FLEX 12″ Dual Bevel Cordless Miter Saw Kit – Model FX7141A-1J

FLEX 24V 12" Dual Bevel Miter Saw Kit

4.5/5

Manufacturer: FLEX
Model number: FX7141A-1J
Price: $799.99
Power source: 24v
Weight: 48.1 Lbs (bare)

FLEX, a tool manufacturer founded in 1922, developed the world’s first angle grinder in 1954.  FLEX has its headquarters in Germany and still operates independently, despite joining the parent company Chevron in 2013.  In North America, FLEX delivers power for professional contractors through their 24V cordless platform.

Features

• Voltage – 24V
• Blade Diameter: 12″
• Blade Arbor Hole – 1″
• No-Load Speed – 4,000 RPMs
• Max Miter Angle – L:0-52° / R:0-60°
• Max Bevel Angle – L: 0-48° / R:0-48°
• LED Shadow Line
• Weight – 48.1 Lbs (Bare Tool)

Kit Components

The FLEX FX7141A-1J miter saw kit comes with the following:

• Miter Saw – FX7141X
• 10Ah Stacked Lithium-Ion Battery – FX0341-1
• FLEX 24V 280W RAPID CHARGER – FX0421-2
• Dust Bag
• Dust Elbow
• Material Clamp
• On-board Allen wrench

Robust Design

The FLEX FX7141X Miter Saw weighs in at 48.1 lbs as a bare tool. All the moving parts on this saw are made of solid metal. Once the lever locks are engaged, neither the fence nor the table extensions move or wiggle. The fit and finish of the moving parts are excellent, as noted by the lack of slop or movement when secured in place.

Size

The FLEX miter saw has a large footprint that requires ample space to operate. The depth of the FLEX FX7141X measures 41-1/2″. That is from the front handle to the back of the sliding rail.  The measurement side to side with the base extensions fully open is 39-7/8″.  The height of the saw when closed and locked is 17-3/4″, however when open the height is 29-1/4″.

The miter saw has a top carrying handle as well as side carrying handles for the option of one or two-handed carry. These handle locations are comfortable and easy to use with gloves on. You should not carry this saw by the table extensions while they are extended.

When compared to other 12″ cordless miter saws, this FLEX saw is similar in size and weight.  Most remodeling contractors do not want to lug around a large, heavy saw like this. Our opinion is if you have this saw on a mobile stand to assist with transportation you should be ok. If not mounted on a mobile stand, this saw is better suited in the shop.

Spindle Locking Mechanism

The FLEX miter saw comes with a unique spindle locking mechanism lever which is different than your typical push button spindle lock.  FLEX calls it SpindleStop and the operator no longer has to hold down the spindle lock button while trying to loosen the blade bolt.

To remove the saw blade simply push the spindle lock lever down and rotate the blade slowly until it fully seats into its locked position. Then use the on-board Allen wrench, which is stored behind the right fence, to remove the blade bolt. This process is super simple to achieve. Because this feature stays locked in place until the level is returned back, FLEX has built-in a safety feature. When the main switch is pressed while the spindle lock is engaged, the LED shadow light will flash as a reminder to disengage the spindle lock.

Handle Design

The main switch has a lock-off safety lever that must be moved to the left to be able to depress the main switch. The safety lever keeps the saw from accidentally being turned on. The handle is large with a large opening allowing easy access for the operator to have gloves on.

The LED shadow light system is controlled by the shadow light switch and is independent of the miter saw main switch. This switch is located on the handle and can easily be engaged while holding the handle. This handle is comfortable for both left-handed and right-handed users.

Run-Time Test

FLEX claims that this saw will make 630 crosscuts in 3-1/4” MDF baseboard trim.  This run-time test is based on the saw running on a 10.0 Ah Stacked 24V lithium-ion battery. A run-time test was conducted on the FLEX FX7141X.

For the run-time test, repetitive cuts were made using 2×6 KD lumber until the battery was exhausted. The saw was started and brought up to full speed. The saw was brought forward, the cut was made and waited for the blade to stop. Cuts made were 3/4″ wide on the lumber using a positive stop and a vise clamp. The cut piece was removed and then the process was repeated.

The test was conducted with a fully charged 24V 10.0 Ah battery, which is included when you purchase the kitted version.  The results of this run-time test were 222 cuts in 2×6 KD lumber. After the 222nd cut, the saw would not turn back on. The LED light just flashed indicating a dead battery.

AC/DC ADAPTER

The FLEX miter saw is AC/DC compatible and uses an AC battery-like adapter. This feature is designed for long-duration remodeling jobs where constantly changing and charging batteries can be avoided or at the end of the day when your batteries are depleted but there is still more work to be accomplished.

The connection at the adapter pivots to eliminate wear and tear when the saw is angled or beveled. The FLEX adapter comes with a 12-foot cord section that allows for freedom of movement for various workspaces and applications. The adapter is also wall mountable, perfect if you are using the saw in your workshop.

Dust Collection

The FLEX FX7141A-1J kit comes with two options for dust collection. When purchasing, the users get a saw dust bag and a vacuum adapter. The vacuum adapter accepts vacuum hoses with diameters 1¼” (32mm) or 1½” (38mm).

The saw features a large rubber chute that collects dust, which functions adequately. It was observed that a considerable amount of sawdust accumulated on the back of the saw following the completion of the run-time test. A dust extractor, which had recently been emptied and fitted with new filters, was connected to the saw during the run-time test.

Ease of Use | Bevel and Miter

The miter gauge is easy to read with black letters on the silver plate. The gauge can be easily adjusted with a set screw and the on-board wrench (same tool as the hex key for blade change). The saw did require some adjusting of the set screw to get the blade perfectly dialed in.

The miter saw will bevel 52° to the left and 60° to the right. There are several positive detents at the common angles of 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, and 45° both right and left. There is a button to press to eliminate the positive detents and set it to the desired angle. You can push the handle down to lock your non-detented angle.

The bevel adjustment handle has stages. If you pull the handle up one click, it will loosen the handle and it will stop at the next positive detent in the direction left or right. When you pull the handle forward completely towards you, it allows you to move to the desired angle. Once you have reached the desired angle, push the handle back down to lock it into place.

Positive Bevel Detents

• 0°
• 22.5° Left and Right
• 33.9° Left and Right
• 45° Left and Right

Cut Line | LED Light

Miter saws with lights on both sides of the blade to create a kerf width shadow is a significant improvement in precision cutting technology. This LED cut line provides users with clear and exact cut lines, resulting in unmatched accuracy. Many Tool Box Buzz crew members prefer the LED light shadow line versus a laser line. 

LED work light can be turned on by the momentary switch that will automatically turn off after 1 minute if the saw is not in use. One minute is too long for the light to stay on. 20-30 seconds is more than enough time to illuminate the work surface. The light is also activated automatically every time the tool’s main trigger is pulled. The LED worklight begins to flash when the battery is near the end of its charge.

FLEX FX7141X | Buying Options

The FLEX FX7141X is sold in two options; bare tool or in a kit.  The bare tool option gets you the saw, a dust bag, a vacuum adapter, a material clamp, and a blade change wrench for $599.99. The kitted version will give you the same as the bare tool but adds a 10Ah stacked lithium-ion battery (FX0341) and the 280w charger (FX0421) and costs $799.99. The AC/DC power adapter (FX0511-Z) is not included in the kitted version and sells separately for $199.00

Overall Thoughts

FLEX continues to impress the Tool Box Buzz Crew with its well-designed, well-thought-out power tools. FLEX continues to make waves not only in the power tool category but also in the lighting, accessories, and tool storage areas. We were impressed with FLEX’s cordless miter saw with a long run-time on a 24V 10Ah stacked lithium-ion battery with the option of AC/DC power. Their power tools are always finishing near the top on our Head-To-Head tests and we feel that when we do another large Cordless Miter Saw Head-To-Head this FLEX FX7141X will not be any different.

FLEX 24V 12″ Dual Bevel Miter Saw Kit Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Top Cordless 1″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer | Head-To-Head

In our head-to-head comparison, we focused on 1″ SDS-Plus rotary hammers with drop motors, catering to the largest group of SDS-Plus users. These drills are widely utilized by mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and building trades for tasks such as installing 3″ drop anchors, wedge anchors, screw anchors and chipping concrete.

Why Drop Motors?

The 1-inch SDS-Plus drop motor hammers are among the most popular drills on the market due to their compact size and versatility. They offer versatility and efficiency for various applications, making them a preferred choice for many users across different industries. Despite the rise in popularity of drop motor designs, some users still prefer the traditional D-handle style for specific applications such working in concrete forms or for ceiling and floor work.

SDS stands for Slotted Drive System or Slotted Drive Shaft, it was invented by Bosch in 1975. SDS and SDS-Plus are interchangeable, SDS-Plus is a newer standard featuring 4 splines for a more secure chuck fitment.

Our Objective

For us at Tool Box Buzz, our goal is to empower you to make informed decisions when selecting the best SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Drill.

By providing comprehensive reviews and insights into the performance, features, and usability of each rotary hammer, we hope to assist you in finding the perfect tool for your projects. Whether you prioritize compactness, power, versatility, or ergonomics, we’re here to help you make the right choice.

Cordless SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Lineup

Eleven manufacturers have submitted 15 contenders for the 1-inch SDS-Plus category, all designed for use on their 18-volt to 60-volt cordless platforms. Not every manufacturer labels their SDS-Plus drills as precisely 1 inch, so the range of testing spans from ⅞ inch to 1-⅛ inch.

BOSCH 18v Bulldog

Model – GBH18v-24C
Voltage – 18v
Size – 1”
RPMs – 980
BPMs – 0-4,350
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.80
Weight – 8.7 Lbs
Price – $270.00

DEWALT XR

Model – DCH273
Voltage – 20V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1,100
BPMs – 0-4,600
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.55
Weight – 7.1 Lbs
Price – $329.00

DEWALT Flexvolt

Model – DCH416
Voltage – 60V
Size – 1-¼”
RPMs – 540
BPMs – 0-4,200
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 4.5
Weight – 12.25 Lbs
Price – $499.00

FLEX

Model – FX15511A-Z
Voltage – 24V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 980
BPMs – 0-4,350
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.9
Weight – 9.45 Lbs
Price – $299.00

HILTI Nuron

Model – TE 6-22 DRS
Voltage – 22V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1050
BPMs – 0-5100
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.9
Weight – 8.1 Lbs
Price – $434.00

KOBALT

Model – KRH 124B-03
Voltage – 24V
Size – ⅞”
RPMs – 1,400
BPMs – 0-4,500
Weight – 6.15 Lbs
Price – $99.00

MAKITA 18v LXT

Model – XRH01Z

Voltage – 18VSize – 1”
RPMs – 950
BPMs – 0-4,700
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.7
Weight – 7.55 Lbs
Price – $379.00

MAKITA 36v LXT

Model – XRH05Z
Voltage – 36V (18v X 2)
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1,250
BPMs – 0-5,000
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 2.2
Weight – 10.3 Lbs
Price – $519.00

MAKITA 40v XGT

Model – GRH01Z
Voltage – 40V
Size – 1-1/8”
RPMs – 980
BPMs – 0-5000
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 2.8
Weight – 9.44 Lbs
Price – $589.00

Metabo

Model – KH18LTXBL28Q

Voltage – 18v
Size – 1-⅛”
RPMs – 1,000
BPMs – 0-4,470
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 3.0
Weight – 9.8 Lbs
Price – $361

METABO HPT 18v

Model – DH1826DALQ4
Voltage – 18V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1,050
BPMs – 0-3,950
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.9
Weight – 8.05 Lbs
Price – $209.00

METABO HPT 36v

Model – DH3628DAQ4
Voltage – 36V
Size – 1-⅛”
RPMs – 950
BPMs – 0-4,300
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 2.3
Weight – 9.4 Lbs
Price – $279.00

MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL

Model – 2912-20
Voltage – 18V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1,330
BPMs – 0-4,800
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 2.0
Weight – 9.25 Lbs
Price – $349.00

RIDGID

Model – R86712B
Voltage – 18V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1,400
BPMs – 0-5,000
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.5
Weight – 8.05 Lbs
Price – $269.00

RYOBI

Model – P223
Voltage – 18V
Size – 1”
RPMs – 1,380
BPMs – 0-5,000
Blow Energy [Ft-Lbs] – 1.5
Weight – 7.45 Lbs
Price – $189.00

Head-To-Head Testing Criteria

Our team meticulously evaluated these cordless SDS-Plus rotary hammers, across five categories and ranked them.

1. Performance Test – Speed at drilling various size holes in concrete.
2. Efficiency Test – Run-time test of recommended battery normalized for Watt-Hour capacity.
3. Size and Weight – Size matters and weight can get cumbersome. We measured the dimensions and weight of each concrete drill as tested with batteries. [not factored in overall ranking]
4. On-Board Dust Collection – we tested and ranked features.
5. User Experience- Combination of features, ergonomics and subjective user evaluations.
   Additionally we included price, and best value charts for your consideration.

Silica Dust

The Tool Box Buzz Team recognizes the significant dangers that exposure to silica dust can pose to workers. While we always strive to use any and all personal protective equipment, there are times when we may omit certain PPE during testing. We want to remind anyone that uses concrete cutting and drilling tools to use proper protective equipment to prevent silica dust exposure.

Performance Evaluation | Drilling Test

This test evaluated the speed in which the tools could drill 3-inch deep holes into concrete with 4 different bit sizes. The drilling substrate used was 3,500 psi concrete blocks, 12” x 24” x 4.5″ deep. These concrete blocks had cured for 6-months.

Performance Test Procedure

Drill Sizes Evaluated: ¼”, ⅜”, ½”, and 1″ SDS-Plus rotary drill bits.

1. Five holes drilled to a depth of 3” using a depth rod and blue tape for accuracy.
2. Each hole was timed, and an average recorded.
3. All drills equipped with new Milwaukee SDS-Plus rotary drill bits.
4. Operators instructed to maintain consistent pressure and let the drill do the work.
5. Dust extractors were not utilized.
6. Technique emphasized to ensure fair comparison.

Performance Test Winner – Milwaukee

Milwaukee dominated three out of the four speed tests, earning an impressive overall score of 5. DEWALT’S 60V FlexVolt secured second place with an overall score of 15, excelling particularly with the 1-inch bit test. Hilti and Ridgid claimed third place with an overall score of 18. Metabo followed with a score of 21. The Metabo was not a remarkable tool, but was a consistent “power-house performer.”

Individual Test Results | Top 3

¼” Rotary Bit Results

• Milwaukee: 4.19 seconds
• DEWALT 60V: 4.63 seconds
• Hilti: 5.49 seconds

⅜” Rotary Bit Results

• Milwaukee: 4.93 seconds
• Ridgid: 5.24 seconds
• DEWALT 20: 5.88 seconds

½” Rotary Bit Results

• Milwaukee: 4.36 seconds
• Ridgid: 5.43 seconds
• Hilti: 5.57 seconds

1” Rotary Bit Results

• DEWALT 60V: 14.52 seconds
• Milwaukee: 21.63 seconds
• Metabo: 24.04 seconds

Note on DEWALT FlexVolt 60V Rotary Hammer

The DEWALT Flexvolt was an extremely powerful and heavy tool allowing it to shine in the 1-inch drill bit test and subsequent chipping evaluation.

Efficiency Evaluation | Normalized Run-time

Although run-time becomes less critical with sufficient battery capacity, we acknowledge it’s importance in specific scenarios such as with commercial users, installing numerous drop anchors in a day. With so many tools, battery voltages and sizes, we normalized run-time and investigated the efficiency of the tools energy available. Obviously some battery packs contain much more potential energy so it’s important to try and compare them based on the “size of the fuel tank”.

Efficiency Testing Procedure

1. Vacuums removed for this test.
2. All tools equipped with fresh batteries.
3. 1/2″ Milwaukee drill bits drilled to 3″ depth.
4. Operators instructed to maintain consistent pressure and let the drill do the work.
5. The total number of drilled holes were counted and scored.

Holes Drilled Per Watt-Hour – Winner Makita 18V

The Makita 18V drill claimed the top spot, surprising us all with it’s performance. This drill managed to complete 66.5 holes with a single 4 Ah battery with a 0.92 holes drilled per watt-hour.

Interestingly, the Makita 36-volt model, despite having twice the available watt-hours, only completed 82 holes, representing just a 23% increase in hole count which equated to only drilling 0.57 holes per watt-hour. This unique comparison between the two Makita drills highlights a design prioritization of efficiency vs power.

The Metabo 18 volt came in second place with 0.85 holes per watt-hour. Third place went to the DEWALT 20 volt with 0.82 holes per watt-hour.

Size and Weight – Not Used In Final Rankings

In the realm of SDS-Plus rotary hammers, size matters to some users. We measured the dimensions and weight of each drill, as tested (with Batteries / handle), and ranked them accordingly.

We felt the two most important factors for these drills were the weight and head length. Having a lightweight tool coupled with a compact size can be an important factor for some users. While we didn’t include this ranking in the final scoring we did account for the size and weight in our user experience rankings below. It’s interesting to see that most of the smaller / lighter tools didn’t perform as well as the heavier tools in the speed testing. Likely this is due to the size of the gear boxes, motors and housings.

In this category, the Kobalt drill boasted the shortest and lightest stature among all drills tested, clinching the top spot. Following closely in second place was the DEWALT 20V, which also showcased a compact form factor and lightweight design. The Ryobi drill secured third place in this ranking.

On-Board Dust Extractor Evaluation

On-board dust extractors are designed to be used as a system. Eight of these tools were sent with compatible on-board dust extractors to evaluate.

Dust Extractor Procedure

We tested the on-board dust extractors, ranking eight criteria:

1. Capacity – We drilled ½” x 3” holes until we saw dust “ant-hills” form around the hole. At that point we consider the capacity of the dust extractor full.
2. Visual inspection of capacity.
3. Filter cleaning – Self cleaning or manual function
4. Filter replacement – ease of removal.
5. Depth of hole with attachment.
6. Depth guide – ease of adjustment.
7. Replaceable head.
8. Weight.

On-Board Dust Extractor – Winner Hilti

The Hilti came in first place in the on-board dust extractor category. It was feature rich with its replaceable head, depth guide, and filter cleaning options. Despite clinching the top position, the team collectively noted that the dust canister could be improved by being translucent for better visibility, and the filter could be easier to detach from the canister.

In terms of “capacity” performance, the Hilti canister maintained dust extraction efficiency for 14 holes. Milwaukee drilled 10.5 holes, and Makita 40V managed 15 holes.  Surprisingly, the Metabo HPT drilled 21.5 holes, and the DEWALT 20V drilled 22 holes, but didn’t excel  in other feature comparisons.

User Experience – [Tie] Winner Hilti and Makita 40V

User experience (UX) encompasses the overall satisfaction and ease of use that a tool provides to its users. In this category, our team of Pro users provided subjective rankings for the user experience while handling these rotary hammers. This ranking was based on various factors experienced, including grip, balance, vibration, line of sight, ease of use, fatigue factor, and overall comfort.

The team identified four drills as top performers during testing. The Hilti and Makita were tied for first place, closely followed by a tie between the DEWALT 20V and Milwaukee 18V. All four of these tools exhibited commendable performance in our testing and were noted for their user experience.

Rotational Force | Bind Test – Not Ranked

When a drill binds, it has the potential to violently spin the tool around potentially injuring the user.
To assess the performance in binding situations, we conducted a subjective test by drilling a 1-inch diameter, 8-inch, deep hole in concrete and side load force.

3 Types of Safety Shut-Offs in Rotary Hammers

1. Accelerometer – An electronic component integrated into the tool that detects sudden rotation and initiates an automatic shutdown.
2. Mechanical – Utilizes a straightforward mechanical clutch mechanism whereby the tool continues to run, but the bit stops spinning when the clutch is engaged.
3. Electronic Overload – An electronic overload function is activated either before the mechanical clutch or during specific binding scenarios. This electronic overload serves to safeguard the electronics, motor, and battery, while also acting as a safety feature in certain situations.

Rotational Force Findings

During our testing, all of these tools effectively shut off when the tool was bound up and the user had a firm grip on both the tool and the auxiliary handle.

Standout tools featured all three safety mechanisms, predominantly found in higher-end models such as those from Bosch, Hilti, Makita (40-volt) and Milwaukee. These tools successfully incorporated all three mechanisms that we were able to activate during field testing.

Chipping Test – Winner DEWALT 60V

Our chipping testing methodology was primarily subjective in nature. We employed our drill testing blocks to conduct the chipping tests.

TBB Crew users utilized the rotary hammers to break up the test blocks, after which they provided feedback via a form detailing their chipping experience.

The consensus from our testing suggests that there’s a “secret sauce” combination of impact energy and beats per minute (BPM) that yields optimal chipping power. This mix of factors seems to be instrumental in achieving productive chipping results.

The DEWALT 60V was the largest and heaviest tool in the group and with 4.5 FT-LBS of energy, it’s no surprise that it excelled at chipping, taking first place

The DEWALT Flexvolt was a “jack hammer disguised as a drill  ~ TBB Crew Wes Bartosik

The Makita 40V came in second. It has tons of power and minimal vibrations felt, due to its well throughout decoupling. The Milwaukee 18V came in third place. It delivers an incredible amount of energy on impact and was very controllable while cutting scribe lines.

SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer | Price – Not Included In Final Scoring

Most manufacturers offer these rotary hammers in kit form, bundling the tool with a battery optimized for performance while maintaining a manageable weight. Achieving the best user experience hinges on finding the right balance between weight, balance, and power to accomplish tasks efficiently.

For your reference, we have listed bare tool pricing below, although this wasn’t factored into our final scoring. As an illustration of the cost range, the Kobalt is available as a bare tool for $99.00, while the Makita 40-volt model is priced at $589.00. Please refer to the attached chart for further details.

Best Cordless 1-Inch SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer – Winner Milwaukee 18V

While impact energy undoubtedly influences a tool’s performance, it’s crucial to recognize that it’s not the sole determinant of effectiveness. Other factors, such as RPM and BPM, also play significant roles in achieving the desired outcome for the user. Harmonizing impact energy, RPM, and BPM is essential to optimize the tool’s overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Decisions should be based on considerations related to ergonomics, safety, and mechanical performance. Balancing these aspects ensures that the tool not only performs well but also prioritizes the safety and user experience of the user.

It’s noteworthy that when ranking our categories, we assigned double weight to performance scores, considering it the most valuable category.

Milwaukee claimed the top spot in performance, secured second place in dust extraction, and ranked third in both user experience (UX) and chipping. Its overall performance stood out as the clear winner.

Second Place honors go to the Makita 40V.  This Makita excelled in UX, chipping and dust extraction. The Makita 40V was a favorite among the crew, tying with Hilti for the top spot in UX.

Hilti rounded out the podium in 3rd place.  The Hili was also heavily sought after by the crew and ranking first in the UX category, boasting the best dust extraction, and coming in eighth in performance testing and fourth in chipping.

Tied for fourth place was Metabo and DEWALT 60V. Metabo stood out with it’s second place in efficiency and scored well in both user experience and chipping. The DEWALT 60V was impressive in the chipping tests and performance.

Best Value 1″  SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer – Winner Ridgid

This category winner often strikes a chord with users as it showcases an SDS-Plus drill that performs admirably while being more budget-friendly. In many respects, it’s a category of significant importance, sometimes overshadowing the top-ranked contender, crowned king of our 1″ SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Head-to-Head Test.

The Ridgid 18V, priced at $269 as a bare tool, claimed victory in this category. Despite landing in seventh place overall, it delivered commendable performance, securing a solid fifth place rank in our performance testing. We often refer to Ridgid as the “hidden gem” of the tool industry.

Best 1″ SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer | Closing Comments

1″ SDS-Plus rotary hammers are essential tools for contractors seeking efficient, versatile, and reliable solutions for drilling and hammering tasks in concrete and masonry materials.

We often receive inquiries about our final rankings and understand that there are numerous ways to compare tools.

Our primary goal during testing is to attain repeatable and consistent results. We make sure to share all the data from our tests so that users can re-rank the tools according to their preferences. If there’s a specific aspect you don’t find relevant, feel free to remove it from the matrix above and re-evaluate the rankings accordingly.

We hope you find this Head-To-Head comparison useful when considering the purchase of a 1″ cordless SDS-Plus rotary hammer. Please take a moment to explore our other Head-to-Head tests at ToolBoxBuzz.com.

Thanks, “the TBBCrew.”

Best 1-inch SDS-PLUS Rotary Hammer Video Review

Best Cordless 1 Inch SDS Plus Rotary Hammer – 2024 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Cordless Impact Driver

There’s no doubt that Impact Drivers have completely changed the construction industry and drastically improved both productivity and quality. Impact drivers allow users to install screws, structural fasteners and small bolts more efficiently than a drill. Impact drivers drastically reduce broken fasteners, stripped screw heads and costly delays. An impact driver relies on a hammer and anvil mechanism to deploy rotational force when fastener resistance is encountered.   

In our Best Cordless Impact Driver Head-To-Head test, we’ve selected 19 full-size impact drivers from a wide range of manufacturers. We invited all of the major manufacturers to participate, with some brands sending multiple impact drivers.

 

Features Qualitative Scoring Results
MFG	Score	Rank
Bosch	1	1
Makita 18v	2	2
Makita 40v	2	2
Skil	2	2
Festool	3	5
FLEX	3	5
Kobalt	3	5
Metabo HPT 18DC	3	5
Metabo HPT 18DBD	3	5
Metabo HPT 36v	3	5
Milwaukee	3	5
Ridgid	3	5
Ryobi	3	5
DEWALT	4	14
Hilti	4	14
Metabo 18 LT	4	14
Metabo 18LTX	4	14
FEIN	5	18
Hart	5	18

WP DataTables

Best Size and Weight | Winner DEWALT

Size matters to users, in this case, they want a smaller, compact impact driver that still has the power for the applications they need to deploy it in. Compact also means that the tool can be used in more situations, think of tight spot applications like sistering floor joists with a 5 or 6-inch fastener,  in between joist bays. We felt the two most important factors for an impact driver were the weight and head length.  Having a lightweight tool when working overhead, coupled with a compact size that can fit into small openings is a huge win.

To determine a final ranking for size and weight, each driver was weighed without the battery and the head length, from bit holder/collet to back was measured.  Each of these values were ranked separately and then combined into a single factor to determine the winner.   The DEWALT was the most compact impact driver of the bunch. It measures 3.9″ and weighs 2.1 lbs and is 1/2″ smaller than the 2nd place Metabo HPT 18DC  which measures 4.51 inches and measures 2.0 lbs.  Third place was the Makita 18V measures 4.53  inches and weighs 1.9 lbs.

An interesting fact is that all of the tools weigh from 1.9 lbs. to 3.3 lbs.

MFG	Length (in)	Weight (lb)	Rank
DEWALT	3.94	2.10	1
Metabo HPT DC	4.51	2.00	2
Makita 18v	4.53	1.90	3
Milwaukee	4.48	2.20	4
Makita 40v	4.77	2.20	5
Metabo 18V LTX	5.10	2.10	6
Ridgid	5.02	2.20	7
Festool	5.17	2.12	8
Metabo HPT 36v	4.52	2.50	8
Hilti	5.44	2.20	10
Skil	4.92	2.47	10
FLEX	4.68	2.70	12
Kobalt	5.27	2.40	12
FEIN	6.00	2.20	14
Metabo HPT DBD	5.04	2.90	15
Hart	5.82	2.50	16
Ryobi	5.60	2.55	16
Metabo 18 LT	5.64	2.60	18
Bosch	5.82	2.60	19

WP DataTables

Best Cordless Impact Price  | Winner Skil

Price is undoubtedly an important consideration when buying tools, especially for those of you who are just starting out in the trades. We can certainly agree on that and also agree that the majority of contractors have strong brand loyalty and would rather continue with their current battery platform than venture out and create a new line of cordless power tools.

We did not include the price in our scoring criteria but included bare tool pricing for you to use as needed.

The best-priced impact driver was the  Skil coming in at $69.99 bare tool. The second lowest price was the Hart at $77.85 and the third was the Bosch at $99.00. The team all agrees that the Skil and Hart impact drivers fall into the DIY category for users.

There are several pro-grade impact drivers in this test, I’ll use the Festool as an example. In their research and testing Festool found that the most frequent failure point on impact drivers was the anvil mechanism, so they adjusted the shape and material hardness of their anvil to increase the lifespan of the tool. They also decreased the internal strike speed (BPM) so it was less likely to break.

Festool also incorporated a longer trigger which allows for finer control of the variable speed trigger making it easier to manually control slow speed on hardware attachment. The moral of the story here is that pro-grade tools are designed to last longer, for us PROs a tool is an investment that is needed for our livelihood – invest wisely!

Best Cordless Impact Driver Head-To-Head | 2023 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best 18V-24V Cordless Reciprocating Saw Head-To-Head |2022

Over 70 years ago (1951 to be exact) Milwaukee Tools introduced the first reciprocating saw called the SAWZALL. Since then technology has advanced dramatically. Currently, there is a plethora of full-size cordless reciprocating saws that are being used on millions of job sites every day!

Demolition contractors, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, mechanical contractors (both residential and commercial), and even firefighters are among the users. We can’t think of another power instrument that touches so many diverse trades than the reciprocating saw.

Cordless Reciprocating Saw Line Up

Fifteen manufacturers sent us their best cordless reciprocating saw on their 18v-24v platforms. We received the following 17 reciprocating saws for this Head-To-Head.

Craftsman Reciprocating Saw

• Model: CMCS351B
• Voltage: 20V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3200 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/8″
• Weight: 6.92 LBS
• Price: $99.00

DEWALT Reciprocating Saw

• Model: DCS386B
• Voltage: 20V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/8″
• Weight: 7.7 LBS
• Price: $169.00

FLEX Reciprocating Saw

• Model: FX2271-Z
• Voltage: 24V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 10.67 LBS
• Price: $199.00

Hart Reciprocating Saw

• Model: HPRS25
• Voltage: 20V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3200 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 5.0 LBS
• Price: $115.00

Hilti Reciprocating Saw

• Model: SR 6-22 #2240583
• Voltage: 22V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 2600 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 6.8 LBS
• Price: $299.00

Kobalt Reciprocating Saw

• Model: KXRS 124B-03
• Voltage: 24V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3100 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 6.4 LBS
• Price: $149.00

Kobalt Reciprocating Saw

• Model: KRS 224B-03
• Voltage: 24V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3100 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 6.0 LBS
• Price: $129.00

Makita Reciprocating Saw

• Model: XRJ05Z
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 8.2 LBS
• Price: $179.00

Metabo Reciprocating Saw

• Model: 602267850
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 2700 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 5.5 LBS
• Price: $179.00

Metabo HPT  Reciprocating Saw

• Model: CR18DBL
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 6.0 LBS
• Price: $139.00

Milwaukee  Sawzall Reciprocating Saw

• Model: 2822-20
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 6.8 LBS
• Price: $259.00

Milwaukee Sawzall Reciprocating Saw

• Model: 2722-20
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 8.8 LBS
• Price: $249.00

Porter-Cable Reciprocating Saw

• Model: PCC670B
• Voltage: 20V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1″
• Weight: 4.35 Lbs
• Price: $62.00

RIDGID Reciprocating Saw

• Model: R8647B
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3200 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 7.2 LBS
• Price: $189.00

Ryobi Reciprocating Saw

• Model: PBLRS01B
• Voltage: 18V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3200 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-1/4″
• Weight: 6.7 LBS
• Price: $149.00

Skil Reciprocating Saw

• Model: RS582902
• Voltage: 20V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1″
• Weight: 4.63 LBS
• Price: $89.99

WORX Reciprocating Saw

• Model: WX516L
• Voltage: 20V
• Stroke-Per-Minute: 3000 SPM
• Stroke Length: 1-3/16″
• Weight: 5.52 LBS
• Price: $109.00

Note: Bosch was asked to participate in this Reciprocating Saw Head-to-Head, however, they declined.

Head-to-Head Testing Format

For our Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw Head-to-Head, our team looked at a total of 9 criteria, which are listed below. Each criterion was ranked independently, and the “Overall Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw” was determined using a combination of the test results.

We wanted to develop various speed tests related to several significant trades for this Cordless Reciprocating Saw Head-to-Head. We created tests that appeal to the following users and added to the standard testing criteria we always add in our Head-To-Head tests.

1. General Contractor / Demolition [timed cut test]
2. Plumbing / Heating Contractors [timed cut test]
3. Electricians [timed cut test]
4. Features
5. Ergonomics
6. Size
7. Noise
8. Price
9. Best Value
   

Testing Blade Information

All reciprocating saws were fitted with task-specific, brand-new Milwaukee Nitrus Carbide blades before testing, which shifted the focus away from the blades and more toward the saws.

• Timed Test 1:   Gas Pipe for plumbers.
• Timed Test 2:  Unistrut for electricians.
• Timed Test 3:  Nail Embedded Wood for Carpenters and Remodelers.

NITRUS CARBIDE teeth on these reciprocating saw blades allow you to cut longer, and faster. Compared to standard carbide tooth blades, Milwaukee claims that the NITRUS CARBIDE technology outlasts existing carbide-toothed reciprocating saw blades by 3-times. Milwaukee uses 25% more Carbide per tooth on their NITRUS CARBIDE blades.

Battery Pack Guidelines

For this Head to Head, we requested manufacturers send us two of their batteries in the 4.0Ah to 6.0Ah range. This was to even out the playing field as some of these companies have very large batteries for these saws.

Testing Format Information

For the Nail Embedded and Uni-strut testing, we suspended a 10-pound weight from an anchor strap on the forward grip of each reciprocating saw to ensure that each saw received the same cutting pressure.

The cut began with both hands on the saw, the front hand was released to let the 10-pound weight draw the blade through the cut. Also, some of these saws include a variable speed option. We performed the tests using the highest factory-applied speed setting.

Jig Information

Tool Box Buzz has spent countless hours designing, building, and tweaking our test jig which allows us to remove human error in some of our testing.

To ensure a repeatable even cut, the jig is composed of 4 extruded aluminum towers that act as vertical rails for a mounting platform that holds and constrains the saw.  At the heart of the jig is a 3D-printed fractal vise that can move around irregular surfaces of the saw to provide even horizontal clamping force.  Additional straps are used to hold the saws in place.

All of the saws were fitted with new Milwaukee 6-inch TORCH blades. ( 7 TPI with Nitrus Carbide Teeth) – 48-00-5261

A timing system is used on the jig that takes advantage of two carefully positioned micro-switches that control the start and stop time of the cut.  Our process was to raise the saws above the material with an attached rope, start the saws at their highest setting and use a Velcro strap to keep the saw trigger in the “full-on” position.  The saw is carefully lowered into the cut and the micro-switch timing starts as the cut sequence is initiated.  At this time the weight of the saw and the weight of the mounting platform ~20lbs was the cutting force exerted into the cut.

Gas Pipe Speed Test | Winner – FLEX

This gas pipe test is designed for plumbing and heating contractors.  Using 1-1/2″ cylindrical black steel schedule 40 gas pipe. We utilized the new Milwaukee Torch blades suitable for the thick metal in each saw and timed three cuts using our testing rig. We used Rockwell Jawhorses to hold the pipe at the desired height while we cut.

The winner of the gas pipe test was the FLEX 2271-Z with an impressive average time of 4.71 seconds. Second place was the Kobalt KRS-224B with a time of 5.15 seconds and third was the Milwaukee One Key 2822-20 with 5.63 seconds. The slowest saw that actually finished the test was the WORX coming in at 16.42 seconds.

This test, combined with the weight of the testing jig proved to be a challenge for some of the saws and a borderline torture test. The strong cutting force really gave the more robust saws their moment to shine.

Hart, Kobalt KXRS, Metabo HPT, Porter Cable, Ryobi, and Skil could not complete the test and received a DNF [Did Not Finish]. The Metabo HPT and Kobalt saws were overloaded and went into thermal overload, a feature designed to protect the motor, automatically shutting the saw down. The Porter-Cable and Skill saw motors were also overloaded, but do not have thermal overload protection, so the testing team stopped the test.

Unistrut Speed Test | Winner – FLEX

For electricians and mechanical contractors, Uni-strut is a standardized formed structural system used for light structural support, frequently for supporting wiring, piping, or mechanical components.  In each saw, we utilized new Milwaukee TORCH, (6″ 7 TPI w/ Nitrus Carbide Teeth) – 48-00-5261, blades and recorded the average time for three cuts. We used a 10lb weight on an anchor strap and let the weight do the cutting.

The winner of this test was the FLEX 2271-Z with a speed of 3.67 seconds. Kobalt KRS in a close second with 4.23 seconds and third place went to the Makita 18v at 4.48 seconds.

Every saw was able to complete this test. The slowest saw of the group was the Ridgid R8647B coming in at a whopping 23.42 seconds.

Nail Embedded Wood Speed Test | Winner – Makita 18V

For our nail-embedded wood test, we took three 2×10 joists, fastened them together, and added five (5) 3-1/2″ nails into each 2×10 for a total of fifteen (15) nails. We used a 10 lb weight fixed to an anchor strap at the front of each saw and then plowed through three nail-embedded 2x10s with each cut.

This simulates heavy-duty demolition cutting for carpenters, remodelers, and general contractors. In each saw, we utilized a new Milwaukee WRECKER (9″ 6 TPI with Nitrus Carbide Teeth) –  48-00-5272, blade suited for nail-embedded wood, and timed three cuts.

The winner of this test was the Makita XRJ05Z with an impressive speed of 28.69 seconds. The team commented on how easy the Makita is to install the blade and the surprising cutting speed.

Two-hundredths of a second [.02] slower was the FLEX at 28.71. Finishing up in third place was the Milwaukee Super Sawzall 2722-20 with an average speed of 29.62.

Porter Cable had the longest cut time at 129.51 seconds. Skil was the only saw that did not finish a cut in the test [DNF], stopping a few seconds in.

Features | Winner – Milwaukee 2722-20 One-Key

Comparing tool features from different brands is challenging, but  “the devil is in the details.” We feel that a feature assessment is necessary and the entire team discussed these features and scored them.  Each feature was worth 1 point. The total number of points available was 7.

1. Rafter hook
2. Orbital action
3. Blade release lever
4. LED Light
5. Shoe plate
6. Variable speed
7. Standout Features

The winner of the feature section is the Milwaukee One Key 2822-20. This saw had a total of 7 points, with a perfect score. This saw was well-balanced, and has a super comfortable grip and over molding, a solid rafter hook, and a smooth spring lever for blade changing.  The crew noted that the back-light for electronic controls needs to be brighter or a different contrast for working in sunlight operations.

There was a two-way tie for second place, the Milwaukee Super Sawzall, and the Ridgid with 5 points each.

The only saw that did not have any of these features was the Porter Cable, which resulted in a 0 score.

Rafter Hook

Almost all of the saws with rafter hooks were metal hooks and a swivel mount. The Hilti was the only exception with a narrower, ABS plastic style hook.

Variable Speed

All the reciprocating tested had variable triggers, but only five allow for an upper RPM limit setting. Of those five, the Milwaukee Super Sawzall has a variable analog speed dial. The Milwaukee One-Key reciprocating allows three preset settings on the tool and additional customization RPM controlling and settings through the One-Key AP. 

Stand-Out Features

Standout features are ones that other saws do not have and should be thought about when making a purchase.

Milwaukee ONE-KEY

The Milwaukee 2722-20 is the first reciprocating saw in its field to wirelessly link to a smartphone and track, manage, and customize a tool’s usage and location. With Unlimited Tool Customization, you can connect to the device and access preset setups for particular materials and fasteners, or you can fully customize the output speed and power for the current application. The custom profile is then saved to the tool’s memory after the desired output performance has been attained, making the connection to the smartphone unnecessary. Up to 4 unique profiles can be conveniently accessed from the tool’s memory with the touch of a button. Additionally, your personalized profiles are kept in the cloud and accessible at any time.

Using tools across your network of jobs and users is completely visible with integrated tool tracking, which ONE-KEY offers. The app will track all ONE-KEY compatible devices within a 100-foot radius of your phone.

All devices are traceable regardless of whether the battery is charged or on the tool because the capability is built into the instrument rather than the battery.

The program will automatically keep track of the last time a tool was in its vicinity, making it easier to find missing tools and improving crew responsibility. If you’re having problems finding a misplaced tool, ask anyone with the ONE-KEY app for assistance in broadening your search.

Additionally, the One-Key also has fixed orbital action. This means you can not turn it on or off. Unlike the Super Sawzall, which has a selectable orbit, the One-Key detects the best orbital action for cutting material.

HILTI On!Track

The HILTI 22V Nuron tools generate data which is then stored on the Nuron batteries and sent securely to the cloud during every charge without any operator interaction. NURON batteries have an internal memory card that can simultaneously store information from up to 12 tools.

When the batteries are plugged into the charger, the data is automatically uploaded to the cloud via cellular networks without any setup required. This allows users to make data-driven decisions based on site-specific tool usage patterns. Using Hilt’s ON! Track software on app and web customers can track this information by user or job site or leave it at a tool level, whichever they prefer.

Together with services like Hilti Fleet Management [paid subscription service] tool data can be used to reduce downtime and optimize tool cribs to boost customer productivity.

While this is an excellent feature, the team feels it needs to do more for the majority of Pro contractor users who are unable or unwilling to subscribe to the Hilti Fleet Management services.

DEWALT Flexvolt Advantage

DEWALT FLEXVOLT Batteries can unlock more power and better performance with Flexvolt Advantage 20v Max tools. The FLEXVOLT ADVANTAGE technology-equipped tools are aware of the battery’s connection and alter their power output accordingly. When combined with FLEXVOLT batteries, DEWALT 20V MAX* tools with FLEXVOLT ADVANTAGE technology give end users greater power.

Ergonomics | Winner – Milwaukee 2822-20  One-key

The ergonomics evaluation in this section is purely subjective and based on the opinions of the testing crew. After a full day of running performance tests, the team sat down and ranked each tool in several categories on a score of 1-10 [1 being the best]. For the ergonomics evaluation, the team evaluated the following criteria:

1. Subjective Vibration
2. Grip comfort
3. Ease of Blade Change
4. Ease of Shoe Plate Adjustment

The Milwaukee One-key reciprocating saw came in with a six score and never dropped below 2nd place in the four tested categories.  Hilti saw came in 2nd with an eight score. Third place went to the flex with double the points of the first two saws with a score of 15.

Subjective Vibration

Each evaluator ranked the tools based on perceived vibration for this category while performing each performance test. The average ranking was used for the final vibration ranking.

Vibration standouts:

The FLEX and Metabo HPT saws had minimal vibration.  The FLEX  saw includes active vibration control with FLEX’s “Shockshield Vibration Suppression.” According to FLEX, it reduces vibration by 40%.  In our testing, without knowing this information, the entire crew all commented that the FLEX was one of the saws with the least vibration.  Impressively it did this without bogging down or a reduction in power.

FLEX was “smooth as silk” to operate. ~ Rob

Grip Comfort

The crew collectively assessed how the grip surface, hand shape, and over-molding felt. Grip comfort is probably the hardest to score as a team due to the wide range of shapes and sizes of hands the team members have.

Grip Standout: DEWALT and Hilti

The team felt that the DEWALT and the Hilti saws had the most comfortable grip.

Ease of Blade Change

Every tool in this category included a tool-free blade change design. The comparison focused on the ease of changing blades. The entire team favored the external spring-loaded lever used to change the blade. The rest of the saw uses a spring-loaded twisting collet to change the blade.

Blade Change Standouts: DEWALT and Hart

Both the DEWALT and Hart saws use a spring-loaded lever to release or insert the blade. This lever was easy to operate with or without gloves.

The FLEX and Makita collets lock open and allow the blade to be inserted without twisting. The issue the team had with the collets was that many were difficult to grip, impossible to operate with gloves on, and the collet could sometimes get “buried” inside the housing of the tool, necessitating you to pull the trigger to reach the collet.

Shoe Plate Adjustment

Of the tools that had shoe plate adjustment the ones that did were controlled by either of the following:

• Lever  [A team favorite]
• Push button
• Allen key

It’s 2022, and onboard hex keys for shoe plate adjustments seem archaic but not having an adjustable shoe plate is silly. – TBB Crew Scott

FLEX has a push button on the front of the tool’s housing. During the testing, this button was recessed and got stuck inside the housing- making it impossible to adjust the shoe plate. Upon further inspection, there did not appear to be any debris build-up. The consensus was that the fit and finish of this mechanism needed to improve.

The two Kobalt Saws – have an ergonomically placed, single button, that adjusts the shoe easily. The shoe extends to the furthest point but does not come out of the tools.  The team liked that, but this button could inadvertently be hit while in operation.

The Milwaukee M18 One-Key saw has two buttons, on each side, to easily release the shoe plate completely. Dual controls need to be pressed at the same time, making a using mishap unlikely.

Size | Winner – Porter Cable

To compare the saws’ overall size (compactness), the length ranking and the weight ranking were added together. The tools were ranked from smallest to largest and least heavy to heaviest. Smaller more compact tools are easier to operate in tight spaces and weight is always a fatigue factor.

Let’s face it, a saw lighter in weight and packs a punch [power] transcends into unicorn status!  Weight is a huge consideration, after the performance, when using a reciprocating saw. The larger size saws translated into performance in our testing, we sure wish it were the opposite.

You often operate a reciprocating saw overhead, and the task can quickly cause fatigue. During the evaluation process, each reciprocating saw was weighed on our digital scale WITHOUT a battery. There are so many variations of battery packs on the market; some operators may choose a smaller battery pack for overhead tasks, and some may not.

Porter Cable took the size category measuring 15″ in length and weighing in at 4.35 lbs as a bare tool. Second place was the Skil which is 16″ in length and 4.83 lbs. Third went to Hart with 17-1/2″ and 5.00 lbs respectively.

The longest-length saw we tested was the Milwaukee One Key at 21-1/2″, placing it in last place when added with a weight of 8.80lbs. The heaviest saw was the FLEX, weighing 10.67 lbs which when added to its length of 18″, ranks it 15th out of 17 saws.

Noise Saw | Winner  – HILTI

OSHA allows 8 hours of exposure for noise levels up to 90 decibels, but the exposure limits drop rapidly at 95 decibels and higher. Hearing protection should be worn when operating a reciprocating saw because they are extremely loud.

We used a decibel meter to measure the saw’s dB level in a no-load situation at a set distance of the same height as a user’s ear spacing to test these saws consistently. The crucial point is that the saws were always compared against each other, despite decibel measurements being relative to any setting. We evaluated these saws in a no-load capacity; nevertheless, when the saws are loaded, the noise level increases and the cutting material dictates the noise level.

The saw that was the quietest was the HILTI Nuron at 87 dBs. The second quietest saw was the Metabo at 92.0 decibels. The loudest reciprocating saw we tested was the Hart at 102.8 decibels.

Best Reciprocating Saw Price | Winner – Porter Cable

Price is always a consideration when deciding which saw is best for a user. For each of the saws “as-tested,” we’ve given the current bare tool pricing discovered online at the time of writing.

The price of a tool can sometimes be the deciding factor in whether or not to buy it. We can all agree that price is an essential factor to consider when purchasing tools, especially for those of you who are just getting started in the trades. We also understand that most contractors are brand loyal and will prefer to stick with their current battery platform rather than branch out and build a new line of cordless instruments.

The reciprocating saw that cost the least was the Porter Cable coming in at $62.00 bare tool. The second cheapest-priced saw was the Skil at $89.99 [this is the kit price]. Both of these saws fall into the DIY category for saws.

The most expensive saw we tested was the Hilti Nuron which came in at $299.00 bare tool.

We did not include the price in our overall score as we felt the lesser-priced DIY saws would penalize the higher-priced, better-performing Pro-rated saws. We have pricing in its own section for you to use as you need to. Most of these saws may be found at your local big box stores, and almost all of them can be found online like ACME Tools or Amazon.

Best Value Reciprocating Saw | Winner – Kobalt KRS 224B-03

This category winner often resonates with almost everyone, because shines on the tool that performs well in our tests, while not breaking the bank. The best value reciprocating saw is the Kobalt KRS 224B-03, which came fifth place overall [out of 17 tools] and is the fifth least expensive saw, priced at $129.00 [bare tool].  This saw came in 4th place in Features, top 10 in the nail-embedded cutting test, second place in gas pipe testing, and fifth in the uni-strut cut test. It’s a solid-performing, well-priced tool and one that anyone would be happy using.

Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw | Winner – FLEX

It’s evident to the team that Flex is pushing hard on the gas pedal to enter the Pro market. This imposing saw is fantastic!

The Flex reciprocating saw was a clear winner in our testing process, with 37 awe-inspiring points. Flex shined in our performance testing, coming in 1st place in the gas pipe testing, 1st in uni-strut testing, and 2nd in nail-embedded wood.

It came in third in ergonomics and fourth in features. It is a large, stunningly powerful saw with low vibration; the team feels Flex has room to improve the blade change [collet] mechanism.

Second place was the Milwaukee One-key coming in with 44-points. A stand-out winner in ergonomics, with robust features and performance that never dipped below 5 in any cutting speed tests. The Milwaukee is a feature-rich, comfortable, robust saw. If the Flex is a suped-up, hyper-fast, and smooth-riding Chevy, the M18 Sawzall is clearly a Mercedes. Its only flaw was the hard-to-see controls in direct sunlight.

Third place goes to the Metabo 602267850. The Metabo performed held its own in every category, and their smaller footprint and lower decibel ratings propelled them to score higher in the ranks. This saw could use some improvement on vibration and the team was not a fan of the battery eject button, which is not easy to manipulate.

The MOST Comprehensive Information Available

Our ALL Pro contractor team put some serious time and effort into our Best Reciprocating Saw Head-to-Head evaluations to provide you with the most comprehensive information available.

These tests and evaluations are tough, take a lot of time, but are limited in scope. We cannot do long-term ROI testing that would determine longevity. However, the team does see a few of these tools “punch above their weight,” in our testing only to smoke out or leave us with questions about their longevity down the road. Many of those tools are also not considered pro brands.

We get lots of comments about how we make the final rankings. There are dozens of ways to compare tools; we share ALL the data from our tests, so you can re-rank the tools however you want. If you don’t care about an item we ranked? No problem. Remove that from the matrix above and re-rank them.

Other Head-to-Head Testing

In case you missed it, the crew at Tool Box Buzz has published four Head-To-Heads this year. If you have a moment, please check them out here:  Head-to-Head Tests.

Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw Head-To-Head Video | 2022

Best Cordless Reciprocating Saw Head-To-Head | 2022 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Cordless Rear Handle Circular Saw Head-to-Head 2022

What is the advantage of a rear handle circular saw? One of them is the extended reach you get, which is extremely helpful when cross-cutting sheet goods or long rips on framing lumber, the other is power.

This Head-to-Head is the third and final in-depth review on cordless circular saws we have published this past month. Our Best 7-1/4” Circular Saw Head to Head, Best 6-1/2” Circular Saw Head to Head, and now this, the Best Rear Handle Circular Saw.

The Tool Box Buzz Crew recently examined six saws, from five major brands of cordless, rear handle, 7-1/4″ circular saws. The saws ranged from 18V to 60V, and single and double battery packs in our testing. We devised a series of tests to determine which was the “Best Cordless Rear Handle Circular Saw.” Crew favorites will be highlighted, best in class categories will be named, endurance testing results will be revealed, and the crew’s coveted best overall rear circular saw will be named!

Cordless Rear Handle Circular Saw Specifications

Here is the list of specifications for all the Cordless Rear Handle 7-1/4″ Circular Saws the Tool Box Buzz Pro team tested in this Head-to-Head:

DEWALT – Model: DCS577B

• Volts: 60V
• No Load Speed: 5,800 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-7/16″
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-7/8″
• Bevel Capacity: 53°
• Weight: 12.7 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $249.00
• Mfg Link: DEWALT DCS577B 

Flex – Model: FX2141R

• Volts: 24V
• No Load Speed: 6,200 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-5/8″
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-7/8″
• Bevel Capacity:  53°
• Weight: 9.63 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $249.00
• Mfg Link: Flex FX2141R

Makita – Model: XSR01PT

• Volts: 36V (2- 18V)
• No Load Speed: 5,100 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-9/16″
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-3/4″
• Bevel Capacity: 53°
• Weight: 12.4 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $209.00
• Mfg Link: Makita XSR01PT

Makita – Model: GSR01M1

• Volts: 40V
• No Load Speed: 6,400 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-9/16″
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-3/4″
• Bevel Capacity: 53°
• Weight: 11.7 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $249.00
• Mfg Link: Makita GSR01M1

Metabo HPT – Model: C3607DW

• Volts: 18V
• No Load Speed: 5,100 RPM
• Max Cut Depth at 90°: 2-7/16″
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-3/4″
• Bevel Capacity: 53°
• Weight: 8.2 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $199.00
• Mfg Link: Metabo HPT C3607DW

Milwaukee – Model: 2830-20

• Volts: 18V
• No Load Speed: 5,800 RPMS
• Max Cut Depth at 90°:  2-1/2″
  
• Max Cut Depth at 45°: 1-7/8″
• Bevel Capacity: 53°
• Weight: 10.0 LBS
• Bare Tool Price: $269.00
• Mfg Link: Milwaukee 2830

Cordless Rear Handle Circular Saw Testing Format

For our Best Cordless Rear Handle Circular Saw review, our team looked at a total of seven criteria, which are listed below. Each of the criteria was ranked independently, and the “Overall Best Cordless Rear Handle” was determined using some of the combined test results.

• • Accuracy / Line of Sight – The accuracy and line of sight of the saws was compared including the ability to follow a cut line.
  • Performance [Power / Speed Test]– We looked at cutting speed through 2-layers of plywood as an indicator of saw motor performance.
  • Features – An overall comparison of features and specifications.
  • Weight – We measured bare tool only – no battery.
  • Noise – We used a decibel meter used to measure the tool under no-load cutting load conditions.
  • Price– When deciding which saw is best for a user, price is always a consideration. For each of the saws “as-tested,” we’ve given the current bare tool pricing discovered online at the time of writing.
  • Best Value – This category winner often resonates with most people because it performs well in tests while still being cost-effective.

Milwaukee Saw Blades – Model 48-40-0726 

Prior to testing, all circular saws were fitted with task-specific, brand new 24 tooth, 7’1/4″ Milwaukee blades, model 48-40-0720. The focus shifted away from the blades and toward the tools as a result. The use of uniform blades throughout the testing helped to preserve uniformity by removing an external testing variable.
The staff like Milwaukee blades because they cut exceptionally well.

For wood cutting applications, Milwaukee circular saw blades deliver extended life, increased precision, and cooler cuts. Milwaukee manufactures application-specific Cobalt Infused Tungsten Carbide blades that extend blade life and maintain tip sharpness. Laser Cut Vibration Slots in their blades decrease wobbling and warping.
The blades are protected against corrosion and gumming by an Anti-Friction Coating.

Accuracy Testing / Line of Sight – Winner Flex

For our accuracy test, we asked one experienced user to use every saw to freehand cut plywood and framing lumber, to rank the tools based on their performance. The saws were also checked at their 90° and 45° bevel settings for accuracy. We purposely had a single operator execute this to better control the test standardization. Our assumption was that multiple users might have slightly different techniques, and therefore results, as compared to a single Pro operator. We also tested the accuracy of the scales and slots in the base plate of the saw. If they are sufficiently accurate these scales and notches can be used to line up framing cuts without the need of marking lines before making cuts and can be a tremendous time saver!

For the accuracy category each of the circular saws was ranked on accuracy in the following areas:

• Scale/slot accuracy
• Bevel accuracy when set to 45 degrees.
• Cross-cut accuracy when set to 90 degrees (how perpendicular the cut is to the surface)

Unfortunately, the base plate kerfs on all but the Flex were disappointingly inaccurate. Bevel settings were decent across all saws and certainly accurate enough for most framing out of the box.

Performance Testing (Power/Speed)  – Winner DEWALT and Flexvolt

Plywood is one of the most used, if not THE most frequent, building materials. We used our Accu-cut jig to evaluate each tool’s cutting speed through two layers of 3/4′′ plywood for our Power/Speed test. For each tool, three runs were completed and the times were averaged.

The FLEX cut smooth, tracked well, was super powerful, and had good sight lines. ~ Rob Robillard

The fastest saw was the DEWALT DCS577B Flexvolt, cutting at an impressive time of 10.3 seconds.

There was just about a 3-second gap to the second-place winner of the Makita 36v saw at 13.1 seconds and the third-place winner was the Makita 40v rear handle at 14.8 seconds. 

A standout for me was the Makita 40V, it cuts fast and smooth, the DEWALT was a cutting beast, and its hard NOT to notice the lightweight Metabo HPT.  ~ Jeremy Kassel

Weighted Pulley System

The pulling force was provided by a weighted pulley system which pulled the circular saw through the material with consistent force. This approach has 2 main benefits:

• First, it allows a constant force to be applied to each saw in the same way that an operator tries to apply a constant force while cutting.
• Secondly, by allowing for natural resistance (as opposed to forcing a constant cutting speed via mechanical motors) it allows the saw to attempt to cut at its natural maximum speed based on the maximum RPMs of the motor. This also underscores the importance of using the same blade types on all of the saws.

The KREG sled fixture held the circular saws securely and level while the aluminum tracks kept the saw moving in a consistent and parallel fashion. The saws were in contact with the sled and the sled was in contact with the workpiece. During the course of testing, the fixture was performed with no issues. An automatic timer with contact switches was used to start and stop the timer for each test. Removing the human error element of a handheld stopwatch.

All the tools selected for this test were members of the 18V-60V high-performance line supplied by each manufacturer. Batteries used all fell in between 120 – 180 Watt-Hour capacity.

With many manufacturers electing to up the Voltage on their flagship lines like DEWALT’s 60V Flexvolt, Makita’s 40V XGT, and MetaboHPTs 36V Multivolt system, it is extremely limiting to narrow a field of competition down to a specific Voltage range. Tool companies are all experimenting with different voltage ranges, busbar materials, internal electronics, and battery configurations to try to maximize the energy transfer from their battery systems to the tool’s ultimate performance output.  Each tool is a complex system with a lot of variables.  The only thing we at Tool Box Buzz attempt to quantify is a measurement of the tool’s ultimate performance and in this case that was the speed of cut.

One piece of information and a variable we can control is the relative battery size across the competition.  To compare one manufacturer’s battery capacity to another, the Voltage and the Amp Hour rating need to be considered.  Multiplied together, you get a Watt-Hour capacity of the battery.  Below is a table of the saws in their tested configuration.  We found no correlation between Watt Hour and Performance, in fact, the DEWALT as tested had the lowest Wh battery at 120.

The DEWALT power is amazing, if I’m reaching for a rear handle saw, it’s because I want power!  ~ Ethan Bickford

Best Rear handle Cordless Circular Saw Features – Winner Makita 40 V

Trying to compare tool features from different brands is never easy, but the truth is in the specifics, thus a feature assessment is necessary.  All of these saws had solid, adjustable rafter hooks.

On a scale of one to five, the entire team used all of the tools in a variety of cutting scenarios including ripping LVL, cutting stringers, and beveling and ripping 2x stock, to test to rate the features on these saws. [The best score is 1]

Features that we looked at

• Blade Change | Spindle Lock
• Bevel
• Blade Depth
• Trigger | Grip
• Electric Brake
• Site line / Scale
• Rafter hook [not ranked]

Best Blade Change – Makita 40v

To ensure a quality cut and productivity on the job site, use a new and appropriate blade for your application. Blade replacement should be simple, safe, and convenient. We swapped out the blades on 5 saws, and while there were no clear standouts, a few major distinctions emerged during our tests, allowing us to determine the best-in-class winners.  

The 40v Makita has super easy to push and engages the spindle lock. The 40V Makita blade locked faster than any of the other saws and has more detents on the arbor lock, resulting in less spinning of the blade to lock the spindle. The DEWALT was a close second.

The Flex saw took third because the team all felt that the dust chute hindered accessing the spindle lock button. Once you get to the spindle lock, it has a solid, smooth feel to it, with plenty of detents.

Milwaukee’s plastic spindle lock feels cheap and has a lot of slop, but did have a decent amount of detents on the blade lock.

The Metabo HPT earned 5 scores because they do not have an onboard wrench. Every saw manufacturer should be able to figure that out. The Metabo HPT had the easiest to actuate spindle lock, with a ton of detents, but because no onboard wrench, it automatically placed it at the bottom.

Best Bevel – Both Makita Saws

A rear handle saw is very rarely, if ever, used for finish applications. It’s best to make your money cuts on the miter saw or a track saw. As a result, the best applications for beveling are rough framing tasks, where speed is key. The major performance indicator for this category is a bevel scale that allows users to rapidly select and check common bevel values.

The Flex saw allows for a 56-degree bevel but the “bevel-action” stinks and the base plate movement is “wicked” stiff. The base plate pivots on a pivoting rivet style connection and may loosen with time. Flex uses a selector switch to allow detent at 22.5, 45, and 56-degrees.

The rest of the saws will bevel to 53-degrees. The DEWALT has a smooth lever action with “ball-detents,” at 22.5, 45, and 53-degrees. While this saw was tight, our experience in the field is that this ball-detent gets sloppy over time.

The Makita saws have a positive bevel selector at 22.5,45 and 53-degrees. We found that the 40-volt saw was easier to adjust and was smoother than the 36-volt saw.

The MAKITA has an outstanding bevel selection, the knob [switch] is fantastic. It has good sight lines and an interesting dust port. ~ Ethan Bickford

The Milwaukee has no stops and has a best nice scale, that is sharp and easy to read. The action on the saws bevel was the smoothest, but you have to hunt for 45- degrees. It would be nice to have a detent.

The Milwaukee is powerful but it has no redeeming features, it’d be a better saw if they could lessen the weight and speed up the cut. ~ Jeremy Kassel

Metabo HPT has a rudimentary scale, and you have to shift the bevel lever to get to 53-degrees.  the team felt that the action and adjustment on this saw was a “sloppy mess.”

Best Blade Depth Adjustment – Both Makitas

Our team agreed that establishing the depth should be done on the workpiece by checking where the blade goes past the material to be cut. Still, there’s much to be said about a gauge that can set the depth of the saw fast and accurately.

Makita has a really nice action, coupled with a large non-slip, rubberized lever with no sharp edges.

Metabo HTP does not have a paddle lever instead opted to go with an inline, rounded, or pointed lever. There is no arrow on the depth scale and the depth setting was not intuitive. We feel that like any tool most users will get used to it, and accommodate it.

Milwaukee has a large paddle-style lever.

The Flex lever had more friction than we felt it should have. The scale does not have an arrow, was also not easy to read, and was not intuitive. Although we all agreed that no one really looks at the scale. The Flex does offer the deepest cut at 90° at 2-5/8″

The DEWALT has a paddle lever that actuates well, it is a longer lever, allowing the user leverage. One weird detail is that the lever is flipped the opposite way as the other saws. Had the orientation of the lever been reversed, we feel the lever would be easier to actuate.

Best Trigger | Grip – Both Makitas

The best two saws went to the two Makita saws. They had a comfortable switch that was easy to depress and hold with no hot spots.

The most comfortable grip was the DEWALT and Flex saws.  The DEWALT has a pinch-point at the bottom of its trigger and if you are in the habit of gripping the saw low – you’ll be sure to find it.

The Flex had a nicely shaped, rounded over trigger profile – resulting in no hot spots. One feature on the Flex that annoyed some of the crew was that the trigger does not depress [recess] all the way into the grip handle, like the other saws.   Many on the team found that annoying and uncomfortable with longer use.

Milwaukee has a squared-off trigger with sharp edges which was prone to hot spots which necessitated re-gripping.

As far as the grips went, the team felt they were all comfortable and there was nothing to note other than the Flex has an aggressive grip material that could become uncomfortable with long-term usage.

Best Site Lines

Sight-Line / Base Plate Scale Winner – Milwaukee

No matter how well a tool feels in your hand or how long the runtime is, if you can’t see what you’re doing, you can’t expect great performance. At a minimum, you’ll probably be pulling your hair out when getting ready to make a critical cut.

Nothing will kill your productivity and confidence like swapping from sightline to sightline to see if you can actually watch the blade through your line. At worst you’ll have to deal with subpar cuts that you can’t redo, which for a lot of us, is tough to live with. So in this category, we focus on how well users can see the blade during operation from both the blade and motor side.

The Milwaukee won best site lines due to its low profile guard and clear view of the blade. The Makita XGT and Flex saws came in last because of the dust ports placed on the motor side of the guard just in front of the auxiliary handle. And the other saws were all fairly similar with a larger guard and slightly less of a clear view of the blade, especially from the motor side.

Other Stand Out Features 

There were a few stand-out features that we wanted to share with you. The Makita 36 V saw is the only saw with an on-tool battery gauge, it was easy to see and use, however, the rafter hook does block access to the batteries.

The Metabo HPT saw can also run off an adapter allowing you to plug the saw in to get those few more cuts at the end of the day or to keep you constantly going throughout the day with zero downtime waiting for a battery to charge. Additionally, it has a 2-7/16″ depth of cut.

The rafter hooks on these saws all varied from a large open hook to a stepped-out style. All of the hooks opened easily and were fairly durable. The rafter hook hinge socket on the Flex, Metabo HPT, Milwaukee, and DEWALT are plastic ABS or reinforced nylon material. The Makita saw is built with metal.

Overall the Makita has the nicest design, and a smooth blade guard, it’s a comfortable saw to use with solid, well-designed features and finishes,

Weight – Winner Metabo HPT

The rear handle saw is a heavy tool. It is one of the heaviest cordless tools you will use on the job site. The lightest rear handle saw we tested was the Metabo HPT which weighed 8.6lbs with no battery. The second was the Makita 36v (also no batteries) weighing in at 10.1 lbs. The heaviest saw in the mix was the DEWALT Flexvolt weighing in at 11.05lbs

I really liked the compact design, and lighter weight on the Metabo HPT, it has a great line of sight and it still “packs a punch” when ripping LVL or cutting stringers. ~ Scott Arnold 

Noise – Winner Makita 36V

For noise levels up to 90 decibels, OSHA allows 8 hours of exposure, but once the decibels reach 95 and higher than exposure time limit drops rapidly. All of these saws require hearing protection.

The quietest saw of these rear handles was the Makita 36V at 97.8 decibels under no-load conditions. Second place was the Metabo HPT at 98.9 decibels and the loudest saw was the DEWALT coming in at a noisy 103.5 decibels

Price – Winner Metabo HPT

The cost of a tool can sometimes dictate whether or not it is purchased. We can all agree that price is a significant factor when purchasing tools, especially for those of you who are new to the trades. We also recognize that most contractors are brand loyalists who would rather continue with their present battery platform than develop a new cordless tool line.

We used bare tool price to compare these tools, at the time of this testing. All of these rear handle saws can be purchased at your big box store or over ACME Tools.

The least expensive saw was the Metabo HPT priced at $199.00, followed by the Makita 36V at $233.00. The most expensive saw on the market at the time of this article was the Milwaukee M18 coming in at $269.00

Overall Best in Class Rear Handle Cordless Circular Saw  – WINNER Makita 36V

We evaluate all areas when naming the overall best-in-class saw, with accuracy, performance, design, and value leading the way. Finally, we choose a tool that excels at its primary role, provides high-quality features that improve performance, and does so at a reasonable cost.

Intangibles frequently play a role in a tie-breaker in any one area, but because the overall best in class is a composite of so many individual judgments, our decisions are usually pretty objective given the head-to-head results.

The Makita 36 v saw scored 7 total points coming in tops in Accuracy and second in the rest of the categories; performance, weight, and features.  The Makita 40 v saw scored 8-points taking second place coming in first in Accuracy and features and third place in performance and weight.

Third place went to the DEWALT saw with 12-points, with a crushing performance in our power/speed testing, se3coond place in inaccuracy, and third in features.

Best Value Rear Handle Circular Saw WINNER Makita 36V

This category winner often resonates with most people because it performs well in tests while still being cost-effective. The Makita 36V saw is the best valued saw it was the least expensive saw [bare tool] at $209.oo and came in first place in this Head-to-Head testing

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the decision to go to a cordless rear handle circular saw is a personal one or driven by your field cutting needs. Someone considering a rear-handled saw may be influenced by the battery platform they are currently invested in. We recognize that as an investment and money-saving decision.

We strive to provide you with the MOST COMPREHENSIVE facts available. In order to give you the most thorough data possible, our ALL-Pro contractor team committed a substantial amount of time and effort to give you the Best 7-1/4″ Rear Handle Circular Saw Head-to-Head analysis.

These tests and evaluations are difficult, time-consuming, and ultimately limited in coverage because we are not a professional testing organization with limited time to evaluate the equipment. We can’t test these saws for long periods of time to assess their durability, and we can’t possibly test every possible use.

Many people have inquired about how we arrive at our final rankings. Comparing tools can be done in a variety of ways, as previously mentioned. The good news is that we’ve made ALL of our test data public, and you can grade the tools any way you’d like. Don’t agree with a ranking?  No worries. Simply remove it from the matrix and reorder them. We hope you’ll find this Head-to-Head comparison useful when comparing cordless rear handle circular saws.

If you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Best Rear Handle Circular Saw | Video Review

Best Cordless Rear Handle Circular Saws is a post from Tool Box Buzz

FLEX 24V Model FX4111-1A Oscillating Multi-Tool Review

24V Oscillating Multi-Tool

4.5/5

Manufacturer: FLEX
Model number: FX4111-1A
Power source: 24V Li-Ion Batttery
Weight: 2.8 Lbs

FLEX Oscillating Multi-Tool Features

Fast and Easy Blade Change

Going with the Starlock blade system was a very smart move in my opinion. Starlock is very popular in my area and the blades are readily available. The ease of securing a blade is also second to none. The metal locking tabs on the FLEX (OMT) snap into place positively and securely. I experienced no issues with blades coming loose, that security also contributes to a better distribution of energy during cutting.

LED Light System

The LED work light system is one of my favorite features of the FLEX tool. FLEX incorporated two cube-shaped lights into the FX4111-1A. There is a light on each side of the housing, above the blade. The unique cube shape of the lights broadcasts the lights in all directions instead of a focused beam on a traditional LED light. This design will light a workspace regardless of the angle or position of the tool.

Blade Release Mechanism

A large easy to reach lever on the top of the FLEX Oscillating Multi-Tool positively ejects blades when released. The lever is easy to actuate with gloves on. Additionally, it spits out the Starlock blades without any need for tools or a second hand. This is greatly appreciated when changing a hot blade during use.

Digital Speed Adjustment

The majority of OMTs on the market use a rotary dial to adjust the speed of oscillation. FLEX decided to inject some technology and innovation into their tool and chose a push-button LED speed adjustment system. When I first saw this, I thought to myself why hasn’t anyone thought of this before??? The system is simple and intuitive with no guesswork involved. The five speed settings adjust from 10,000-20,000 OPM.

FLEX Ergonomics

The FLEX 24V oscillating multi-tool is a very compact design overall. Even with a 5.0 Ah battery pack installed, the length is kept short and it feels very balanced in hand. There is also minimal felt vibration during use. For operators with extremely large hands, this can be a slight challenge. I have XXL hands and found it difficult to place both hands on the main barrel grip of the tool, at once. Instead, it was far more comfortable, and easier to control, by choking up with one hand on the tool body and using the other hand on the rear of the tool at the battery pack to steer and adjust. The grip surfaces are all contoured and there is generous rubber over-molding covering the exterior.

Overall Impressions

The 24V oscillating multi-tool was an impressive introduction to the FLEX brand for me. I really enjoyed using it and think that the outstanding features and ergonomics it has made it stand out from the crowd. Overall I think it is an excellent professional option that is worth checking out, regardless of what battery platform you are currently invested in. Furthermore, the FLEX FX4111-1A is available as a kit with a charger and (1) 2.5 Ah battery for $199.99. That’s a tremendous value when you compare price to the features and capabilities of the FLEX. For more details on this tool checkout out our Head-To-Head article and video, which are linked above. Below is a Buy Now option to purchase the FLEX from some of our preferred retail partners.

FLEX 24V Oscillating Multi-Tool Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool – Comparison Testing 2021

The ToolBoxBuzz Crew recently looked at twelve major brands of multi-tools and carefully planned a range of uniquely crafted tests (with some sweet custom jigs) to determine which one was the “Best Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool.”

An oscillating multi-tool is a saw, scraper, sander, and grinder. The tool, as the name suggests, is an all-in-one and versatile tool. A variety of blades/attachments can be used to provide job site solutions to a wide range of cutting and sanding challenges. If this was impressive enough, the consumables are designed to handle a diverse set of materials to include: mild steel, aluminum, carpet, hard tile, soft tile, laminates, hardwood, softwood, and various plastics. So true to form, the Tool Box Buzz team of experts got together to execute some Pro-centric Head-2-Head Testing – And provide the data you’ve come to expect (and crave) from our Head-2-Head tests!

Oscillating Multi-tool History

You may notice that many tradespeople refer to an oscillating multi-tool as a “Fein” tool whether it’s made by Fein or not. There’s good reason for this! Fein invented the tool and for many years they were the only company making OMTs. The origin for this tool is a plaster cast saw that Fein produced in 1967. It was designed to cut hard plaster without cutting a patient’s skin. In 1985 Fein then worked with the automotive industry to adapt this technology to make a tool for cutting silicone to remove panes of window glass from cars. In 1986 the OMT techology was adapted to create the “Fein Grinder” which we now recognize as a delta pad sander. The Fein grinder was the basis for the Fein Multimaster which is the tool that started it all! Once Fein’s patent expire in 2009 the floodgates opened. Oscillating multi-tools went from a niche pro tool only available through direct purchase through Fein, to a mass market tool available in every lumber yard and home improvement center seemingly in a matter of months.

Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool Evaluation Format

For this Best Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool evaluation, our team evaluated a total of 8 essential categories as detailed below. Each of the categories was ranked individually and ultimately used to declare the “Overall Best Cordless Multi-Tool” based on the combined test results.

• Accuracy– The accuracy of the multi-tools was compared including the ability to follow a line and cut splice joints in trim.
• Performance [Power / Speed Test]-We looked at cutting speed through metal and wood as an indicator of saw motor performance.
• Features– An overall comparison of features and specifications.
• Ergonomics– Ergonomics are really important to users and an important category to consider when purchasing any power tool. In addition to traditional ergonomics, we also included functionality in this category.
• Vibration – We analyzed the vibrations of the tools during our speed testing.
• Noise – We used a decibel meter used to measure the tool under no load, and identical cutting load conditions.
• Price– Price is always an important factor in determining which saw is best for a user. We’ve included the current pricing found online for each of the saws “as-tested,” at the time of publication.
• Best Value – Often times this category winner tends to resonate with most folks as it tends to perform well in the tests but feels good on the wallet.

Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool Specifications

Here is the list of specifications for all the Oscillating Multi-tools the Tool Box Buzz Pro team tested in this Head-2-Head:

BOSCH GOP18V-28N

• 18 volt –  4 Ah battery
• 8,000- 20,000 OPM
• 2.55 lbs bare tool  and 3.9 with 4.0 ah batt
• Variable Speed
• Oscillation angle 2.8°
• Starlock and Starlock Plus blades
• BOSCH GOP18V-28N

DEWALT DCS355B

• 20V – 4.0 Ah battery
• 0 – 20,000 OPM
• 2.35 bare tool, and  3.75 lbs with 4.0 ah battery
• 3-speed variable speed / VS Trigger
• Oscillation angle 1.6°
• Open back blade
• DEWALT DCS355B

FEIN AMM 700 Max

• 18 V – 3.0 Ah battery
• 10,000-19,500 OPM
• 2.5 lbs bare tool and 3.5 with 3.o Ah battery
• Variable speed
• Oscillation angle 2 X 2,0°
• Starlock Plus and Starlock Max blade
• FEIN AMM 700 Max

FEIN AMM 500 Plus

• 18 V – 3.0 Ah battery
• 11,000-18,500 OPM
• 2.9 lbs bare tool and 4.35 lbs with 3.0 ah battery
• Variable speed
• Oscillation angle 2 X 1,7°
• Starlock Plus blades
• FEIN AMM 500 Plus

FESTOOL OSC 18 E Vecturo

• 18 V – 4.0 Ah battery
• 10,000 to 19,500 OPM
• 2.9 lbs to 4.35 lbs with 4 Ah battery
• Variable speed /Auto setting
• Oscillation angle 4.0°
• Starlock Max blade
• FESTOOL OSC 18 E Vecturo

FLEX FX4111-1A

• 24V – 5.0 Ah battery
• 10,000 – 20,000 OPM
• 2.85 lbs bare tool and 5.5 lbs with 5 ah battery
• 5-speed variable speed
• Oscillation angle 4.0°
• Starlock blade
• FLEX FX4111-1A

MAKITA XMT04

• 18 V – 5 Ah battery
• 6,000-20,000 OPM
• 3.1 lbs bare tool and 4.45 lbs with 5.0 ah battery
• Variable speed / soft start
• Oscillation angle 3.6°
• Starlock blade
• MAKITA XMT04

METABO 613088850

• 18V – 4.0 Ah battery
• 8,000-20,000 OPM
• .295 lbs. bare tool and 4.2 lbs with a 4.0 ah battery
• Variable speed
• Oscillation angle 1.6°
• Starlock Plus blades
• METABO 613088850

METABO HPT  CV18DBLQ5

• 18 V – 4.0 Ah Multi-Volt battery
• 15,000-20,000 OPM
• 3.05 lbs. bare tool and 5.25 lbs. with 4.0 Ah battery
• Variable speed
• Oscillation angle 3.2°
• Starlock and open back blade type
• METABO HPT  CV18DBLQ5

MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL 2836-20

• 18 V – 5.0 Ah battery
• 11,000-18,000 OPM
• 2.6 lbs. bare tool and 3.35 lbs  with 5.0 Ah battery
• Variable speed
• 4.2°
• Starlock and open back blade type
• MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL 2836-20

RIDGID R86240B

• 18V – 4.0 Ah battery
• 10,000 – 20,000 OPM
• 2.05 lbs. bare tool and 3.65 lbs. with 4.0 ah battery
• Variable speed
• Oscillation angle 3.6°
• Starlock and open back blade type
• RIDGID R86240B

RYOBI PBLMT50B

• 18 V- 4.0 Ah battery
• 10,000 – 20,000 OPM
• Variable Speed
• 2.0 lbs bare tool and 3.65 lbs with 4 Ah battery
• Oscillation angle 3.0°
• Starlock and open back blade type
• RYOBI PBLMT50B
  

Imperial Multi-tool Blades

All of the multi-tools tested were outfitted with task-specific, brand new, Imperial multi-tool blades. This ensured that the focus was on the tools and not the blades. Using standardized blades throughout the test also helped maintain consistency since it removed an outside testing variable. Imperial blades are a crew favorite and have been a go-to blade for years on our construction sites. Imperial was also able to supply blades that fit all of the blade clamp/mount types as well as the material-specific blades we required for our testing.

Imperial Blades Used:

• Bi-metal Wood with Nails
• Hardwood
• Carbide

The Imperial blade interfaces included Starlock, OIS, and “Open-back” compatible blade mounts. This range of mounting interfaces was critical to ensuring a universal match with all the Multi-tools tested. Of note, some of the Multi-tools tested are compatible with multiple blade mounting interfaces giving them increased blade selection options.

Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool Accuracy

Oscillating multi-tools are extremely adaptable. Everything from rough frame to metal cutting, sanding, and trim carpentry can be accomplished using an oscillating multi-tool. There are times in carpentry where accurate multi-tool cuts matter. Our Pro crew also frequently uses oscillating multi-tools when completing exterior trim repairs. These trim cuts can be the difference between a clean splice joint or a jagged, ugly joint.

For our accuracy test, we asked one experienced user to use every multi-tool to freehand cut cedar bevel siding (sometimes called clapboards) in place and to cut a 1×6 pine corner board in place using a jig and then assess and rank the tools based on their performance. We purposefully had a single operator execute this to better control the test standardization. Our assumption was that multiple users might have slightly different techniques, and therefore results, as compared to a single Pro operator.

Range of test criteria:

• Accuracy: Ease of controlling the tool and how clean a cut did the OMT produce.
• Vibration: A subjective assessment of how much the tool vibrated during use and if the vibration negatively impacted the accuracy and cleanliness of the cut.
• Ergonomics: Related to control/accuracy, an assessment of how comfortable the tool was to hold and use while performing these tasks. A good grip can make or break a tool, while a poorly placed knob or lever or a slippery hard to hold tool can negatively impact control and accuracy.
• Power: A tool with adequate or better power allows greater control by minimizing the amount of pressure the user has to use to complete the cut. “Let the tool do the work” is much easier when the tool has good power!

Best Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool Accuracy Winner – Fein 700, Fein 500, Festool

There was a three-way tie for the winner of the multi-tools accuracy-test between the Fein 700, Fein 500, and Festool Vecturo, with almost identical results during accuracy testing as a result of the very similar overall designs and performance.

The Flex, Makita, and Milwaukee came in a three-way tie for second. But all due to slightly different standout design reasons. The Flex has a good grip, with rubber pads on each side of the head. This provides excellent overall control. The grip design complements solid power and when paired with its vibration-damping decoupled design, provided great overall accuracy.

The Makita has a generous amount of rubber over-mold and very effective decoupling to provide excellent grip and control, and therefore excellent cuts. While the Milwaukee has decoupling and a decent grip the power of this tool made it cut through the corner board like a hot knife through butter. And in this case, a fast cut also made for a cleaner, more accurate cut.

The Metabo HPT was a surprise stand-out in this category. While it doesn’t have a decoupling design feature (which all 6 tools above have), its oscillation action was very smooth and the tool was easy to control. This led to solid overall accuracy and provided a surprisingly smooth cut.

Performance Testing (Power/Speed)  (Wood/Metal) – Winner Milwaukee

An obvious question when comparing the performance of different multi-tools is “which saw cuts the fastest?”  This test also equates to power and power equates to cutting thicker, and or, harder-to-cut materials.

Recognizing that using a multi-tool requires the operator to make dozens, if not hundreds, of minuscule adjustments during each cut we decided to try to eliminate the human variable. To test the power, we built a jig to hold the saws and complete two tests:

• Test 1: pull the saws into 3/4″ plywood using a weighted pulley system.
• Test 2: cut five 16-penny framing nails using a weighted pulley system.

In the TBB jig, we supported the plywood on a frame, that in turn was held to the workbench by clamps. The tools were leveled and strapped to the test fixture.

We used this jig to remove as much human variation as possible to allow for the fairest test possible. We used a rope and pulley system to transfer a 5.5 lb weight into a constant 5.5 lb horizontal force for each and every cut.  All saws had variable speed motors and the highest oscillating speed was selected for the tests.

Weighted Pulley System

The pulling force was provided by a weighted pulley system which pulled the multi-tools through the material with consistent force. This approach has 2 main benefits:

1. First, it allows a constant force to be applied to each multitool in the same way that an operator tries to apply a constant force while cutting.
2. Secondly, by allowing for natural resistance (as opposed to forcing a constant cutting speed via mechanical motors) it allows the saw to cut at its natural maximum speed based on the maximum oscillations per minute and the power of the motor. This also underscores the importance of using the same blade types on all of the saws.

The sled fixture held the multi-tools securely and level while the aluminum tracks kept the saw moving in a consistent and parallel fashion. The saws were in contact with the sled and the sled in contact with the workpiece. During the course of testing, the fixture performed with no issues. An automatic timer with contact switches was used to start and stop the timer for each test.  Removing the human error element of a handheld stopwatch.

All the tools selected for this test were members of the 18V-24V high-performance line supplied by each manufacturer. Batteries supplied ranging from 3 to 5 amp-hour capacity.  In the previous head-to-head test, we’ve normalized the field by considering the size of the batteries (Amp Hour) and Voltage of the platform to calculate the Watt-Hour of each tool tested.  This is particularly critical when performing endurance or run-time tests where you are testing the amount of work a tool can perform on a single battery charge.  In this test, we are testing for speed and power, not work capacity.  Thus the Watt Hour considerations you may have seen from us in the past are not used here.

Performance Testing (Power/Speed) in Wood – Winner Milwaukee

One of the most common, if not THE most common materials on a construction site is plywood. So for our Power/Speed test, we used our Multi-tool jig to test each tool’s cutting speed through 3/4″ plywood.  Three runs were performed for each tool and their times were averaged.

Milwaukee came in first place with an average of just 4.18 seconds per cut. Milwaukee claims to have the fastest cutting saw and from what we saw in testing, their tool delivers on that promise.

The second and third-place finishers were Ryobi with a  6.11 average cut time and DEWALT with a 7.45 cut time.  Both these tools cut through the material exceptionally well. The rest of the rankings can be found in the following chart.

Wood Cutting – Use testing sled rig to cut 3/4 plywood under steady load

Winner of Metal Cutting – Milwaukee

To test the tools against metal, a series of five 16-penny nails were arranged in a series in a straight line.  The nails were located close together to minimize the slamming of the tool into the material and damage blade teeth.  The timer was started just before the first nail was contacted and immediately after the fifth nail was cut.

It’s always nice to see consistency across performance tests and the top three tools managed to do just that.  The fastest cutting tool was again the Milwaukee at 17.06 seconds, followed by the Ryobi at 26.61 seconds and the DEWALT in third at 28.68 seconds.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the bunch was the Ryobi, dethroning all but one tool in the performance rankings.  As the lowest cost option of the group, the Ryobi boasts some serious cutting prowess.

Metal Cutting – Use testing sled rig to cut 5 nails/screws in sequence under steady load

Best Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool Features – Winner  FLEX

It’s never easy to compare tool features from different brands, but the devil is in the details, thus a feature comparison is necessary.

The entire team used all of the tools in a variety of cutting configurations and tests to rate four separate features on these saws on a scale of one to five. [With 1 being the best]

Features that we looked at:

1. Blade Change
2. LED Light
3. Decoupling
4. Variable Speed

The number one slot for features went to the newcomer, the FLEX Multi-tool with 8-points. FLEX had the best wraparound LED light coverage, excellent vibration decoupling and scored second in blade change and third in its variable speed adjustment.

A close second place went to Milwaukee with 9-points. The Milwaukee has low cutting vibration, excellent LED, and variable speed with auto-setting. Third place was a three-way tie [10-points] with both FEIN tools and the Festool Multi-tool. These tools were extremely smooth cutting [low-vibe] and, along with the Bosch, sported the best style blade clamps and blade changing system.

Stand Out Features

There were a few stand-out features that affect performance and safety. While not all of the multi-tools had stand-out features, we broke down a few that matter.

Blade Change

All of the multi-tools can use the base Starlock and several can also use the open back blades. 

Slide & Click Lock – Bosch, Festool, and Fein

These multi-tools require the user to simply push the blade into the tools blade accessory holder. It’s fast, easy and the team feels it is far superior to the other methods.

One thing we noted during testing was that the Festool power switch is easily actuated to the on position when changing the blade. The user needs to be careful when reaching for the blade change lever, so the thumb can easily hit the power switch.

Lever-Based Lock – DEWALT

The team rated the DEWALT’s blade clamp mechanism as having the second-best blade change system. This system is effective, but the spring tension on the clamp can be difficult for some users to actuate. Overall, the team felt that the DEWALT clamp was not a bad design.

Note – DEWALT offers an accessory washer, lock washer, and Allen bolt to mount Starlok blades or accessories to the tool. We did not test this feature as we did not see the value in speed over the spring blade clamp system.

The FLEX multi-tool has a similar Starlock mechanism to the Fein and Festool but the locking mechanism requires the user to use the locking lever. This lever spring is very aggressive when returned to lock position and likely to bruise the user’s knuckles.

Lever Lock & Locking Clamp – Ridgid and Ryobi.

This locking clamp is permanently attached and will not fall out of the tool.

When you’re in a tight spot to rotate the blade to get at a particular angle with the multi-tool, ideally you’d be able to rotate the blade without having to manipulate the locking clamp. This may be an intentional design decision but one that the team feels is a pain point in the field. Having more throws on the locking clamp could resolve this issue.

Pin & Lever System – Metabo, Metabo HPT, Milwaukee, and Makita

The Metabo multi-tool design is set up that the pin can fall out during storage, even with the lever closed, requiring you to keep a blade in the tool in order to lock the on in place. One nice feature is that you can adjust the blade without removing the pin – something that the team feels is important in the field.

The Metabo HPT has a 3-step blade change process. It has a lever, pin, and a locking twist collar. It is not easy to use and the team felt it was the worst blade clamp set up.

LED Light

The best light was on the FLEX due to its ability to completely illuminate the blade at 90-degrees, Milwaukee was a close second with its super bright 3-LED array, which also provides some peripheral side lighting.

The Bosch, Metabo HPT, and Ridgid multi-tool lights do not stay on after the power switch is turned off. The Feins and Festool do not have LED lights, something that seems so simple to add.

Decoupling

Fein, Festool, FLEX, Makita, and Milwaukee have decoupling setups on the working end of the tool.

Variable Speed Control

Metabo HPT and Milwaukee have Auto settings on the variable-speed dials that allow you to set the upper limit of motor speed but start your cut at a lower RPM until your into the cut. The team favored the auto setting in the field as it allows you to slowly start your cut and power up once your kerf is established.

The DEWALT is the only multi-tool that offers a variable-speed trigger to allow you to vary the speed of the saw according to how hard you pull the trigger or where the speed adjustment 3-step mechanical, the setting is set.

The FLEX was unique with its 5-step digital, push-button, variable speed setting. It’s super easy to use and does not lend itself to accidental changing of setting.

Ergonomics is the science of designing and producing tools that improve a worker’s efficiency while reducing discomfort, fatigue, and risk of injury.

Ergonomics Winner – Fein 700

Our pro team members evaluated each tool under a simulated/real-world test setup. Materials cut included drywall, clapboard, plywood, pine trim, baseboard freehand, and a “splice” jig. We also used the tools to free-hand cut 16D common nails and drywall screws.

In laymen’s terms, ergonomics is the interface between the user and the tool. How’s it feel when using it? For this ergonomic section, we considered the following factors, rating them 1 thru 5. [1 being best]

Ergonomics Factors

• Grip
• Vibration
• Balance

Regardless of how fast a multi-tool cuts, the less vibration it produces, the better. Some multi-tools employ some sort of decoupling system to reduce vibration. The FEIN 700 multi-tool scored tops in balance and came in at 2-points for vibration and balance. Second place was a tie between the FEIN 500 and the Festool – both scoring 2nd place in all three categories. Third place went to Milwaukee and was noted well balanced.

Noise – Winner FEIN 500

OSHA allows 8 hours of exposure for up to 90 dB, for exposures 95dB and greater, the exposure limits drop dramatically. So clearly these saws all need hearing protection.

We used a fixed Decibel Meter to measure these multi-tools in the following workshops tests and ranked them on that average score:

1. No-load
2. Metal cutting
3. Woodcutting

The quietest saw was the FEIN 500 averaging at 106.5 decibels followed by the Metabo at 106.7 decibels and the FLEX at 106.8.

Price

Below we’ve included the current pricing (at the time of publication). Pricing is based on the bare tools where available. We chose the bare tool because a multi-tool is typically a secondary tool to one’s tool arsenal and one typically purchased to compliment an already established battery platform.

The only tool that is NOT available as a bare tool is the FLEX multi-tool. The most affordable tool is the Ryobi but the real surprise is how many of the “higher-end” tools are in the $150 range.

The best-priced cordless multi-tool was the Ryobi at $ 99  Second place was the Metabo HPT at $109 followed by Makita at $119. The highest-priced saw in this testing was the Festool which sells as a bare tool for $375.

Best Cordless Multi-tool Winner –Milwaukee

The competition for the best cordless multi-tool went to Milwaukee M18 FUEL multi-tool, with 19-points. Milwaukee crushed its competitors in the controlled wood and metal testing rig. It scored well in the accuracy and features sections coming in second place in both and taking third place in ergonomics.

Second place went to the FLEX multi-tool, with 24-points, which surprised the team. The FLEX is a feature-rich tool and came in first in that section. Scoring second in accuracy and third in the decibel testing, the FLEX solidly secured its position as the second-best tool in the testing. It was also the fourth-fastest cutting tool in metal.

Third place went to the Festool with 26-points. The Festool came in first for accuracy, second in ergonomics, and third in features rankings. Festool has the best blade clamp of the top three contenders and is a top-tier, easy-to-use, and intuitive saw.

Best Value  Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool– Winner Flex

As a new brand, the Flex was an unknown to the team and it surprised and impressed everyone.  The Flex is the only tool in the field however that is only sold as a kit.  While this can be frustrating to those looking for a bare tool, as a new tool brand most people looking to buy into the platform will likely require batteries and chargers.  The kit with battery and charger retails at $199.  The battery and charger if purchased individually would cost $160 alone, pricing the bare tool in the $40 -$50 range.  Couple that with a lifetime warranty, and you have an outstanding value for new users.

Conclusion

This is the MOST COMPREHENSIVE data on the market. Our ALL-Pro contractor team dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to our Best Cordless Multi-tool Head-to-Head comparison in order to provide you with the most thorough data possible.

Because we’re not a professional testing company and have limited time to assess the tools, these tests and evaluations are tough, time-consuming, and ultimately limited in scope. We can’t undertake long-term testing to determine longevity, and we can’t possibly test every application that one of these saws could be used for.

We get a lot of questions regarding how we come up with the final rankings. As previously noted, comparing tools can be done in a variety of ways. The good news is that we’ve made ALL of our test data publicly available, and you can rate the tools any way you wish. Don’t care about an item we ranked? No problem. Simply take that out of the matrix and re-rank them. When evaluating cordless multi-tools, we hope you’ll find this Head-to-Head comparison beneficial.

If you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Best Cordless Multitool Comparison Testing

Best Cordless Oscillating Multi-tool Head-to-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

FLEX Power Tools 24V Brushless 5-Tool : It’s What’s Next

There’s a new battery operated tool company in the house, the new FLEX Power Tools 24V line-up. FLEX Power Tools have been a leader in polishers and grinders. Now they are ready to lead the race in 24V brushless tools. Taking a lead into the competitive line of brushless 24v power tools is the new FLEX Power Tools, being distributed by Lowe’s Home Improvement. FLEX will be launching out 100 new tools starting in May 2021. FLEX offers a 5 year warranty. But if you purchase your tool by the end of the year, you can be in the Founders Warranty for life.

History of Flex Tools 

Flex tools have been a leader in grinders and polisher for almost 100 years, starting in 1922. Flex tools were the inventors of the side angle grinder in 1954. Now they aren’t just a powerhouse in metalworking and polishing tools. They have recently jumped into the woodworking tools division. Their advanced technology makes them a true competitor to all top-brand cordless tools. The innovative designs are producing better battery load and faster battery chargers. FLEX advertises that they’re “It’s what’s next!” and we were excited to see if we agreed.

24V Brushless Impact Driver | FX1371A-2B

¼” Quick Eject Hex Impact Driver with Multi- Mode Kit 

Let’s start off with this 24V Brushless Impact Driver, that FLEX has really put R&D to the test to provide us with a driver that will be saving you time in the field and money in your pocket. This Impact is compact and the power inside delivers pure performance with adaptability with a 2.5Ah, 5.0Ah, or 8.0Ah. 

The power on driver was impressive with driving Head Lok’s into framing material several times, or adjusting to using finish cabinet screws, the adjustability switched easily. A cool feature on the Impact is the EJECT button with, a 1 finger action to remove the bit out of the driver. Having this right above the trigger lets the ease of changing bits, fast. 

The weight of tool with any of the 2.5Ah or 5.0 Ah is balanced well, and the grip fits your hand well. A plus is the raised lines behind the trigger to keep your fingers well positioned and eased while holding the tool. The tool comes with an Anti-vibration system, to keep your muscles and nerve endings in less tense situations, and you feel the difference. 

The stackable boxes can hold the tool with the battery attached up to a 5.0Ah size, battery charger and hold (2) extra batteries, either/or 2.5Ah or 5.0Ah. There is enough room to hold bits and accessories if needed in the separated compartments. 

One downside we have seen in the design of the Impact Driver is the side accessory attachment, either the belt clip can be installed or a (2) bit holster can fit. We wish to see FLEX design an area to hold bits incorporated into the tool, so you can still have the belt clip attached. 

Specifications:

• 4.7” length and 2.7 lbs without the battery 
• Max Torque 2,500 lbs
• 3 speed 

Features: 

• Quick eject ¼” Hex
• Self tapping screw mode 
• ANTI Vibration 

24V Brushless Hammer Drill Driver | FX1171T-2B 

½”  2-Speed Drill Driver with Turbo Mode Kit

FLEX has come out with three different versions of the drill. The ½ speed drill with turbo mode is what we have tested. 

A great feature to the drill is the anti kick back that is incorporated into the tool.  We tested a PT 4×4 post, engaging the anti kick back technology. The drill knows what it’s boring through and will command itself to power down or power up to push through the material.  You know the 5.0 Ah battery was working when we bogged down through the 4×4 PT post. The accessory handle has a good grip for ease of control of the drill. Our other tests were through layers of trim board and 2×4 stock. All showed no hesitation of the series of 12-15 holes, all concurrent in test. 

Again, we see the negative design in the attachment belt clip. Installing a two clip design on both sides of the tool will have universal attachments. The weight of the tool is balanced with any battery attached. The accessory handle has good grip size, and was comfortable boring down through material.

Specifications:

• Weight: 3.7 lbs tool only
• Length: 7” 
• Max Torque: 1,400” lbs 
• Low Speed: 0-550 RPM and 0-2,000 RPM
• Turbo Speed: 0-700 RPM and 0-2,500 RPM

Features: 

• Anti- Kick Back in drilling through material
• Left/Right Accessory Handle

24V Brushless 5” Variable Speed Grinder | FX3171A

Flex Power Tools were the inventor for the side angle grinder. They showed us who is boss in 2021. The easy adjustable guard, with no tool, is a key success to this grinder. The wheel replacement is a breeze with the large lock button. Using the accessory tool to tighten or loosen the wheel. A 4 ½” or 5” wheel diameter can be attached, of up to ¼” thickness.

Another feature for this tool is the paddle switch. If you’re a fan of the paddle control you’ll either love it or hate it. There is 1-4 levels for variable speed control. Easily changeable by adding or subtracting levels with a touch of a button. The lowest level is at 3500 rpm, 5000 rpm, and 7000 rpm. The highest level is at 10,000 rpm. 

FLEX has a unique feature new to the tool grinders. The filter  screen at the battery side of the tool is removable.  You’re easily able to blow compress air for cleaning the controls of the tool near the battery. This will assist the performance and extend the life of the grinder. 

Specifications:

• Weight: 4.2 lbs tool only
• Wheel Diameter: 4 ½” and 5”
• Speed: 4 settings- 3,500rpm 5,500 rpm 7,500 rpm 10,000 rpm

Features: 

• Paddle Switch 
• Quick Change of Grinder Guard 
• Easy Filter Screen clean out on tool at the battery for dust and debris
• 24V Brushless 5” Variable Speed Grinder *Also a Fixed Speed Grinder FX3171A
• 5” Variable Speed Angle Grinder with Paddle Switch Kit
• FLEX Bag- durable material with padding on bottom, and three accessory pockets on each side can hold tool, battery, charger, and accessory grinders. 

24V Brushless Reciprocating Saw | FX2271

The reciprocating saw speed is at 3000 spm, (strokes per minute). The saw can be set at regular or orbital action. The blade’s tool-less clamp is a breeze to install and remove.  If the blade is hot, it is easy to release. The reciprocating saw comes with a framing hook. The pivot shoe has a release button. 

The power on the reciprocating saw is a variable speed motion with a lock and unlock feature just above the trigger. Clearly defined in an integrated window at the top of the handle. 

When we used the reciprocating saw we first tried it out on a 4×4 PT post, with a 5.0 Ah battery. The saw cuts were effortless and we were excited on how much FLEX really delivered all around.  The shoe plate is modified for the user to see right through a window to visual see the cut’s travel. The LED light casts a wide beam on the material, even in the sun. We also cut through PVC pipe, we had control and precision. The power for the reciprocating saw didn’t miss a beat making repetitive cuts.

Specifications:

• Weight: 7.4 lbs tool only
• Stroke: 1 ¼” distance
• Speed: 0-3,000 rpm 

Features: 

• Top Mount lock and unlock feature 
• Orbital and Non-orbital action
• One button quick release for the saw shoe
• 2 position rafter hook design 
•   

24V 7 ¼” Circular Saw | FX2141-1D

FLEX designed this tool with the user in mind, giving enough blade view on the cut. The handling of the 7 1/4″ circular saw proved accuracy and powerful cuts through a wide selection of materials.

This heavy weight saw, really packs a punch in its sawing capabilities through each cut. Using the 8.0Ah battery, we’re seeing strong performance cuts through 3/4 plywood, framing stock, and quick butt cuts on stock trim. We were totally impressed on how powerful the cut through 3 pieces of 3/4 plywood. The weight of the tool surprised us in the beginning at 13 lbs with the battery. It delivered and we were impressed with its power and capabilities.

The shoe plate and the bevel cut gauge are all made of magnesium. The embedded lettering and numbering for the bevel cut gauge are clear and stamped into the steel. No ink the stamped lettering to wear off overtime. It is clear and easy to manage for changing the angle. FLEX did a well thought out process on the openings when looking down or from the side of the saw.  This gives the user the most comfort in seeing your cut line.

The saw cuts were smooth, powerful, and fast. With the 8 Ah battery attached, this circular saw delivers to its technology that FLEX brought to us.

FLEX power tools, has also presented an inline 6 1/2″ circular saw that is belt driven.

Specifications:

• Weight: 9lbs tool only
• Saw Blade: 7 ¼” 
• Speed: 5,800 rpm 
• Bevel Capacity: 0-56 degrees

Features: 

• Cut Capacity at 90 degrees is 2 ⅝”
• Cut Capacity at 45 degrees is 1 ⅞”
• The weight of tool is up to 13 lbs with the 8ah battery on the tool
• Integrated blade change tool in the saws base plate
• 1 position rafter hook
• Smooth base plate, with a magnesium bevel guide and stamped degree angles 

Battery Chargers |FX0411

This new battery charger from FLEX  will be a leader in charging services for tools. With having a 50% faster charging from leading competitors. Showing off a dual fan technology to prevent over heating on the charges. With that dual fan system, the charger does give off a more higher decibel volume than other battery chargers. 

The batteries from FLEX Power tools, come in either a 2.5Ah, 5.0 Ah, 8.0Ah, or 12.0Ah. 

The charging time for each of the batteries is 30 minutes for the 2.5 Ah, 1 hour for the 5 Ah, 1hour and 40 minutes for the 8 Ah, and 2 hrs and 30 minutes for the largest battery, a 12.0 Ah, all at 100% capabilities. 

The charging levels, is easy recognizable on the charger, having a solid green when complete charge, to a blink and full green for 80% charge. 

The 2.5 Ah, 5.0 Ah, 8 Ah, or the 12 Ah are all Lithium-Ion at 24V, and feature a one push release to the tool. The batteries have a dual charging indicator light on each side of the battery. They show the level of charge by a 4 light system, with very little bleed over to the next level. The batteries come with a Therma-Tech system. This keeps the battery cooled and extend its life when it’s in use. Thus producing a 25% longer run time for the battery on highest charge. 

Stackable Boxes: 

Lets give FLEX Power Tools 2 thumbs up on introducing their own stackable boxes for the Hammer Drill and Impact Driver. These boxes are versatile, easily storable in your van or truck, and durability is a key factor here. They have designed the interior to switch with having either the Hammer Drill or Impact Driver in the same mold pattern, and they both can fit up to 3 batteries to store in! Plus the battery charger!

We hope that FLEX Power Tools can deliver more to the consumer in the stackable boxes category for their tools to be protected and live up to their name. The compartments have dedicated spaces for the tool, batteries and chargers, along with accessories to the tool itself. Let’s see more stackable boxes- FLEX Power Tools!

FLEX Power Tools 24V – Final Thoughts

We are impressed with the FLEX Power Tools 24V line-up.  Their technology, performance, and the capabilities to the Lowe’s Home Improvement market really puts FLEX as the 1,2,3 punch to other battery operated power tools. The battery performance is unlike what we have seen before.  Finally, a whole tool line to improve the skill trade’s and live up to their name. We are excited for the future of FLEX Power Tools.  Their history in the grinder and polishing market has payed off, and we are looking forward to what comes next out of FLEX. It is what’s next!

FLEX Power Tools 24V Line-up Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz