SKILSAW 13-amp Reciprocating Saw (SPT44A)

With 13 amps under the hood, the SPT44A from SKILSAW powers through the toughest jobs.  The extra oomph comes with some extra pounds.  At 9 pounds, the saw is among the heaviest in its class.  This is a two-sided coin in our eyes.  Extra weight keeps vibrations down.  It can also negatively affect arm fatigue.  But, it can also help arm fatigue too: the weight of the tool can help in applying pressure to the cut rather than the user relying on strength.  Tool weight is a complicated discussion, but for many tools (including reciprocating saws), we like to see a little bit of heft.

The saw accepts blades of all lengths thanks to its extra power.  The stroke is the industry-standard 1-1/8″ at 2800 rpms.  Blade changes are simple with a twist-lock mechanism.  Note that this is a spring-loaded lock, which should last a long time but eventually may wear out.  The pivoting footplate helps the saw maneuver around poles, pipes, and other curved workpieces.

The innovative feature in this saw is the patented Buzzkill technology that reduces vibration.  The saw operates much smoother thanks to this addition, although it does contribute a bit to the added weight of the machine (again not necessarily a downside in our opinion).  The Buzzkill system works by introducing a counter-balance measure to the saw that helps offset the vibrations normally introduced into the saw body.  The vibrations that are normally introduced into a reciprocating saw’s body degrade performance as less energy is transferred to the blade; however, the SKILSAW remedies this by preserving energy sent to the blade by lowering the vibrations lost in the body.  One downside to the system is that it adds considerable bulk to the handle, which limits the number of forward handholds available when operating the saw.