The Best SawZall Blades for Any Job

Now, you might think that choosing the best SawZall blade for any job is easy. Just choose bimetallic or carbide (amongst various carbides). Then, decide how long the blade needs to be. Choose from 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 18 or 24 TPI configurations. Decide whether to prioritize cutting metal (thick or thin), wood, studded wood, PVC, shingles, or even tree roots. Finally, consider how many blades you might need and buy enough so you don't have to run back to the store. After all, there's the math to running through to balance all of these considerations so you stay within budget.

Then again, maybe choosing the best SawZall blade is a bit of thought… never mind. We've got you covered.

Editor's note: SawZall is the Milwaukee brand name for a reciprocating saw. So when we talk about the best SawZall saw blades, we mean the best Milwaukee brand reciprocating saw blades.

Demystifying the best SawZall blade options

If the above options seem confusing – your company is fine. In addition to this, new SawZall blade options appear frequently. In fact, Milwaukee Tool is currently expanding with carbide toothed Sawzall inserts.

To help clarify matters, we recently spoke with Karl Weber, Product Manager for Sawzall Blades at Milwaukee Tool, about blade selection. He breaks down the key considerations and puts us on the path to blade selection mastery.

Match SawZall Blades to Material

Select TPI (Tears Per Inch)

The basis of blade selection revolves around the material you are cutting. The material determines the number of teeth per inch (TPI) required for efficient cutting. This also gives the material the longest blade life possible. The rest of the blade selection should follow TPI. Karl breaks down the TPI as follows:

• 3 TPI: for cleaning wood and roots
• 5 TPI: Designed for studded wood
• 6–11 TPI: Variable TPI extends the life of multi-material metal inserts
• 7–24 TPI: for metals (less TPI for thick metals, more TPI for thin metals)

Bi-metal or carbide toothed inserts

From here, you end up choosing between two broad categories of inserts: bimetal or carbide. Less expensive bimetallic blades provide satisfactory performance in common applications. These "disposable blades" are great when you can get a job done quickly and don't want to spend too much on a blade that may not be available for the next job. However, you may need to use several of these blades for tougher cuts.

Carbide inserts offer professionals more cutting options, greater efficiency and potentially lower accessory costs. That last part can be hard to swallow without some math knowledge. After all, you've been to the store. These carbide inserts are much more expensive than equivalent bimetal inserts.

This math actually works…

If you or someone on your team has ever tried to burn off 15 or 20 bimetallic blade cuts – that's $30 to $40 (at least). It also translates into a half hour or more of lost labor time. This may be an extreme example, but you get the idea. In many cases, the right carbide insert can save time and money.

Benefits of Using Carbide SawZall Inserts

Clearly, Milwaukee Tool has a vested interest in promoting carbide SawZall inserts. In our own experience (regardless of the brand), carbide inserts generally increase productivity.

That's money.

Carbide blades can also cut through more materials than bimetallic blades. Take stainless steel as an example – don't treat it with bi-metals. When you combine faster cutting speeds with longer blade life, carbide starts to make a lot of sense. Why buy 3-5 blades when one will do the job – and possibly the next?

Best Milwaukee Carbide SawZall Wood Saw Blades

Milwaukee carbide inserts have been available since 2016. However, in addition to the original models, several new models have been introduced in the series. We expect this product line to continue to evolve over time.

Ax with carbide teeth for pruning and cleaning wood blades

We recommend using one-handed reciprocating saws for pruning, as they make cutting low-hanging branches easier than chainsaws, pole saws, or hand saws. The ax with carbide teeth for trimming and cleaning wood blades completes the attachment for this application with a durable hardwood solution that removes material quickly and stays sharp. This 3 TPI blade practically eats wood as it cuts, making it our best SawZall pruning blade.

Carbide toothed ax for studded wood blades

The original carbide ax blade is perfect for cutting wood, shingle, plaster, and even Durock where nails or screws are embedded. This blade lasts a ton longer than any bi-metal blade – allowing you to cut longer before replacing it with a new one. That alone makes it our pick for the best SawZall blade for inlaid wood. This is partly due to the use of a nail guard design that prevents larger nails from getting between the 5 TPI teeth and snapping off the carbide bit. Instead, the blade slides over nails and screws as it cuts.

Wrecker with carbide teeth for multi-material cutting

The best carbide SawZall inserts for presentation work feature an aggressive 6 TPI design. It allows you to cut various materials. Not only is this blade fast enough to handle clean wood, it can handle cast iron as well. Granted, it's not our first choice for this blade, but in a pinch… when doing demolition work that might show any material that needs to be cut and removed, this blade should be your first choice. It even manages to keep the Milwaukee "Fang Tip" for cutting into wood. The design remains close to the Ax design, but the added TPI allows it to transition to metal cutting as needed.

Carbide torches for thick metal

7 TPI carbide torch blades are best for thick metal cutting applications. It offers a good balance of performance and value. This blade is optimized for cutting black pipe, cast iron, angle iron, and even stainless steel without being as expensive as blades designed for these extreme cutting applications (see Nitrus Carbide blades below).

Best SawZall Blades for Cast Iron or Mud Pipe

Torch with Nitrus Carbide

The Milwaukee Torch with Nitrus Carbide thick metal blades is a truly unique and professional solution, using next generation carbide teeth. It directly competes with other traditional carbide tooth reciprocating saw blades. The idea is to spend more money to maintain attachment life and cutting speed. These 7 TPI saw blades last several times longer than Milwaukee's existing carbide toothed reciprocating saw blades. They do this by reducing heat during the cutting process. The blade contains 25% more Nitrus Carbide per tooth, making it the best SawZall blade for repeated cuts in cast iron and sewer pipe.

How Blade Height and Speed Affect Cutting

We were asked how blade height and speed affect cutting. It makes a valid point, as the many blades vary in height and thickness. While these characteristics are less important to blade selection than TPI and blade material selection, they do contribute to actual cutting speed.

Regular 1" tall blades are stronger and more durable. While shorter blades are more flexible for flush cuts, they don't have the same stability. They don't last that long either.

Regarding speed, you generally want to go slow when cutting thick metal and stainless steel. Heat is always the enemy of blade and tooth life. That being said, Milwaukee knows most people just pull the trigger and go…  

Therefore, they test all blades at full speed. It ensures that an overzealous worker won't necessarily burn the blade faster than its stated life by fully tipping it!

Choosing the Right SawZall Blade Length

With the right TPI and blade material selected, what is the proper blade length? Karl explains that you should choose a blade that is at least three inches longer than the diameter/width of the wood blade material. For cutting thick metal – especially pipe with inside and outside walls, to be on the safe side, choose a blade that is at least four inches longer than the diameter/width. By the end of 2020, each of Milwaukee's five carbide inserts will be available in 6-inch, 9-inch and 12-inch lengths.

In the end, choosing the best SawZall blade doesn't have to be a mystery.

It might just save you a lot of labor and money over time.