I just received my new toy, and after looking it over, I did a little checking to see how theDremel 8220-2/28 12-Volt Max Cordless Rotary Tool Kit compares to theDremel 8200-2/28 12-Volt Max Cordless Rotary Tool Kit . Based on the photos, they look pretty much the same other than the model number, but there are some notable differences... First off, here are the improvements in the 8220 rotary tool vs the 8200 rotary tool: * 33% longer run time compared to the Dremel 8200 when cutting screws (direct quote from Dremel's site) * EZ Twist nose cap with wrench for fast accessory changes What was removed from the 8220-2/28 kit vs the 8200-2/28 kit: * 191 High Speed Cutter * 411 3/4" Sanding Disc, 180 grit (2) * 420 Emery Cut-Off Wheel (2) * 575 Right Angle Attachment * 932 Aluminum Oxide Grinding Stone * 84922 Silicon Carbide Grinding Stone What was added to the 8220 kit vs the 8200 kit: * 426 1-1/4" Fiberglass-Reinforced Cut-Off Wheel * A550 Shield Attachment Multiple included accessory quantities that changed: (8220 kit on left vs 8200 kit on right) * 408 1/2" 60 Grit Sanding Band (2 vs 3) * 414 1/2" Felt Polishing Wheel (3 vs 2) * 425 Emery Wheel (4 vs 1) * 429 1" Felt Polishing Wheel (3 vs 1) * 445 1/2" 240 Grit Sanding Band (3 vs 2) The most notable loss for the 8220 kit was theDremel 575 Right Angle Attachment , about $23 on Amazon. The case includes a place for it, but the Right Angle Attachment itself is not included. It was replaced by the A550 Shield Attachment (not theDremel A550 Rotary Tool Shield Attachment Kit , which is about $20 on Amazon). This seems like a good deal, but in the interest of comparing apples to apples, you need to subtract off the price of the accessories that would have been included in the kit to determine the actual value of the shield attachment alone: $6.79 for theEZ402 EZ Lock Mandrel , included in both the 8220 and 8200 kits $1.81 (based on theEZ456 1-1/2-Inch EZ Lock Rotary Tool 5-Pack Cut-Off Wheels for Metal pricing) for the EZ456 cut-off wheel, included in both the 8220 and 8200 kits $4.22 for theDremel 428 Carbon Steel Brush , included in neither the 8220 nor 8200 kits $3.99 for theDremel #8193 5/8" Wheel Grinder , included in both the 8220 and 8200 kits Take all that away, and you're left with a value of $3.18 for the shield attachment alone. Not such a great swap. I would have preferred the575 Right Angle Attachment instead. What stayed the same between the two Dremel kits: * 401 Mandrel * 402 Mandrel * EZ402 Mandrel * 407 1/2" 60 Grit Sanding Drum with Mandrel * 421 Polishing Compound * 432 1/2" 120 Grit Sanding Band (3) * EZ456 1 1/2" Reinforced Cut-Off Wheel * 541 Aluminum Oxide Grinding Wheel * 561 MultiPurpose Cutting Bit * 565 Cutting Guide Attachment * 8193 5/8" Aluminum Oxide Grinding Stone * 12V Max Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (2) (note: the 8200 kit includes 1.3 Ah "875-01" batteries, while the 8220 kit includes 1.5 Ah "B812-01" batteries) * 876-01 Lithium-Ion 1-Hour Charger * Micro Case * Wrench The 8220-2/28 kit is a little bit more expensive than the 8200-2/28 kit, but you lose the Right Angle Attachment and gain the A550 Shield Attachment. All in all, it appears that the 8200-2/28 kit is a better value except for the claimed lower run time and lack of the EZ Twist nose cap. If you tend to use your Dremel rotary tool for long periods of time (where additional run time would be welcome), and/or if you frequently find yourself without a collet wrench (where the EZ Twist nose cap will be useful), then grab the 8220-2/28 kit. If not, you'll probably be perfectly happy with the 8200-2/28 kit. Finally, how does it perform? It's a Dremel: it works great for my typical uses, such as cutting holes in drywall (just did that with the 561 cutter), sharpening mower blades (next weekend, with the aid of my675 Sharpener Attachment ), slotting broken bolts for easy removal and sanding or polishing parts on any of the numerous odd projects I work on around the house. Unlike my older, corded Dremel, I can turn it on or off while leaving the speed where I want it, thanks to the separate controls for speed and power. I like that I can climb up a ladder to work on the house without dragging a cord behind, and all of my existing Dremel tools fit, so I don't have to go out and buy a bunch of new accessories. I did, however, order a Right Angle Attachment from Amazon. I don't want to leave that empty spot in the case... :) I added some photos of the actual box. 9/29/12: Just a few things to add... the batteries included with the 8220-2/28 kit are Dremel B812-01, and they're rated at 1.5 Amp-hours (Ah) capacity. The batteries that are included with the 8200-2/28 kit are Dremel 875-01, and they're rated at 1.3 Ah capacity, so the newer batteries have about 15% more capacity than the older batteries. That's a nice increase. As of today, the newer batteries aren't yet available in stores. If you want two batteries, go with the 8220-2/28 kit. The 8220-1/28 kit only includes one battery. Also, I've been pondering the inclusion of the A550 shield instead of the 575 right angle attachment, and I'm thinking it's a safety/liability decision more than anything. To illustrate, a 1-1/2" diameter cutting wheel has a circumference of about 4.7". At 30,000 RPM, the edge of that wheel is moving in excess of 140,000 inches per minute, which is a little more than 196 feet per minute (about 134 mph -- wow!). Although folks are supposed to wear eye protection when using any type of power tool, many people don't, so it looks like Dremel took the safer route and included a shield. With the presumably higher cost of the better batteries + the few dollars for the A550 shield, something had to go to avoid increasing the price of the kit significantly, so that's likely what happened to the 575 right angle attachment. With that in mind, I'm raising my review to 5 stars. I've been using my new 8220 kit for a while now, and I'm really very happy with it. In fact, I can't think of anything that I don't like about it. I just wish I had more stuff to use it on (and more time to use it). This is a very nice rotary tool kit.
