Yesterday post about the new Bosch 18V compact reciprocating saw had me thinking about other brand’s models.
Over at Amazon, their $25 off $100+ Dewalt Holiday promo is still going strong. Right now, thanks to the promo, you can get a Dewalt DCS387B 20V Max compact reciprocating saw, for just $94. This is for the bare tool, although the kit with 5Ah battery is also on sale.
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This Dewalt compact cordless reciprocating saw first came out a year ago, and shares the same basic geometry and ergonomics as the corded version that came out in early 2012.
I don’t think I’ve tried the cordless version of this saw, but user reviews seem to be overwhelmingly positive. At Amazon, one reviewer complained about excess vibration, but maybe his was a fluke occurrence.
As of the time of this posting, 82% of the 81 reviews gave it 5 stars, and 12% gave it 4 stars, with only 6% giving it 3 stars or less. 4.8 out of 5 overall is an unusually high rating for even well-recommended power tools.
The current price is $119, minus $25 at checkout, for a final price of $94. The 1-battery kit is priced at $201 after Holiday promo discount.
Buy Now(Bare tool via Amazon)
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Mike
It has more vibration than larger corded saws weighing two times as much? Say it ain’t so!
Stuart
I’m thinking maybe something in that reviewer’s saw was unbalanced or defective, otherwise there would be many more complaints about this.
Mike
In particular situations like this I tend to think it’s the reviewer that is unbalanced. I tend to get suspicious immediately when someone feels they need to preface the review with ‘I am an enormous man. Huge. A GIANT compared to you weak, puny mortals reading this.’ Then he compares vibration to a weak, slow, heavy, corded saw. Of course there is going to be more vibration. But since this gargantuan behemoth hurt his tough, callous, leather encrusted hands (while admittedly being unable to control the saw due to the sheer bulk of his immense digits) there is something wrong with the saw design.
Oh, and he wasn’t wearing gloves. And using the saw to trim brush and tree limbs.
Meh, none of this is important. Sometimes things just amuse me when they shouldn’t.
*Parts of this post may be exaggerations.
**Which also means they may not be.
Drew M
Seems like there are two designs for these saws, motor above the blade and motor below. I wonder which works better or if it even matters.
Adam G.
I’m picking this up to replace the budget saw that was in the 9 tool set from home depot. Sold the budget model on eBay.
mike aka Fazzman
Every brand is coming out with these it seems,choose whatever one is on your battery platform. Im doubtful there is much difference between them performance wise.
Jon
I own this saw and I actually found it slightly better than the previous generation (non-compact) saw when it comes to vibrations. It’s not terrible but not amazing either.
However it depends a lot on the material you are cutting and how “stiff” or “solid” the material is (how firmly planted to earth it is, to counteract the sawing motion), and how well you can butt up the nose-piece of the saw to the material.
Without a great “interface” to the cut you will get bad vibration. The effect is slightly worse with battery saw’s in general versus corded saws but corded saws behave the same way as well.
The Amazon reviewer complaining of the vibrations either got a bad saw or wasn’t using it right.
John Blair
I have it and love it. Inexpensive and well built. I bought mine when it came with a battery, charger in a Tough Systems case for $199 on sale.
Sub $100 when you’re already in the platform is a no brainer.
Michael
I wonder when Dewalt will come out with a 20v max brushless circular saw. It seems that if I want one now I have to go to red or blue.
Funny I switched from red to yellow because of crappy 18v batteries from red a couple years back.
Stuart
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-20v-brushless-circular-saw-dcs570/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E