Few things are as useful around the house and shop as a jigsaw. It’s a hacksaw, a fine woodworking tool and a rough-cutting construction saw rolled into one. It makes straight, curved and beveled cuts, and does work that would be difficult to accomplish by hand—such as cutting square holes in a panel. We gathered six of the biggest and toughest jigsaws we could find. Then we tested them using a fresh bimetal Lenox blade in each. At the end of the day, we had a clear winner and some close contenders. Here’s our report. Bosch 1590EVSPrice: $155Media Platforms Design Team bgcolor="#999">Amp: 6.4Max spm and control: 2800, dial adjustCrosscut 3⁄16 x 4 in. steel: 24.5 secondsCrosscut 2 x 8: 6.0 secondsRip 2 x 8 x 12: 9.6 secondsShoe Adjustment: Tool-freeLikes: Everything. It’s rare in our tests that one tool commands the field as convincingly as the Bosch does in this one. It’s heavy, smooth and powerful, a veritable locomotive of jigsaws. The ultimate arbiter was the steel crosscut test. Only the Bosch sailed through, leaving a pile of smoking hot steel chips in its wake. It ejects spent blades like shotgun shells, and its adjustable shoe is designed for ease and accuracy.Dislikes: Nothing noted. ALIGN=“CENTER”>BEST OVERALL: * * * * DeWalt DW331Price: $150Media Platforms Design Team bgcolor="#999">Amp: 6.5Max spm and control: 3100, dial adjustCrosscut 3⁄16 x 4 in. steel: 47.4 secondsCrosscut 2 x 8: 7.2 secondsRip 2 x 8 x 12: 13.5 secondsShoe Adjustment: Tool-freeLikes: This is a carpenter’s jigsaw designed to survive construction-site punishment. The nose, shoe and a large part of the sides are protected with thick metal castings. The blade guard and eject lever are bent steel rod.Dislikes: The blade clamp did not work as reliably as it should. Testers had to check that the blade was firmly clamped by pulling on it. ALIGN=“CENTER”> * Festool PSB 300 EQPrice: $310Media Platforms Design Team bgcolor="#999">Amp: 6Max spm and control: 2900, dial adjustCrosscut 3⁄16 x 4 in. steel: 42.3 secondsCrosscut 2 x 8: 5.7 secondsRip 2 x 8 x 12: 8.8 secondsShoe Adjustment: Allen wrenchLikes: Almost everything. This is a compact, quiet, smooth-cutting saw designed for professional woodworkers. For example, you can equip it with a typical fence but also a track that the saw rides in for the ultimate in smooth and straight cutting. It was the only saw with an easily removable cord.Dislikes: The performance is excellent, but not the price. ALIGN=“CENTER”> * * Makita 4350FCTPrice: $170Media Platforms Design Team bgcolor="#999">Amp: 6.3Max spm and control: 2800, dial adjustCrosscut 3⁄16 x 4 in. steel: 44.5 secondsCrosscut 2 x 8: 7.4 secondsRip 2 x 8 x 12: 9.0 secondsShoe Adjustment: Allen wrenchLikes: Big saw, small package. The Makita packs a fair amount of cutting power in a compact size. It also packs a fair amount of common sense—the blade orbit is controlled with a lever on the side of the saw marked 0 to 3, and to release the blade, you simply pivot the blade guard forward. There’s not a mysterious symbol, lever or button to be found on it.Dislikes: The saw lacks tool-free shoe adjustment. ALIGN=“CENTER”> * Milwaukee 6268-21Price: $170Media Platforms Design Team bgcolor="#999">Amp: 6.5Max spm and control: 3000, dial adjustCrosscut 3⁄16 x 4 in. steel: 39.6 secondsCrosscut 2 x 8: 6.9 secondsRip 2 x 8 x 12: 11.3 secondsShoe Adjustment: Tool-freeLikes: This is a saw for the rest of us. If you don’t use a jigsaw every day, then you’ll appreciate the little chart on the side that matches cutting speed/orbital action to the material. Need to pivot the shoe? Just swing the large lever beneath the motor. And no need to guess about the shoe angle. It’s clearly indicated on the shoe’s arch-shaped top.Dislikes: Nothing noted. ALIGN=“CENTER”> * * *Porter Cable PC600JSPrice: $90Media Platforms Design Team bgcolor="#999">Amp: 6Max spm and control: 3200, dial adjustCrosscut 3⁄16 x 4 in. steel: 58.4 secondsCrosscut 2 x 8: 15.5 secondsRip 2 x 8 x 12: 21.0 secondsShoe Adjustment: Tool-freeLikes: Comfortable. A large trigger and sensibly shaped surfaces plus good weight distribution make this saw an easy handler.Dislikes: We were hoping this tool represented a good ratio of price and performance. Instead, it flopped. The tradeoff isn’t worth it. It’s fine for light-duty cuts, but it’s brutally slow for more demanding work. We didn’t test the company’s contractor-grade Model 9543; now we wish we had. That $165 tool appears far more stout than this budget-priced saw. ALIGN=“CENTER”>*Roy BerendsohnSenior Home EditorRoy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.
