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Quite a few things but I would like to see Metabo or Bosch make a 180/360 degree lantern like Milwaukee and Makita. An inflator like Ryobi would be great too.

I've just bought into 18v Metabo. I don't have much at the moment but so far a W18 LTX 125 brushed angle grinder, AG 18 compact blower, one 6.2ah LiHD battery and the ASC 30-36 charger. The grinder is top quality and also made in Germany with a quick nut and tool-less guard adjustment. Very, VERY smooth running and really nice to use. One review that I came across online rated this brushed grinder better in power and runtime than the Milwaukee brushless. With the 6.2ah LiHD battery I get about 10 minutes of non-stop grinding and cutting and it feels about the same as a 600-700W corded. I imagine their new brushless version would improve on this. The blower is very similar to the Milwaukee, Dewalt and Makita offerings. It is made in China. The build quality is noticeably lower than that of the made in Germany grinder. There is no lock-on trigger feature and no inflator attachments, which are negative points imo. However, the run-time with the LiHD is great! The charger will fully charge the 6.2ah LiHD battery from almost empty (one bar remaining and flashing) to full in 90 minutes. Quite slow compared to Makita and Hitachi chargers. I believe they have an Ultra charger which cuts this time down to 45 minutes (not available in Australia yet). I don't have any of the normal 5.2ah batteries but the claims from Metabo are that their tools will have more power when using LiHD (even the older tools). I am hoping this will translate into their 18v reciprocating saw when I expand over the next few weeks. I will also purchase the SSW 18 LTX 200 brushed impact wrench (3 speed 210nm).

Agree!

Pictures are always great so here's a few

Bosch 10.8v/12v or Metabo 10.8v BS Quick drill with removable chuck http://www.toolstop.co.uk/metabo-powermaxx-bs-quick-toolstop-exclusive-a1365

I think the metabo is slightly bigger than the others (but same inlet/outlet size). It's rated slightly lower in CFM too (91cfm vs 100 for Milwaukee and Dewalt). I haven't seen the Milwaukee or Dewalt in person, but according to photos i've seen online, one thing better about the metabo is the inlet is deeper and it has side holes, so if you cover the end the air can still get in. I read online about a few people having issues with their shirt getting sucked onto the inlet and covering it. This does happen with the metabo but I think the deeper inlet and side holes mean the air flow is not blocked as much and doesn't grab it as strong. The model I got in Australia is the one with the red ring on the tube.

I had this happen with a brand new 6.2 LiHD. The right-most LED would occasionally blink once every few minutes when connected to a tool or when charging. I can't say I've seen it happen lately but it definitely happened a number of times on the first day.

Anyone know when the 3.1ah LiHD batteries will be available in OZ?

Hi all. I recently purchased this blower and was wondering if anyone else has one, or, if anyone else knows whether the inflator attachments for the Milwaukee or Dewalt blowers can be used on the Metabo. (In Oz, there is also the Ozito Power-X 18v blower that comes with inflator attachments). Other than not having the inflator attachments or a lock on feature like the others, this blower is great. Very handy to have. Plenty of power to clean a work area or blow grass clippings and dust off driveways after mowing. I use a 6.2 LiHD battery and get plenty of runtime. I haven't run a proper test, but I estimate at full speed there is at least 30 minutes of non-stop run time with this battery. Using it for 20 minutes on/off to clean up after mowing there are still 4 bars remaining. I just wish it came with attachments and a lock on button. The grip on mine also has a slight ridge where the left and right sections join (they don't seem to line up properly). There is about a 1mm bump on the grip because of this (this can be a little uncomfortable). Any questions about this tool just ask and I'm happy to provide more info. Thanks, Dan