just seems like the brand’s focus has wandered, if not shifted dramatically.
I know people say we only use like 10% of our brains, and Festool can offer whimsical doodads alongside the serious cutting edge, but are they? They’ve nailed whimsy lately, and I don’t doubt they’ll make little Hans Jr happy. Is Sr. noticing what Festool is NOT offering compared to the cordless competition, especially if one cares at all about value?
I know European manufacturing costs are high, but the cordless designs are not competitive with top models. I know the high admission price to a “premium” Euro brand is source of pride for some, but it’s always nice when your supercar actually delivers performance.
I know there are exceptions, have seen the installation tool, etc. They absolutely have decent cordless, just wish they were pushing out innovation like before.
Goodie
In fairness, there’s a ton of toy p[roducts out there. There are Black & Decker, Bosch, and DeWalt kits. Many of these are branded and produced by someone else, but it’s been a key function of tool marketing for a long time. My First Craftsman is still available at Sears.
Interestingly, I think the tool industry probably owes the Singer sewing machine company a lot for this. Their “doll” sewing machines were functional and widely available.
That said, I think paleohuman families probably made small versions of stone hand axes and small, blunt wooden spears for their kids. Play is an important function of how we learn tool use. 🙂
Saulac
When will scammers start passing these on as real tools to unsuspecting buyers? Imagine paying real $ and get these in the mail.
Nathan
Interesting so does the blade turn slow and is blunt? Seems odd. But great idea overall. Wish the others would do something similar
Nico
I would legit get Milwaukee ones just to have as a living room knack.
Robert
I don’t think it’s a good idea to train children to think a track saw is a toy with such a realization looking facsimile of the real thing, and in a real looking systainer case. Even if the confused child can’t turn it on, they may cut themselves on the blade.
S
I think there’s a lot of parallels to cap guns/real guns here.
This is the perfect opportunity not to make things less safe, but to teach and reinforce safe tool work practices.
And that really shouldn’t be up to the tool manufacturer to reinforce by making the toy less realistic.
Robert
Oh, I’m in favor of teaching safety practices and the ideas behind why to children. Like a good military I believe in defense in depth (I even unplug my Sawstop between cuts), so do safety theory and practice and infrastructure.
I wasn’t going to go into that depth, or mention what Farkleberry brought up. I would prefer toy hand tools. Then maybe work up to the generic toy power tools, that don’t exactly look like a branded tool, then real hand tools under supervision. But these facsimile Festool track saws are asking for trouble.
Stuart
What about imitation kitchen knives and related cooking equipment? Toy hammers? Teaching kids that toys are toys and real-world objects can be dangerous is part of raising them.
eddiesky
OMG. What about toy trains, because you know that lead to real derailments. Or playing with cars because, demolition derby in traffic can harm someone.
As a kid, who wouldn’t want some cool tools like the parent’s have? And being a responsible parent, means not worrying about safety that you taught them.
Where other parents are the reason we have labels and litigious states where “picture of baby in bucket and line through it” or “picture of baby with plastic bag over head and line through it” or “do not lift mower over head to trim shrubs”… because someone did.
Grew up playing with lawndarts…no one ever got hurt. Now, jumping ramps with our bicycles… gotta watch for the hedgerow!
Paul
This is giving children’s intelligence too little credit and adults too little agency in children’s lives.
Children can tell the difference between a toy and a real tool. They just need to be taught.
Ken
No one is suggesting that or even hinting at it. Companies have been doing this for decades… if my kid can reach my circular saw, stick a battery in it and cut a finger off, it’s not the fault of the manufacturer of the toy, or the toy itself, it’s mine. I taught and continue to teach shop safety to my kid and it has absolutely nothing to do what what her toys may or may not look like.
Scott K
My kids have a gotten a couple of toy tools over the years. This toy drill has kept their interest the longest-
https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2203959/educational-insights-design-drill-activity-center.jsp?prdPV=36
There are plenty of different versions out there. This has held up well for a few years.
KMR
Once your child is about 5, just give them appropriate real tools and use those tools with them on appropriate projects. All I see in the photos above is branded plastic crap that’ll end up in an incinerator or landfill, especially once the child realizes the tool is completely useless when they try to help out.
Farkleberry
Right.
What’s the target age of these?
I imagine it’s iffy giving them to a 5 year old for unsupervised play knowing they might drop them into the toilet, etc.
I would think the motor is either every weak or has some clutch system to sense load and prevent broken fingers, etc., but still…
By age 7 or 8, I think many well trained kids can be trusted with hand saws and brace and bit, etc. to make their own projects.
I understand kids want to emulate the amazing power tools we have, but everyone should start on (and continue to use) hand tools.
I’m just skeptical that there’s a wide enough age range these slot into. Either they’re young enough these aren’t safe, and they should be encouraged to use their imagination more with abstracted, simple, safe, durable and affordable toys, or they realize they’re not real tools and just toys, and they’re forgotten.
Why not use some real tools to make some wooden toy tools, especially if you have multiple ages to entertain? Work with your (or friends’, extended family’s) older children to make some toys for the younger ones.
MM
Agreed 100%.
CMF
I think the market for this is current Festool owners. Either for their kids; they get to have the same tools as daddy/mommy. Or more so, many who want to collect them.
Festool owners are already a biscuit away from being a cult. They would love to have these as a collection…just like diecast cars, trucks and tractor collectors.
I think that the average mom or dad shopping for play tools for their kids, most have no idea what Festool is, and would never pay these prices for toys.
To me, it is pretty clear who these “toys” are aimed at.
Farkleberry
With supervision, young kids can be trusted drilling small holes with cordless drills. With the clutch set low, they can trusted to drive screws too.
The biggest obstacle is probably if their hands are big enough to grip.
Are these tools full size or scaled down?
The match box car for adults angle is something I hadn’t considered. If these are full size, where would collectors even display them.
A (real) track saw is probably capable of being the safest saw around for a kid to try for many cuts.
If you have a big, heavy, stable piece of plywood screwed to some adjustable height saw horses, cutting with a relatively low torque, soft start saw with a brake.
Especially if you have a model like the Makita that can lock down the saw on one side of the track, clamp the track down to work, adjust the blade to cut a millimeter deeper than the stock.
The plunging action is very controllable, just tell them to slowly let go if they get scared.
Farkleberry
Basswood and some hand saws, a coping saw, an assortment of rasps, wood files and sandpaper are probably best suited to younger kids’ imagination. Once they can be trusted with chisels (always cut away from you), and know how to sharpen tools and adjust planes, mark out, etc. they could pretty much theoretically make a Federalist highboy.
A good workbench is a necessity for anyone or any serious project. There are lots of options for adjustable height work surfaces.
Farkleberry
Also, little Timmy’s gonna be pretty upset when he realizes he can’t put his toy melamine Euro kitchen cabinets together without a toy domino : (
Goodie
At the price of this toy Festool drill, I would probably go buy an 8-10 year old an actual $30-$40 drill from Black&Decker (or some other DIY brand) and let them learn how to actually drive some screws/drill some holes in scrap lumber. Give them some old drill bits and they would have a ball!
Sadly there seem to be a lot less functional “toy” tools, sewing machines, cooking sets, etc than there used to be for kids.
The little 8v Black and Decker is $29 at Lowes…
BigTimeTommy
Lol even Festool toys are conspicuous consumption priced. They should sell a branded toy ring light and a big drum of toy epoxy, a whole “Hack woodworker social media shill making ugly river tables playset.”
David Gearhart
My daughter was 6yo when she was in her “pink” faze. I bought her a set of real screw drivers and wrenches with pink handes and a pink case. Her first real tools. That week she went on the roof with me ( with hard hat and saftey line and it wasnt steep) and learned how to install solar panels for the swimming pool. Now she is in her early 20s and knows she can fix anything. She has purchased her own power tools and just refinished an old desk. When we teach safety and teach skills, we harvest independence and confidence.
Walt Bordett
I am totally against buying kits toy tools. Buy them smaller sized good quality real hand tools in a real toolbox with their name on it. Start with the toolbox and basic hand tools. Every year add tools as you find them on sale. Teach them how to use the tools to make and fix real projects.
I did this with my daughter, and she is now a capable tool user and still has the box and all the tools.
DRT42
My father said and did exactly the same thing. And I am glad he did.