Jigsaws unplugged

Hitachi CJ18DL 18-volt jigsaw

The Hitachi jigsaw cuts quickly and produces a good-quality cut with no wandering. When switched into the orbital-action mode, it makes an even faster, more powerful cut; the downside of all that power is you forfeit some control. With the third-fastest blade change in the test, the Hitachi’s system is better than the collet-release mounted levers found on some others and almost equals the DeWalt for blade-changing speed. One negative feature is the large plastic release lever-testers found that it felt like it might break more easily than the metal levers on the other high-end tools. The bevel angle is adjusted by a single Allen screw, similar to the Bosch’s system, with on-board Allen key storage. The sole itself is made from cast aluminum with a machined bottom face. The Hitachi jigsaw comes with a sophisticated diagnostic charger with multi-voltage and multi-battery capabilities. With tons of power, the Hitachi is a muscle car of a jigsaw; but, like a muscle car, at times, it has difficulty handling all the power.

Test results:

Price: $330
Battery/charger: Included
Battery/charger: Li-on
Blade change: Fair
Variable speed: Fair
Operating smoothness: Good
Orbital blade action: Good
Bevel adjustment: Good
Ease of cutting: Good
Sole design: Good
Contact: www.hitachipowertools.ca; 800-970-2299