Freud FJ85K 6 Amp Top Handle Jig Saw

I bought this saw and it came with a badly warped base. Unfortunately I didn't discover this in time to return it to amazon for a full refund. I sent it to Freud for repair/replacement and got the same base back, only slightly less warped. It won't follow a saw guide because of "drift", in other words the edge of the guide is not parallel to the blade. Basically the engineering on this saw is very ambitious but the manufacturing craftsmanship is terrible.

Addendum: Freud eventually made good by shipping me a new base. If I were to rate the saw now that it has been repaired, it deserves at least three stars. It has a nice powerful motor with variable speed, but maybe it's more powerful than it needs to be. It is fairly heavy, and the motor has a lot of inertia so it keeps on running for several seconds after the trigger is released. The dust collection attachment is somewhat cumbersome, but without it the cutting line is quickly obscured by sawdust. If I had it to do over again I would go for a lighter weight saw with a dust blower like the Black and Decker JS600K, and just be prepared to return it promptly if the base didn't line up just right.

This is an excellent little Jig Saw. Although(when I bought it), it was advertised as being able to use both types of jig saw blades. The regular blades do not hold at all. Would recommend.

purchased this saw from amazon when the price came down to fifty dollars recently and after receiving and testing... i find the low price not any great bargain but to be about right for this caliber of saw. basically, make no mistake that this saw is not on par with the bosch jigsaws as some reviews have claimed..or on par with the higher end dewalt or milwaukee or ridgid or hitachi saws for that matter. its the quality of materials used that stands out. when you first pick it up the handle that you hold feels like hollow plastic. secondly, the fit of the plastic no-mar tip and dust port on the saw is very poor. and finally my biggest grip is the trigger feels like it belongs on a toy and does not have a smooth pull that i am used to on other saws. in the end though i give the saw 3 stars because it does the job at hand well enough. it does have a good balance too it and overall i do like the blade change mechanism. as well the saw seems to have plenty of power to make the cuts. if you are looking for a jigsaw to use here and there and for odd jobs then this is not a bad purchase at $50..but if you will be using a jigsaw day end day out or even frequently... then dont hesitate to spend a bit more and get by far the best jigsaw made in the bosch 1590.

This is a top of the line tool that has no comparison. This is
a product I have wished for years to buy, but could never justify paying the retail price; until I saw the product advertised in your magazine at such an affordable price. It performs far beyoond my expectations. I am very happy with the purchase. The precision with which it cuts and performs is remarkable. My wood working friends are shocked when I tell them where and how much I payed for my jig saw.
Thank you!

After making up my mind to get rid of the old B&D jig saw, I decided to move up to a professional grade saw. Read up on the Freud and like the features and price. Have use it a few times and I am impressed with the cutting power. Putting a blade in with the quick changer went smoothly. I bought Bosch blades for it and I'm sure they help take advandage of the Freud's power, cuts very quick. Some vibration to it and the noise level is not too bad. All in all, it's a beast. I like it.

This is a well designed saw. My first impression of it was it is heavy, but after using it for a while, I appreciate that weight. It is very easy to control and it has minimal vibration. When I first purchased one, I was concerned by the reviews saying it threw blades constantly. After working with one, I think the problem they are having is they are not pushing the blade in all the way.

There is a spring in the blade lock that you have to compress. If you do not, the lock doesn't completely engage and the blade will pull out with a slight tug. If you pay attention to the position of the twist lock, you can see when it is fully engaged. Once it is locked, it isn't coming out by accident.

I have purchased three of these so far - one for myself, two for friends. I would highly recommend this saw to anyone. Simply put, it makes clean and true cuts.

We purchased this when it was a gold box feature and got an amazing price for this quality jig saw. We had been borrowing a friend's cheapie jig saw and after using this, I doubt we could ever go back.

I cut one 1"x3" piece of pine and it quit. I really need to send it in for exchange, but I've been too busy. I better hurry before the exchange policy runs out.

Don't buy this!I would have given this no stars if I could have.

This is a most amazing tool!It's fast, quiet,versatile,powerful,has a fast blade changing system and the most remarkable price!I didn't know what I was missing until I used this tool. I can't say enough good things about it. And it's made in Spain NOT China! I love it!

Got this puppy on the gold-box deal for $69. I use my jigsaw fairly often at work and this saw is on par with top of the line Bosch or Rigid models retailing for $160.

It's got some nice features ... plenty of cutting speed, 6 amps of power and you can control the start-up speed with a dial, which is nice for detail work.