Best Cordless Reciprocating Saws

Saws like the Yato YT-82814 are commonly referred to as "pruning saws" because they are typically used for pruning branches of trees and shrubs during seasonal garden care. However, nothing prevents you from performing other tasks with this tool, as the saw, despite its compact size and lightweight (1.6 kg), is powerful enough to make cuts up to 80 mm deep in wood and cut steel up to 10 mm thick. So, you can not only saw fairly thick branches with it but also boards, plywood, wood panels, metal, and plastic pipes, thin sheet metal, and more. Naturally, for such diverse tasks, you need to buy the appropriate saw blades: for wood, metal, etc. Thanks to the quick-clamp chuck, the blades are easily and quickly changed during work without using auxiliary tools. The chuck moves back and forth with a stroke length of 25 mm and a frequency of up to 3000 strokes/min (since the tool is equipped with electronic speed adjustment, the cutting section's stroke frequency can be controlled by changing the trigger pressure).

By the standards of cordless reciprocating saws, the Yato YT-82814 is considered an affordable tool. Therefore, it makes sense to consider this saw if your budget is limited, or you want to save on the purchase of a cordless "helper" for work in the garden, garage, or home workshop. The saw comes with one 2 Ah battery and a charger. As a power source, you can also use other 18-volt Yato batteries (up to 6 Ah capacity), if you need to ensure longer autonomous operation without recharging.

Reciprocating saws like Black&Decker BDCR18 are extremely effective tools for gardeners who take care of fruit trees and tree-shaped shrubs. With this cordless saw, even seniors and women find it convenient to trim branches and limbs, as it weighs only 1.5 kg. A significant part of the body (namely the "neck" and rear handle) is covered with rubberized pads, ensuring that the tool will not slip out of hands during operation. Furthermore, its well-balanced nature is worth noting: when using the included battery (1.5 Ah capacity) and a 150 mm saw blade (one such blade is included), the saw does not "nose dive" or tilt backward.

Decent cutting speed and clean cuts are achieved by the blade moving back and forth at up to 3000 strokes/min. Note that the stroke frequency can be controlled (speed is proportional to the pressure on the trigger), allowing you to select the optimal work mode for each material. As a cutting accessory, you can use any blades with L-shaped shanks. Saw blades are inserted into the chuck with the teeth down or up (the latter position is sometimes necessary if you need to reach hard-to-access locations, for example, in a tree's dense crown). The "highlight" of the design is the original keyless blade retention system. While many power tool manufacturers use chucks with rotary rings, Black&Decker engineers equipped this saw with a mechanism that clamps the saw blade in the chuck using a lever located on the side of the tool's "neck." Although this holder is not devoid of certain drawbacks (for example, slight chuck play is felt), it is more user-friendly than other keyless blade retention systems.

In general, the Black&Decker BDCR18 is a good household saw, with ample power and reliability for garden maintenance or small-scale construction and repairs on a homestead. An added bonus is its affordable price (for this category of power tools) and the good reputation of the manufacturer.

Most reciprocating saws have only one "gear" (though they do allow for speed adjustment). However, the Bosch GSA 18 V-LI Professional saw is equipped with a two-speed gearbox. The first speed, with a reduced stroke frequency (up to 2400 strokes/min), is better suited for cutting tough and dense materials like steel, cast iron, non-ferrous metals, or hard plastic. The second speed (2700 strokes/min) is intended for cutting wood, drywall, soft plastic, and other materials with relatively low density. The combination of a sufficiently powerful motor and a two-speed gearbox allows the tool to be configured for tasks of varying complexity and intensity. Therefore, this saw is widely used by professionals involved in construction (for cutting boards and wooden beams, fitting pipes to size, or sawing gas-concrete and ceramic blocks), demolition (for sawing steel pipes and reinforcement, replacing old window frames and door jambs), and green area maintenance (for branch pruning and block cutting for firewood). It is worth mentioning that one of the main reasons for this model's popularity is its large cutting depth — 250 mm (the saw confidently handles cutting logs and wooden beams of this cross-sectional size).

Due to the gearbox and the abundance of metal in the tool's construction, the Bosch GSA 18 V-LI Professional saw is quite massive (3.7 kg with the battery). Therefore, working with one hand is not an option. However, there are no other ergonomic concerns. Like many other reciprocating saws, it features a keyless blade fixation mechanism (for blades with L-shaped shanks), allowing for quick accessory changes without using additional tools. The saw's motor is protected from overloads and overheating with an electronic module that controls current parameters. A capacious rechargeable battery (4 Ah) is used as the power source. The manufacturer claims that a battery of this capacity allows for up to 100 cross cuts of pine beams, 100x100 mm in cross-section.

The "Green" line from Bosch is, as is known, a series of tools intended for DIY enthusiasts. So even a glance at the Bosch AdvancedRecip 18 saw's color is enough to determine that it has moderate specifications: nothing special, but quite sufficient for most household tasks.

The specifications of the saw (cutting depth of up to 100 mm in wood and up to 20 mm in metal and hard polymers) allow its use not only for pruning garden branches. If you are doing home or cottage repairs yourself, it can be used, for instance, to saw boards for roof battens and cut metal profiles for wall frame cladding. It cuts wood, plywood, sheet plastic, steel, copper, and PVC pipes well. The main thing is to choose the right blade (the mounting mechanism allows the use of branded Bosch blades and accessories from other manufacturers).

The saw is light and compact (thanks to the transverse motor layout). It's convenient to hold with one hand or with a two-handed grip, depending on the task at hand and how you're accessing the cutting point in hard-to-reach places. The tool is well balanced and has low vibration levels during operation.

Arguably, the only aspect that might deter a potential buyer is the saw's elevated price (tools with such working characteristics can be found significantly cheaper). But Bosch is Bosch, and even the marque's "green" tools are distinguished by decent performance and cutting depth, more than enough for home and garden work, and it lasts long with not too intense use.

The Stanley FatMax SFMCS300D2K cordless saw can be used for cutting blanks made of wood, plastic, or thin metal. Its saw unit performs movements with a stroke length of 25 mm and a frequency of up to 3000 strokes/min during operation. The saw's speed can be managed by changing the pressure on the button if adjustments are needed for different materials (some hard materials cut better at medium speeds rather than high ones). Like many tools in the same class, this saw is equipped with a holder for saw accessories in the form of a clamping ring, allowing for blade changes without using wrenches and screwdrivers. Other benefits ensuring comfortable use of the saw include the tool's lightweight (only 2.05 kg with the included battery) and the extensive use of quality ribbed rubber overlays covering all parts of the body that come into contact with palms.

The price of the Stanley FatMax SFMCS300D2K may seem somewhat steep, but it's essential to remember that the FatMax series saws are not "ordinary" Stanley tools designed for household use but a "top" lineup aimed at professionals and very demanding enthusiasts. Moreover, this model's configuration is excellent. The saw comes with two batteries (each with a capacity of 2 Ah), a charger, and a convenient plastic case intended for storing and carrying the tool along with all the necessary accessories for work. However, if the case is not needed and you already have batteries Stanley, then you can save money and purchase Stanley FatMax SFMCS300B — the same saw, but in a cardboard box, and without the batteries.