What is a reciprocating saw and how is it used?
We have heard other names for this style of saw before. Sawsall, Sawzall, or saber saw. The first reciprocating saw was make by the company Milwaukee in the 1950’s and is still a very important tool to have in any construction, plumbing, electrical, or remodeling company today. The long narrow style blade allows you to get into very tight spaces, nooks, and corners. They assist in a quick demolition and cutting and in similarity to a jig saw, a reciprocating saw can be used to cut 2×4 ends, plywood, PVC pipes, wall studs, etc. The possibilities for the uses with this saw are endless. These saws have very powerful motors, and for the longest time, you would have to plug this saw into an extension cord, but thanks to lithium-ion battery technology, all major power tool manufacturers have made the reciprocating saw more “mobile” and better all around.
The flexibility of the blades is what gives the reciprocating saw an advantage. They can be used safely on ladders, roofs, and tight places regular circular saws can’t be used.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 18 Volt Brushless Reciprocating Saw
This M18 Fuel “Sawzall Reciprocating Saw will cut faster than its corded cousin, and can have up to twice the run time and because it is powered by a brushless motor, the tool is to last up to five times as long. The Milwaukee XC5.0 extended capacity battery can deliver longer run times as well. This reciprocating saw cuts up to 30% faster, and has a 1.125 inch stroke. It has an adjustable shoe, and no tool is needed when you want to change the blades. It also comes from the factory ready to be used with different variable speeds and standard LED lighting comes also equipped. We did see that most of these tools do not come with a battery, however, if you check out promotions on Amazon, you may possibly be able to purchase this tool with a battery, or add an extended life battery to the shopping cart. I was amazed at how well this reciprocating saw had functioned over all, and this is why it was first to be mentioned in this article.
This tool also comes backed by Milwaukee’s 5 Year Tool Warranty. You can find complete kits for the Milwaukee M18 Brushless Reciprocating Saw at Amazon.com.
DeWalt FlexVolt 60 Volt MAX Brushless Reciprocating Saw
This saw was made durable and to last. It delivers the same function and quality a “corded” saw does, except you are mobile and its battery powered. The brushless motor is fierce, powerful, but still uses less energy compared to its brush styled counter tool. It also has a keyless lever action so switching between blades is a breeze. The trigger also features a variable speed, so you are in control of how fast the cutting is to take place. I was very pleased with the rubberized grips on the handle, which made this saw very comfortable to handle. I used blades accordingly, but had major success with cutting through wood, metal, PVC, and wiring. I did the test on a house that was in the demo stage, to test the wonders of this 60 volt beast. It has up to 3000 strokes per minute, and is 1 1/8 of a stroke which made it very fast cutting. The DeWalt FlexVolt reciprocating saw also has bright LED’s to help assist in those dark and dimmed lighting areas, giving you a better view of the task ahead. The tools is about 17 inches long, and lightweight. You can use the 20volt or the 60volt battery on this tool. Making it versatile and efficient for you contractors out there.
There are different ways you could go about purchasing this tool as well. Some retailers like Amazon, sells this tool with or without batteries, which are very fast charging. Some bundle offers will even include a charger, contractor bag, and saw blades. We will link to awesome package deals on Amazon, to help you get started using your new DeWalt FlexVolt 60 Volt Brushless reciprocating saw today. DeWalt offers the standard 3 Year Warranty as well.
Makita 18 Volt Max CXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Reciprocating Saw
We were very surprised to see that this tool and how it performed. With its 18 volts of fury, it performed very well. We did a standard test with the usual wood, metal, and PVC to start. We had no hang ups or issues at all. This reciprocating saw features a very nice ergonomic handle that is rubber and very comfortable to hold and handle. It also has up to 3000 strokes per minute, and only with a 1/2 inch stroke, makes it very ideal for fast cutting. Like most of these tools we did not have to use a “key” or tool to change out the blades either. The fast charge time was very impressive as well, because most contractors use these tools all day, a 30 minute charge time is a must. The tool was only 15.50 inches long, and weighed just under 4 pounds with the battery. It was equipped with very bright LED lights for a dark work environment. It is pricey, but I recommend you purchase the entire kit to get started on the Makita 18v Reciprocating Saw.
Makita offers a full 3 Year Warranty on the tool and assures quality overall.
Ryobi 18 Volt ONE Brushless Reciprocating Saw
This brushless 18volt reciprocating saw provides a very long run time, faster cutting and offers more life for the tool over all. The shoe is adjustable, and pivots which was very handy for those awkward cuts. The variable speed trigger assured that the user is in control of how fast or slow the job will get done. When I opened the package, for the first time, some wood cutting saw blades were included. The gear housing is made from aluminum, which is strong and very light weight. We also calculated 3200 strokes per minute, giving it an advantage over its competition as well. I cut through sheet metal, PVC piping and blocks. The tool never once hesitated or lost power through out the process of the cut. The rubber grip was very comfortable, and absorbed vibrations from the cutting process.
The depth of the Ryobi 18v reciprocating saw was 17.5 inches, about 6.5 inches in height, and about 3.5 inches wide. It did not include a battery, which will need to be purchased separate, as well as a charger for it. Ryobi offers a 3 Year Warranty on this reciprocating saw as well.
Which cordless reciprocating saw should I purchase?
There are many options that you can purchase when it comes to a cordless reciprocating saw. From what I have seen and studied, every individual, contractor, HVAC, Plumber, and construction company alike, have their “favorite” tools brand. You also need to understand, that most of these power tools all use one style battery. This is another reason why, the cost of the tools are lower, is because, if a contractor has 10 18v batteries, but needs a saw, it saves him money in the long run just buying the tool. This is why we did the reviews on the chargers, that can charge up to 4 or 6 batteries at one time.
Test Details: I specifically cut through a 2×6, 2×4, and a 5 thick pieces of plywood as well. During this test, the motor did not drone down, lose power, or speed. When I started sawing through sheet metal, the motor stayed consistent, and I used a cutting oil to keep the blade lubricated to insure it did not over heat. This test was performed, and to my surprise, I had the exact same results with all the brands I had mentioned above. The only one that stood out, was the Milwaukee, that was the only tool that did not get a very warm on the composite housing body at all.
Conclusion
Unless you are prepared to spend a bunch of money on batteries, chargers, and all new tools, it would make more sense to stick with the brands you have, if you have any of the types mentioned above. They all performed very well, exceptionally in fact. If you have already started making investments in these power tool brands, you can’t really go wrong here with either or. However, if you have no power tools at all, or in particular, battery powered power tools, then I would advise you to read our articles on the different types of power tools to see which brand would fit the best needs for you. We used real life situation testing techniques to try and make sure we gave all the brands a fair shot. We were not disappointed, especially since most battery powered tools now, use a brushless motor, delivering more power, life, and speeds. In my very own opinion, I am going to start investing all future power tools into brushless motor powered styles. You will get more for your money in the long run, assuring the tool is properly cared for and maintained.
We have placed links to Amazon in all the sub articles above, so you can try out your own reciprocating saw yourself. Most of the best deals you will find are the bundle packages. If you have not already invested into batteries and tools, you will need at least one or two batteries and a charge to start out depending on your budget.