Advantages: Very versatile tool, well made,easy to use
Disadvantages: None

...I bought a B&D Proline angle grinder 4 years ago and have found it to be an indespensible tool. It is well made, easy to use and quick to change disks. It was fairly expensive compaired to the cheap imported ones but have found it to be worth the extra. I had always considered these to be just for the motor trade ie cutting and grinding of metalwork. There is so much more to these tools, they can be used for a variety of jobs. I have a sanding pad with disks which allows easy grinding down of rough timber, the job can then be completed using a finishing sander. These sanding disks are especially useful for reducing end grain eg taking a bit of the height of a new door, this can be difficult and timeconsuming to do otherwise. They can also be used to cut / grind stone,concrete, slabs etc.Metal can be cut and ground in the same way... Read review

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Advantages: Timesaver, no kneeling to fill up the paint, easy to use.
Disadvantages: Requires paint cartridges rather than own brand, cleaning.

...The Black & Decker Paintmate is a crucial piece of kit. With experience of paint pads, rollers and all the rest, I found the Paintmate easy to use and much better than having to dip into a tin of paint to refill the brush. It comes equipped with a roller and an angled brush, with a locking device to keep the paint flowing without having to keep the button depressed. It works on standard batteries or the Black & Decker rechargable ones. I painted the bedroom in half the time! The only drawback is having to buy refills rather than filling up with your own preferred brand, and of course, cleaning up.... Read review

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Advantages: Cuts through many materials, big disc
Disadvantages: Awkward to hold, noisy, no carry case

...the item and collected it later that day. Upon receiving the angle grinder, my first thoughts were that it is heavier than I imagined. It weighs about 5 ½ kg. The grinder is quite large and looks like a space ship out of Star Wars. There is a knack in getting it in the best position for holding, but it doesn't take too long to figure out. The actual grinder is very good. It makes short work of paving blocks. It is however very noisy, so you will need to wear ear defenders. It also makes a lot of dust so make sure you wear a dust mask as well. I would also recommend wearing eye protection. I bought a machinery had from Screwfix which incorporates a visor and ear defenders. This was a wise decision as the angle grinder throws bits of brick everywhere. You can buy stands for this size of angle grinder, although I have only seen them at Axminster... Read review

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Advantages: good features, cheap price,very versatile
Disadvantages: none

...I bought a variable speed Power Devil jigsaw from Argos to replace my old, and rather knackered, Black & Decker one. This was on offer at £15 and came with a dozen blades. It has variable speed with speed lock, which is great for cutting delicate materials as it lets you start off gently it also has blade guard and adjustable cutting angle. Changing blades is very straightforward, the allen key is stored in a small recess on the saw, so is less likely to be lost. I like their range of power tools, they are well made, have plenty of feature and are very reasonably priced.... Read review

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Advantages: Edging made easy
Disadvantages: Auto line feed not up to much

...Are you tired of getting a bad back from trimming lawn edges, well I was so I invested 30 quid in a Black & Decker strimmer. This model includes an auto feed on the cutting line and an edging facility (basically you can swivell the end through 90 degrees to cut a right angles. This makes trimming the lawn adge a bit easier. The 12m cable is adequate for modest size gardens. Whilst I have been fairly pleased with this product I think the auto line feed isn't up too much - the first line went through in no time because it kept coming out too far and the replacement line doesn't auto feed at all - but this is a minor niggle. The only other thing I would say is that the cutting line is actually quite powerful so becareful not to damage your lawn and mind out for animals and feet.... Read review

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Advantages: Very good value, spare blade
Disadvantages: quality not too good

...I had wanted a saw with a deeper cut for some diy work. The saw would be used very infrequently so would need to be cheap enough to justify getting it. Homebase stocked a small range of saws, Black & Decker, Bosch & Power Devils. The larger saws ranged from £45 - £130. All had similar features and blade size but the quality of construction did show in the price. Working to a tight budget made the Power Devil my only real option. The cheapest comparable Black & Decker was another £40. The saw has a 184mm blade which gives a cut depth of 55mm. It has adjustable depth and angle of cut.There is a rip fence and provision to fit a dust bag. It also came with a spare blade making it excellant value for money. For £45 it is relatively well made and is fine for occassional use, however the more expensive ones were far better designed and much... Read review

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Advantages: cuts just about anything with minimum effort on your part
Disadvantages: poor design means the blade becomes loose

...Being a gadget lover I bought my black and decker scorpion about 5 years ago. At the time it was the only electic saw that I could find and I had a big DIY job to do at home. The saw itself comes with three blades; one for wood, one for metal pipes and plastics and a third somewhat flexible blade for use as a jigsaw. So this is really three saws in one. The blades can be changed by simply pressing a safety catch on the side, removing the old one and sloting in the new one. The metal and wood blades fit in one direction whilst the jigsaw blade fits in at a 90 degree angle for obvious reasons. To start the saw you need to press two buttons rather like you do with lawnmowers. Its a safety precaution to ensure it isn't set off accidently. Once the saw has started you can release the safety button and rely on the main button to control... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to use, easy to chnage blades
Disadvantages: Noisy

...As power jigsaws go the Black & Decker KS633 sits in the middle of the range. The only thing it lacks compared to the more expensive ones is a rheostat style speed adjustment system and frankly I’ve never missed mine not having that extra. The saw does have variable speed and is very easy to use and comes with a selection of blades for cutting different materials. Changing the blades is a lot easier now that Black & Decker have a new system and you do not even need a screwdriver to change blades. This is probably just as well as the blades never seem to last very long though that could be my cutting technique. The cutting edges are reasonably fine for accurate work. As dust is kept to a minimum by the clever guard arrangement at the front, it is as easy to follow your lines as a well rehearsed actor. One factor to consider when... Read review

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Advantages: Quiet and can take large shrubs without feeding
Disadvantages: REALLY doesn't like leaves/weeds

...to about 3cm diameter with no trouble. Just stick one end in and watch it do the rest, no further feeding is necessary (unlike the cheaper versions). This is because of a different chopping mechanism. The Black and Decker had a rotating cutter which easily got jammed. The Atco shredder has a rotating grinder with a screw mechanism. Whilst this turns, it pulls the wood down into the chute and grinds it into small bits. It also explains why the Black and Decker version is so much more work, as you have to manually feed it rather than the machine pulling it down. However, it does have a problem with greenery. It doesn't like very leafy trees/shrubs and weeds are out of the question - it will just jam up. I must admit to being disappointed with this problem as in the summer much of the waste is too wet for it, leaving me with the problem I... Read review

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Advantages: Value for Money
Disadvantages: Does not come with drill bits or case

...This hammer drill is great as it good quality and easy to use (a must for me). It has all the standard features you would expect from hammer dills. To prove how good quality Black and Decker are I still have my dads old drill which must be over 10 Years old and its still in working order. I reason I got a new one was that the old one was a bit basic and did not have all the gadgets that the new versions have on them. It was also really good Value for money. I would buy it again... Read review

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