When the Milwaukee Tool Company first brought out the Sawzall, they gave it an apt name that perfectly described their new reciprocating saw's capability. If there was ever a saw invented that could cut everything, the reciprocating saw was it. While other saws may cut certain things faster than a reciprocating saw can, they can't cut the same wide variety of materials.
Reciprocating saws are rough-cutting saws, ideal for demolition work and for cutting larger pieces of wood such as laminated beams. Like the jigsaw, the reciprocating saw uses a floating blade that is held only at one end. This means that the blade can be easily bent to one side, simply by the pressure of the weight of the saw.
Unless the neatness of a finish cut is not needed, anything cut with a reciprocating saw may have to be re-cut or sanded to give it a nice edge. However, if the edge is to be hidden, this step is unnecessary.
The blade used with the reciprocating saw is extremely important. There are a variety of blades on the market for these saws, running up to 12 inches long. Both metal cutting and wood cutting blades are available as well as some specifically designed for demolition work.
What Type of Reciprocating Saw Do You Need?
Corded
Cordless varieties operate on the highest voltage batteries that tool manufacturers make. That's so they will have enough power. Keep in mind though, that when running continually, these saws will go through batteries rather quickly. If you do a lot of demolition cutting or other cutting where you would use a reciprocating saw, cordless might not be the way to go. There is a wider range of corded models available than there are cordless ones. The corded ones eliminate the problem of batteries dying and are also somewhat cheaper.
Cordless
Cordless means that you don't need to have an electrical power source available to use one of these. There are certainly times when this might be needed, especially if you’re working construction or plan on taking your reciprocating saw to your cabin in the woods to cut firewood.
Budget Models
If you are a homeowner or do-it-yourselfer and only need to use a reciprocating saw from time to time, you can probably get by with a budget model. Budget models are great for occasional porjects like cutting tree branches off and then cutting them up into firewood. When not used often, they can last quite a long time.
Power
The number one requirement in any reciprocating saw is sheer power. When you look at the saws we have listed, their motors range from 7.5 amp to 15.0 amp; exactly double. The higher power allows you to use the saw for heavier applications. A 7.5 amp reciprocating saw can cut through a 4" or 5" branch, but that's about its limit.
Amperage
Cutting metal requires much more force than cutting wood, so if you are intending to cut a lot of metal, you'll want to have a high amperage saw. This will help ensure that the saw doesn't bog down while you are cutting.
Features to Look for in the Best Reciprocating Saw
Variable Speed
In addition to power, cutting metal requires a slower blade speed, so that the blade doesn't overheat. You'll want to make sure that you buy a saw with a variable speed trigger on it, so that you can slow it down. Otherwise, for wood, it's usually full speed ahead.
Quick Release Chuck
Pretty much all reciprocating saws now have a quick release chuck for the blades, eliminating the need to use tools for blade changes. This is a great convenience, as well as a time saver. Check if the chuck allows the blade to be mounted horizontally as well as vertically. This allows you to rotate the blade direction, without having to change your grip on the saw.
Rotating Nosepiece
Some of these saws now have nosepieces that rotate. They may only rotate 90 degrees or a full 360 degrees. In either case, there will be stops every 90 degrees to lock the nosepiece in place. Having this capability or the ability to mount the blade at a different angle adds to the saw's ergonomics.
Comfort
One other thing you want to look at in these saws is comfort. They are fairly heavy saws, which produce a lot of vibration. That adds to operator fatigue. Some manufacturers have added features to reduce vibration, as well as padded handles and rubber boots over the nose which is where most people hold the tool with their other hand.