Reciprocating saw blades are very versatile and can work with a bunch of materials. Purchasing the wrong set of saw blades for the incorrect type of material will not only ruin your saw but your workpiece as well. To help you make the right choice, our contractors have isolated the best reciprocating blades for various purposes.
Reviews of the Top Reciprocating Saw Blades
1. Bosch RP125
Many people choose reciprocating saw blades for heavy-duty work, and the Bosch RP125 is a great choice for extreme cuts on tough materials. You get five 12-inch 5 teeth per inch (TPI) reciprocating saw blades that are especially designed for pruning and wood cutting.
Bosch has outfitted the blades with Turbo-Teeth Tech that helps the teeth to stay sharper and the blade to last longer. Although the blades were designed for heavy or demolition use, they can be used for everyday projects and even cut through stainless steel, wood with nails, metal, fiber cement, sheet metal, and fiberglass.
What We Like
- Suited for a variety of materials
- All the blades are grey color coded
- Best for pruning and wood cutting
- Turbo-Teeth Tech
- Precision ground
- Swiss made
- Stays sharper for longer
What We Don't Like
- May be overkill for certain projects
- They may leave some paint marks
2. Milwaukee 49-22-1129
Milwaukee, master of the Sawzall, brings us a 12-piece reciprocating Sawzall blade set. These are the best Sawzall blades for toughness and durability, as they were specifically strengthened.
The reciprocating saw blades are thicker, and there is a 1-inch height for more robustness. It will not bend, distort or warp, regardless of the project.
Each Milwaukee 49-22-1129 Sawzall blade is made to handle large remodeling jobs or small everyday tasks. Although the Sawzall blades are wider, they still fit into tight spaces so you won’t be sacrificing strength for utility. The blades store into 5 easily accessible compartments for ease of use.
What We Like
- 12-piece set
- Strengthened reciprocating saw blades
- Handy storage pouch included
- Blades range in different teeth per inch (TPI)
- Universal fit
- Wider blades
- Thicker width
What We Don't Like
- Higher price
- The metal blades aren’t great for automotive use
3. Milwaukee 48-00-5026
Our contracts always go from the priciest option to the budget choice, which lands on the Milwaukee 48-00-5026 reciprocating saw blade set. Instead of having a variety of blades in one combo, the 48-00-5026 is a set of 5 identical blades that are heat-treated to have an ultra-hardened cutting edge that makes them ideal for demolition.
The cobalt steel blades come with a 5-year limited warranty and they can get through nail-embedded wood, and demolition and remodeling tasks. When you’re buying blades, you want to make sure they last. The 1-inch height on these blades for a reciprocating saw is bi-metal that’s made to last.
What We Like
- Bi-metal blades
- 5-pack
- 5-year limited warranty
- Thickened blades
- Heat-treated design
- 9-inch length
- Fits all Sawzalls
What We Don't Like
- May wear faster against nail embedded wood
- Not a pack with multiple blades
4. Freud DS0909CGP3
We can’t have a list of saw blades without Freud making an appearance. The Freud DS0909CGP3 are durable and meant for cutting wood and metal. The carbide-tipped blades have a 50% longer lifespan when cutting metal and wood. The teeth have a variable tooth design which reduces vibrations and gets through materials even faster.
As with many of Freud’s blades, the DS0909CGP3 has Perma-shield protective coating on them for heat resistance and to reduce friction when in use. The unique design doesn’t stop there. The Freud DS0909CGP3 also has a unique plunge tip design that makes plunging easier in wood.
What We Like
- Reduces vibrations and friction
- Perma-shield coating
- Carbide-tipped blades
- Meant for wood and metal
- Plunge tip
- 3-pack
What We Don't Like
- Needs oiling
- Works better at a slower speed
5. Bosch RAP7PK
Bosch makes another appearance with the RAP7PK reciprocating saw blades. This particular set has blades optimized for wood and comes with 6 TPI blades. Each blade will cut faster and last longer.
The metal reciprocating saw blade options in the combo are bi-metal blades that have a pair teeth setting and a very thin kerf. The package also comes with reciprocating blades for nail-embedded wood, demolition blades, all with bi-metal material with hardened and sharpened edges.
For so many blades, the price of the Bosch RAP7PK is quite reasonable and our team members are big fans of the bi-metal blade.
What We Like
- Comes with various types of blades
- Bi-metal blade construction
- Unique teeth design
- Gets through material faster
- Long-lasting blade set
- Best for wood and metal
What We Don't Like
- No storage case
- The packaging isn’t the best
6. EZARC R656HM
The EZARC R656HM reciprocating saw blade pack has 3 pieces of bi-metal blades with carbide technology. The blades are optimized for both wood and metal and feature a 6 TPI design to get through the material quickly and painlessly.
Each of the teeth on the carbide-tipped blade is precision ground, which are tough and durable enough to absorb all the impact for demolition jobs. The universal shank makes the blades fit reciprocating saws from various brands including Bosch, Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, and more.
These are one of the best reciprocating saw blades for a single purpose and promote reliability.
What We Like
- Carbide-tipped blades
- Bi-metal blades
- Great for tough materials
- Universal fit
- Precision-ground teeth
- Lasts 50x longer than other blades
- Reliable build
What We Don't Like
- Not a super long blade length
- Not an assortment
7. DeWalt DW4898
DeWalt is a brand that has their fingers in every pot, so of course, they have also made reliable and trustworthy blades for reciprocating saws. They are pretty standard bi-metal blades that are suitable for every application. The case they come with really caught our contractors’ attention as it’s designed to fit inside your toolbox.
The DeWalt DW4898 bi-metal blades work great against wood and metal and are designed to stay sharper for longer. No matter which blade you use, there are reinforced teeth to help give your reciprocating saws that extra push to get through.
What We Like
- Standard bi-metal general purpose blades
- Sharpened teeth
- 10-piece set
- Comes with a very tough case
- 50x longer lifespan
- Durable
What We Don't Like
- Long blade length that may bend
- Not the best for industrial and commercial jobs
Reciprocating Saw Blade Buyer’s Guide
Do you need metal cutting blades, wood blades, shorter or longer blades, straight blades or sloped blades? Just this question alone is enough to stump many people, which is why our team created a quick checklist to help you find the right blade for you.
Material Type and Quality
The best reciprocating saw blades will, without a doubt, outlast all the others. In order to know if they’re tough, our team looked at the construction material type and the quality. There are 5 main types of reciprocating saw blades, and our experts will talk about each one in more detail.
High Carbon Steel
Let’s start with high carbon steel (HCS). Carbon steel or high carbon steel blades are flexible. This may not be a desirable trait for some, but high carbon steel is designed to give flexibility while still maintaining strength. This means high carbon steel will bend but definitely not break.
A reciprocating saw blade of this type will generally have around 4 to 14 TPI, and our construction team recommends them for non-ferrous metals of half an inch thick, plastics, and wood that does not have embedded nails.
High Speed Steel
High speed steel (HSS) just sounds like it’s meant for the toughest jobs. They are extra hard, but our experts warn that they are stiff and are more prone to breaking compared to other types. However, high speed steel blades are heat resistant and can last longer than the previous type if used for the right purposes.
Our team suggests this type of reciprocating saw blade for metals and hardwoods. You may find blades with just high speed steel teeth combined with bi-metal material. High-speed steel teeth means the teeth are optimized to be extremely hard and durable and gives a sharp cutting edge.
Bi-Metal Steel
If we had to pick a favorite, it would be the bi-metal blades. These reciprocating saw blades are supremely strong and flexible, which basically means they possess the benefits of the previous two types.
This is the type of blade we mentioned above that has a carbon steel body and HSS teeth. You can find bi-metal reciprocating saw blades with 14, 18, or 24 teeth per inch.
Carbide Tipped
We then have carbide-tipped and carbide grit blades. Carbide tipped are basically bi-metal saw blades that have tungsten or titanium teeth. These reciprocating saw blades are among the toughest and very heat resistant.
Materials such as cast iron are no match for a carbide-tipped reciprocating saw blade. However, if you’re looking to cut rocks and other masonry materials, then diamond blade options may be a better choice.
We then have blades with carbide grit. Carbide grit blades do not have teeth but have a tungsten carbide grit coating and is excellent for cast iron, brick, concrete, and even marble.
Diamond
Diamond blades just sound expensive, and they are. Diamond grit blades are much stronger than the rest, since diamonds are the hardest material known to man as of now and rank the highest on the Mohs Hardness Scale [1]. They are very abrasive and work for the hardest materials including glass, ceramics, tile, and masonry purposes.
Which saw blades for reciprocating saws do you need? It all depends on the materials you work with.
Dimensions
The dimensions pertain to the length, height, and width of the blades. A few of our product reviews above have outlined how the height and width have been reinforced to be even stronger. Now our team will explain just how the blades vary in dimensions and how it affects the lifespan of your blade.
Like with most power tool blades, the size impacts what you can cut. Reciprocating saw blades don’t have a diameter measurement because they aren’t circular, but these tools can still be used in making holes in the wood. These saw blades have a length measurement you should pay attention to.
You can find blades anywhere from as short as 3 inches all the way up to 12. The most common sizes are 4, 6, 9 and 12 inches. A simple rule to keep in mind is that shorter blades are better for more aggressive jobs and they are less likely to bend regardless of the blade material.
On the other hand, longer blades are more likely to possess flexibility, which gives them the edge over plywood, hardwood, softwood, and they make excellent pruning blades. For instance, our experts have found that longer Sawzall blades are the top choice for pruning blades.
How do you pick the right blade length? As long as the blade is at least 3 inches longer than your material, then you’re good to go. So, shorter blades of 3 inches are recommended for thin materials.
We also have the width to consider. Our team has outlined that thicker width offers more strength. Coupled with the right blade material such as carbon steel blades, you will be able to get through extremely tough materials such as cast iron.
Keep in mind that extra width will add to the rigidity of the best reciprocating saw blades, which will typically make them straighter.
Teeth Per Inch
The teeth per inch is also a term our team has mentioned quite a few times throughout. Referred to as TPI for short, the teeth per inch is exactly as it sounds – the number of teeth per inch of the blade. A rule of thumb is that fewer teeth is for more aggressive and rough cuts, while higher TPI blades are meant for finer cuts.
In general TPI between 3 and 8 makes for a great pruning blade, 8 to 14 are good for wood and smaller nails, but you need TPI between 14 to 18 for metals. Aside from the blade’s material the TPI is important to determine what the best reciprocating saws can work on.
Aside from the teeth count, you also need to look at the design. Raker teeth are recommended for cast cuts, but they can leave rougher edges. Raker teeth have alternating patterns. As for wavy teeth, they are great for higher speeds and faster cuts and you will find them on a lot of metal cutting blades as opposed to wood cutting blades.
Kerf
The kerf, or the thickness of the blade, is another factor that influences whether or not the blade will bend. As you can imagine, thicker blades are better for heavy-duty jobs and thinner ones tend to be more fragile. Thick blades don’t bend as easily, but they do not produce very fine cuts.
The precision of a thicker kerf is there, but they do exert more force when going through your material. Let’s take a closer look at the recommended thickness in inches.
A thinner kerf of about 0.035 is excellent for standard purposes such as copper pipes. Slightly thicker at 0.042 is recommended for slightly tougher jobs, but when you get to 0.05, the blade is excellent for heavy-duty use such as composite materials. We then have the ultra heavy-duty kerf that measures in at 0.062. We’re looking at this type for thick metals such as cast iron and sheet metal.
An extra tip to help you decide is that thicker blades are also less prone to vibrations and are excellent for denser materials.
FAQ
What is the strongest type of saw blade?
Diamond blades are the strongest type of saw blade. This is easy to believe because diamonds rank the highest on the Mohs Hardness Scale. A diamond reciprocating blade is the priciest, but it cuts through material such as marble, concrete, granite, and glass, which other blades just cannot do.
Can you use any blade in a reciprocating saw?
Yes, you can use any blade in a reciprocating saw as long as it’s a reciprocating saw blade. Most of them have universal shanks that will fit any reciprocating saw. Whether it’s carbon steel, HSS, or bi-metal, any type of reciprocating blade will fit your saw.
Our Top Pick For a Reciprocating Saw Blade:
Bosch RP125
Out of all the best reciprocating saw blades our team has tried, the Bosch RP125 is the best one. It comes in a pack of 5 and are excellent wood cutting blades. The Turbo-teeth Tech and precision ground tips offer a longer lifespan and reduce blade maintenance. The blades are convenient and meant for a variety of applications including fiberglass, cement boards, wood with nails, and various metals.
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