First of all, I didn't buy this for hand use. I have used it a couple of time by hand and I don't know if I would want lug it around all day long. With that said, I mounted it in a table and proceeded to gobble up anything that I put in front of it. It is a monster, period. But that is where it really shines. It has the torque of a diesel engine, smooth as silk an fairly quiet running (for it's size and power). I love the soft start, so if you do use by hand, it doesn't want to jerk when you first start it up. After all it is the one that Marc Summerfield recommended for several years. Although it has gotten a little pricy since I bought mine a couple of years ago.