The Best Corded Jigsaws
We've rounded up the top-performing corded jigsaws to help you decide which one is right for you.
If you’re in the market for a new jigsaw, corded models are worth considering. They tend to offer more power than cordless jigsaws, and don’t require batteries, which can be expensive to replace. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best corded jigsaws on the market.
Read on for the full details below, or sneak a quick look at my top choices:
Or if you prefer the cordless life, check out our companion roundup of the best cordless jigsaws!
Related: The Best Cordless Jigsaws
The 7 Best Corded Jigsaws
Let’s take a look at the pluses and minuses of the top corded jigsaws out there today.
Makita 4350FCT Top Handle Jig Saw
You expect a professional-grade tool from Makita, and the 4350FCT delivers. Its 6.3-amp motor doesn’t quite top the charts, but it delivers plenty of power for just about any material.
Even with all that power, the tool runs smoothly and quietly (for a jigsaw!). Reduced vibration makes for more precise cuts as well as less fatigue in your hands. Blade changes are tool-free, but a hex wrench is required to bevel the shoe (up to 45 degrees).
This saw weighs in lighter than most competitors, and it’s noticeably smaller as well. But the build quality remains rugged and ready to take on a job site. As you’d expect from a top-end tool, a bright LED light and an effective dust blower come as standard features. A dust collection attachment, available as an accessory, makes for even better dust handling.
If you want a jigsaw to tackle any job for years to come, this is a no-brainer. The 4350FCT is my pick as the best corded jigsaw with a top-handle design.
Positives
- Quiet, smooth operation
- Powerful motor for tough materials
- Lightweight and compact for easy maneuverability
- Extremely rugged
Negatives
- Does not accept U-shank blades
Bosch JS470E Corded Top-Handle Jig Saw
Bosch makes highly-rated corded jigsaws, with the Bosch JS470E on the higher end. This top-handled jigsaw has a barrel-grip cousin, the JS470EB, with otherwise identical specs between them. You can choose whichever grip is most comfortable to you.
The 7-amp motor on the JS470E is tops for its class, so even thick or dense material should pose no problem. A dial lets you set the maximum speed appropriate for your workpiece. Then variable pressure on the trigger controls the speed up to that maximum.
The die-cast shoe counts as a step up from the stamped metal version you find on cheaper models. You’ll need the included hex key to adjust the shoe’s bevel (up to 45 degrees); the key stores in the base when not in use. The saw accepts T-shank blades, and changing them with the clamp mechanism doesn’t require any tools.
The JS470E does lack a couple features common to newer models like a laser guide or LED light. But it’s a solidly-built workhorse than will stand up to heavy use for years.
Negatives
- Does not accept U-shank blades
Bosch JS572EBK 7.2 A Barrel-Grip Jigsaw
The Bosch JS572EBK tops my list for barrel-grip corded jigsaws. Personal preference dictates whether you prefer barrel grips over top handles. But if you feel a barrel grip gives you better control, you’ll have a tough time finding a better tool than the JS572EBK.
You won’t have any trouble cutting even the thickest material with a 7.2-amp motor. A dial on the rear of the barrel controls the cutting speed. For even more control, a trigger lock lets you put your hand right up against the body of the machine, as close as you’d care to get to the cut. (A restart protection feature keeps the saw from turning back on unexpectedly if power is lost while the trigger lock is on.)
Switching blades and beveling the shoe up to 45 degrees can both be done without using tools. A double-roller system provides extra support for the blade, helping to minimize any deflection.
The LED light does a great job of illuminating your cut lines. And a dust blower keeps the line free of sawdust and other debris.
This is not a cheap tool by any measure. But if you depend on a jigsaw for your career (or your hobby), I’d consider this an investment worth making.
Positives
- Two sets of rollers reduce blade deflection
- Very comfortable to grip even with extended use
- Powerful motor handles pretty much any material
Negatives
- More expensive than most of the competition
- Does not accept U-shank blades
Metabo HPT CJ90VST2 Corded Jig Saw
Metabo HPT (formerly known as Hitachi Power Tools) has become known for its mid-range power tools. The CJ90VST2 is the successor to the popular Metabo HPT CJ90VST, which you still see sold as the Hitachi CJ90VST. The two models differ primarily in appearance, so if you find a good deal on the CJ90VST, don’t worry about getting a lesser tool. With one exception, everything I say below applies to either.
Thick, tough materials should pose no problem for the 7-amp motor. A soft-start feature runs the motor at half-speed until it senses a load, then ramps up to full speed. And the 1 1/32” stroke length tops its class.
The build quality seems solid as you would expect from Metabo/Hitachi. Though maybe not quite as construction site-ready as some of the top-end tools, it should last a homeowner/DIYer a long time. The shoe consists of cast nickel rather than stamped metal, so won’t bend or snap from occasional abuse.
One user complaint about the older CJ90VST related to the tool-less blade change mechanism. It required pressing a small lever with an uncomfortably large amount of pressure. Aside from its cosmetic changes, the CJ90VST2 also upgrades to a larger, more thumb-friendly lever mechanism.
This combination of features and price makes the CJ90VST2 my pick for best all-around value for money.
Positives
- Powerful 7-amp motor
- Soft start feature for better control and less vibration
- Easy-to-use blade change lever
- Long stroke length
Negatives
- No LED light
- Does not accept U-shank blades
DeWalt DW317K Top-Handle Jigsaw
DeWalt seems to have focused most of their jigsaw efforts on their cordless lane in recent years. But the DW317K has been a consistently popular corded option for quite a while.
At 5.5 amps, the motor packs plenty of power for homeowners or DIY enthusiasts. A lever makes it straightforward to change blades without a tool. The shoe bevels up to 45 degrees and requires loosing a screw on the underside. The lack of a positive detent at the vertical position is a drawback, meaning you’ll need to square up the blade after bevel cuts.
The saw’s design might seem a little dated, but DeWalt built the metal housing around the gearbox to last. This saw is rugged enough for a construction site, let alone the typical home shop.
Unlike many competitors, the DW317K accepts both T-shank and U-shank blades. Some customers have reported that the U-shank blades don’t fit as securely as the T-shank ones. I’d recommend sticking with T-shank blades unless you have some older U-shank ones to go through.
It’s not the newest tool on the block, but the DW317K is a workhorse that gets the job done.
Positives
- Accepts both T-shank and U-shank blades
- Brushless motor runs cooler and lasts longer
Negatives
- U-shank blades not held as securely as T-shank ones
Porter-Cable PCE345 Corded Orbital Jigsaw
The Porter-Cable PCE345 is one of the few moderately-priced jigsaws that accepts both T- and U-shank blades. While they’re less common than T-shank blades, if you have some U-shank blades lying around, this flexibility might appeal to you.
While blades changes use a tool-less clamp mechanism, beveling the base (up to 45 degrees) requires a hex key. The key stores on the unit so you won’t lose it. And the PCE345 boasts a 6-amp motor, relatively beefy for this price range.
Rather than relying solely on trigger pressure or a separate speed dial to vary the speed, this model uses both. You can dial in the maximum speed, then use the trigger to vary the speed up to the specified maximum.
I wouldn’t recommend this model for heavy-duty usage. But for the homeowner or DIYer with more modest needs, it checks the right boxes at an affordable price.
Positives
- Accepts both T- and U-shank blades
BLACK+DECKER BDEJS600C Corded Jig Saw
This corded jigsaw from household name Black+Decker serves up basic functionality in a moderately-priced package. The build quality seems a step up from cheaper brands, but the tool doesn’t feel as sturdy as a pro-quality model.
Black+Decker gives orbital cutting the (overly?) fancy name “CurveControl”. Name aside, it works the same as on other jigsaws, with a four-setting dial controlling the aggressiveness of the orbital action.
You may find the icons on the orbital dial a bit confusing, just like I did. The super-wavy line on setting 1 represents no orbital action, though to me it suggests a lot of action! And the straight line on setting 4 represents the most aggressive orbital action. You want to use less orbital action on tighter curves, and open it all the way up on a straight cut. So the icons do make sense, but at first glance my brain registered them the other way around. Make sure to double check your setting before starting your cut!
The BLACK+DECKER BDEJS600C lacks an integrated headlight, which is a pretty common feature these days. Although the wire guard in front of the blade helps a bit, a light would improve visibility even more.
This tool serves the needs of the occasional DIYer just fine. I’d recommend a bit beefier model (one with a headlight) if you’ll use it more often.
Positives
- Light weight makes for easier use
- Generally reasonably priced
- Accepts both T-shank and U-shank blades
Negatives
- Icons on orbital action dial can be misleading
Cordless Jigsaw Buying Guide
If you’ve never shopped for a corded jigsaw before, you might wonder what features matter when choosing one. I’ll walk through some of the things to keep in mind as you compare products.
Motor: Brushed vs. Brushless
You’ll find two types of motors on corded tools like these jigsaws: brushed and brushless. Brushed motors rely on small carbon brushes to keep in electrical contact with spinning electromagnets. Brushless motors have electromagnets that don’t move, so they don’t need brushes.
Brushed motors tend to be cheaper but run hotter and wear out faster. That’s primarily due to the friction from the brushes. Brushless motors run cooler and last longer, but are more expensive. They’re found mostly in higher-end tools.
Blades
All jigsaws have removable blades. That lets you use the appropriate blade for the job as well as replace dull blades with sharp ones. Most jigsaw blades are compatible between manufacturers.
Shank Type
The shank is the part of the blade that mounts inside the jigsaw. You’ll come across two common shank styles:
- T-shanks have small protrusions that stick out on either side near the end.
- U-shanks have straight sides with a semicircular cutout on their ends.
Most modern jigsaws accept T-shanks. You’ll need to buy the right style blade for your jigsaw. A handful of manufacturers make hybrid blades that can fit either kind of saw. But in general you’ll want T-shank blades for any of the saws in our list.
Blade Changing
U-shank blades are manually mounted in the jigsaw. You need to use an allen key to loosen the old blade and tighten the new one.
Most modern jigsaws that use T-shank blades have tool-free blade mounts. You typically flip a lever to release the blade, let it drop out, then insert the new blade and flip the lever closed.
Cutting Performance
You want a jigsaw that will accurately follow your cut line, whether it’s curved or straight. And you’d like to do it as fast as possible without giving up that accuracy.
Cutting Speed
Most jigsaws have a top speed of between 2500 and 3200 strokes per minute (spm). One stroke is a complete up-and-down motion of the blade. You typically either set a dial or use variable pressure on the trigger to control the jigsaw’s speed.
Typically you’ll use a higher speed on softwoods and a lower one on hardwoods or metal. A lower speed helps avoid high temperatures that could damage the blade or your workpiece. Your owner’s manual should tell you what speed to use for different materials.
Fixed-speed jigsaws do exist. If you only ever cut one sort of material, they’ll work fine. But I strongly recommend a variable-speed model for the flexibility it provides.
Orbital Action
By default, a jigsaw blade moves straight vertically up and down. That makes it easier to follow a curved path and to end a cut precisely where you want. But cutting can be slow due to the small amount of material removed with each stroke.
Many jigsaws let you add orbital action to the blade. This moves the blade in a small circular pattern forward and backward as you cut. Jigsaws commonly offer 3 or 4 different orbital settings. You can choose how aggressive you want it, or turn the orbital motion off.
The more aggressive motion speeds up your cuts. But the edges it leaves are often not as clean, so you may have cleanup to do afterwards. It can be trickier to stop precisely at a particular line since the blade moves forward and backward. You may want to stop just a little short and finish the cut without orbital action.
Blade Tracking (Deflection)
A jigsaw blade can bend or deflect as it moves up and down. Thicker material is more likely to deflect the blade so the cut isn’t 100% vertical.
If the blade deflects, you might need to clean up wood that wasn’t removed as intended. Or worse, you could ruin a piece of wood by taking out chunks you didn’t intend to.
The best jigsaws have guides that help keep the blade vertical as you cut. Even so, you shouldn’t force the jigsaw through the cut. Let it do the work while you guide it using as little force as possible.
Grip Style
Top-handled jigsaws have a handle on top for you to hold. The handle’s design makes it comfortable to hold on to. But it does make the saw quite a bit taller, which can obstruct your view of the line you’re trying to cut.
Barrel-grip saws don’t have a separate handle. Instead, you grip the rear part of the body of the saw itself. You might find it less comfortable to hold for long periods of time. But some people find it easier to follow a cut line than with a top-handled saw.
This choice just comes down to personal preference—what feels best to you. Some manufacturers offer saws with the same specs in both styles. If you have the chance, try one of each to see which feels most comfortable to you.
Other Features
A few other features can make using a jigsaw a bit more convenient.
Tiltable Shoe Plate
You might not want to limit yourself to just 90° vertical cuts. Most jigsaws let you tilt the shoe plate up to 45° for beveled cuts. You can adjust some models without using any tools. Others require an allen key to loosen and then re-tighten the shoe plate.
LED Light
LED lights help illuminate the line you’re cutting. Most jigsaws these days have a light, but some make it more useful than others.
Some models let you activate the light with slight pressure on the trigger. That helps you ensure you’re lined up before starting a cut. With other models, the light won’t activate until the blade starts moving.
Dust Collection
Jigsaws generate a lot of sawdust. And since they cut on the upstroke, the dust tends to land right where you’re cutting. This makes it hard to follow your cut line.
Some jigsaws have a dust collection port built in. You can attach your shop vac or other dust control system to help clear away the sawdust. Other models offer the dust collection port as an optional add-on.
To be honest, no jigsaw does a perfect job of removing all the sawdust. But the dust collection option can make a big difference.
Conclusion
If you want a corded jigsaw you won’t have to think about replacing until we’re all living in the metaverse, get the Makita 4350FCT.
If you prefer a barrel grip, go for the Bosch JS572EBK. If getting a good value is your main concern, I recommend the Metabo HPT CJ90VST2, or the BLACK+DECKER BDEJS600C if the budget is tight.
