5 Best Corded Jigsaws – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide 2024
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Jigsaws are incredibly useful tools that deserve a place in any workshop. They’re cheaper than a miter saw, more portable than a band saw, and able to make curved and squared cuts that a circular saw can’t. We guarantee any jigsaw you buy will become your go-to cutting tool overnight.
Corded jigsaws offer even more convenience to anybody tired of endlessly charging or changing batteries. Yes, they’re limited to the reach of an extension cord, but you’ll be using it in workshops, not the woods, so that’s less of a problem than you might think.
We’ve written reviews of our favorite corded jigsaws and others you should know about. Whether you’re buying your first or your fifth jigsaw, keeping this list handy will make the search much easier.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites for 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall
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Bosch JS470E |
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CHECK PRICE |
The Runner-up
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DeWalt DW317K |
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CHECK PRICE |
Best Value
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PORTER-CABLE PCE345 |
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CHECK PRICE |
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Hitachi CJ90VST |
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CHECK PRICE | |
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BLACK+DECKER BDEJS600C Smart Select |
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CHECK PRICE |
The 5 Best Corded Jigsaws
1. Bosch JS470E Corded Jigsaw – Best Overall
When ranking the best saws, it’s almost always Bosch battling it out with DeWalt for the top spot. This time, Bosch takes the crown with the JS470E, our favorite corded jigsaw.
First, the specs; the JS470E has a 120-volt, 7-amp motor capable of 3,100 RPM unloaded. Its top handle has a comfortable soft-rubber grip and a conveniently placed trigger. The trigger itself is variable-speed, but you can also control the blade speed through a precision dial, so it’s easy to project exactly as much force as you need. The blade has a maximum cutting capacity of 5⅞ inches on wood, but it can also handle up to ⅜ of an inch of steel plate.
What makes the Bosch JS470E a #1 pick is its performance. This saw glides through softer wood like it’s nothing and cuts harder wood along smooth, accurate lines. The factory-installed blade is powerful enough for an amateur to cut graceful curves into almost any stock.
With four orbital settings, you have considerable freedom to move this saw around. The only issues we can find to complain about are the price and the lack of a laser guide. Despite that, we still think this is the best overall corded jigsaw on the market this year.
- Variable cutting speeds with precise control
- Extremely accurate cuts
- Deep cutting capacity
- Fast, powerful motor
- Four orbital settings
- Comfortable handle
- Expensive due to limited supply
- No laser guide
2. DeWalt DW317K Jigsaw – The Runner-up
The DeWalt DW317K is a very well-built corded jigsaw that can often be purchased for a much better price than the Bosch JS470E. The only issues keeping it from the top spot are its slightly less powerful engine and a few other drawbacks we’ll go over below.
Like the Bosch, the DeWalt DW317K’s motor can reach 3,100 RPM without a load, but at only 5.5 amps of current, it won’t get up to quite the same speeds while you’re using it. Besides that, it’s hard to find fault with this jigsaw. Its variable-speed control is precise and user-friendly, its handle feels great in your hand, and its 0-45 degree bevel tilt adds to its versatility.
Another feature we love is the blade clamp that allows for tool-free changes. If you don’t like the factory-installed blade (though you probably will), DeWalt makes it incredibly simple to change it out. It also comes with a handy carrying case.
Apart from the motor, our only issue with the DW317K is its tendency to leave rougher edges on curved cuts, which means you’re in for more sanding than you might like.
- 45-degree bevel range
- Comfortable handle
- User-friendly speed controls
- Tool-free blade replacement
- No LED guide light
- Less powerful motor
- Curved cuts require a lot of sanding
3. PORTER-CABLE PCE345 Corded Jigsaw – Best Value
To get the best-value orbital jigsaw for your money, look no further than the Porter-Cable PCE345. Porter-Cable has a spotty record, but they hit a home run with this budget-friendly corded jigsaw.
The PCE345 has a 6-amp motor and a variable-speed blade with seven settings. It’s not a genuine precision dial, but seven speeds offer plenty of flexibility. Other convenient features include a keyless blade change and a lock-on button that lets you use the saw for extended periods without squeezing the trigger the whole time.
Like our picks for #1 and #2, the Porter-Cable PCE345 is an orbital saw; you can set the blade to face in any of four directions. At 110V and 6 amps, the motor is reasonably powerful, offering a good cutting speed on softer wood. Unlike other budget saws, it doesn’t rattle as you cut; in fact, it purrs so smoothly that it feels a lot more expensive than it is.
That isn’t to say there aren’t a few “get what you pay for” moments. 110V isn’t enough motor to cut through anything besides wood, and it’ll cut slowly on harder stock. It’s also difficult to steer around curves.
- Super-affordable
- No rattle
- Four orbital settings
- Convenient lock-on button
- Doesn’t cut curves well
- Less user-friendly than competitors
- Underpowered motor can’t handle harder materials
4. Hitachi CJ90VST Jigsaw
Hitachi is a reliable brand, so we expected a lot from the CJ90VST. We got most of it. Hitachi is currently renaming its power tools brand to Metabo HPT, so all Hitachi-labeled tools are now outdated and thus more expensive. Getting the Metabo HPT model will save you about 20 percent, making it one of our most budget-friendly picks.
The CJ90VST has four orbital settings, a speed lock for fatigue-free cutting, and a tool-free blade changing system. So far, so good, but the first feature that truly shines is the built-in dust-blower, which does wonders for clearing debris out of your cutting path. While it doesn’t have a laser guide, its attached metal guide is perfectly calibrated, and you won’t have any trouble cutting straight.
It might seem entitled to complain about a saw you can get for such a good price, but a few drawbacks keep the CJ90VST from being the best corded jigsaw for the money. The no-tool blade changer requires a vast amount of pressure to use, and the cutting capacity is middling, at only 3½ inches. It’s also restricted to T-shank blades only.
- Affordable
- Onboard dust blower
- Well-calibrated metal guide
- Decent engine power
- Small cutting capacity
- Tool-free blade changer is a pain to use
- Only accepts T-shank blades
5. BLACK+DECKER BDEJS600C Smart Select Jigsaw
Rounding out the list, we have the insanely cheap Black+Decker SmartSelect, which is a nimble corded jigsaw that’s ideal for plywood. For pocket change compared to some of our other picks, you can get the jigsaw and a 24-pack of blades.
The specs on the saw are about what you’d expect for a tool this small. The SmartSelect has a 5-amp motor that reaches 3,000 RPM unloaded, but it’s much lower when the blade meets the wood. It also boasts a 45-degree bevel range.
Since the Black and Decker jigsaw weighs only 4.6 pounds, carrying it to job sites and maneuvering through materials is a breeze. The comfortable grip helps. The quick blade release is as helpful as advertised, and the blade speed adjustment dial is easy to read and use.
So why is Black+Decker only sitting at #5? One word: safety. This saw has an alarming tendency to throw its blades. It doesn’t have a trigger safety, and the trigger is right where you’re likely to put your index finger, which increases the chance that you’ll activate the blade with your other hand in the way.
- Low price
- Lightweight and portable
- Easy blade release
- Can be ordered with 24 blades
- Weak motor
- Low cutting capacity
- No trigger safety
- Blade lock comes loose over time
- Flimsy bevel plate
Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Best Corded Jigsaw For Your Needs
It’s possible you don’t know your exact requirements yet. Maybe you take on various jobs, or maybe you’re a newbie just getting started in the DIY hobby. If that describes you, don’t despair; our handy buyer’s guide can still help you find the best-quality jigsaw in exchange for your hard-earned cash.
We’ll keep it simple; don’t buy a corded jigsaw until you answer the following questions.
What kind of blade do you need?
We’re assuming you’re buying a saw because you want to cut things, so let’s start with the blade.
Before we get into the weeds, don’t forget that on a jigsaw, you’ll change the blade far more frequently than you might with a circular or miter saw. It’s less important to get a corded jigsaw with a perfect blade than to get one where you can easily replace the blade many times over.
With that in mind, here are the most important specs of a jigsaw blade.
- Length: All jigsaws have a maximum cutting capacity. It’s best to leave some wiggle room here: if you know the dimensions of the material you want to cut, purchase a jigsaw with a blade that is roughly one inch longer. Take care not to overshoot since blades that are too long can adversely affect the accuracy of your cuts.
- Width: Thicker blades are less flexible, and vice versa. Thinner blades are perfect for curved, circular, or irregularly shaped cuts, while thicker blades are sturdier and will provide more accuracy on straight and square cuts.
- Material: Corded jigsaw blades come in a variety of different materials, the most common being steel and tungsten. High-carbon steel is cheap and flexible and is great for high-volume woodcutting, where you’ll be breaking a lot of blades. High-speed and bi-metal steels are stronger and better for harder stock, while tungsten, the hardest and most durable of all, is also the most expensive.
- Teeth per inch (TPI): Jigsaw blades have small teeth, at least 20 per square inch. Lower TPI blades (20 – 30) are ideal for softer wood and plywood, while harder wood, steel, and ceramic require a TPI of at least 35. Higher TPI blades cut slower than lower TPI blades but leave less debris to clean up.
What blade speed do you need?
Blade speed refers to the number of strokes (times the blade moves up and down) per minute, written as SPM. The SPM of corded jigsaws tends to range from 500 to 3,200. The higher a saw’s SPM, the faster and harder it’s able to cut, though 500 SPM is plenty for most home DIY projects.
Which handle style do you prefer?
What do you want the sole plate to be made of?
The sole plate steadies the jigsaw against the workpiece. It’s almost always made of either steel or aluminum. Steel sole plates are cheaper and lighter but break more easily—sometimes on a single drop. Cast aluminum is premium-priced and heavier but can take a lot more abuse.
Conclusion
Our reviews came down to a pitched battle between the Bosch JS470E and the DeWalt DW317K, but in the end, the Bosch came out on top. It has the most powerful motor on the list, and while that doesn’t always translate to the best saw, it absolutely does here. Whenever we start a new project, we can’t wait to put the Bosch jigsaw to work.
If you’re on a tighter budget or can’t find a Bosch, the Porter-Cable is ideal and is almost as good. Though its motor isn’t as powerful, it has a huge range of features that we love, at a much more reasonable cost.
Hopefully, we’ve been able to point you toward a corded jigsaw that you love. If you have a favorite we forgot to mention, let us know in the comments!
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