Bosch has just announced a new 18V compact reciprocating saw, designed for making cuts overhead and in hard-to-reach places.
This looks a lot like Milwaukee’s cordless Hackzall design. It makes one wonder whether Bosch licensed the design from Milwaukee.
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The new saw was announced in Europe. We don’t know if or when it will be announced or released in the USA or North America.
The new GSA 18 V-LI C 18V cordless saber saw – I thought saber saws were akin to jig saws?? – can cut through wood, metal, or drywall, when equipped with the proper blade of course.
Bosch product images shows the new reciprocating saw being used overhead and with one hand, which is why you would go for a tool like this.
There is a tradeoff to its compact size – stroke length. Bosch’s standard 18V reciprocating saw has a 1-1/8″ stroke length, this saw has a 21 mm (a little less than 7/8″) stroke length. It should still provide plenty of cutting performance, just not the fastest cutting performance.
- 0-3050 SPM
- 21 mm stroke length (~0.827″)
- 200 mm (~7.9″) max cutting depth in wood
- Tool-free blade change mechanism
ETA: January 2016 (Europe)
Price: 399 euros for the 2x 5.0Ah battery kit and L-Boxx, excl. VAT
Compare(Milwaukee M18 Hackzall kit (compact battery) via Acme Tool
Compare(Milwaukee M18 Hackzall kit (XC battery) via Acme Tool
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First Thoughts
Not everyone loves compact cordless reciprocating saws of this design, but they can be handy. A lot of users swear by them.
Bosch boasts about the new saw’s lower vibration operation, which should result in less user fatigue. There’s also the one-handed aspect that makes it easier to wield this saw overhead, when on a ladder, or in tight spots.
The design doesn’t just resemble Milwaukee’s Hackzall. Swap the blue for red, and it could very well be confused for a Milwaukee saw. The same could be said about their 12V model.
It’s good to see Bosch expanding their 18V lineup, and I’m sure a lot of folks will be happy to have this as a new cutting tool option.
The 399 euro price for the kit seems very steep for a non-brushless saw. Milwaukee’s kits are far less expensive, but they’re also bundled with single lower capacity battery packs.
fred
Looks like a nice new option for Bosch 18V users.
Our plumbing crews used the Milwaukee M12 version and swore by them especially for under-sink and tight space repair work. If you asked them about their use in roughing in work – some other swear words might have come out. Our cabinet installers tried them and gave them back to the plumbers – preferring corded one-hand saws like the old Bosch Inline Jigsaw (3294EVS) and Ridgid One Handed Recip saw (R3030). Our carpentry crews thought the M12 version (we had not bought into the M18 platform – having standardized on Makita) were toys – not tools. So “to each his own” as the expression goes.
Rami
399 € for the tool and batteries seems like a very reasonable price for european markets. Tools tend to cost much more in Europe than in USA. For example DeWalt DCD771C2 is around 169-199€, at least in Finland. In USA it seems to be around 100 dollars. That Bosch saw might cost something like 299 $ in USA.
Matt
I believe Bosch should focus more toward its brushless game…. 12v and 18v impacts, saws maybe, or getting the flexiclick to the US. And the wireless charging thing though gimmicky may have a future.
In serving up an almost identical saw(m18) to a populace that may be already pretty much swooned by Milwaukee’s lineup Bosch is providing some redundancy to the tool market.
Of course, to the die hard Bosch user this may invoke a little excitement but to those always looking for the best, in my opinion, Bosch is beginning to lag. Their corded tools remain top notch but their cordless options are dull and dated.
How about that 12/10.8v brushless impact???
Just an opinion.
mike aka Fazzman
Brushless isnt everything,some of the best tools are still brushed.
Matt
Personal request. To each their own…. Not telling you what to buy only what i would like to see.
tim
My m12 and m18 hackzalls are two of my favorite and most used/useful tools. Bosch users should rejoice.
Mike
Actually milwaukee stole or borrowed that design from Bosch they came out with it in 12v first
Toolfreak
Bosch was first, but the design is like a drill, it’s sort of obvious/necessary to how the tool operates.
There are some slightly different designs that are longer, but to get a saw this compact, the housing needs to have that weird shape.
John
How do you know? Are you a bosh rep? If so what else is coming out?
Stuart
I don’t think so. Here’s why:
Milwaukee’s M12 Hackzall came out in 2008 (press release).
I can’t find a press release for the Bosch PS60, but I first learned and wrote about it in 2011.
I wrote:
Resembling Milwaukee’s popular and fairly well reviewed M12 Hackzall saw both form-factor and spec-wise….
Or was there another Bosch tool you believe came first?
Milwaukee was first.
Toolfreak
Milwaukee might have just been “first” in releasing the tool in the US.
As you know, Bosch has a long lag time between developing tools in Germany/China, having them produced in China, selling them in the European market, and then finally releasing them in the US.
I would guess that Bosch developed the tool and sold it in Europe prior to 2011, maybe even before the Milwaukee version was on the market in the U.S. , or maybe they even both developed them at the same time and Milwaukee just got their produced sooner.
It’d kind of make sense for Milwaukee to take the lead in the area of reciprocating saws, given the history of the company and it’s signature Sawzall, but like I stated above, the design is like a drill, necessary to the function of the tool if you want it to be compact, otherwise you wind up with something like the Makita/DeWalt compact saws that aren’t as compact as the Bosch/Milwaukee ones.
Stuart
Nope, Milwaukee’s came out with their saw years before Bosch came out with theirs. I’m open to any facts or supporting evidence that you could find that might show otherwise.
tool time
Milwaukee was first, I worked at Bosch for 10 years. Bosch can use certain Milwaukee patents because of a post-lawsuit agreement.
Toolfreak
Bosch should have come out with this years ago, before Milwaukee.
Not sure why they never did, it would have brought a lot more users to the 18V platform.
Better late than never, I guess.
The stroke length makes a bigger difference than one might realize, the ~1/2″ stroke length on the 12V saw can make for some slooooow cutting depending on the material and the blade you’re using.
Still, the compactness and one-handed operation plus the cordless nature of the saws makes them handy and worth their weight in chrome vanadium. I do like mine and reach for it 99.9% of the time for cutting work, and it has saved a lot of wear and tear on my arm instead of using a manual hacksaw.
Eric
I sadly pre date cordless tools but always bought Milwaukee sawzalls but Bosch jigsaws. I do have a 12 volt hitachi sawzalls and a makita 18 volt “compact” sawzalls. The people above are right about the short strokes of these little saws, they really slow the saws down. I only use the hitachi for “sawing” dirt and pine needles between deck planks and cutting pvc. The makita one I though would work good on all thread. It doesn’t, I could cut faster with a hacksaw. I like the stick design even if longer that this type.
fred
Eric
I t predate most cordless tools – remembering early Makita 9.6 volt market entrants.
I also recall Yankee screwdrivers as being the “cordless” tool of choice on many jobsites. My Rockwell Porter Cable 548 bayonet jig saw is still in a closet somewhere in my shop – but I long ago moved over to Bosch barrel-grip jigsaws which I still use. Like you – my reciprocating saw is a Milwaukee – a 10 year old 6523-21 – to which I added a replacement redesigned boot/grip which came gratis from Milwaukee in response to an email request. While the old design 6523 was not recalled – there apparently had been incidents of user finger injuries – which the redesigned boot is meant to prevent.
Hugh
There goes Bosch being great again copying Milwaukee! Looks like Bosch has a case of innovation block. Maybe perhaps they are too busy not caring because they make so much money making dishwashers and car batteries.
Reading the prior posts is comical as well. Everytime a company makes it in their color doesn’t mean they were first to it! I remember reading how proud Bosch was because they made the their “hackzall” 1 inch shorter. If they had it out first why would they have been so proud of making it more compact than Milwaukee’s?
Looks like Bosch will condescend from there greatness and throw an occasional bone to their fans. While other tool companies move ever forward making tools that make getting the job done quicker and easier, at least Bosch fans can buy a nice stackable washer and dryer.
Bg1
The 399 = 400 eur price is very high, too much. ( battery/cordless tool + 2 batteries+charger) These “cordless” kits usually cost too much.
Lynyrd
Been hoping that Bosch came out with this version and have been one of many who requested it. My Electricians swear by the Milwuakee design and the need for 18v.
Bosch fan though. Who cares if Bosch “copies” Milwaukee or DeWalt? Been waiting for Bosch to get in the Cordless game when it comes to selection of product. Simply prefer the company over Chinese owned and made Milwaukee and Stanley B&D made in Mexico equipment. Personal choice.
However, it hasn’t been announced for USA and if they waited this late to release, why not go Brushless?
Carlos
They are just looks like, The mechanism for vibration control is totally different.
Carlos
This tool reached the world lowest vibration emission level, Have a try guys!