In Our Search for the Best Cordless Jigsaw, We Discover Several Great Options
While some folks think of jigsaws only as woodworking tools, they’re versatile tools that find their way onto almost every contractor’s jobsite at some point. Choosing the best cordless jigsaw is about more than just the convenience of no cord. They’re just as strong as corded models and some have incredibly rich feature sets.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: DeWalt 20V Max XR Jigsaw DCS334 – Buy from Home Depot
Jump to this Jigsaw ↓ - Best Cutting Speed: Milwaukee M18 Fuel Jigsaw 2737 – Buy from Acme Tools
Jump to this Jigsaw ↓ - Best Accuracy and Control: Makita 18V LXT Jigsaw XJT02 – Buy from Home Depot
Jump to this Jigsaw ↓ - Best Vibration Control: Hilti Nuron 22V Cordless Jigsaw SJD 6-22 – Buy from Hilti
Jump to this Jigsaw ↓ - Best Value: Skil PWRCore 20 Brushless Jigsaw – Buy from Amazon
Jump to this Jigsaw ↓ - Best on a Budget: HART 20V Jigsaw – Buy from Walmart
Jump to this Jigsaw ↓ - More Recommendations From Brands We Trust
Jump to these Jigsaws ↓
Best Cordless Jigsaw Overall
DeWalt 20V Max XR Jigsaw DCS334
Whether you want a top handle or barrel grip style, we picked the DeWalt 20V Max XR as the best cordless jigsaw overall. Its cutting speed wasn’t as fast as some of the others, but its vibration control was better, and it kept the blade deflection down to nothing on tough cuts. For the top handle model, the lower height gave us a feeling of better control.
With both versions, the controls seem well-placed and easy to reach without having to move your grip. This was especially noticeable on the barrel grip where many of our testing team’s hands couldn’t reach the on/off switch on other models. While there are a couple of trade-offs to consider, DeWalt gave us the best overall cutting experience.
Pros
- Brushless motor
- Tool-free bevel adjustment
- Multi-stage orbital action
- Blade ejection lever
- Competitive bare tool price
- Good ergonomics
- Lower vibration than competitors
Cons
- Kit price is a little high
- Cutting speed is lower than top competitors
- Missing a couple of convenience features: vac attachment/port, lock-on button
DeWalt also has a barrel grip option. Look for model DCS335 if you prefer that version.
Price: $199 bare, $349 kit with a 5.0Ah battery and charger
Best Cordless Jigsaw Cutting Speed
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Jigsaw 2737
Not everyone needs to cut through 2x and other thick materials, so the fastest speed isn’t always a high priority. However, there are several that make quick cuts, and Milwaukee showed us the greatest cutting speed. Keep in mind you need to engage orbital action to get the fastest cuts, and that’s going to leave you with a rougher edge. Even with orbital off, Milwaukee’s 3500 SPM and brushless motor make cutting in any material faster.
Pros
- Outstanding cutting speed
- Dust port attachment and cutline blower off switch
- Multi-stage orbital action
- Tool-free bevel adjustment and blade release
- Active blade ejection lever
- Brushless motor
Cons
- No lock-on button
- No variable speed dial
This is also available as a barrel grip under model 2737B.
Price: $199 bare, $299 kit with 5.0Ah battery
Best Cordless Jigsaw Accuracy and Control
Makita 18V LXT Jigsaw XVJ02
To get the best accuracy and control, you need a combination of line of sight (a dust blower really helps), tracking, and deflection control. Good vibration control is also a big help to keep your hands from getting tired. No other saw did this as well as Makita in our testing, with both the top handle and barrel grip (XVJ01) designs excelling.
Even though the XVJ04 model is newer, the XVJ02 is still the top-performing 18V model in Makita’s lineup.
Pros
- Outstanding control and accuracy while cutting
- No-load speed reduction (soft start) improves cut start accuracy
- Multi-stage orbital action
- Variable speed dial
- Lock-on button
- Brushless motor
Cons
- More expensive than other Pro brands
Price: $329 bare
Best Cordless Jigsaw Vibration Control
Hilti Nuron 22V Cordless Jigsaw SJD 6-22
Hilti’s Nuron cordless jigsaw includes AVR (Active Vibration Reduction) and put on a clinic for what the best cordless jigsaw vibration control can be. Its top speed of 3,000 SPM is a little lower than some even though it’s using a brushless motor. However, that AVR tech makes Hilti a smooth operator.
Pros
- Good cutting speed
- Outstanding vibration control
- One-hand blade insertion
- Spring-loaded blade eject
- Low shoe friction
- Available onboard dust collector
- Brushless motor
Cons
- Bevel adjustments require a tool
- No onboard tool storage
- More expensive than other Pro brands
Price: $264 bare tool
Best Cordless Jigsaw Value
Skil PWRCore 20 Brushless Jigsaw JS820202
There aren’t many jigsaw kits running around, making it a little more expensive to get into cordless jigsawing if you don’t already have the requisite battery and charger. That helps the Skil PWRCore 20 Brushless Jigsaw kit come across as a solid value at $149 since it includes a 2.0Ah battery and PWRJump fast charger.
It’s not a barebones kind of value, though. In addition to its brushless motor, it adds a tool-free bevel adjustment and unique push-up blade release that’s easier than other shaft-mounted designs. This is one of the saws you need to cut a little slower with to get the highest-quality results. That’s a pretty easy trade-off to make for the cost savings in our opinion and makes it a solid choice in the Prosumer category.
Pros
- Low vibration
- Good control
- Multi-stage orbital action
- Tool-free bevel adjustment
- Dust blower on/off switch
- Fast charging time
- Brushless motor
Cons
- No significant drawbacks
Price: $149 with a 2.0Ah battery and charger
Best Budget Cordless Jigsaw
HART 20V Orbital Jigsaw HPJS01
At just $64 for the bare tool and $89 for the kit with a 1.5 Ah battery and a charger, there’s no better way for DIYers to get started with cordless jigsawing on a budget than with HART’s 20V jigsaw. With selectable orbital action, a variable speed slider, a lock-on button, and more, it has a surprisingly rich feature set for its price.
Pros
- Low cost
- Multi-stage orbital action
- Variable speed slider
- Lock-on button
Cons
- Brushed motor
- Noticeable vibration compared to more expensive models
- Bevel adjustment requires a tool
Price: $64 bare, $89 with 1.5Ah battery
Best Cordless Jigsaw Blades
Cut quality comes down to the blade and a good blade can help you achieve outstanding results even if you’re using a budget jigsaw. You have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing the best jigsaw blades. We consistently turn to Bosch thanks to its deep history of both jigsaw and blade development. They have a full range of standard and specialty blades to cover just about anything you might ask your jigsaw to do. For an excellent general-purpose set, check out Bosch’s 10-piece wood and metal blade set (T5002).
- 11–14 TPI basic metal cutting blades (2)
- 17–24 TPI basic metal cutting blades (2)
- 12 TPI basic scrolling blades (2)
- 10 TPI clean wood cutting blades (2)
- 5–6 TPI fast wood cutting blades (2)
Price: $13.99
Best Cordless Jigsaw From More Brands We Trust
Best Bosch Cordless Jigsaw: 18V GST18V-50N
Bosch gave its 18V users a huge upgrade with the GST18V-50N. The previous model topped out at 2700 SPM but this model now sports a brushless motor with a 3500 SPM top speed. Bosch is confident enough to rate this jigsaw to cut wood up to 4.9 inches deep. As we expect with today’s top contenders, control comes from a variable speed trigger, a variable speed dial, and 4 orbital modes. If you’re been using the JSH180B, it’s worth upgrading to the GST18V-50N.
Price: $149 bare
Best HART Cordless Jigsaw: 20V HPJS01
HART now has a brushless jigsaw as part of its 20V lineup and it takes things a step further than its brushed counterpart. It boasts 3350 SPM on the top end with a full 1-inch stroke length. It has a nice feature set to go with it, including three orbital modes (plus off), a variable speed dial, tool-free bevel adjustments, a lock-on switch, and more.
Price: $128 bare
Best Flex Cordless Jigsaw: 24V Brushless FX2231-Z/FX2221-Z
Flex has one of the fastest-cutting cordless jigsaws with a 3500 SPM stroke rate. It departs from traditional variable speed dials with 4 electronic speeds and has an effective automatic mode. It also has a button to turn off the LED light if you’d rather not use it. The only big feature they left off was tool-free bevel changes.
The barrel grip version’s design is ergonomically better than most thanks to an on/off switch that’s easily reachable without taking your hand off of the tool.
If you register your tools, chargers, and batteries by 12/31/23, you’ll get a lifetime warranty on all of them.
Price: $199 bare, $358 with 2.5Ah battery
Best Greenworks Cordless Jigsaw: 24V Brushless JSD401
Greenworks makes a strong case for its consideration as a high-value cordless jigsaw. On the performance side, its brushless motor delivers 3000 SPM with a 1-inch stroke length and it has an impressive feature set for its price, including the tool-free bevel change that even some of the Pro brands forgo. However, there’s no variable speed dial, but there is a lock-on button. It’s wrapped up in a package that offers comfortable ergonomics and includes several accessories.
Price: $89 bare tool, $159 kit with a 4.0Ah battery and charger
Best Kobalt Cordless Jigsaw: 24V Max Brushless KJS 324B-03
Kobalt is a solid value pick with a design that competes with some of the best Pro models at a much lower price. It has a brushless motor, blade release lever, tool-free bevel adjustments, selectable cutline blower, and 3+1 orbital selection. You really only miss out on dust collection and a variable speed dial. At $129 for the bare tool and one of the more affordable battery programs available, it’s a compelling choice for value shoppers, though it doesn’t have a kit option for folks that are new to the system.
Price: $129 bare tool
Best Metabo HPT Cordless Jigsaw: 36V MultiVolt CJ36DAQ4
After discontinuing its 36V jigsaw in 2022, Metabo HPT is bringing it back for 2023! Aside from its excellent performance and variable speed dial, it has an automatic mode that works better than most. It’s also the only cordless model that had an AC adapter option, making it one of the most versatile cordless jigsaws you can get your hands on.
Price: $169 bare tool
Best Ridgid Cordless Jigsaw: 18V R86345B
Launched in mid-2023, Ridgid’s latest-generation cordless jigsaw sports a brushless motor and remains an attractive pick for value-focused users. Its 1-inch stroke length and 3000 SPM top speed are appropriate for Pro-level work and it has all the major features we hope to find. The big highlights include an on/off switch for the dust blower and a one-hand blade ejection lever that actively pushes the blade out so you don’t burn your fingers. Best of all, it’s the same price as the previous Octane model at $149 and includes Ridgid’s Lifetime Service Agreement when you register within 90 days.
Price: $149 bare tool
Best Ryobi Cordless Jigsaw: 18V One+ HP Brushless PBLJS01B
When Ryobi gave its cordless jigsaw the 18V One+ HP Brushless upgrade, it improved the rest of the features along with it. In addition to a new brushless motor, it now has tool-free bevel adjustments, a blade release lever, and a shoe cover. All that comes with a price increase, however. You can still find the previous model for around $69 as an excellent choice for beginners. The 18V One+ HP Brushless model—our pick—is a better bet for more serious users at $139.
Price: $139 bare, $159 with a 2.0Ah High Performance battery and charger
What is a Jigsaw Used For?
A jigsaw uses an up-and-down reciprocating motion to saw through wood, metal, PVC, and other materials. Primarily a woodcutting tool, it uses a narrower blade that gives you the ability to cut curves better than other types of saws. It’s also useful for completing cuts into corners thanks to a straight-blade design.
Contractors often use them for cutting out countertops for sinks or cutting out drywall if they don’t have an oscillating multi-tool or drywall cutout tool. With those cutouts, you often drill a hole inside your waste area large enough for the jigsaw blade to fit, making the start of your cut easier.
There are plenty of other ways to cut with a jigsaw, and these are just the main ways we use them. Any other ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments below!
Top Handle vs Barrel Grip Jigsaw
At the risk of starting an argument over top handle vs barrel grip jigsaw designs, here’s the skinny: it mainly boils down to personal preference. Shocking, we know!
We prefer top handle jigsaws when we’re cutting with one hand. If you’re in a situation where you can’t clamp your material securely, it’s a big help. When cutting with two hands, your second hand simply moves to the front pommel of the saw.
Some people feel they have better control with a barrel grip. It puts your hand in a lower position and your second hand can rest on the front or top of the saw.
Hand size can come into play as well. Guys and gals with smaller hands tend to prefer a top handle in our experience. However, 12V barrel grip jigsaws have a narrow enough grip area that even those folks can enjoy using them.
Regionally, the US tends to be in favor of top handle models, and that’s what every brand we tested makes. However, the following brands offer both:
- Flex
- Bosch
- DeWalt
- Makita
- Milwaukee
- Skil (12V only)
Cordless Jigsaw Buying Guide | What We Look For
Performance
Any jigsaw worth buying has to be able to effectively cut what you work on. If you custom-build stair stringers, your saw better be able to cut 2x well. As a woodworker, you need to cut hardwoods without burning them. Having a selectable speed or at least a variable-speed trigger can help quite a bit.
Brushless motors help with both cutting performance and runtime. It’s not as critical as it is in some power tools, but it’s a nice boost to have.
Also, look for a selectable orbital action. It increases the aggressiveness of the blade’s attack with an elliptical motion and cuts more quickly. The trade-off is a rougher cut.
One quick note about automatic speed control—this feature takes some time to get used to, and some of our team flat-out refuse to use it. However, those who do really like the consistency of its start and performance through the cut. Kicking in with a soft start, it ramps up the speed based on the pressure you put into the cut.
Accuracy, Control, and Deflection
Because a jigsaw’s primary job is cutting curves, control is important. A big part of that is the design of the saw and how it fits in your hand. Another part of it is using a quality blade that’s the correct size for the curves you’re cutting.
Keep an eye on the blade itself. The saw needs to keep it running straight up and down to control deflection and drifting. Most models have a guide behind the blade, but we’ve used some jigsaws that allow the blade to pop out of it easily and take your cut off-course.
All of the jigsaws we recommend are capable of cutting 2x material with no deflection. However, you need to slow down with some of them. DeWalt, Flex, Makita, and Milwaukee all handle faster cutting with no or minimal deflection better than the others.
Keep in mind how close the front of the shoe gets to the blade as well. When those edges creep in closer, you can get both sides of the shoe to stabilize on your material when you need to make thinner cuts.
Visibility
You can have the best control possible, but it won’t mean diddly if you can’t see your blade contact your cutline. Most jigsaws do a great job of keeping the blade area clear enough to see. LED lights and a cutline blower drastically improve your visibility.
Vibration
Once you have performance, control, and visibility down, you can narrow your choices by selecting ones that have lower vibration. Your hands will thank you and you’ll feel like you’re fighting the saw less when the operation is smoother.
Price and Value
Of course, the price has a huge bearing on your choice and we all want to stay on budget. What the tool offers for the money is a large chunk of the value. Keep in mind the warranty and if the line has all of the other tools you might want to add to your collection down the road. Take a look at the jigsaw that’s available on the battery platform you already have first. You may be able to save a chunk by getting the bare tool.
Features That Can Make Using a Jigsaw Easier
- Selectable orbital action
- Variable speed selection
- Automatic speed control
- Soft start
- Cutline blower
- LED lights
- Dust collection adapter
- Tool-free bevel adjustments (or onboard tool storage if it’s not tool-free)
- Housing-mounted blade release lever
- No-mar base plate cover
- Lock-on switch (standard on most barrel grip saws)
Why You Can Trust Pro Tool Reviews
Ever check out a “review” site and you can’t tell if they actually tested the tools or if they’re just “recommending” the Amazon top sellers? That’s not us. We won’t recommend anything unless we’d actually use it ourselves and we don’t really care who the primary retailer is. It’s all about giving you a legitimate recommendation and our honest opinion of each product.
We’ve been in business since 2008 covering tools, writing reviews, and reporting on industry news in the construction, automotive, and lawn care industries. Our Pro reviewers work in the trades and have the skills and experience to know whether tools can perform well in the field.
Each year, we bring in and review more than 250 individual products. Our team will put our hands on hundreds of additional tools at media events and trade shows throughout the year.
We consult with innovators in the technology and design of tools to gain a broader grasp of where these products fit and how they work.
We work with more than two dozen professional contractors around the United States who review products for us on real job sites and consult with us on testing methods, categories, and weighting.
We’ll provide more than 500 pieces of new content this year absolutely free for our readers—including objective evaluations of individual tools and products.
The end result is information you can trust because of the editorial, scientific, and real-world professional experience we collectively utilize each and every time we pick up and test a tool.
