When it comes to power jigsaws, the choice used to be limited to the corded electric type, for all practical purposes. Until recently, the kind of jigsaw that you need to connect to your mains was the tools that are powerful and reliable enough to cut through not just softwoods, but also harder materials such as hardwoods, ceramics or even metal.
Nowadays, though, cordless power tools have come a long way – and cordless jigsaws are no exception. Newer lithium ion batteries now offer more capacity, longer battery life, and better charging characteristics, to the extent that manufacturers can now put in more powerful motors in cordless jigsaws.
Cordless jigsaws on the midrange and up can now offer comparable power to corded jigsaws, and all of that without a power cord getting in the way of your work.
Basic Comparison Between Corded and Cordless Jigsaws...
Basing on just the basic design of corded and cordless jigsaws, the two types are just about the same – a motor unit with a perpendicular blade adapter that you can attach a jigsaw blade to. With the more powerful cordless jigsaw models on the market today, both types will perform similarly in a wide range of applications too.
That said, there are a few key differences between corded and cordless jigsaws, aside from the obvious fact that the former plugs into an outlet and the latter run from their own battery packs.
These distinctions are important to consider if you’re considering whether to get one or the other. If you decide to get both, it’s also good to know how one type is more advantageous for certain tasks and projects compared to the other.
Corded Electric Jigsaws
Corded jigsaws come with a power cord, and needs to be plugged into a suitable outlet in order to work.
Once plugged in, you’ve got unlimited power to work with, and you will really only need to be aware of your tool overheating and that's pretty much it. On the other hand, you will need to work within the cord’s reach of an outlet or extension cord, bringing your work to the jigsaw itself.
Cordless Electric Jigsaws
Cordless jigsaws come with a battery pack and is a self-contained tool that you can take just about anywhere. The battery pack gives you a significant but limited time to work with the tool.
Once the battery is discharged, you need to replace the pack with a charged one to continue working or leave the battery in its charger until you have sufficient power to work again. Two or three batteries are needed to have a constant supply of power, in most cases.
What Are Their Recommended Uses (Best Suited For)?
Corded Jigsaws
Tougher Materials - corded jigsaws give you unlimited running time, and you will need that time to work with tougher materials including hardwood, ceramic, and metal.
Corded jigsaws also come with larger electric motors in general, with the gearing to match. A corded jigsaw is also the ideal tool for cutting multiple stacks of plywood at a time, or even for working on metal and wood sandwiches.
Cordless jigsaws are not really made for tougher materials, in long spurts anyways. Tougher materials will be taxing on the batteries so unless you have multiple high Ah batteries ready to go, then you won't get very far.
Workshop and Benchtop Use – corded jigsaws are ideal for the workshop, where an outlet is more or less within reach at all times. If you are using a jigsaw with a table or benchtop jig with the tool fixed in place underneath a work surface, then a corded jigsaw will serve you better with no batteries that need to be replaced.
It is nice to have a cordless model handy for smaller projects that won't require hours of cutting because of the "convenience factor" and has come in very handy for some of my smaller projects.
Heavy-Duty Tasks – corded jigsaws give you reliable power that will not fade out in the middle of a long cut, and they will never need to be recharged. They are really the best choice for cutting into tougher materials like hardwood, metal sheets or even ceramic or concrete.
For tasks that require long, consistent cuts, or for projects that deal with a variety of tougher materials, you will appreciate the reliable power and performance of a corded jigsaw.
Cordless Jigsaws
Worksite and Outdoor Use – cordless jigsaws give you the portable power you will need in a worksite where a working outlet may not always be within reach. They are not limited by the length of a power cord, and you can take them just about any place that you need to use them in.
If you’re building a deck outdoors, you will also appreciate not having to run an extension cord all the way back to the house to run your tool.
Elevated Areas – cordless jigsaws give you unlimited portability when working in elevated spots. With no power cord that can get caught up in ladders or scaffolding, cordless jigsaws are also safer to use in worksites that require you to do some ceiling or drywall work.
Occasional Home Use – If you need a jigsaw for the occasional drywall cut or for simply replacing a baseboard or two, a cordless jigsaw will give you convenient cutting power without the need to run a power cable.
Lets Take A Look At The Different Power Ratings...
Corded Jigsaws
Corded jigsaws and the electric motors they come with can be compared against each other by comparing their rated amperage, and these are given in terms of amperes. As you would expect, the higher the amps, the bigger and more powerful is the motor that comes with the corded jigsaw.
A corded jigsaw will also have a specified voltage, too. You will either have a corded jigsaw to be used with a 110 / 120 volt outlet, or one that’s safe to use with 220 / 240 volts. In the case of the corded jigsaw, the voltage rating has no relation to its performance.
Plugging a corded jigsaw into an outlet with the wrong rating is dangerous. It will damage your jigsaw, or worse, cause an electrical fire. Always check the user’s manual and the packaging of the tool to check that your corded jigsaw matches the voltage of your outlets before plugging it in.
Entry level jigsaws designed for light duty work and shorter blades start at around 400 watts, which will give you enough power to cut softwoods, plywood, drywall, and plastic.
Mid-range to heavy duty corded jigsaws will come with a motor rated for 700 watts or up. Corded jigsaw models in this range can handle heavy duty cutting tasks and can make effective use of longer jigsaw blades.
Cordless Jigsaws
The power of cordless jigsaws can be compared in terms of voltage. The higher the voltage, the more powerful the tool is, and the faster it can drain its battery. Fortunately, a cordless jigsaw battery with a higher voltage also means that it has a greater capacity, too.
Most cordless jigsaws on the market today are rated at 12, 18, 24 or 36 volts. For most light duty tasks, or for working with softer materials such as plastic, a 12 volt cordless jigsaw will give you sufficient power.
For working with tougher materials, though, you will need a cordless jigsaw rated for 18 volts or higher. Cordless jigsaw models rated at 24 to 36 volts are now able to perform almost just as effectively as corded jigsaws. So if you need heavy duty cutting in a portable package, a cordless jigsaw with a higher voltage is a viable solution.
Corded Jigsaw Weight:
Corded jigsaws are lighter in comparison to a similar cordless model. A long heavy duty cord can significantly add to the weight and bulk of a corded jigsaw, though.
Cordless Jigsaw Weight:
Cordless jigsaws are heavier, owing to the dense battery packs they come with. A battery pack can easily add more than 2 ½ pounds to the weight of the tool.
Corded Jigsaw Price:
Corded jigsaws are more affordable in general, and you can get an entry level model for less than $30 and the higher end models will run you around $200 and up.
These are usually much more economical in terms of cost.
Cordless Jigsaw Price:
A cordless jigsaw will usually come with its own battery pack and a charger, which adds to the price.
An entry level cordless jigsaw model will set you back around $50 and a higher end model will run more than $200.
Let's Take A Look At The Different Manufacturers:
Corded Models - Several major manufacturers offer their own range of corded jigsaws, including BLACK + DECKER, Bosch, DEWALT, Festool, Makita, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Ryobi, and Skil.
You can generally see more than one model of these brands in a power tool shop or an online store. Other brands that also make corded jigsaws include Craftsman, GMC, PORTER-CABLE, Chicago Power Tools and WEN.
Cordless Models - A handful of major tool makers offer several models of cordless jigsaws, including Bosch, DEWALT, Festool, Hitachi, Makita, Metabo, Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi.
Other manufacturers also make cordless jigsaws, if at a very limited number of models. They include BLACK+DECKER and Skil, as well as other brands such as PORTER-CABLE, Craftsman, Worx, OEMTOOLS, POWERSMITH, and others.
Bosch's Jigsaw Selection:
Corded Models:
Bosch offers a wide range of corded jigsaws, and their tool range includes both in barrel grip and top handle models. They also have a wide range of selection, too, from affordable entry-level models starting at $75 to top-end corded jigsaw kits costing more than $230.
Cordless Models:
Bosch offers a bare handful of cordless models, compared to their more extensive corded jigsaw line-up. They do include both top handle and barrel grip model even in their modest range. The brand offers light duty models starting at 10.8 V, along with their more popular 18 volt models.
DeWalt:
Corded:
Dewalt offers a handful of corded jigsaw models, with a smaller selection compared to Bosch. They do have some compact corded jigsaw models on offer as well as the regular sized top handle and barrel grip variants.
Cordless:
Dewalt’s more popular cordless jigsaw models start from the higher end, with their 20 volt line of MAX tools well represented in online stores. Their line of brushless models are by no means inexpensive, though, with their brushless kit going for around $290 with battery pack and charger included.
Makita:
Corded:
Makita’s top handle jigsaw models, at least the popular ones, start at the mid-range for about over $100. The available selection from online stores is rather limited, though, and you will find a wider selection from their cordless jigsaws instead.
Cordless:
Makita is well represented in the cordless jigsaw categories, with everything you may need to find online. From top handle to barrel grip, or from barebones tools with no batteries, to complete kits with carrying cases – Makita has online inventory waiting for you. The prices are just about what you would expect, though, with the entry level 12 volt model starting at $120.
Milwaukee:
Corded:
Milwaukee has a rather narrow range of corded jigsaws on offer online, but they do include both top handle and barrel grip models in their modest line-up. Be prepared to shell out some cash, though – their 6.5 Amp top handle model starts at more than $170, and it goes up from there.
Cordless:
If you find the Milwaukee corded jigsaw models pricey enough, then get ready for some sticker shock on some of their wireless models. At the top range, their 18 volt brushless motor model comes at no less than a hefty $1,360. Their entire line of M18 power pack cordless jigsaws are a bit on the expensive side of things, in fact – just the 18 volt mid-range model will set you back for almost $250, and that’s with a bare tool with no batteries included.
Ryobi:
Corded:
Ryobi has plenty of entry level jigsaws available on the online market, with several models to choose from even in the 4.8 Amp range alone. You can get a 4.8 Amp corded jigsaw for less than $55, or you can bump it up to a 6.1 Amp model for still under $60, too. Unfortunately, finding a high-end corded Ryobi jigsaw may be a bit harder due to the limited selection available online.
Cordless:
Ryobi has a range of cordless jigsaws online that’s just as extensive as their corded jigsaw lineup, and many of them are being sold as bare tools with no batteries. If you already have a battery pack compatible with a Ryobi power tool, then that’s great news for you – one can get a mid-range 18 volt cordless jigsaw at under $65 that way.
