Milwaukee 2445-21 jigsaw

Cutting Curves While Cordless

Cordless tools are great for their portability and maneuverability. Their only downside is when they’re used for long periods of time, and you start to outrun your battery collection. Like many other hand-held power tools, a jigsaw is certainly one of those tools that I prefer using untethered, free to roam where I may, without the need for a cord. I say this for many reasons, but mainly because I use a jigsaw in many ways: right side up, upside down, inside cabinets, up high, down low and while making a lot of curved cuts. Battery power is a great advantage in these situations.

When the Milwaukee 2445-21 arrived, I was happy to put it to work. It’s only a 12V tool, but that’s more than enough power for any application I’ll ever have. The run time is good, and it feels light, grippy and maneuverable in my hand. A larger battery would only needlessly increase its weight and tire my arm.

The variable speed trigger allows the user to easily and accurately control the speed of the blade. Tool-free bevel adjustment will have you quickly cutting between 0° and 45°, to the left and right. An LED will light up the work area in the interior of cabinets or other dark places.

Blade changes are fairly straightforward. Once a lever is rotated, a spring-loaded mechanism pops the blade out slightly. To insert a new blade, you press against the spring, which isn’t too hard but does take some getting used to. Blade changes can be done quickly, with or without gloves.

I used this jigsaw on some 8/4 red oak, along with other materials, to test its limits. The saw cut well and didn’t bog down or jump around at all. Obviously, blade selection is key for any saw, and this is especially true when pushing its limits, but with so many blade types on the market you can certainly find one for the task.

The saw has a non-marring shoe that can easily be removed if needed. An anti-splintering insert also comes with the saw, but I found it obscured my vision of the line I was cutting to and reduced splintering only slightly. For me, this isn’t a game changer; if the quality of cut on the upper surface is important I either use a reverse tooth blade or turn the saw upside down to ensure any splintering is on the other side of the workpiece. I found sight was good without the insert, and that’s how I ended up using it. The insert also helps keep thin pieces of material from getting caught between the blade and the base plate.

To me, the overall benefits of using the Milwaukee 2445-21 are that it’s lightweight, easy to maneuver, runs smoothly, has more than enough power for all but the most demanding commercial tasks and will easily go anywhere. Everything else it offers is icing on the cake.