Best Jig Saws

What Features to Compare

Cutting Performance and Settings

Power is the first thing to consider when you’re choosing a jigsaw — power directly affects the performance of a jigsaw. The higher it is, the more efficient the jigsaw is and the denser materials it can handle. The jigsaw with a speed control feature must be used for making accurate cuts and working with a variety of materials. For example, cutting wooden workpieces requires higher speeds, while working with metal requires fewer strokes per minute to reduce the load on the cutting blade. When dealing with plastic, it’s also better to select the low speed, because plastic may melt at high speeds. Combined with orbital action, a variable speed motor jigsaw provides you with high cutting quality. Orbital jigsaws (also referred to as pendulum action jigsaws) feature a very useful advanced function for straight cuts that allows you to save time and physical effort when sawing thicker materials. With an orbital action, the blade goes up and down, but it also swings forward and back, providing faster, yet a little bit coarser cut without overheating. Cutting angle adjustment is another option you can benefit of. Modern jigsaws allow you to make bevel cuts at the desired angles. Bevel cuts are necessary for furniture crafting, fine blanking or board slitting. To cut your workpiece at any angle, you only need to set the needed bevel. Jigsaw bevel settings usually allow for 15°, 30° and 45° bevel cuts. To set the angle, you'll need a special wrench, but some jig saws allow using a simple crosshead screwdriver. There are jig saws with an inbuilt wrench, where bevels can be adjusted in a few touches, such jig saws are usually more expensive.

Convenience and Power Supply

The convenience of a jigsaw also depends on its design, ergonomic layout of buttons, control knobs, weight, and, of course, its safety. To ensure comfortable work with a jigsaw, consider models that have not only the needed technical specification but also a comfortable weight. Mains-powered models usually weigh less than cordless jig saws. Cordless models have a battery, so they are heavier but far more maneuverable. Because of their weight, you might quickly get tired cutting with a cordless jigsaw. If your chosen jig saw has a rubberized handle, the grip allows for holding the tool firmly and comfortably and reduces the frictions. Power supply and connection type are also worth paying attention to. Corded jig saws have power cords up to 12 feet long. The benefit of using a corded jigsaw is that they can operate continuously and they are more powerful, unlike cordless jig saws. But if you need to work at height or in the areas where there is no access to the mains, a cordless jigsaw will come in handy. Just pay attention to the fact that cordless jig saws require regular recharging.

Safety

Safety of a jigsaw is another important feature to pay attention to. Jig saws can have such handy features as a lock button against unintended start, and safety shutters that cover the blade during cutting and protect your fingers. Some models have a metal protection at the front of the jigsaw, which also protects your hands and auxiliary tools from getting under the cutting parts.