Jigsaws unplugged

Mastercraft Power XChange 18-volt jigsaw

Testers found this jigsaw moved around a lot, especially when entering the cut. And it felt like it was working hard to cut through 1 1/2″-thick spruce; that being said, it yielded an acceptable result. The Mastercraft jigsaw is the tallest in the test group, which makes it harder to hold and guide. The saw is one of only two lithium-ion powered tools in the test, and testers liked the unique, full-featured charger. The charger has an LCD touch screen that lists the battery charge status and time-to-full charge information; and it’s also fan-equipped for battery cooling. The jigsaw itself, however, wasn’t as well rated. Testers found that it ran with a fair amount of vibration and was the loudest saw in the test, by quite a margin. Loud enough that if you were using this tool at maximum power, hearing protection should be worn for comfort. Adjusting the bevel angle of the shoe is a little more complicated than for the other saws, requiring a hex key to loosen and tighten two bolts. Once adjusted, the plate held firm. Blade changes are accomplished via a side-mounted release but require the removal of the plastic safety shroud. Overall, testers felt this jigsaw was best suited for light use on thin materials.

Test results:

Price: $130
Battery/charger: Not included
Battery/charger: Li-on
Blade change: Fair
Variable speed: Poor
Operating smoothness: Poor
Orbital blade action: Fair
Bevel adjustment: Good
Ease of cutting: Fair
Sole design: Poor
Contact: www.canadiantire.ca; 866-525-2579