Pro Tool Reviews: The biggest deal about the Ryobi 18V One+ HP Compact Brushless One-Hand Reciprocating Saw (whew, that’s a mouthful!) might just be that Ryobi now has a one-hand model. But the Ryobi PSBRS01 isn’t just a saw that happens to pair with 18V One+ batteries, it’s a complete package that raised our eyebrows compared to some well-known names.
9 comments:
This is the first one handed reciprocating saw I have seen on the market, and I really like the look of it. I would definitely get this over a bigger two handed recip saw to start off with, because I feel like this is way more versatile and would be capable of handling anything I would need to cut with it. I really like how Ryobi has balanced power with size and weight in this model. To me, that is way better than a small saw with a lot of power that is also really heavy, and it is definitely better than a really lightweight saw that does not have the umph you need behind it. Normally, I would go for a corded version of tools like this, but this battery powered one has gotten my attention. I think I might be more inclined to get this version than a bigger, corded version that might just be excessive for the work I would do with it.
Honestly, this reciprocating saw doesn't seem to set itself outstandingly apart from any other battery operated reciprocating saws. The light weight of the tool is definitely a plus, but I would not advertise any reciprocating saw as one handed. Even in the photos in this review, the operator has two hands on the tool. I have definitely wielded one of Carnegie Scenic’s reciprocating saws with only one hand on the saw, one hand on the thing I’m cutting, but just because of the way the saw works, I can’t recommend it. My gut says that if this kind of saw feels like it can easily be used with one hand, maybe it isn’t providing enough force to do the cutting you would use a reciprocating saw for. However, the thing that does catch my interest with this tool is the blade release latch on the outside of the tool. The reciprocating saws in our shop each release their blades with a different, cumbersome twist shaft of lever that’s inconveniently placed or placed close enough to the blade of the saw to make me a little nervous. I love it when the parts of the tool make sense just by looking at them.
For some jobs, I love the feel of a one handed reciprocating saw. Currently, I own a Milwaukee one handed reciprocating saw, and I love it. That being said, if you're going to love it, you have to understand its limitations. This is probably not the reciprocating saw you go grab when you need to dismantle a large set piece made of wood, and it is definitely not the reciprocating saw you go grab when you need to dismantle a large set piece made of metal. Initially, these reciprocating saws were designed for the plumbing industry. As you can see in the thumbnail of the article, they were primarily designed to be an easy way to cut PVC and other plastic pipes. Two major selling points for them was being able to hold the saw with one hand and your pipe in the other, eliminating the need for another person or a clamp to cut pipe with a reciprocating saw, and you would be able to cut pipes down in trenches and in walls more easily due to it's one handed compact design. If you start off with these expectations, these saws are sure to surprise.
I have to agree that while one-handed reciprocating saws are convenient, they aren't full fledged reciprocating saws that I would use for serious projects. Don't get me wrong, they are incredibly handy when you need to trim something off with an extended arm, but you are relying fully on your wrist strength to apply pressure through the cut. Compare that to the classic two-handed operation where I could muscle my way through a sheet good during strike, and there really isn't a comparison. The reciprocating saw, at least in our industry, really isn't a tool that needs many features and redesigns. It does one thing and it does it pretty well, and that's freehand roughly cutting through mixed materials (and this is coming from someone whose favorite tool may be the sawzall). Maybe this would be convenient for another department like props or even electrics where the cutting demands aren't nearly as intense, but again I would probably just stick with the two-handed 24V Milwaukee (or dare I say 120V???). Go big or go home.
While one handed reciprocating saws seem to have flooded the construction market in the last year or so, I am not convinced that they have a place in scenic fabrication (at least, not yet). As DJ said, the use case for these tools is light duty cutting in scenarios where a two handed reciprocating saw would be unwieldy or unsafe to use. I really cannot think of a scenario where this tool would be more useful to me than a sawzall, as I typically need more power than a one handed tool could provide. That said, I am sure that if I purchased a one handed reciprocating saw, I would find a use for it, or, as is common in our industry, bastardize it for something it was never intended to be used for. Overall, I think the category of tool can be a good balance between power and weight, but it sits in more of a niche than its bigger cousin the sawzall.
I would love to see the day that I will not have to cough up a student loan payment in order to buy a tool that I need at home. The price of a tool has always been one of the biggest defining factors for me, and whenever a company can produce a half-decent tool for a good price, I am happy. This new Ryobi one-handed reciprocating saw seems to really hold its weight within the category. I really like how they did a speed test with the saw and found that while it was not the most efficient cutter, it did not come anywhere near the last place. While Ryobi does not have the reputation of being a high-quality tool manufacturer, it seems like they are starting to inch their way into that category. The balance of a reciprocating saw is really what makes or breaks the tool because of the pressure it puts on the users' wrists. According to Pro Tools, Ryobi was actually able to accomplish a pretty decent balance for a budget-friendly tool.
I don’t know how useful this kind of one handed reciprocating saw would be useful in theatre. I personally have only ever really used a recip saw in theatre when striking a show or when really desperate to reach something that a jig saw can’t reach and most of the time even then I just use a hand saw. I do think this is an interesting tool for DIY and rough construction or perhaps some of the trades. I also find it funny that even though it is “one” handed they recommend and show in the photos the operator using one hand and while I’m sure you can use it one handed you can also use a regular sawzall one handed if you need to. I feel like this tool isn’t really a different tool or that innovative for the industry. It’s similar to the barrel grip jig saws that have popped up in recent years it’s something different but ultimately relies entirely on personal preference.
I love that tools are starting to become more affordable and do not require you to sell a lung anymore. I don't personally like one handed reciprocating saws and also don't particularly like battery powered saws. I think battery powered and cordless tools are great for some tools however I like to have a lot of power behind my saws particularly my reciprocating saws. I also can't think of a situation where you would need a one handed reciprocating saw and could not use a sawzall. Honestly if absolutely needed you can always use a sawzall with one hand (although I don't recommend it) and it provides so much more power compared to other tools on the market. I think that the fact that this tool is lightweight has its pros and cons, as a smaller built human being, heavier tools do seems daunting at first use however I have always found that they give extra leverage that is definitely useful in certain situations. Overall I don't think this tool is providing anything different or life changing however it could be a great tool for people who have different preferences than I do and perhaps this tool is more needed for tasks that I have not yet had to encounter.
I love reading tool reviews from this website. They are just so much fun to read and make me laugh almost every single time I read one. This particular review was fun to read for multiple reasons. The first reason is because of the sheer number of times that the tool's full government name was used in its entirety throughout the whole review. It is such a long name and the fact that they used it so much was very funny to me. Another thing that made me giggle was the fact that throughout the entire review the author Chris Boll never once said that the saw was the best in its category for anything. He says multiple times that it is an alright tool, acceptable even. It is just very wild that they included the bit where they talked about how it does not stand out in any field but it works alright.
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