I’ve owned several jigsaws during my career, and one irritation they all shared was the cord. It always seemed to hang up on something on the bench or on the edge of the workpiece just as I was coming to a critical spot in a cut. Bosch has come to the rescue with a cordless version, and it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted in a jigsaw.

It’s diminutive, lightweight, has a good blade guide, a great quick-change collet, variable speed, three different blade strokes (straight, low oscillation, high oscillation), and a nifty LED light. The base accepts an almost transparent zero-clearance insert and a snap-on plastic shoe that protects the workpiece from marring. The barrel grip is narrow and fairly easy to grasp, but I wasn’t able to wrap my hand completely around it.

Although the saw is sold without batteries, it uses the same 12-volt lithium-ion battery that other Bosch 12-volt tools use. If you don’t have some already, you can buy two with a charger for $69.

Of course, my favorite feature was the lack of a cord. I’ve used this jigsaw quite a bit now, and I’ve not had to stop once to free the cord. It’s been wonderful.

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