Review Detail

I picked up this saw a few years back when having to do a reno to an old bathroom addition, I needed to make some basic plumbing cuts and at the time this Saw seemed to fit the bill.
The tool itself, is pretty attractive, black and blue theme with a black rubber overmold that provides a nice grip during operation. The Ryobi reciprocating saw features tool-less blade quick change and Variable speed; the variable speed, can be adjusted by the dial on the top of handle and also during use via the trigger, operation is very similar to that of a VSR drill.
This saw performs pretty well when making cuts on basic materials and can handle most tasks, especially when paired up with Bosch contractor pack blades; the 2 blades provided with the saw are insufficient for just about any tasks. With some good blades this tool should be able to cut through pvc, drywall, and 2x4s with little resistance. But when pushed a little this is where this saw starts to get exploited. 4x4s, 6x6 posts, etc will prove to be a little much, the saw begins to struggle and starts to wobble and vibrate. Another flaw with this saw is when making cuts overhead, though the saw is of a reasonable weight and well balanced which should reduce fatigue for the user, debris can enter the saw by the baseshoe which drops into the housing and is violently shot out of the sides of the tool. This happened to me during a cut into a ceiling during a bathroom light/fan vent install, drywall and plaster chunks entered the saw and rattled around the motor case and exited the sides and shot me in the face. I solved the issue at the time by duct taping on side of the saw to deflect the dangerous debris. This is a flaw that’s not only dangerous for the user but I would imagine bad for the tool as well.

Overall this Saw is a serviceable option, and is adequate for most household duties but for extra 20/30 bucks extra I would recommend getting a Milwaukee sawzall which can be found on sale and can be had for 80 bucks. For basic cuts the Ryobi is ok, but in the end it just doesn’t have enough power and there are better options, I do not recommend this tool.