DeWalt DCS331B 20-Volt Max Li-ion Jig Saw

I have owned the dcs331 for probably 8 years. I picked it up after my corded dewalt was stolen. Lately I had been getting frustrated with the loveliness of my cuts through thicker wood. So I pulled the trigger on the dcs 335 after reading some comparisons of barrel grip vs d handle. Not only am I more satisfied with my cuts but the leds to light up the cut line are a game changer I feel like I am sitting at the scroll saw and just hugging the line. As for the other features I like the new blade release it seems to be more stout. The shoe tilt had some added stops at the 45 degree positions. When it come right down to it I would definitely recommend an upgrade if not the dcs335 because you dont like the barrel get the dcs335 this is 15 years of well thought out ... MoreI have owned the dcs331 for probably 8 years. I picked it up after my corded dewalt was stolen. Lately I had been getting frustrated with the loveliness of my cuts through thicker wood. So I pulled the trigger on the dcs 335 after reading some comparisons of barrel grip vs d handle. Not only am I more satisfied with my cuts but the leds to light up the cut line are a game changer I feel like I am sitting at the scroll saw and just hugging the line. As for the other features I like the new blade release it seems to be more stout. The shoe tilt had some added stops at the 45 degree positions. When it come right down to it I would definitely recommend an upgrade if not the dcs335 because you dont like the barrel get the dcs335 this is 15 years of well thought out innovation.

If you are reading this review and you are shopping for a good quality, well built, sturdy and easy to use Cordless Jig Saw, for a homeowner handyman, this is a GREAT option (cannot assess from a contractor usage) but for a homeowner handyman this one is my suggestion. Without hesitation I say it fits all my needs and expectations. I would not hesitate recommending this to family and friends. WELL done Dewalt! Two important things to note about the power supply; (a) this does not include a battery and charger. For those of us with more than a few Dewalts laying around buying the tool only is a great way to keep our costs VERY reasonable. Second this requires a 20 volt battery so if you have only the old 12 volt slide in they won’t work. I used a 20-Volt MAX XR ... MoreIf you are reading this review and you are shopping for a good quality, well built, sturdy and easy to use Cordless Jig Saw, for a homeowner handyman, this is a GREAT option (cannot assess from a contractor usage) but for a homeowner handyman this one is my suggestion. Without hesitation I say it fits all my needs and expectations. I would not hesitate recommending this to family and friends. WELL done Dewalt! Two important things to note about the power supply; (a) this does not include a battery and charger. For those of us with more than a few Dewalts laying around buying the tool only is a great way to keep our costs VERY reasonable. Second this requires a 20 volt battery so if you have only the old 12 volt slide in they won’t work. I used a 20-Volt MAX XR 5.0Ah. First thing you notice is this saw has a real solid feel. This has an easy blade release latch/lock (with a big “Dewalt in front) which makes changing the blade much simpler, no more using a screwdriver to screw into the front and side. Also includes an LED light which is a smart add on. This thing cuts with the same energy as my old electric Craftsman, if not BETTER. I experienced no change in effectiveness during my testing. Now the one thing to note is that this jig saw uses “T-shank” jig saw blades. That said some of my old blades DID lock into this, most DID NOT. You will see in one of my pictures the difference in those inserted ends. This does have four cutting actions, three orbital and one straight. That said I have never used any orbital action.

This DeWalt jigsaw is easily one of the best woodworking tools I've ever used. It's powerful, lightweight but sturdy, ergonomically designed, and most importantly, it gets the job done. I've used this on 1/8", 1/2", and 3/4" lumber and it cut through each of them without any resistance. I thought that the 3/4" might slow it down a little bit but that wasn't the case, this jigsaw cut though it in no time. I'm especially impressed with it's turning ability - it can handle tight curves without an issue. This saw has adjustable speeds as well, which is nice if you're cutting out something that is more intricate. Additionally, installing the blade is a breeze. Simply pull the lever on the front of the saw back, insert the blade and close the lever. Installation is ... MoreThis DeWalt jigsaw is easily one of the best woodworking tools I've ever used. It's powerful, lightweight but sturdy, ergonomically designed, and most importantly, it gets the job done. I've used this on 1/8", 1/2", and 3/4" lumber and it cut through each of them without any resistance. I thought that the 3/4" might slow it down a little bit but that wasn't the case, this jigsaw cut though it in no time. I'm especially impressed with it's turning ability - it can handle tight curves without an issue. This saw has adjustable speeds as well, which is nice if you're cutting out something that is more intricate. Additionally, installing the blade is a breeze. Simply pull the lever on the front of the saw back, insert the blade and close the lever. Installation is finished without tools. It's so fast and easy. I'm very happy with this and am excited to add it to my existing DeWalt collection, which includes their circular saw, drill, and impact driver, all of which I use daily.

I've gone through a few jigsaws, corded and cordless. These tools have progressed a LOT since my first single speed corded model that required you to hold the blade in place with a set screw. And that set screw would always loosen up and the blade would fall out ruining the cut. Also if you pushed a saw in a circular cut you could easily bend the blade because nothing held it at 90 degrees. Fast forward 20 years and the blade holding mechanism on this Dewalt is really great - flip a lever, insert T-shank blade and flip the lever back. The back of the blade even has a kerfed wheel to ride against so it maintains a cut without any blade deflection. What this Dewalt XR also has over a lot of other jig saws is the variable speed feature - no more burning wood, cut ... MoreI've gone through a few jigsaws, corded and cordless. These tools have progressed a LOT since my first single speed corded model that required you to hold the blade in place with a set screw. And that set screw would always loosen up and the blade would fall out ruining the cut. Also if you pushed a saw in a circular cut you could easily bend the blade because nothing held it at 90 degrees. Fast forward 20 years and the blade holding mechanism on this Dewalt is really great - flip a lever, insert T-shank blade and flip the lever back. The back of the blade even has a kerfed wheel to ride against so it maintains a cut without any blade deflection. What this Dewalt XR also has over a lot of other jig saws is the variable speed feature - no more burning wood, cut plastic sheeting at the right speed without chipping or melting, cut steel at the right speed to clear the chips. There is an orbital switch on the side that pushes the blade guide bearing wheel forward slightly to give you a more aggressive (roughr) cut if you need to cut quickly and finish isn't a concern. An LED helps light up the way if you're working in a dim environment. I love this jig saw, it's just got a ton of power and the variable speed feature is just fantastic. Bear in mind you will need a fully charged good battery. I made some test cuts with an older 3 amp hour battery at two bars and the saw would stop as soon as I started cutting a circle. I switched to a newer 5 amp hour and I was off again so this saw does draw a fair bit of juice. One thing I was a bit disappointed on was the ergonomics of how the attached battery interferes with how you position your arm when holding the saw - you have to hold the barrel with your wrist bent so your forearm clears the battery. I like barrel handled jig saws because i feel like you have more control with your arm on the same level as the saw and can push a bit harder and a corded unit without that protuberance lets you do that. I wish they could have turned the battery 90 degrees on this (like how the battery mounts to their orbital sander from the side) so it didn't stick up so high.

This DeWalt Model DCS335 battery-powered jig saw has a lot of great features. The front latch for securing and releasing the blade is very easy to operate (see picture). There is a sturdy front finger guard (see picture) so safety was certainly factored into the design. The other controls were easy to find and use. The speed control dial is located under the main grip on the body of the tool (see picture). The orbital action lever is on the left side of the body so you can adjust that with your thumb (see picture). The lever mechanism for tilting and locking the shoe is on the bottom right side of the tool grip (see picture). It comes with a handy owner’s manual in case you need any help in learning how to use it. One note: this model does not have a lock-off button ... MoreThis DeWalt Model DCS335 battery-powered jig saw has a lot of great features. The front latch for securing and releasing the blade is very easy to operate (see picture). There is a sturdy front finger guard (see picture) so safety was certainly factored into the design. The other controls were easy to find and use. The speed control dial is located under the main grip on the body of the tool (see picture). The orbital action lever is on the left side of the body so you can adjust that with your thumb (see picture). The lever mechanism for tilting and locking the shoe is on the bottom right side of the tool grip (see picture). It comes with a handy owner’s manual in case you need any help in learning how to use it. One note: this model does not have a lock-off button so if you want that feature, the owner’s manual mentions that feature is available in DeWalt model DCS334. It is so great to have a jig saw without having to worry a power cord or where to plug it in! You can take this jig saw anywhere! I highly recommend this jig saw!

4 stars is being generous

Caught this on sale for under $100 which I think is a fair price. Had I paid full price on this jigsaw I'd be sorely disappointed. It definitely is not on par with a high end, old school Bosch 1590 series jigsaw That's for sure. Convenience factor of being cordless is nice for sure. But I'll still be using my old Bosch for precision cutting. This DeWalt can't handle tight radiuses like the Bosch can do effortlessly. And I highly doubt this DeWalt will last 20+ years either. But for under $100, it's a decent buy. Full price no way.

DeWalt cordless jigsaw

This cordless jigsaw uses Dewalt 20 V battery system. It is very well-made and is very ergonomic. The handle the visibility is all very good it has a dust floor which works well and a four position orbital selector that also works well. The base angle can be changed with no tools. It has a lever that can be moved allowing the base angles to be set wherever appropriate. My only complaint is that the lever in the front of the tool is difficult to open which allows for tool-less blade change. The LED light is very effective. If the blade change was easier I would give this tool of five it is the only slight drawback.

Great power and features

So happy I "accidentally" broke my old silver metal bodies B&D jig saw and found this on sale at a nearby store. Tool-less blade change? Yep. Dust fan to clear your cutting path so you can follow your line? Yep. Tool-less bevel adjuster? Yep. Blade "aggressiveness" changer? That, too. Ages ago, I was a partner in a cabinet shop, so for most cuts we might use a jig saw for, we would fire up one of three bandsaws. That old silver B&D (I think it was my grandfather's?) was forced into service only during installs, because I never had to worry about charge level or whether it was up to cutting like our 18V tools were. This thing, with its 5 ah battery, and the fistful of other new 20V kit stuff I have around has become my go-to. I don't even plug in the big circular saw ... MoreSo happy I "accidentally" broke my old silver metal bodies B&D jig saw and found this on sale at a nearby store. Tool-less blade change? Yep. Dust fan to clear your cutting path so you can follow your line? Yep. Tool-less bevel adjuster? Yep. Blade "aggressiveness" changer? That, too. Ages ago, I was a partner in a cabinet shop, so for most cuts we might use a jig saw for, we would fire up one of three bandsaws. That old silver B&D (I think it was my grandfather's?) was forced into service only during installs, because I never had to worry about charge level or whether it was up to cutting like our 18V tools were. This thing, with its 5 ah battery, and the fistful of other new 20V kit stuff I have around has become my go-to. I don't even plug in the big circular saw any more because these batteries just go, and go, and go.

Major design flaw

I am, generally speaking a DeWalt fan, owning several of their products. My Bosch jigsaw recently failed because of a poorly designed blade holder, so I bought this Dewalt hoping to improve my luck. My luck didn't change. I have to join the chorus of those mentioning the "blades fall out" after an inch or two of movement. ( I am using the "t-shank" jig saw blades.) I think this is a design failure too, for these reasons: The product works fine with the thicker blades one might use in a jig saw, but as one moves to the more narrow blades, like those used on metal, the blades fall out almost every time. In fact, with a really narrow blade, once it is properly seated and "locked in place" you can just jiggle it with you hand and it will fall out. Visually one can see ... MoreI am, generally speaking a DeWalt fan, owning several of their products. My Bosch jigsaw recently failed because of a poorly designed blade holder, so I bought this Dewalt hoping to improve my luck. My luck didn't change. I have to join the chorus of those mentioning the "blades fall out" after an inch or two of movement. ( I am using the "t-shank" jig saw blades.) I think this is a design failure too, for these reasons: The product works fine with the thicker blades one might use in a jig saw, but as one moves to the more narrow blades, like those used on metal, the blades fall out almost every time. In fact, with a really narrow blade, once it is properly seated and "locked in place" you can just jiggle it with you hand and it will fall out. Visually one can see that part of the holding mechanism just doesn't seem to really lock the blade as they get smaller. I did call DeWalt to see it they were aware of the problem and if they had a fix for it and I was courteously told they had no information on this issue. I guess they don't read bad reviews...I would have thought they would have someone assigned to that task. Three additional thoughts: This thing is very heavy. The bevel mechanism locks and it takes severe pressure to move it from its default position. The anti-splinterinsert is a joke. In the included photo the two blades on the left which are thicker, work fine, the two on the right both simply fall out after a second or two...not good. So I am off to do more research in hopes of finding a better product.

Unbelievable Jig :Saw

I have not liked any hand held jig saw ever. I completely trust Dewalt Products and I use the cordless tools primarily. I looked at this jig saw and decided to try it. What a good decision. This is not only the first jig saw which I have liked, it is also the only one I would ever need. Changing blades is the easiest I have ever seen. The blade action is so smooth and precise. Amazing to use without cords getting in the way. This is a game changer. I could not be more satisfied and I highly recommend this Jig Saw. I cannot imagine a better one anywhere. This tool is a pleasure to use and I look forward to my next project and another opportunity to use it.