After testing dozens of options, our team picked the absolute best cordless reciprocating saw models from our most trusted manufacturers.
What sets these saws apart from other cordless reciprocating saws? Some run at higher voltages, such as 36V or 60V (up to 54V). Others use advanced battery technology to get more power without leaving the 18V/20V max system. Regardless of how they're implemented, these saws promise higher performance, and some rival the cutting speeds we've seen in 15-amp corded reciprocating saws.
However, we did not exclude high-value brands. Whether you're looking for the best value for money professional grade or DIY grade, we've got you covered.
While not every saw is the best, each of these models earns our approval.
Milwaukee M18 Fuels Super Sawzall
Milwaukee ranks first when it comes to cordless reciprocating saws, with cutting speeds that leave its cordless competitors in the dust. In addition to its impressive cutting speed, it has an excellent feature set and vibration is well controlled. As the inventor of the original Sawzall, Milwaukee has a well-deserved victory based on its heritage and cutting-edge cordless developments.
The downside is that it is a heavier model. Combined with a 12.0Ah high-output battery, it weighs 12.2 lbs. It's also one of the pricier options.
Price: $249 bare, $449 kit with 12.0Ah battery and charger
The Best Cordless Reciprocating Saws with Vibration Control
Metabo HPT 36V MultiVolt Reciprocating Saw
Metabo HPT have come up with a design for their CR36DAQ4M MultiVolt Reciprocating Saw that offers a distinct advantage over its competition in terms of vibration control for a more comfortable demolition experience.
While this model doesn't have the cutting speed of Milwaukee's M18 Fuel Super Sawzall, it's 1.5 pounds lighter, has a solid feature set (an AC adapter is included if you want to use corded power), and has the best ergonomics The scientific design is known for its low vibration. If comfort is your number one priority, then this is the best cordless reciprocating saw for you.
Price: $209
Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw Value
Flex 24V Max Brushless Reciprocating Saw Kit
Flex introduces a full-featured 24V cordless reciprocating saw designed to replace your 12 or 13 amp corded model with a 1 1/4 inch stroke length and 3000 strokes per minute. The added orbital action helps you go faster when cutting wood, and rafter hooks are of course welcome.
You don't have a leveraged blade clamp release or a shift dial, but that's easily forgiven when you look at the price tag. The kit comes with a 5.0Ah battery and fast charger for just $249 and comes with a 5-year warranty.
Price: $249 kit with 5.0Ah battery and charger
Best Prosumer Cordless Reciprocating Saws
Ryobi One+ HP Brushless Reciprocating Saw
Prosumer is a category that bridges the gap between professional tools and DIY tools. The Ryobi One+ HP Brushless Reciprocating Saw meets the needs of serious DIYers and budget-conscious professionals alike, making it our top choice in this category. Part of Ryobi's high-performance cordless line, it's a step up from previous models, boasting an impressive 3200 SPM and a 1 1/4-inch stroke length.
As a very price-sensitive category, it's the cost that makes this model so attractive. The bare metal is $99, and the 4.0Ah high-performance battery kit is only $159. It's hard to beat.
Price: $99 bare metal, $159 with 4.0Ah high-performance battery and charger
Best Budget Cordless Reciprocating Saw
Skil PWRCore 20 Compact Reciprocating Saw
Check out our top rankings in the DIY category and check out the Skil PWRCore 20 Cordless Reciprocating Saw. It is compact and lightweight compared to most saws in its class. With a 1-inch stroke length and a top speed of 3000 SPM, it cuts slower than pricier models, but is fast enough to get the job done.
The best part is the price—just $89.99 for the 2.0Ah battery and charger.
Price: $89.99 with 2.0Ah battery and charger
best reciprocating saw blades
Lenox Carbide Pointed Reciprocating Saw Blades
Bimetallic blades are great, but for the longest life and cutting the hardest materials, carbide is king. We used Lenox carbide reciprocating saw blades in our testing and recommend them wholeheartedly at every level. For medium to thick metal, including cast iron, use a Lenox Lazer CT blade and shoot. For wood demolition including nails and screws, see what Lenox Demolition CT blades have to offer.
More professional cordless reciprocating saw recommendation
The best Bosch cordless reciprocating saw
If you're using the Bosch 18V platform, there's a great reciprocating saw option in the GSA18V-125. Paired with a Core 18V battery, it has a 1 1/4" stroke length and cuts faster than its 2500 SPM top speed would suggest. Compared to its predecessor, it offers significantly increased cutting speed and power with lower vibration, making it a popular presentation tool in our shop.
Price: $279 bare, $399 kit with 6.3Ah Core18V battery and charger
Best DeWalt Cordless Reciprocating Saws
Call us crazy, but our top pick for the best DeWalt reciprocating saw isn't their second generation FlexVolt model. Instead, we prefer the DCS386 FlexVolt Advantage Reciprocating Saw.
While it doesn't come at the same power level, it's a more versatile way of working. You can use any DeWalt 20V Max battery to power the saw and save weight. When the cutting gets tougher, switch to the FlexVolt battery and you'll get 50% more power and feel like a completely different tool.
Price: $249
Best Kobalt Cordless Reciprocating Saws
Kobalt's XTR line marks the high-value brand's entry into the advanced cordless category, which combines batteries, motors and electronics to get more performance out of power tools. The Kobalt XTR Reciprocating Saw has a tip speed of 3100 SPM and a stroke length of 1 1/4 inches. In addition to higher performance, it also introduces an anti-vibration system and selectable orbital action not found on previous brushless models. Even better, it's only $20 more, making the upgrade worthwhile.
Price: $149
The best Makita cordless reciprocating saw
Makita's GRJ01 starts the 40V max XGT range of reciprocating saws. It has two speed settings, cutting at 2300 SPM when you need more control and 3000 SPM when you need more speed. Either way, its 1 1/4-inch stroke length removes material quickly.
Similar to the XRJ06 18V X2 model in performance, the XGT model is even lighter, weighing less than 10 lbs thanks to its single-cell design (9.9 lbs and 4.0Ah battery).
Price: $239 bare, $389 kit with 4.0Ah battery and fast charger
Best Ridgid Cordless Reciprocating Saws
Ridgid has switched from their Octane line to lighter brushless tools that still give you great bang for your buck. The R8647 is nearly half a pound lighter and more compact. At the same time, its speed has been increased to 3200 SPM and its stroke length increased to 1 1/4 inches.
Price: $159 bare, $199 kit with 4.0Ah max output battery and charger, $219 with two 4.0Ah max output batteries and charger
More Prosumer cordless reciprocating saw recommendations
Best Craftsman Cordless Reciprocating Saw
Craftsman's top cordless reciprocating saw is the CMCS350B. Using a brushless motor to improve its performance and runtime compared to less expensive brushed models, it has a 1 1/8-inch stroke length and a top speed of 3200 SPM. It's pretty light and compact when you look at it side by side with some of the top Pro models.
One downside is that it's just a bare tool, so you'll need to add a battery and charger to the price, unless you're already using Craftsman's V20 system.
Price: $119
Best Skills Cordless Reciprocating Saw
Skil's PWRCore 20 Series comes with two standard cordless reciprocating saws, with the brushless RS5884-1A leading the way in terms of performance. Unlike some saws in this high-value prosumer class, its 1 1/8-inch stroke frequency and 3000 SPM top speed increase wood-cutting capabilities with optional orbital action.
Price: $149 kit with 4.0Ah battery and PWRJump charger
More budget cordless reciprocating saw recommendations
Best Hartt Cordless Reciprocating Saws
Now that Hart's has taken over the tool aisle, find some of the best DIY tools at your local Walmart. For less than $150, you can get a brushless reciprocating saw with a stroke length of 1 1/4 inches and 3,200 strokes per minute.
While the price is attractive, it is for bare tools and there is currently no kit option. Consider getting started with one of Hart's combo kits, and adding a brushless reciprocating saw as a nice upgrade to a brushed model.
Price: $128
Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw Buying Guide | What We Looked For
Performance
Whether you're looking for the top of the line or the most affordable cordless reciprocating saw, performance is king. We have tested everything from light PVC and EMT cuts to heavier studded lumber, roofing, rebar, and even cast iron.
At the end of the day, this part of our assessment is a game. May the fastest cutter win!
Operation Orbit
Orbital action introduces an elliptical motion to the blade, which is more aggressive and allows faster cutting of wood. Selecting orbital mode on your cordless reciprocating saw is a feature you should seriously consider. It's not an absolute deal breaker, but if it's in your budget, try to get it.
vibration control
Speed is a big part of what we're all about, but so is vibration control. Reciprocating saws are rough tools, so the less vibration they have, the less fatigue you will experience. It makes a big difference, and most of us are willing to give up a little speed for better vibration control.
Some brands have developed advanced vibration control using balancing systems and other technologies. While it can add weight to the tool, they're enough to reduce fatigue that it's worth the trade-off.
feature set
There are a number of features that can make using a cordless reciprocating saw easier, including the orbital action mode we've already discussed.
- Brushless motors: better performance and runtime, but more expensive
- Orbital Action: Significantly faster wood cutting
- Variable Speed Selection: Easier to control speed than flicking the trigger, especially when cutting harder metals
- Smart Controls: Customizable app-based controls with potential for inventory management and tracking
- Blade Clamp Release: Leverage and slide release on the housing is much easier than twist release on the shaft
- Blade Eject: A spring actively ejects the blade when you let go, so you don't have to grab a hot blade
- Swivel shoe: helps maintain contact with the material on longer cuts or round material
- Adjustable shoe: Move shoe to engage unused teeth on blade
- Rafter Hook: When you need to put the saw down, hang it from a joist, sawhorse or ladder
- LED Light: Allows you to see what you are cutting without too much light
- unique features
size and weight
In addition to vibration, weight also plays an important role in the fatigue equation. While there is some correlation between size and weight, it's not universal. Some full-size saws are lighter than others with a similar design.
Sometimes the extra weight is due to more metal in the structure and advanced vibration control systems. Other times a premium or larger battery pack is required.
While most of the saws in this review are full-size, there are several other categories to consider if you need to get into tight spaces.
A compact cordless reciprocating saw, such as Makita's 18V Sub-Compact, is essentially a squashed version of a full-size model.
There is also a set of one-handed reciprocating saws that take a completely different approach. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hackzall is a good example.
value
At Pro Tool Reviews, value goes beyond price lists. We get a complete picture of what you're paying for, such as performance, features, warranty, number of compatible tools on the same platform.
Why Use a Cordless Reciprocating Saw?
The best cordless reciprocating saws are comparable to models in the 15-amp class and can even beat some corded saws in cutting performance. With no cords to trip you up, they can be a much more convenient tool for demolition work.
Not all chainsaws in this review compete at such a high level, though. Some lighter models are designed to replace 12-amp saws and are great for overhead and light-duty cutting.
The price gap is still huge – cordless reciprocating saws cost two to three times as much as corded ones, and we don’t expect the price gap to change much in the near future.
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