The Best Jigsaw (Review) in 2018

We’ll kick off our list with this excellent jigsaw from Black and Decker, a manufacturer who need little introduction. It comes with an entry-level price tag but it is still packed with useful features.

The big stand out has to be the extremely powerful, 5 amp motor. That allows the blade to move at speeds up to 3,000 SPM (strokes per minute). That is sufficient to tackle just about any material from ceramics and tiles to denser woods. An accurate trigger that is nice and large controls that speed.

The body of the jigsaw can be set to various angles to aid with angled cutting whilst the new and improved wire guards improves sight lines for precise cutting. The blade is quick release and can be changed without tools.

As a low priced tool it is missing a few top end features like an LED light for example. But it is still a top, top quality corded jigsaw with an insane low price.

We’ll take a look at this DeWALT corded jigsaw next. DeWALT are another company who need no introduction, with their yellow and black branding famous the world over. This is a product with a premium price and as such comes packed with features.

The biggest stand out is a very powerful 6.5 amp motor. This kicks out a phenomenal level of power, though the DeWALT is well up to handling it. It has a variable speed delivery of between 500 to 3,100 SPM, making it perfect for safe and accurate cuts on a huge variety of materials.

All that power is funneled through an extremely tough all metal gear case, which also features a keyless blade holder. An extra large rubber grip and a counter balance mechanism both work to reduce vibration for precise cutting.

This tool has a high price tag, and at 10lbs is quite heavy. But it is a tool that gives incredible power with excellent levels of control.

Our next entry is this jigsaw from Hitachi. It is the first example of a cordless jigsaw to make its way onto the list, though of course it won’t be the last. There are a number of advantages (and disadvantages) to cordless versus corded tools, which we’ll discuss more in depth further below.

For now let’s just celebrate this tool because frankly there is a lot to like here. The motor is compatible with 18V batteries. This allows it to kick out up to 2,400 SPM, not a bad figure for a cordless jigsaw. The blade is changed without tools and is designed to be very simple and easy to use, cutting back on downtime during changes.

Where this tool really excels is in terms of comfort. The handle is rubber coated for comfort and to help control vibration. It is also very light, with a total weight of around 4lbs even with the battery attached.

Next up we have a high quality jigsaw from Bosch. As you would expect from a manufacturer like this is it fully stocked with great features.

A 7-amp motor is the eye catching one of course. That is a very impressive level of power that will allow you to cut efficiently through a huge range of materials. A variable speed dial allows you to accurately set the blade speed whilst built in vibration dampening measures allow for a precise cut. The die cast foot is strong and sturdy and the blade clamp is very well designed and tool free.

Price wise, the cost of the machine is surprisingly low, having a mid range price of around 150 bucks. For such a high quality machine by such a reputable manufacturer that is very impressive. As always it will work best with branded Bosch replacement blades. They aren’t cheap though, so you could end up paying a little more over the course of the lifetime of the machine in new blades.

We’ll take a look at this Makita Jigsaw next. To us, Makita are a power tool brand that maybe don’t get as much respect as the Bosch and Milwaukee brands of this world. They do often come up with excellent quality tools with very attractive prices though.

That is also the case here with this very useful little jigsaw. A 3.9 Amp motor is a little underpowered compared to many other models of jigsaw out there. But when that motor is combined with the excellent built in vibration control measures, you get a tool that is very well suited for smaller cutting jobs where accuracy is more important than power.

The tool is also around 4lbs in weight and has a very well designed ergonomic handle. That makes it easy to use and will reduce hand fatigue. A 3 orbital setting plus straight cutting setting allows for plenty of cutting options whilst the die cast aluminum base is strong, sturdy and effective.

We have a Milwaukee jigsaw to show you next. It should be noted that this is one of the more basic models that Milwaukee produce. It does have a price tag a shade under 200 bucks, so it is well toward the top end of the market, but a lot of that is the Milwaukee build quality.

The big stand out here is that this jigsaw offers no less than 5 position orbital cutting. That allows for accurate cutting across 5 different degree angles, more that will be found on many other models. Aside from that the top handle is well molded and comfortable whilst the shoe is designed to be non-marking to protect the cut surface area.

Aside from that it is a pretty basic tool really. It is quite heavy, weighing in at around 6lbs even without the battery. All in all though a well made, if somewhat simple, battery powered jigsaw.

This jigsaw comes from Porter-Cable, another brand with a well-earned reputation for quality. This is a very good-looking machine that packs a punch without being overly large.

It is equipped with a 6-amp motor which is capable of generating up to 3,200 SPM. That is a very useful level of power. It is controlled with a nice big trigger and has a 7 position integrated speed dial to assist with control. Considering the power it puts out, the weight of the tool is very impressive. A total weight of a shade over 6lbs makes this tool easy to hold and maneuver. 

It is a more basic tool than many others on the list. It has no built in lights or dust blowing abilities for example. That said it is still a very high quality tool with a very reasonable price tag.

If it’s light green then it has to be a Ryobi! Perhaps as famous as the DeWALT yellow and black color scheme, Ryobi are also as famous for making quality tools at very reasonable prices.

This is a cordless jigsaw offering from this manufacturer. It is coming in with price tag of under a hundred bucks, but is still packed with useful and innovative features. For example, it has a built in dust blower to keep debris off your cutting surface. You don’t often see that on items at this price point.

It can also be lowered on its steel footplate so allow you to use the entire blade for cutting. That’s pretty cool as it allows you to extend the lifespan of your blades. It can generate up to 3,000 SPM for a very useful level of cutting power and it is relatively light and comfortable to hold.

Considering that this next tool from Wen is actually one of the cheaper items on our list, it is still packed with features. We have to admit, Wen is not a brand we were very familiar with, but they certainly got our attention with this high quality corded jigsaw.

A 6.6 amp motor is at its heart, which is used to deploy up to 3,300 SPM. A very useful power level that should work its way through most materials up to and including Walnut wood. There is a front mounted light and laser to help with accurate cutting, whilst the device can bevel up to 45 degrees on its footplate.

Control is provided by a 6-position speed dial. This is a very powerful and well-designed tool. It doesn’t quite have the high-end refinements that you would find on a more expensive, premium model. There is precious little vibration dampening, for example, and the handle is not the most comfortable or ergonomic.

Still, for the price, it is very impressive indeed.

SKIL, the company behind the next corded jigsaw to make the list, is another that we are not particularity familiar with, though we hear that they have a small but loyal following of users here in the US.

This product is coming in with a mid range price, so expect to pay about 100 bucks. For that money you get a 6 Amp motor, so decent cutting power will be provided. The handle has been molded for comfort and a built in laser guide will be useful for precision cuts.

Beyond that it is missing a few features like a LED light or a dust blower. It also has no vibration dampening features to speak off. Still, it is a competent little jigsaw if you are looking for a product with decent power for a reasonable price.

This is the second Bosch jigsaw to make the list and this model is a cordless version. Not only that though but it is an extremely stripped back design, with the emphasis very much on user comfort and maneuverability.

It achieves that aim very well, being one of the smallest jigsaws not only the list but also that we’ve ever seen. It has a small but efficient 12-volt motor, the bevel and footplate can adjust through 45 degrees for angled cuts and the counterbalanced plunge mechanism is designed to dampen vibration.

It is missing a lot of the features you would find on a bigger tool. There is no LED light or dust blowing for example. But it is a nice simple tool with Bosch quality engineering for a little over 100 bucks. So at the very least it is excellent value for money, and perfect for smaller scale cutting jobs.

Can less ever be more? Sometimes it can, and this corded jigsaw from Tacklife is positive proof of that. It has a very low price tag and yet comes packed with features.

In all honesty we’re not sure where to start. It could be the built in dust blower. It could be the laser guide, the LED light or the built in protective guard that protects you from dust and debris. It could be fact it has an extra long power cord or the always-useful feature of a tool-less blade change.

It could also be the motor, which at 6.7 amps of power is one of the stronger motors out there. It can deliver up 3,000 SPM to handle a range of materials. Control is via a six-stage speed adjustment and the tool can shift through 45 degrees on its bevel.

The storage case is frankly terrible but aside from that you are getting an awful of jigsaw here for a tiny price.

Lets take a good look at this Black & Decker cordless jigsaw next. It is coming in with a price tag below what we would expect as mid range or average. It is in truth very much an entry-level model, both in terms of price and features.

That also extends to the power output. Sure, 20V is a reasonable power level for a cordless jigsaw, but a max output of 2,500 SPM is not going to knock anyone’s socks off. There is also a lack of built in LED light, though the fact there is a dust blower is nice to see.

On the other hand you do get Black & Decker build quality for a very, very low price. If power is not the number one consideration for you then you can pick up a quality tool here for a very good price.  

We’ll finish our list with this Makita jigsaw. It comes with a premium price tag and is one of the most expensive tools on our list. It does come loaded with a range of high-end premium features for that price though.

In particular the vibration dampening features on this model are outstanding, producing up to 40% less vibration than many other models. It is also remarkably quiet too. The built in LED light is useful for accurate cutting and the blade change system is fast and very easy to use.

The tool has a 6.3 Amp motor, but despite that only produces between 800 to 2,800 SPM. That does mean it is a little underpowered, at least when compared to some other models. Still, the power is very well controlled and the whole device is of the exceptional high quality construction that would expect with a Makita jigsaw