Pro Tool Reviews: The Ryobi HP brushless jigsaw marks a clear but subtle update from the Ryobi P524 we reviewed several years ago. Inclusion in the Ryobi HP power tools line doesn’t seem to have changed the tool much in itself. In fact, according to the website, the max SPM’s are down 100 from that previous model (from 3500 to 3400). That’s still plenty of speed for top-quality performance.
4 comments:
You know I love a cordless tool review! Ryobi usually seems to get a bad rap in comparison to other tool brands, but my first power tool was a Ryobi drill and while that bad boi was clunky and has long since dies since I got it over a decade ago, it does make a special place in my heart for the Ryobi brand. Some of the features this article points out as pros I also find appealing. The battery is definitely the first – every time I use a cordless tool that I once had to plug in a power cord for, I love it. I know cutting through a power cord is a feat, but it still is a worry in the back of my mind. Battery powered tools also allow for easier use in hard to reach places – no more trails and trails of extension cords. I also love that the blade release has an ergonomically placed switch. Rather unfortunate that that switch can be triggered without meaning to. I’ve never bothered to tinker with variable speed on a jigsaw, but the results this reviewer got makes me want to try it out.
I know Ryobi doesn’t have the best reputation, but in my opinion, it is an affordable set that does a pretty decent job in terms of functionality. My dad bought a set of Ryobi tools as his first cordless set and it came with two bags filled with different tools and 2 separate batteries and a charger. It was ridiculously discounted and came with more things than I could even think about using. For a homeowner, I feel like Ryobi is a pretty good option. This specific saw has some really great features with the brushless motor having faster cutting, easy release blade, bevel adjustment, etc. This is a great entry level, affordable saw. It is confusing to me that it would have less RPM than the previous model, but it isn’t that far off. I really love the versatility of the One+ tool system. There really is a tool for everything you would ever need.
I have to agree with KT that one of my biggest fears when using handheld power saws is that I will cut through the chord and shock myself to death. Irrational? Maybe, but still a fear! Since jigsaws are considered to be one of the most flexible tools for cutting custom profiles, it stands to reason that they should have as much freedom as possible. This Ryobi product seems to really hit many marks that increase that flexibility, although I am a bit surprised at some shortcomings. Specifically, the fact that this isn't variable speed with trigger sensitivity is frustrating, since I feel like that level of control during cutting is very helpful. Nevertheless, that's not a mission-critical feature, and there are plenty of upsides to this product. One that intrigues me is the beveling attachment, allowing you to basically turn the jigsaw into a circular saw. This kind of begs the question: why not just use a circ saw? One advantage I see possible is the ability to bevel curved edges, but that could also be done with a router or router table! Not trying to dis the feature by any means, but I would be surprised if I found myself really wanting the ability to do that in a shop. Overall, however, this is another tool to add to the batter-powered tool takeover.
When it comes to a jigsaw, I really look for a few really strong features. The first one being a variable speed trigger, I was kind of shocked to read that this new Ryobi did not have the speed adjustment in the trigger but rather on a separate knob. Secondly, I really like it when my jigsaw either has dust collection or a blower to remove the chips that inevitably pile up in front of the tool on the line that I am trying to follow. This has become even more critical in the age of COVID because I can not just blow the dust out of the way because I have a mask on. It does not seem like this has that feature, however, that is not a make it or break it feature for me. Overall, I do not really think you could go wrong with this jigsaw assuming you already had subscribed to Ryobi and their battery system. I prefer a battery powered jigsaw for the flexibility but all of these companies with all of their proprietary batteries really makes switching brands a pain because of the lack of integration.
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