This is a great saw for the homeowner. That having been said, I might as well get rid of the negatives first. The only real negatives I've seen are:
(a) It's made in Mexico. I don't have much of a problem with this, but it might be a little jolting to some to buy the DeWalt name, just to find out the tool was not made in the US.
(b) It doesn't seem as heavy-duty as the Sawzall models. If I were a working carpenter depending on this saw day in and day out, I'd probably buy the Milwaukee. But for the typical homeowner like me, this saw seems perfectly adequate.
The positives:
(a) It seems to be a solid, well-built machine.
(b) The four-way blade chuck is a very nice feature. It's very handy for cutting in different directions. I believe that seasoned carpenters wouldn't need this feature as often, as they are used to using their saws every which direction. But, again, for us homeowners it's great.
(c) The price-performance is excellent. You'd have to pay twice as much to get a Sawzall with the capability in the previous item. I love tools, but I can't justify the extra expense given that I'll only use it now and then.
(d) It weighs about the same as the equivalent Sawzall model, and less than the Sawzall that lets you cut in different directions.
As somebody else noted, it only comes with one blade (a metal cutting one). So make sure you buy at least one more blade. If you're new at using a recip saw as I was, I'd recommend just buying the standard short DeWalt wood-cutting blade until you get used to using the saw. After that, go buy a 12" blade. You'll need that long blade, for example, for building a deck: for cutting through the centers of 6x6 timbers, because your circular saw won't reach all the way to the center. DEWALT DW304PK 10 Amp Reciprocating Saw
My first reciprocating saw...and a dandy for the average handyman who has often scratched his head and knuckles trying to figure out how in the world to make a particular cut. The Dewalt is sturdy, if a bit heavy. The power is adequate for everything I've encountered so far...wood, steel, etc. Nothing cleaver to learn how to use, no wrenches or screws to misplace when changing blades, just straightforward cutting. the drop-in blade clamp is simple and effective. It makes changing blades fast and certain. Dewalt only send one blade with the saw and it's a metal cutting blade, so to keep up with chores involving wood, you need to pick-up a variety pack of blades at the local hardware store. This saw is everything I would expect.
I've owned this saw a couple years now. It's done everything I asked it to do, it's had enough power to handle anything I've thrown at it, blade changing is a snap, it's a great tool, and very durable.
People keep comparing this to a Milwaukee, IMO generally speaking Dewalt tools are not as well made as Milwaukee, but you didn't pay a Milwaukee price for this saw either, y'all get what you pay for. Yes, I have a Milwaukee sawzall which I believe is better, but this Dewalt does something the Milwaukee doesn't, the 4 blade positioning comes in extremely handy especially when needing to make flush floor cuts.
I like this saw, glad I bought it, and recommend it to anyone.
I bought this saw at Lowes and it initially sounded like a quality tool with nice features (four way clamp is a nice idea... on paper).
It worked fine for about 1h of demo work, eventually the clamp developed a problem where it would not lock the blade in horizontal position (and I needed that the most to cut close to wall without bending the blade) anymore and releasing vertical lock was sometimes a challenge as well.
The clamp also became VERY wobbly to the extent that the blade was oscillating around like crazy.
The tool was returned and Lowes rep said this is not the first time this tool was returned to them for this or similar issue with clamp.
This is a good saw for a home owner or occasional use around the yard, etc but I would not recommend it for regular use. The motor is powerful enough for most jobs, and while the 4 way blade change system is convenient, it often doesn't work. The release mechanism will only work at the beginning of the stroke so you sometimes have to slowly run the motor to just the right position to change the blade. The locking pin often locks up and has to be persuaded with a screwdriver to lock in place. this takes all of the convenience out of the quick change system. My quick change system was ruined after cutting through some slightly damp boards, which was enough to cause some surface rust to creep up on the blade change mechanism, preventing it from locking at all, I can now only change blades by taking the entire head apart, and even then it will only lock in the sideways position and not the vertical. If you are a contractor or pro, spend the extra money to invest in a heavy duty Milwaukee sawzall.
This is my first reciprocating saw and I was not disappointed. I really like the fact that the blade can be used in any position (up, down, left, right) and is very easy to change. The blade quick change system is great and easy to use, just lift the lever and insert the blade. It has a variable speed trigger. The tool is also very comfortable to hold and is not too heavy. It comes with a carrying case that allows you to store the tool with the blade inserted (you don't have to remove it). The case has plenty of room for extra storage.
I have owned this saw for two years. It has never failed. It worked PERFECTLY about 18-months ago during a horrible winter wind/rain storm. my awning was ripped from the ground and into the neighbor's yard. I had little time to secure the awning as we had wind at about 50mph gusts with 70mph+ gusts at anytime. But this bad-boy worked like a champ allowing me to cut up the awning into enough pieces to secure them until a more through job could be done.
I have cut 6x6's PT lumber, metal, wood and even cut down several medium sized fruit trees. It never has failed or made work harder.
Remember to keep a fair number of blades as they do tend to get dull or bend. This is not a fault of the saw or the blades but rather just the nature of reciprocating saws in general. I keep at least 5-blades of each type and a couple lengths. After every job I buy a few new blades. I do this because a sharp blade will help the saw work with less effort and therefore make the work easier and cleaner.
I can highly recommend this saw for a must have for any homeowner or DIY sort. You will truly wonder how ya lived w/o one. - Dewalt - Demolition - Reciprocating Saws - Sawzall'
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