Milwaukee vs Makita Reciprocating Saw 2026
Milwaukee wins for raw cutting power and stroke length; Makita wins for compact weight and balance.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
| # | Product | Award | Price | Our Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 FUEL Sawzall Reci… |
Best Overall | $347 | 9.2 | Buy → |
| 2 |  Makita XRJ07ZB 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brus… |
Best Makita | $175 | 8.9 | Buy → |
| 3 |  Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Brushless Co… |
Milwaukee Bare | $149 | 8.5 | Buy → |
| 4 |  Makita XRJ05Z 18V LXT Brushless Cordles… |
Makita XRJ05Z | $169 | 8.2 | Buy → |
| 5 |  Makita JR3070CT 15-Amp AVT Reciprocatin… |
Makita Corded | $249 | 7.8 | Buy → |
Showing 5 of 5 products
Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 FUEL Sawzall Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only)
“The professional benchmark — FUEL brushless motor delivers maximum cuts per charge with 0-3,100 SPM and ANTI-VIBRATION technology for all-day use.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- FUEL brushless motor — maximum performance
- 0-3,100 SPM 4-speed trigger
- ANTI-VIBRATION reduces fatigue
- M18 ecosystem compatible
Watch out for
- Premium price (~$199 tool only)
- M18 battery required separately
- Overkill for occasional DIY
Read Full Analysis
POWERSTATE brushless motor and REDLINK PLUS intelligence combine for the best power-to-weight ratio in the M18 lineup. 0-3,000 SPM variable speed via trigger. Anti-vibration system reduces operator fatigue in sustained demolition use.
Makita XRJ07ZB 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only)
“Sub-compact brushless with full 18V LXT battery compatibility — shorter body accesses tighter spaces than standard-length recip saws.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Sub-compact body for tight access
- Brushless motor efficiency
- 18V LXT ecosystem compatible
- Lightweight (3.7 lbs without battery)
Watch out for
- Tool only — LXT battery required
- Less aggressive cutting than full-size Milwaukee FUEL
- Sub-compact limits large blade use
Read Full Analysis
At just 3.3 lbs bare, it's the lightest professional-grade 18V recip saw available. Sub-compact design fits in tight spaces that full-size recip saws can't reach. Full variable-speed trigger and tool-less blade change.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw Bare
“The right reciprocating saw for Milwaukee M18 users — the FUEL brushless motor delivers professional cutting power that justifies the price for daily trade use.”
See Today’s Price →What we like
Watch out for
Read Full Analysis
Updated M18 FUEL generation with improved battery interface. Same POWERSTATE brushless motor performance with refined balance and grip ergonomics. Best choice for existing M18 platform users adding a dedicated Sawzall.
Makita XRJ05Z 18V LXT Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw Tool Only
“The Makita XRJ05Z provides the brushless advantage on the 18V LXT platform — the brushless motor delivers more cuts per charge and longer motor life than brushed alternatives. The 1-1/4 inch stroke le”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Brushless motor for more cuts per charge and longer motor life
- 1-1/4 inch stroke for aggressive demolition cuts
- Fits entire Makita 18V LXT battery platform
- Tool-only — uses existing Makita 18V batteries
Watch out for
- Tool only — battery and charger sold separately
- 1-1/4 inch stroke slightly shorter than Milwaukee at 1-1/8 inch
Read Full Analysis
Full-size 18V LXT platform recip saw with 1-1/8-inch stroke and 4-position blade clamp for versatile blade orientation. Constant speed control maintains cutting performance through varied material density.
Makita JR3070CT 15-Amp AVT Reciprocating Saw with Case
“The Makita JR3070CT is Makita's flagship corded recip saw with Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT) that reduces operator vibration by 40% compared to conventional saws — critical for all-day demo work. Th”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Anti-Vibration Technology reduces operator fatigue by 40%
- 15-amp motor for unlimited runtime on heavy demolition
- 1-1/4 inch stroke and 0-2800 SPM for variable cutting speed
- Variable speed trigger for controlled cutting in various materials
Watch out for
- Corded — requires power source access on jobsite
- Heavier than cordless models at 7.3 lbs
Read Full Analysis
15-amp corded motor delivers consistent power without battery concern. 1-1/4-inch stroke length. For contractors doing all-day demo work, corded eliminates battery management overhead entirely.
Milwaukee vs Makita Reciprocating Saw Buying Guide
Great for: Demolition work, cutting through walls or pipes, and rough cuts where precision doesn't matter
Not ideal if: You want clean finished cuts in woodworking — a jigsaw or circular saw produces far better results
Stroke length is the distance the blade travels on each cutting stroke — longer strokes cut faster. Milwaukee M18 FUEL provides a 1-1/8-inch stroke length. Makita's standard recip saws run 1-1/4-inch strokes on the corded JR3070CT. For rough demolition work where speed matters most, longer stroke length is a direct productivity advantage.
Both the Milwaukee M18 FUEL and Makita's 18V LXT lineup use brushless motors — longer service life, better heat management, and higher efficiency than brushed alternatives. Tool-only listings assume you have compatible batteries; the M18 platform (Milwaukee) and LXT platform (Makita) are both extensive ecosystems with cross-compatible batteries across hundreds of tools.
Orbital action moves the blade in an oval pattern rather than straight back-and-forth, dramatically increasing cut speed on wood. Both Milwaukee and Makita offer orbital action on their mid-range and flagship recip saws. For wood-only cutting, engage orbital. For metal cutting and controlled demolition, disable orbital for cleaner, more controlled cuts.
If you already have a Milwaukee M18 battery pack from a drill or impact driver, the M18 FUEL Sawzall adds to that ecosystem at tool-only pricing ($199 vs $299+ with battery). Same logic applies for Makita LXT users. If you're starting fresh, compare total system cost (battery + charger + tool) across both platforms before committing. Wondering whether an impact driver is right for your project or if you'd be better served by a drill? Our drill type guide covers every driver category — drill, impact driver, impact wrench, hammer drill — with real-world use cases.
Quick Decision: If budget is the priority, go with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Saw Bare; if you want the best overall, choose the Milwaukee 2720-20 M18 FUEL Sawzall Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only); if you need best makita, the Makita XRJ07ZB 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only) is your pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How We Analyze Products
We analyze Amazon review data — often thousands of reviews per product — to surface patterns that individual buyers miss. Our process aggregates star ratings, review counts, and buyer sentiment at scale, identifying which strengths and weaknesses appear consistently across the largest review samples available. The 1,997+ reviews analyzed on this page represent real verified-purchase feedback from Amazon buyers.
Each product earned its placement through data: total review volume, average rating, and the specific praise and complaints that repeat most often across buyers. No manufacturer paid for placement on this page. Products appear here because buyers endorsed them at scale, not because a company asked us to feature them.
We use AI to summarize review sentiment — not to fabricate opinions, but to condense what thousands of buyers actually wrote into a readable format. The pros and cons you see reflect the most common themes found in verified purchaser reviews, paraphrased for clarity. We do not claim to have accessed Reddit, YouTube, or specific publications in generating these summaries.
Prices shown reflect Amazon pricing at the time this page was last generated. Click “See Today’s Price” to get the current live price on Amazon. Read our full methodology →