2020 test10 productsBlades, Bits & Abrasives
Which Oscillating Multi-tool Blade Brand Wins?
We compared 10 oscillating multi-tool blade options head to head. EZARC came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
EZARC
Price shown in test: $8.65 per blade
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Runner-up
Imperial
Price shown in test: $10.06 per blade
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Budget pick
EZARC
Price shown in test: $8.65 per blade
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | First nail cut time | First 10 nails | All 25 nails | Drywall screws cut before the blade gave out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1EZARC$8.65 per blade | 3.6 seconds, tied with DeWalt for fastest of the ten | 53 seconds | 2 minutes 26 seconds, held up much better than DeWalt with only 4 carbide teeth showing notable wear | 5 screws, the most of any brand tested, still had plenty of carbide material left on the blade |
| 2Imperial$10.06 per blade | 6.4 seconds | 54 seconds | 2 minutes 39 seconds, fifth fastest | 3 screws (tied with Fein), with the teeth in pretty bad, mostly used up condition afterward |
| 3Bauer$14.99 per blade | 6 seconds | 66 seconds | 2 minutes 19 seconds, tied for second fastest with Hercules | 4 screws, second most of any brand, though the teeth were pretty much used up afterward |
| 4Fein$15 per blade | 5.2 seconds | 82 seconds, losing momentum quickly | 3 minutes 7 seconds, with the teeth pretty much used up | 3 screws (tied with Imperial) |
| 5Bosch$9.55 per blade | 6.7 seconds, the slowest of the first nail cuts among finishers | 63 seconds | 3 minutes 29 seconds, teeth pretty much used up | 2 screws |
| 6Dremel Multi-Max$11.50 per blade | 5.8 seconds | 56 seconds | 2 minutes 13 seconds, the fastest of all ten brands, though with noticeably more visible tooth wear than the EZARC | 1 screw, considerable damage to the teeth |
| 7Hercules$15.99 per blade | 4.8 seconds, third fastest | 44 seconds, faster than all other carbide blades except Milwaukee and DeWalt | 2 minutes 19 seconds, tied with Bauer, though the teeth were in much worse condition than Bauer's | 1 screw, teeth chewed up but still in better condition than most of the other brands |
| 8Rockwell$15.49 per blade | 7.3 seconds, the slowest of the finishers | 65 seconds | 3 minutes 44 seconds, the slowest of all finishers, teeth pretty much worn off | 1 screw |
| 9Milwaukee$19.99 per blade, the most expensive brand tested | 1.6 seconds, more than twice as fast as any other brand | 30 seconds, the fastest of all ten brands | did not finish, stalled out on the 12th nail | 0 screws, could not cut through even the first drywall screw, blade completely used up |
| 10DeWalt$8.61 per blade, the least expensive brand tested | 3.6 seconds, tied with EZARC for fastest | 40 seconds, second fastest | did not finish, came to a sudden stop after 13 nails with all the teeth wiped out | 0 screws, could not grind through even the first drywall screw after 2 minutes |
How it was tested
- cutting speed and blade wear test through 25 16-penny nails driven into pressure treated 4x4 lumber
- cutting speed and durability test through drywall screws until each blade could no longer cut through
“ezarc can be very hard to beat when you consider the price and the performance of the blade”