# Best Jigsaw (2026): What I'd Buy After 30 Years Canonical: https://buildingtalks.com/jigsaw/ > Jigsaws, by a 30-year facilities engineer: the Bosch JS470E I'd buy, the T-shank blade lesson that fixes crooked cuts, and the cordless M18 step-up. **Reader-supported:** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The picks are mine, affiliates don't pay for placement and don't shape what I recommend. ✓ Field Verified Reviewed by **Al, the Building Doctor** (IUOE Local 39 · 30-Yr Pro) · [Credentials & Standards ->](https://buildingtalks.com/about/) 30-Yr Trade Tested Al's Field Tested Pick: Jigsaw Inspected for metallurgical integrity, mechanical leverage, and lifetime reliability before any affiliate placement. Must-have The day curves call, nothing else does it Know-how The skill is the blade, not the trigger Reputation Low-drama category. Bosch near-revered **The short version:** buy the **Bosch JS470E**, 7-amp corded, four orbital settings, one-hand tool-free blade ejection, and the squarest cut in its class, from the company that *invented* this tool. Six-jobs-a-year homeowner? The **Skil JS314901** is the budget saw that isn't junk. Already on Milwaukee M18 batteries? The **2737-20** is the fastest-cutting jigsaw going, sold as a bare tool, no battery in the box. The only spec that matters: does the blade stay square? A jigsaw runs a narrow reciprocating blade, and every complaint you'll ever have with one traces back to that blade flexing. Three things control that flex: the **blade-guide system** (a roller or precision guides bracing the blade so **deflection** can't bevel your cut), a **tool-free T-shank clamp** (the industry-standard shank, it seats square and ejects hot blades without pliers), and **orbital action** you can adjust (rocking the blade into the wood for fast rough cuts, straight up-and-down for clean ones). A saw missing any of the three is the saw people rage-review. All three picks below have all three. ## The picks, good, better, best Picked by Al, the Building Doctor IUOE Local 39 Stationary Engineer (2001) · 30+ years across hospitality, Class A retail, and senior living. Personal: a corded Bosch in the shop and a wallet of T-shank blades that matter more than the saw does. I've watched more jigsaws get blamed for blade problems than any tool I know. Buy a saw that holds the blade square, then take the 60-second blade lesson below, that's the whole game. The one I'd buy Bosch JS470E (7-amp corded, top-handle) The reference-standard cut. 7-amp motor, 4 orbital settings, one-hand tool-free blade ejection, low vibration, and blade guidance that keeps the cut square, from the company that invented the jigsaw in 1947 and the T-shank blade after it. **Tradeoff:** no LED light (you cut in your own shadow), it's corded, it's heavy in sideways and overhead cuts, and Bosch's US warranty is only 1 year (more below). *Best for:* almost everybody. A jigsaw is an occasional-duty tool, put the money in cut quality, not a battery you'd charge four times a year. [Check Live Stock & Specs ->](https://buildingtalks.com/go?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fk%3DBosch%2BJS470E%2Bjigsaw) Cordless step-up · fastest cut Milwaukee M18 FUEL D-Handle Jig Saw (2737-20) The fastest-cutting jigsaw in the tests, 3,500 SPM brushless that stays fast under load, out-pacing corded rivals, with tool-free blade change *and* tool-free bevel, an LED, and a switchable dust blower, on the deep M18 platform. **Tradeoff:** **bare tool, no battery or charger in the box.** It only makes sense if you're already on M18. And cutting speed isn't scrollwork precision. *Best for:* M18 owners, and anyone cutting on a roof or in a crawlspace where a cord is a hazard. [Check Live Stock & Specs ->](https://buildingtalks.com/go?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fk%3DMilwaukee%2B2737-20%2BM18%2BFUEL%2Bjigsaw) Budget · not junk SKIL JS314901 (6-amp corded) A grown-up feature set at a junk-drawer price: 4-stage orbital action, tool-free T-shank clamp, variable speed, even a Halo LED ring around the blade. Register it within 30 days and the warranty runs 5 years. **Tradeoff:** brushed motor, no dust port, light-duty chassis, shelf brackets and plywood, not daily thick-stock duty. *Best for:* the homeowner who'll use it six times a year and refuses to buy the no-name saw that eats blades. [Check Budget Pick & Stock ->](https://buildingtalks.com/go?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fk%3DSKIL%2BJS314901%2Bjigsaw) Warranty, the fine print runs backwards here Opposite of what you'd guess: the budget **Skil** carries the longest paper: **5 years, but only if you register within 30 days** (skip it and you're at the 1-year base). The **Milwaukee** gets the standard **5-year M18 tool warranty**. And the verdict **Bosch? One year.** That's the weak spot of my pick: Bosch is betting the tool outlives the paper, and decades of JS470Es on job sites say it does, but you should know it before you buy. [How to get a warranty claim honored →](https://buildingtalks.com/tool-warranties/) Buy from an authorized seller, especially the Milwaukee Milwaukee is one of the most counterfeited tool brands going, a too-good marketplace price is how people end up with a fake "M18" tool and a warranty claim that dies at the serial-number check. (Eyeing the DeWalt DCS334B instead? Same trap: DeWalt is on the counterfeiters' hit list too.) Every warranty above assumes a dated receipt from an authorized retailer, so buy from Amazon directly, a big-box store, or a real tool dealer, not a third-party marketplace seller you've never heard of. Prices and stock move, and models get refreshed. If a pick ever looks gone, here's the live shelf: [see today's jigsaws on Amazon →](https://buildingtalks.com/go?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fk%3Djigsaw%2BT-shank%2Borbital) ## Skil vs Bosch vs Milwaukee, which jigsaw should you buy? | | SKIL JS314901 Budget | Bosch JS470E The one I'd buy | Milwaukee 2737-20 Cordless step-up | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Power | 6-amp corded, brushed | 7-amp corded | M18 brushless, 3,500 SPM | | Blade system | Tool-free T-shank | Tool-free T-shank, one-hand ejection | Tool-free T-shank + tool-free bevel | | Orbital action | 4-stage | 4 settings | Adjustable + switchable blower | | Light | Halo LED ring | None, its one miss | LED | | Best for | Six jobs a year | Almost everyone, buy-once cut quality | M18 owners, cord-free work | | Watch out | Light-duty chassis, no dust port | No LED. 1-year warranty | Bare tool. Counterfeit sellers | **The answer:** for almost every homeowner it's the **Bosch JS470E**. A jigsaw is a specialist you grab a handful of times a year, so the corded-vs-cordless math is different than it is for a drill: the cord costs you nothing on a Saturday sink cutout, unlimited runtime is free, and the money goes into the blade guidance that keeps your cut square instead of into a battery. Go **Skil** if your real usage is occasional light stock, it's the rare budget saw with the full grown-up feature set. Go **Milwaukee** only if M18 batteries already live in your garage or your work site has no outlets. And if furniture-grade scrollwork is your actual hobby, the Festool Carvex crowd will tell you, correctly, that precision costs triple. What the trade says Bosch *invented* this tool: in 1946 Albert Kaufmann, an engineer at Scintilla AG in Switzerland, put a saw blade in his wife's sewing machine, and by 1947 Scintilla was producing the "Lesto", the first production jigsaw. Bosch absorbed Scintilla in 1954 and later created the T-shank blade every current saw uses ([Bosch's own history](https://www.bosch.com/stories/history-of-bosch-jigsaw/), [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigsaw_(tool%29)). The JS470E is [Pro Tool Reviews' Best Value jigsaw](https://www.protoolreviews.com/best-jigsaw-reviews/) and [ToolShed Tested's 2026 budget-class top pick](https://www.toolshedtested.com/best-jigsaws-2026). About the trophies: the [2023 Pro Tool Innovation Award](https://protoolinnovationawards.com/winners/2023-pro-tool-innovation-awards/woodworking-carpentry/) in this category went to the RIDGID R86346 barrel-grip, a genuinely well-rounded cordless saw. My verdict doesn't need the newest trophy. It needs the squarest cut per dollar, and that's still the Bosch. ## What owners say Tried the Bosch at a demo day and it sold itself, smoothest saw of the bunch. trade forum Dual blade guides make a real difference on curve cuts in thick material. trade forum Blade keeps bending sideways in 2x stock: I get a beveled edge instead of square. woodworking forum Blade clamp fell apart before I finished my first project. 1-star review, budget saw The M18 FUEL plunge-cuts like a champ and holds its bevel dead-on over long runs. tool tester Wish the Bosch had a light, you're cutting in your own shadow. owner review Sink cutout: orbital off and a down-cutting blade, or you'll chip the top. trade forum Heavy when you cut sideways, keeping a straight horizontal line takes real effort. owner review Tried the Bosch at a demo day and it sold itself, smoothest saw of the bunch. trade forum Dual blade guides make a real difference on curve cuts in thick material. trade forum Blade keeps bending sideways in 2x stock: I get a beveled edge instead of square. woodworking forum Blade clamp fell apart before I finished my first project. 1-star review, budget saw The M18 FUEL plunge-cuts like a champ and holds its bevel dead-on over long runs. tool tester Wish the Bosch had a light, you're cutting in your own shadow. owner review Sink cutout: orbital off and a down-cutting blade, or you'll chip the top. trade forum Heavy when you cut sideways, keeping a straight horizontal line takes real effort. owner review Representative of owner reviews & trade-forum sentiment, paraphrased and source-typed, not republished. Read enough reviews and forum threads and the pattern is unmistakable. The five-star reviews all praise the same thing: *smoothness and square, wander-free cuts*, low vibration, a blade that stays true, tool-free changes that work. The one-star reviews all describe the same three failures: blades bending and beveling in thick stock, blades ejecting mid-cut, and cuts that wander off the line no matter how careful the hand. Here's what nobody at the point of sale explains: most of that one-star anger is a **blade and technique problem that cheap saws make worse**. A dull, too-narrow blade in stock too thick for it, forced through the cut with the orbital cranked, will wander and bevel in a premium saw too, the difference is the Bosch's blade guidance fights the deflection and the no-name saw's floppy clamp amplifies it. That's why the blade lesson below is on this page, and why the picks above all hold the blade square instead of just spinning a bigger SPM number. ## How I shop for a jigsaw, and the blade lesson nobody gives you I buy the jigsaw once and the blades forever. That's the mental model that makes the whole category make sense: the saw is a blade-delivery system, blades are consumables like razor cartridges, and the sixty seconds it takes to learn which T-shank blade goes with which job is worth more than any spec on the box. Your jigsaw doesn't suck, your blade does The 60-second lesson, and it fixes most "broken" jigsaws: **(1) T-shank only**, it clicks square into every modern tool-free clamp. If a bulk blade set says U-shank, walk. **(2) Match the TPI to the material**, coarse (6-10 TPI) for lumber, 10-12 TPI for clean plywood, fine (21-24 TPI) metal blades for steel. **(3) Wider blade, straighter cut. Narrower blade, tighter curve.** If your cuts wander, go wider. **(4) Laminate gets a down-cutting (reverse-tooth) blade** so the teeth press the finished face down instead of chipping it up. **(5) Blades are consumables**, a fresh blade transforms a "worn-out" saw. **(6) Let the saw feed itself.** Forcing the feed bends the blade, and a bent blade cuts a beveled edge every time. A mixed assortment covers all of it: [grab a T-shank blade set on Amazon →](https://buildingtalks.com/go?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fk%3DBosch%2BT-shank%2Bjigsaw%2Bblade%2Bset) When I'm standing at the rack, here's the whole checklist: - **Tool-free T-shank clamp**, non-negotiable. A setscrew clamp in 2026 means the rest of the saw cut corners too. - **Adjustable orbital action**, you want the aggressive setting for lumber *and* the off switch for laminate and metal. - **Blade guidance and a flat, rigid footplate**, the anti-deflection hardware that keeps the cut square. - **Low vibration and a variable-speed trigger or dial**, smooth is what control feels like. - **Dust blower or dust port**, you can't follow a line you can't see. **And why corded for the verdict?** Because a jigsaw is the definition of occasional-duty. My drill earns a battery, it's in my hand every week. The jigsaw comes out for a countertop, a shelf arc, a jamb notch, and goes back on the shelf. Paying battery-platform money for that tool only makes sense if the batteries are already in the garage, which is exactly who the Milwaukee pick is for. ## What a jigsaw is (and what you'd use it for) A jigsaw drives a narrow reciprocating blade up and down, 800 to 3,500 **strokes per minute (SPM)**, about a 1-inch stroke, through a flat **footplate (shoe)** that rides the work. Because the blade is narrow, it steers: it's the only affordable power saw that cuts **curves**, and because the blade plunges into a drilled **starter hole**, it's the tool for **interior cutouts** that don't start at an edge. Most saws bevel to 45° for angled work, and the good ones take an **anti-splinter insert** (a zero-clearance shim around the blade) and a **non-marring shoe cover** for finished surfaces. Around the house, it earns its shelf space on: - **Sink and cooktop cutouts** in countertops, the signature jigsaw job (full steps below). - **Curves in plywood and shelving**, arcs, circles, rounded corners, kids'-project shapes. - **Notching flooring** around door jambs, vents, and pipes. - **Scribing trim and countertops** to a wavy wall, cutting to a traced line no straight saw can follow. - **Openings in paneling, soffits, and thin metal**, with the right fine-tooth blade and the orbital off. What it is *not*: a production tool. Long straight rips belong to the [circular saw](https://buildingtalks.com/cordless-circular-saw/), demolition belongs to a reciprocating saw, and repeated framing cuts will make you hate a jigsaw's pace. It's a specialist, and the day you need a curve or a cutout, nothing else in the garage will do it. ## Jigsaw, jig saw, or saber saw, what's the difference? None, historically, and this trips people up in old manuals and forum threads. From the 1940s through the 1980s, **"saber saw" (or sabre saw) and "jigsaw" named the same tool**, and manufacturers still box-label it "jig saw," two words. The confusion is modern: today "saber saw" has drifted toward meaning a **reciprocating saw**, the big two-handed demolition tool (the Sawzall). So when your dad's woodworking book says saber saw, it means the tool on this page. When a demo crew says it, they probably mean the Sawzall. If you're buying blades or following a tutorial, match the tool by picture, not by name. ## Barrel grip vs top handle Same saws, different bodies. A **top-handle** jigsaw, all three picks here, has the D-handle up top with the trigger under your finger. It's what US homeowners know and it's fine. A **barrel grip** deletes the handle so you wrap your hand around the motor body itself, lower center of grip, closer to the work, and a lot of woodworkers swear the control on tight curves is better. It's preference, not performance: Milwaukee sells the 2737 in both bodies (the barrel-grip twin is the 2737B-20), and Europe leans barrel while America leans top-handle. Try both in the store if you can. Buy top-handle if you can't. ## Who uses a jigsaw, and what that tells you - **Countertop and kitchen installers**, sink and cooktop cutouts are the signature job. This is their tool. - **Carpenters and remodelers**, scribing trim and counters to crooked walls, curve cuts, notching stair stringers. - **Flooring installers**, notching planks around jambs, vents, and pipe stubs all day. - **Woodworkers and fabricators**, pattern and template work in wood, plastic, and thin metal. - **Electricians and HVAC techs**, openings in panels, soffits, and duct board. Notice the pattern: every one of those trades uses it for *fitting* work, making a manufactured thing meet an imperfect house. That's exactly what homeowner projects are, which is why a modest corded jigsaw plus the right blade wallet covers you for decades. ## How to cut a sink hole in a laminate countertop (without chipping it) The classic jigsaw job, and the one people ruin by treating it like a lumber cut. Laminate chips when teeth lift the finished face, so everything below is about cutting *down* into the surface, slowly, with the cutout supported. - **Mark the cutout and tape the cutline.** Trace the sink template, then run painter's tape over the line and re-mark on the tape, it backs up the laminate face against chipping. - **Drill a starter hole inside the waste.** A 1/2-inch hole just inside a corner of the cutout gives the blade its entry, no plunge-cut theatrics on a finished top. - **Fit a down-cutting (reverse-tooth) laminate blade.** The teeth point down, pressing the finished face into the counter on the cutting stroke instead of tearing it up. - **Turn orbital action OFF and cut steady.** Straight up-and-down stroke, moderate speed, no forcing, let the saw feed itself along the line. - **Support the cutout before the final inches.** Screw a scrap batten across the waste or have a helper hold it, a dropping cutout tears the last of the laminate off the top on its way down. ## FAQ ### Why does my jigsaw cut at an angle instead of straight down? The blade is bending in the cut. The usual causes: a dull or too-narrow blade, stock thicker than the blade can handle, forcing the feed, or orbital action set too aggressive. Fit a fresh, wider T-shank blade, slow down, and let the saw cut at its own pace. ### Can a jigsaw cut a 2x4? Yes, a decent jigsaw cuts 1-1/2 inch softwood fine, just slower and rougher than a circular saw. Use a coarse wood blade, moderate orbital action, and don't force it. For repeated framing cuts the circular saw is the right tool. The jigsaw is for the curves. ### What is orbital action on a jigsaw? Orbital action rocks the blade forward into the wood on the upstroke instead of straight up-and-down, so it cuts much faster but rougher. Use high orbital for fast rough cuts in lumber, low or off for clean cuts, laminate, and metal. ### T-shank or U-shank jigsaw blades, which do I need? T-shank. It's the industry standard, it clicks into tool-free clamps, and every major brand's current saws use it, all three picks here included. U-shank is the older style that often needs a setscrew. Check the shank before you buy a bulk blade set. ### Can I cut a sink hole in a laminate countertop with a jigsaw? Yes, it's the classic jigsaw job. Drill a starter hole in the waste, fit a down-cutting laminate blade, turn orbital action off, tape the cutline, and support the cutout so it doesn't drop and tear the top. Full steps are above. ### Is a cordless jigsaw worth it over corded? Only if you're already on a battery platform or you work away from outlets. Corded gives unlimited runtime and more cut quality per dollar. Modern cordless matches the power, but you're paying for batteries. For occasional home use, corded wins. ### What's the difference between a jigsaw and a saber saw? Historically nothing, saber saw and jigsaw named the same tool from the 1940s on. Today manufacturers say jig saw, and saber saw has drifted toward meaning a reciprocating saw, a bigger, rougher demolition tool. If an old guide says saber saw, read it as jigsaw. ### Can a jigsaw cut metal? Yes, with a fine-tooth metal T-shank blade, orbital action off, slow speed, and a drop of cutting oil it handles sheet metal, thin steel, and pipe. It's slow, and that's fine. Clamp the work. Thin sheet vibrates and tears if it's unsupported. ## The bottom line One saw, one answer: the **Bosch JS470E**, the squarest cut per dollar, from the company that invented the tool, with the one caveat that its warranty paper is short. Drop to the **Skil JS314901** if six jobs a year is the truth (and register it within 30 days). Step up to the **Milwaukee 2737-20** only if M18 batteries already live in your garage, it ships bare. Then spend the change on a real T-shank blade assortment, because whichever saw you buy, the blade is what your cut quality rides on. ## Related guides - [Best cordless circular saw](https://buildingtalks.com/cordless-circular-saw/), straight cuts fast. The jigsaw takes the curves. - [Best cordless drill](https://buildingtalks.com/cordless-drill/), drills the starter hole for every cutout on this page. - [Best utility knife](https://buildingtalks.com/utility-knife/), scoring, marking, and trimming around every cut. - [Best safety glasses](https://buildingtalks.com/safety-glasses/), non-negotiable the moment a blade is reciprocating at eye level. - [How tool warranties work](https://buildingtalks.com/tool-warranties/), registration traps, authorized sellers, and getting claims honored. - [Must-have home tools, all picks](https://buildingtalks.com/tools/), the whole kit, ordered by how essential. **Affiliate disclosure:** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Building Talks may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through the product links above, at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability change. Check the current price on Amazon. We pick winners independently, affiliates don't pay for placement and they don't shape our picks. **Editorial standards:** Picks reflect hands-on use and triangulated owner sentiment across retailer reviews and trade forums. No review text is republished. Reviewed by Al, Building Doctor, 30 years IUOE Local 39 Stationary Engineer. Always follow the tool's safety instructions. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.