Jigsaws unplugged

Ryobi One+ 18-volt jigsaw

Many features of the Ryobi jigsaw are identical to the Craftsman, and the resulting performance was similar. The Ryobi cuts thin material, as well as makes all cuts smoothly and accurately. But testers found that using it on thick material was disappointing: it doesn’t have the bite to complete the cuts. The jigsaw doesn’t appear to lack power; it seems to have an inadequate blade angle relative to the wood. The blade moves up and down but just wasn’t able to bite wood properly. The blade-change mechanism is identical to the Craftsman’s, but the plastic guard makes it next to impossible to access the lever without first removing the snap-off plastic guard. This step isn’t a chore to do, but it is an extra step over the others. Once in place, the blade lock-up is solid. The jigsaw has excellent variable-speed performance and the graduation in power is smooth and predictable. When run at the maximum orbital setting, tearout was average, and smoothness was quite good in thinner material. In thicker material, however, the jigsaw becomes difficult to control. The charger handles all Ryobi 18-volt batteries and includes a diagnostic readout with monitoring.

Test results:

Price: $80
Battery/charger: Not ncluded
Battery/charger: Nicad
Blade change: Fair
Variable speed: Excellent
Operating smoothness: Fair
Orbital blade action: Poor
Bevel adjustment: Fair
Ease of cutting: Poor
Sole design: Good
Contact: www.ryobitools.com; 800-525-2579