best reciprocating saw
Reciprocating saws are essential for a wide variety of woodworking jobs, remodeling, demolition work, and more. While they will never be quite as good as circular saws for bulk wood cutting, reciprocating saws are still incredibly important; any self-respecting contractor should have a good reciprocating saw in their tool shed or garage.
If you are in the market for a reciprocating saw, but you can’t pick out a good one, don’t fear, as we are here to help.
In this review, we will feature some good reciprocating saws that you can pick from and tell you everything that you need to know to pick out a good reciprocating saw all on your own.
If you want a quick take on the best reciprocating saw, it is the KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw.
A Spotlight On Some of The Best Reciprocating Saw 2022:
DEWALT Reciprocating Saw
To start our review list, why not look at a reciprocating saw from a brand that we all know and respect in the form of the DEWALT Reciprocating Saw. DEWALT has been the gold standard in home power tools for a long time now, and we firmly believe that no list looking at the best tools is complete without an entry from DEWALT. So, why not open our list by reviewing this entry from them?
As you would expect from any tool bearing the DEWALT name, the DEWALT Reciprocating Saw is very well-made in basically all aspects. It is powerful, and it comes equipped with a 10 amp motor. With 10 amps of power, the saw can cut through anything that you could need it to. This includes thick pieces of wood, metal piping, drywall, and much more. To give you another example of the power of the DEWALT Reciprocating Saw, consider that it can achieve a maximum output of 2,800 strokes per minute, which is quite high for a home reciprocating saw.
Another thing that we like about the DEWALT Reciprocating Saw because it comes with a 4 position blade clamp. We won’t go into too much detail on this particular point, except to say that it helps make the tool more versatile and more accurate when cutting, which is always very handy.
Just in general, we want to emphasize how well-made the DEWALT is. Like all of their tools, this reciprocating saw is designed to last for a while and to never fail when you need it the most, which is a big relief to most professionals we imagine.
The biggest issue that we can point to regarding the DEWALT Reciprocating Saw has to do with its price. While the tool itself doesn’t have any noticeable issues, we have to admit that the price could be an issue for some. At around $100, this saw is a lot pricier than most other reciprocating saws that you can find, which tend to hover around the $40-50 mark.
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- Powerful 10 amp motor.
- Capable of achieving an impressive 2,800 strokes per minute.
- Well-made and durable tool.
- 4 position blade clamp improves accuracy and versatility.
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- At close to $100, it is more expensive than most other saws on the list.
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BLACK+DECKER BDC20C 20V MAX Reciprocating Saw
Next up on our review list, we want to review a product that will have a much wider appeal.
The BLACK+DECKER BDCR20C 20V MAX Reciprocating Saw will appeal to those who want a decent reciprocating saw but who found the DEWALT that we just finished reviewing to be a bit too pricey for their blood. It is also from a similarly famous brand, although people are obviously going to expect some different things from a BLACK+DECKER tool than they will expect from a DEWALT tool.
While the BLACK+DECKER BDCR20C 20V MAX Reciprocating Saw isn’t super cheap, anyone familiar with their tools knows that they tend to make tools on the more affordable side the spectrum.
So, finding out that the BLACK+DECKER BDCR20C 20V MAX Reciprocating Saw is a bit cheaper than your average reciprocating saw isn’t all that surprising. Therefore, if you are on a limited budget, give this tool some consideration as it offers good value for your money.
We want to make sure that you don’t get the wrong idea about this particular power tool. Many people will see the below-average price of the Black+Decker and assume that it has below-average quality, but that isn’t the case. It has surprisingly good performance for a tool that is a good deal cheaper than other high-end tool options like the ones from DEWALT.
It has a 20-volt battery, which gives it a high amount of power and a high SPM output. Likewise, the BLACK+DECKER BDCR20C 20V MAX Reciprocating Saw has many convenience features like blades that don’t require a tool to be changed and a variable speed trigger for increased accuracy.
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- Tool free blade changing.
- Powerful, despite low price and being battery powered.
- Relatively affordable.
- Convenient to use.
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- Not quite as powerful as some other entries from brands like DEWALT.
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KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw
The next reciprocating saw that we think is deserving of a review on this list is the KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw. This is another one of those high-quality, portable options that we think will appeal to both amateurs and professionals alike.
It may not be from a famous brand, but the KIMO certainly has the quality to compete with many of the other options on this list that are from more high-profile brands.
First off, the KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw has a ton of cutting power. With its 20-volt lithium-ion battery, it can achieve a maximum output of around 3,300 SPM.
That makes it easily the most powerful entry on our best reciprocating saw list. This becomes even more impressive when you consider that, as we said before, this is a cordless model. So, in theory, it should be less powerful than its corded cousins.
In terms of convenience, we really appreciate how the KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw features tool-free blade changing. That may seem like a super minor feature at first, but trust us when it can save you an absolute ton of hassle and annoyance down the line when the tool has a bit more wear and tear on it.
The issues we have with the KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw, you will be glad to know, have nothing to do with its size. Instead, we have issues with the size and bulk of the tool.
Compared to many other reciprocating saws on this list, it is both a lot heavier and a lot larger. Part of this is because it is a cordless model, and so it has a bulky battery. However, compared to other cordless models, the KIMO 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw is still noticeably heavier.
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- Very powerful.
- At 3,300 SPM, it is the most powerful tool on the list.
- Long battery life ensures that the tool doesn’t die when needed.
- Extremely durable and solidly built.
- A Brushless motor delivers extra quality and cutting power.
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- Fairly bulky and heavy.
- A bit on the larger side.
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DEWALT 20V MAX XR Reciprocating Saw
The next reciprocating saw that we want to draw your attention to will be very familiar to you if you remember the first entry that we reviewed way back at the start of the list.
We already reviewed one DEWALT Reciprocating Saw to kick off the list, and now we will be reviewing another one in the form of the DEWALT 20V MAX XR Reciprocating Saw.
All DEWALT tools will share some similarities, of course, but there are enough unique aspects to this reciprocating saw to make it worthy of a completely separate review.
Easily the biggest and most notable difference that separates the DEWALT 20V MAX XR Reciprocating Saw from the first DEWALT entry is that this is a cordless model, as opposed to a corded one.
Right off the bat, that means that this saw is a lot more portable because you don’t have to worry about finding an outlet or dealing with an annoying cord either. So, if you value having your mobility when working, or if you often work in areas where you have spotty access to outlets, then the DEWALT 20V MAX XR Reciprocating Saw is the option for you.
Of course, as this is still a DEWALT product, it still has the same power output level that you would expect from such a high-end reciprocating saw. With its 20 volt battery, it can achieve a maximum SPM output of close to 3000, which actually makes it more powerful than the previous entry from DEWALT.
This is even more impressive when you consider that, typically speaking, corded power tools are more powerful than their cordless counterparts. Likewise, the tool is just as well-built and durable as you would expect a DEWALT power tool.
The biggest issue with the DEWALT 20V MAX XR Reciprocating Saw is the same one plagues the first DEWALT saw that we looked at, which is the price. The DEWALT 20V MAX XR Reciprocating Saw is easily the priciest entry on our entire best reciprocating saw list. This price is due in equal parts to the quality of the tool and the very famous name that it bears.
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- Powerful 20 volt battery.
- The maximum power output of close to 3000 SPM.
- The battery lasts for a long time.
- Very convenient and well-made.
- Maintains that signature DEWALT quality.
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- Easily the most expensive reciprocating saw on our review list.
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Skil 9206-02 7.5-Amp Variable Speed Reciprocating Saw
For the final review on our best reciprocating saw article, we want to review a reciprocating saw from a brand that isn’t quite as famous as, say, DEWALT or even BLACK+DECKER, but that has a reputation of its own regardless.
You may have used Skil tools before, and if you have, then you would know that they tend to produce moderately priced tools that also offer good performance given their price point.
That is exactly the case with the Skil 9206-02 7.5-Amp Variable Speed Reciprocating Saw, and it is a big reason why we are finishing off our list by reviewing their reciprocating saw.
While this reciprocating saw definitely has its good points, it is also the case that a big part of the reason why it made the cut was that we wanted to include another option that, much like the BLACK+DECKER saw that we reviewed earlier, is easy on the wallet.
We understand that not everyone is going to have the money or want to spend $100 on a reciprocating saw, especially if they have a circular saw already. However, we also didn’t want to make the mistake of recommending a tool just because it was “cheap” because those sorts of tools aren’t worth buying.
What makes tools like the Skil and the BLACK+DECKER good is that they manage to be relatively affordable while still offering decent performance.
On that note, let’s talk about how the Skil 9206-02 7.5-Amp Variable Speed Reciprocating Saw actually performs. With a 7.5 amp motor, it isn’t quite as powerful as some of the other entries on this list, but it still does decently well. It should still be able to cut through a pretty wide variety of materials and handle a wide array of jobs. It also has other good features like tool-free blade changing.
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- Don’t need a tool to change the blade.
- Decent performance to price ratio.
- Relatively affordable reciprocating saw option.
- Easy to control.
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- Lacks the horsepower of some other heavy-duty models.
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Reciprocating Saw Buying Guide
At the start of our best reciprocating saw review list, we said that we wouldn’t just be reviewing products. In addition to the reviews, we also wanted to explain how you could go about picking out a good reciprocating saw all on your own.
While these aren’t exactly obscure tools, we imagine that they aren’t quite as popular the circular saw, so there is some value in explaining what to look for when buying one.
Cutting Power
While you aren’t going to be using a reciprocating saw to cut through tons of thick wood at once like you would a circular saw, you still don’t want to overlook the very important matter of cutting power.
Having a reciprocating saw with an adequate amount of cutting power is still extremely important. You definitely don’t want to make the mistake of thinking that you can get away with an underpowered reciprocating saw.
So, what should you look for when shopping to ensure that you get a suitably powerful reciprocating saw? To start, you want to make sure that the saw you are getting has a high SPM. SPM stands for strokes per minute, and it is a good indicator of the relative power of a reciprocating saw.
In addition to the SPM of a reciprocating saw, you can also look at either the quality of the motor or the battery (depending on if you are going corded or cordless).
While this isn’t as precise as SPM, the quality of either the tool’s motor or battery is going to be a good indicator of its overall power.
Corded vs. Cordless
On that matter, we should now talk about the differences between the two main types of reciprocating saws, corded and cordless models. Typically, corded power tools are more powerful than their cordless counterparts.
However, if you read our best reciprocating saw list, then you know that really isn’t the case with these saws. There are plenty of cordless models that are just as powerful as their corded counterparts. So, what are the major differences? Well, it comes down to weight and convenience.
Because cordless models need to have this huge, powerful battery, they are quite heavy on average. Corded models are much lighter because they don’t have any huge batteries weighing them down. On the other hand, corded models are at the mercy of the outlet.
You are out of luck if you can’t find an outlet that supports the tool’s wattage. On the other hand, cordless models don’t have that issue, and you can take them anywhere as long as you don’t mind the extra bit of weight.
Let Us Know What You Think
If you have your own opinion on what the best reciprocating saw is, we would heavily encourage you to leave a comment down below telling us what you think.
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