Choose the Right Jigsaw Blade for Your Work. Drywall jigsaw blade

Choose the Right Jigsaw Blade for Your Work

A jigsaw is a very popular and valuable power tool that is used in a wide range of cutting applications. A good machine can win half the battle when it comes to achieving satisfactory cuts with a jigsaw if you have a wrong blade installed in it. A jigsaw is only as good as its blade. There are a variety of options available in the market when it comes to jigsaw and jigsaw blades. So, to choose the right one becomes a difficult task for anyone. So, here are tips that you can follow to choose the right jigsaw blade for your work.

Different Types of Jigsaw Blades

Jigsaw blades are divided on the basis of their shanks. Jigsaw shank is generally divided into two main categories: T-shanks, and U-shanks.

• T-Shanks – These are very popular and are commonly used. Many U-shanks are also compatible with T-shank blades. T-shanks are created to facilitate a quick change of blades. A T-shank blade only requires a simple push of a button to replace the blade.

• U-Shank – These are also known as Universal shanks. These are not as popular as T-shanks due to their slower blade changing speed. Most of the U-shank jigsaws require the user to fasten the blade in place with the help of a retaining screw or an Allen key which slows down the process.

How to Choose and Use a Jig Saw | Ask This Old House

Choose Blade By Cutting Material Types

Blades are also differentiated on the basis of the application they are used for. Some of the most common types of blades required, depending on the basis of application include:

• Metal – If you are cutting strong materials like pipes, angle iron, etc. you would need a jigsaw blade made from hard alloy that features tightly-grouped and precision-ground teeth. You can go for a carbon steel blade for quickly cutting through ferrous as well as non-ferrous materials, like copper, steel, brass, and aluminum.

• Wood – Blades that come with sharp, large teeth are widely used for cutting through construction lumber. Smaller teeth blades are used for cutting finer wood with a smooth finish.

• Plastic – If your application requires you to cut different types of plastics, acrylic, PVC, etc. a multipurpose jigsaw blade can be the best for you. These blades prevent burning, melting, and chipping of the work material.

• Soft Materials – These blades are exclusively designed for cutting soft materials, like rubber, leather, foam, carpet, etc. These blades are perfect for smooth and damage-free cutting.

• Drywall and Plaster – To cut materials like drywall, you would need a special drywall/plaster blade. These blades prevent breaking, crumbling and cracking of work materials.

Different Blade Size

The types of material that needs to be cut and how the material will be cut can help you choose the right size of a blade. It is recommended that the blade size should at least be one inch longer than material thickness. In general longer, blades are thicker to prevent bending of the blade. However, thinner blades are weaker but excellent for clean cuts, and sharp curves.

Blade Thickness

Jigsaw blades are long, thin strips of metal that are only supported by the tool at the shank end. One of the most effective ways to ensure straight cuts from top to bottom is to choose a blade with increased thickness.

Materials Used for Making Jigsaw Blades

There are different types of metals and compounds that are used for manufacturing blades. The general thumb rule is harder blades can cut harder materials. However, there are also blades that can be used for hard and soft materials.

Let’s discuss some of the common materials used for jigsaw blades.

• High Carbon Steel – High carbon steel blades are made from iron with 0.55% to 0.95% of carbon and 0.30% to 0.90% of manganese. These blades are very cheap and commonly found in workshops.

• High-Speed Steel – These blades do not accelerate the cutting speed. They can cut harder materials but are not as flexible as high carbon steel blades.

• Bi-Metal – These blades are made from high carbon steel and high-speed steel. Their body is made from HSS which offers better flexibility and teeth are made from HSS for cutting harder materials. The combination of both the materials makes them excellent for harder and heavy cutting.

• Tungsten Carbide – This material is made from carbon and tungsten compound. These types of blades enable smooth cuts, these blades are the most expensive and can cut the hardest of the work materials.

Importance of Blade Teeth

Blade teeth are responsible for the cutting action of the blade. Hence, blade teeth are one of the most important parts of a jigsaw blade. It defines how rough or fine a blade makes the cut.

TPI of Blade – Teeth per unit (TPI) is the unit that is used to measure the total number of teeth in a square inch. Harder materials need higher TPI and softer materials need lower TPI. Apart from the cut, TPI also determines cutting speed.

Types of Blade Teeth – Teeth of blades are generally grounded or milled. Ground teeth have sharp edges; however, milled teeth are not as sharp but last for a longer duration.

Teeth Layouts – Apart from the type of blade teeth, the teeth are also designed in different layouts. Some common layouts are:

• Taper – These are a straight alignment of teeth and are ideal for fine and slow cutting.
• Wavy – In this, teeth are aligned in the shape of wave and are ideal for fine straight cuts.
• Reverse – These are like tapered teeth and are ideal for materials that are prone to chipping.
• Side – This is an offset design that makes them ideal for rough and faster cuts.

Now, as you are aware of jigsaw blades, you can easily choose the best one as per your requirement. If you are planning to buy a jigsaw blade online, browse through our website moglix.com and get the best assortment brands at the lowest price.

Cutting Drywall With Oscillating Tool

Trying to make neat, precise plunge cuts in various materials was a problem that needed a solution. For decades, DIYers and tradespeople had been using their common circular saws, jigsaws, hand saws, and other tools somewhat off-label for this purpose, and rarely with stellar results.

When it came to drywall, in particular, it wasn’t impossible to get decent results with things like jab saws, utility knives, or even circular saws, but the performance was either slow, messy, or tedious. Often, it was all three. Interestingly, the medical industry was the first to see how limited our tool options really were. Doctors needed a safe and simple way to take plaster casts off of their patients, but only had rotating or linear back and forth or sawing motions to choose from, both of which had the potential to cut through the skin. The oscillating multi-tool was the industry’s answer for solving the dilemma of needing to make orderly, depth-controlled plunge cuts into soft materials, and the construction industry soon followed suit.

Can You Use an Oscillating Multi-Tool to Cut Drywall?

Yes. You can cut drywall with an oscillating multi-tool. In fact, the oscillating tool is an industry favorite for cutting drywall. These tools can cut through soft gypsum material like butter and can do so at any point along a wall or unhung drywall sheet more precisely and cleanly than jab saws or circular saws.

While you can cleanly cut drywall sheets using a utility knife, it is not easy to do the same on sheetrock that is already installed. This is where the oscillating multi-tool truly shines. The multi-tool isn’t the fastest tool out there and they can be quite noisy, but it is an excellent option for creating neat, intentional cutouts in drywall.

Advantages of Using an Oscillating Multi-Tool

Because the oscillating multi-tool blade effectively vibrates instead of spins, the overall design of the tool allows it to make crisp plunge cuts with defined edges in precise locations in many different materials, but especially in drywall. In actuality, the blade on a multi-tool moves from side to side (oscillates) with a slight 3-degree arc at a dizzying rate, but “vibrate” is at least an accurate visual.

Ability to Plunge Cut

The main advantage of an oscillating multi-tool when it comes to drywall cutting is its ability to do plunge cuts cleanly. Thanks to this design and a plethora of available blade styles and options, the plunge cut’s width and depth are easier to control than when using other tool options.

This means that an oscillating multi-tool can typically be used when clean lines and specific cutout dimensions and shapes are necessary, like in the case of cutting out spaces for electrical boxes or vent registers, when creating access panels for working on existing plumbing and electrical work while avoiding having to replace large sections of drywall for this purpose, or when replacing drywall is necessary and avoiding the internal wall utilities is tricky.

Flush Cutting

The ability to perform flush cuts is another serious advantage to using an oscillating multi-tool, and it’s not only useful when working with door jambs. A flush cut is a cut that occurs along a horizontal surface, like a countertop or flooring. The ability to flush-cut drywall is incredibly valuable when working on projects such as backsplashes and flooring or wall trim.

Wide Range of Blades

A large variety of available blade options also allows for a multitude of positioning and cutting directions when using the tool. Unlike circular saws, for example, which can only spin in a single direction meaning that cutting can only be performed by pushing the saw forward through the material, oscillating multi-tools can be used in either a push or pull motion if equipped with the correct blade. This allows the user free range of motion when making curved or intricate cuts. Even circular cutouts for things like plumbing rough-ins are possible and easy to perform when fit with the right blade.

Depth Marking

Oscillating multi-tool blades also often offer measurements or other markings on the blade, itself, that let the user gauge the depth of the cut in a much more straight-forward way than most other tools.

Certain blade styles can even replace the need for drywall rasps and allow the user to shave off small areas of drywall for a cleaner and more precise fit.

Drywall Cutting Blade for Oscillating Tool

Though there are oscillating multi-tool blades designed specifically for drywall (and even some that perform a variety of common drywall cuts all in one blade), the best blade to use generally depends on the type of cut needing to be made and the location of the cut. Even if a blade does not claim that it is designed specifically for drywall and is instead designed for wood, you may still find it useful for cutting drywall.

Oftentimes, the two uses are combined into one blade design and your blade will be marketed as a “wood and drywall” blade, or “wood, drywall, and PVC”, or even “wood and metal”. Simply put, drywall is a very soft material, and if a blade on an oscillating multi-tool can cut through wood, it is likely that it can also cut through drywall cleanly without much trouble. However, the drywall-specific blades have smaller, tighter teeth and more drywall-specific characteristics. For this reason, the drywall blades will always provide a cleaner cut and more versatility.

Note that you will often see the descriptor of “HCS” on oscillating multi-tool blades. This is an abbreviation for “high carbon steel” and means that the blade is best used on wood, PVC, and drywall, as all of these are considered relatively soft materials. This is in contrast to blades meant for cutting metal, for example, which are typically made from bimetal or tungsten carbide, a much stronger material.

We’ll go over a few drywall cuts, below, and the type of blade that would likely work the best for each task.

Cutting a Hole or Circle in Drywall with an Oscillating Tool

If you need to create neat holes in drywall for things like pipes or light fixtures, there are two blade options for your oscillating multi-tool: a multi-function drywall blade equipped with “dagger” blades or a hole saw attachment blade. A hole saw attachment blade is designed much the same as a common hole saw you’d use with a drill with the exception that it vibrates rather than spins. The hole saw attachment blade would certainly provide a more perfect circular cut but you are limited to the singular diameter of your hole saw.

To help you picture a multi-function blade attachment, imagine a Swiss Army knife with all of the doo-dads and attachments extended/open. One of these attachments is a dagger blade that looks much like it sounds and allows you to easily pierce drywall and then push or pull along your cut-line (or, in this case, cut-circle).

Using a multi-function blade allows you to make a circular cut of any size; it just may not be as neat as the circle created from a hole saw or a drill bit. However, if you can draw a fairly neat circle, you can probably also cut one using a multi-function blade.

Cutting Out a Relatively Small Square Shape in Drywall

If you need to make neat, precise cutouts for things like electrical boxes or vent registers, a multi-function drywall blade is, again, an excellent choice. This is particularly true when considering that these types of blades generally come with cutting depth markings that allow you to accurately gauge your cutting depth. They also generally come equipped with rasp sections to clean up or fine-tune your cutout afterwards.

Another option for this type of drywall cutout is a plunge cut fine cutting blade. These are generally simple and square in shape and are designed for straight plunge cuts and cut lines. These characteristics would allow the blade to create plumb, square edges relatively easily and quickly.

Performing Flush Cuts in Drywall Along a Horizontal Surface

Sometimes, shopping for blades for your oscillating multi-tool can be slightly confusing, especially if you’re new to using this kind of tool. Blades often come in a variety of packs, and though usually, the blades all look relatively different and clearly state the appropriate material they should be used on, they aren’t always labeled very descriptively.

A flush-cut blade is exactly what it sounds like. They are usually shaped in half or 3/4 circles and look a bit like a Victorian folding hand fan, though they also come in rectangular shapes and allow you to make cuts parallel to a flat surface without damaging the surface itself. As with most blades, there are flush cut blades meant for drywall, flush cut blades meant for wood, flush cut blades meant for metal, and flush cut blades capable of being used on multiple materials.

Cutting Out Large Panels or Sections of Drywall

Fan-shaped blades, as described above, are also a great choice for cutting out large sections of drywall, though a multi-tool is not the quickest tool for this kind of job. It is recommended that you use something like a drywall cut-out tool, also known as a zip tool, if cutting speed is important to you. However, the multi-tool can provide you with very clean, straight lines if you choose to use it for this purpose.

How to Cut Drywall with an Oscillating Multi-Tool

Thankfully, using an oscillating multi-tool is fairly easy to get the hang of. If you’ve never used one of these tools before or if you are unfamiliar with the blade you are wanting to use, I recommend practicing on a scrap piece of drywall, first. This is the best way to understand your tool’s speed, power, and quirks.

A simple rundown of the steps you will follow are:

• Choose and install the correct blade onto your multi-tool.
• Mark your cut-out with a pen, pencil, or chalk line.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) like safety glasses, a mask, and gloves. Oscillating multi-tools do not produce a massive amount of dust, but keep in mind that inhaling drywall dust is hazardous.
• Turn on your multi-tool and slowly press your blade into your marked cut-line.
• If using a straight blade, first allow your blade to reach your desired cut depth and use a slow, gentle side-to-side motion as you move your tool across the desired length of your cut-line.
• If using a dagger tool, determine if a push or pull motion is best for your shape (again, practice, practice, practice!), push the edge of the blade to the desired cut-depth, and push or pull your multi-tool along your desired cut-line or curve.
• Complete your desired cut-out shape, remove your oscillating multi-tool from the cut-out, turn off the machine, and remove the drywall shape you have just cut.
• Admire your new familiarity with yet another useful tool and enjoy your growing collection!

Total Tools. Low Price Guarantee Policy (Terms Conditions)

At Total Tools we offer Low Prices, every day, guaranteed. We will not be beaten!

We check our daily against our competitors to ensure you can shop online or instore with the confidence you are buying at the very best price, every day.

Should you find a lower advertised price for the identically stocked product elsewhere, we will happily match the price. [Subject to Terms Conditions – see below for details]

At times have moved in the market, and our in store and online price for printed catalogue items may be lower. Check online or instore for the latest price.

How to Price Match

Simply visit a Total Tools Store or contact our online team with evidence of a cheaper price (print out or website link). We will verify the price, and then immediately match any current advertised price (Terms Conditions apply).

Terms Conditions

For eligibility, the following terms and conditions need to be met;

• Product must be identical (same brand, colour, model #)
• Product must be currently advertised in print or electronic media (Including newspaper, catalogue, radio, television advertising or online)
• Product must be in stock at the competitor
• The competitors price of the product must be inclusive of delivery fees, taxes and charges
• The competitors price is lower than our price on the day the price guarantee is requested (day of purchase)
• The competitors price excludes finance, installation, bundling, rebates, cash back, coupon offers, loyalty rewards or free bonus goods.
• The competitor is located in Australia
• Trade/commercial quotes and/or large volume/bulk purchases
• Products for sale via auction, stock liquidations, fire sale, sale or clearance (including eBay)
• Blemished, seconds, refurbished, damaged or ex demonstration stock
• Advertising errors where competitor has published a rectification notice
• Products distributed by unauthorised dealers / parallel importers
• Special event, club or membership offers, third party promotions or not available to the general public
• Special order products

Total Tools reserve the right to terminate or amend the price guarantee policy at any time without notice.

For Further Information

Further information may be obtained in-store at any of our stores nationwide or online at www.totaltools.com.au/priceguarantee. For the most effiicent response please use the contact us page, or alternatively email onlinesupport@totaltools.com.au.

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Pickup In Store

If you don’t want to pay for delivery or need to ASAP, you can pick it up in store. Just bear in mind not all stores will have everything in stock. You’ll be able to see if they do during the checkout process.

Free Delivery

Most products are included in free delivery, however some are excluded as follows:

• Orders and/or items under 99.
• Orders and/or items that are deemed bulky, large or heavy.
• Clearance items.
• Orders that include or items that are classed as dangerous goods.
• Remote areas are excluded from free delivery and you will either be charged delivery at checkout or may be contacted prior to delivery to confirm delivery charges if necessary.
• Interstate deliveries.

Total Tools reserve the right to change or withdraw free delivery at any time.

Estimated Delivery Timeframes

If you opted to collect in store you will receive an email to inform you when your goods are ready for collection.

If you opted for delivery, you will receive an email when the goods have been despatched to the couriers with details so you can track our order.

We aim to despatch all orders within 1-2 business days. In the unusual event of a delay to the despatch of your order you will be contacted at the earliest opportunity. Once the order has been despatched the estimated delivery time is as follows:

• Metro (Excludes Hobart Metro) 1-2 business days
• Hobart Metro 3-4 business days
• Regional Areas 3-4 business days
• Remote Areas 6-9 business days

Please note that these delivery timeframes are estimates and are not guaranteed.

Returns

Changed your mind? No worries. You just need to get the product back to the store it was shipped from (this is on your receipt) within 30 days, unused and in its original packaging and we’ll give you a refund (excluding delivery costs). You can read our full returns exchanges policy here (special order items are excluded from this returns policy).

Total Tools. Low Price Guarantee Policy (Terms Conditions)

At Total Tools we offer Low Prices, every day, guaranteed. We will not be beaten!

We check our daily against our competitors to ensure you can shop online or instore with the confidence you are buying at the very best price, every day.

Should you find a lower advertised price for the identically stocked product elsewhere, we will happily match the price. [Subject to Terms Conditions – see below for details]

At times have moved in the market, and our in store and online price for printed catalogue items may be lower. Check online or instore for the latest price.

How to Price Match

Simply fill in price match form available on every product page or visit a Total Tools Store. We will verify the price, and then immediately match any current advertised price (Terms Conditions apply).

Terms Conditions

For eligibility, the following terms and conditions need to be met;

• Product must be identical (same brand, colour, model #)
• Product must be currently advertised in print or electronic media (Including newspaper, catalogue, radio, television advertising or online)
• Product must be in stock at the competitor
• The competitors price of the product must be inclusive of delivery fees, taxes and charges
• The competitors price is lower than our price on the day the price guarantee is requested (day of purchase)
• The competitors price excludes finance, installation, bundling, rebates, cash back, coupon offers, loyalty rewards or free bonus goods.
• The competitor is located in Australia
• Trade/commercial quotes and/or large volume/bulk purchases
• Products for sale via auction, stock liquidations, fire sale, sale or clearance (including eBay, Amazon)
• Blemished, seconds, refurbished, damaged or ex demonstration stock
• Advertising errors where competitor has published a rectification notice
• Special event, club or membership offers, third party promotions or not available to the general public
• Special order products

Total Tools reserve the right to terminate or amend the price guarantee policy at any time without notice.

For Further Information

Further information may be obtained in-store at any of our stores nationwide or online at www.totaltools.com.au/price-match-guarantee. Alternatively, contact onlinesupport@totaltools.com.au.

Description

MILWAUKEE revolutionized the power tool industry in 1951 when they released the SAWZALL the first portable electric saw with a reciprocating mechanism.

The SAWZALL and more recent HACKZALL are both still defining MILWAUKEE tools to this day. Both of these tools are supported by a full line of SAWZALL blades for cutting all types of materials.

Product Description

The Drywall Access SAWZALL blade has been engineered to specifically address the frustrations encountered when doing plumbing and electrical service work behind installed drywall

The new Drywall Access blade is only 65 mm (2-1/2”) long, optimized to cleanly cut through up to 16 mm (5/8”) drywall but avoid damage to pipe and wire behind the wall The blade‘s unique multi-directional tooth design allows the user to cut in all directions, for maximum finesse in small diameter cutting.

All MILWAUKEE SAWZALL Blades are proudly Made in the USA.

Specifications

Pickup In Store

If you don’t want to pay for delivery or need to ASAP, you can pick it up in store. Just bear in mind not all stores will have everything in stock. You’ll be able to see if they do during the checkout process.

Free Delivery

Most products are included in free delivery, however some are excluded as follows:

• Orders and/or items under 99.
• Orders and/or items that are deemed bulky, large or heavy.
• Clearance items.
• Orders that include or items that are classed as dangerous goods.
• Remote areas are excluded from free delivery and you will either be charged delivery at checkout or may be contacted prior to delivery to confirm delivery charges if necessary.
• Interstate deliveries.

Total Tools reserve the right to change or withdraw free delivery at any time.

Estimated Delivery Timeframes

If you opted to collect in store you will receive an email to inform you when your goods are ready for collection.

If you opted for delivery, you will receive an email when the goods have been despatched to the couriers with details so you can track our order.

We aim to despatch all orders within 1-2 business days. In the unusual event of a delay to the despatch of your order you will be contacted at the earliest opportunity. Once the order has been despatched the estimated delivery time is as follows:

• Metro (Excludes Hobart Metro) 1-2 business days
• Hobart Metro 3-4 business days
• Regional Areas 3-4 business days
• Remote Areas 6-9 business days

How to Choose a Jigsaw Blade. Preventing Blade Wander

Please note that these delivery timeframes are estimates and are not guaranteed.

Returns

Changed your mind? No worries. You just need to get the product back to the store it was shipped from (this is on your receipt) within 30 days, unused and in its original packaging and we’ll give you a refund (excluding delivery costs). You can read our full returns exchanges policy here (special order items are excluded from this returns policy).

If folks have an impending drywall job, they’ll want to equip themselves with the right tools for cutting the sheets to size.

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Although drywall typically goes up quickly (and is one of the most exciting stages of a project), cutting it accurately and smoothly requires the right tools. There are a lot of tools that can cut drywall but really only a few that should—and not everyone knows the difference.

This guide will cover the best tools to cut drywall as well as what to consider when choosing one over another. Best yet, there’s something for just about every situation with options that include manual and power tools. Keep reading to learn more about the points to consider and some favorite options.

• BEST OVERALL:Milwaukee Fastback Flip Utility Knife
• BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK:Stanley 10-099 Classic 99 Retractable Utility Knife
• BEST UTILITY KNIFE:Lenox Tools Utility Knife
• BEST DRYWALL SAW:Klein Tools 725 6″ Jab Saw
• BEST MULTI-TOOL: DeWALT 20V Max XR Oscillating Multi-Tool
• BEST RECIPROCATING SAW:Bosch 12V Max Reciprocating Saw
• BEST JIGSAW:Bosch JS470EB Corded Barrel-Grip Jig Saw
• BEST ROTARY TOOL:DeWALT 20V Max Drywall Cut-Out Tool Kit
• BEST HOLE SAW:Amartisan Hole Cutter, 1⅝” to 8″

Types of Tools to Cut Drywall

Whether the job is cutting new sheets of drywall to shape or cutting through existing drywall for a new fixture, there’s a tool for the job. The following are some of the most common tools used to cut drywall. These tools generally produce the best results in terms of clean cuts, accuracy, and mess control.

Handheld Drywall Saw

A handheld drywall saw is a hand tool that features a serrated blade with a pointed tip as well as a rubber, plastic, or wood handle. The design of these tools makes it easy to push them through drywall for plunge cuts, and their aggressive teeth cut quickly. They’re excellent for cutting holes in the field of drywall for electrical boxes or lights, but they take a long time to cut drywall to length or width.

Note: Some old-school carpenters would also save their old handsaws for cutting boards to length or width. The gypsum and fiberglass will dull new handsaw blades quickly, but they do help make straight cuts. They’d keep an old saw on hand for that reason.

Utility Knife

A utility knife is a hand tool into which the user inserts a razor utility blade. After using a utility knife to score the drywall paper, the user can snap the board from the back side for a clean cut. They’re most useful for cutting sheets of drywall to length or width, but they are inefficient for cutting holes or curved shapes, as each requires several deep passes.

Oscillating Multi-Tool

Oscillating multi-tools are power tools that feature flat or hooked replaceable blades that move back and forth in very small but very fast strokes. They’re very safe to use, and they’re able to make extremely accurate plunge cuts for fixtures or electrical boxes. They can even cut sheets of drywall to length or width, but this will take a while and create more dust than necessary.

Reciprocating Saw

Reciprocating saws are power tools that use replaceable blades to cut a variety of materials. They’re aggressive for drywall, so they’re best used when making quick cuts around Windows and doors where the DIYer can clean the edges up later with a utility knife.

These saws are best used with drywall blades, as they’re a bit less aggressive than traditional reciprocating saw blades.

Jigsaw

DIYers comfortable with jigsaws may find them to be a big help on drywall jobs. The blades are small and easily manipulated, allowing them to cut holes for outlets and fixtures with ease. They can create a lot of dust while cutting, however, so running a vacuum nearby is advised.

Rotary Tool

Rotary tools, rotary cutters, or spiral saws are small handheld power tools very similar to drills, and they use specially designed bits to cut holes, curves, and notches out of drywall. They’re easy to use and generally have guides that sit directly on the drywall surface. They’re a favorite tool among professional drywall installers because they work quickly, and their bits can ride along objects behind the drywall for an accurate cut.

Hole Saw

For round holes in drywall, such as those cut for recessed lighting, ductwork, or pipes, it’s hard to beat the accuracy of a hole saw kit. These tools secure in the chuck of a drill, and they have round blades with small teeth that quickly cut through drywall to leave behind a perfectly round hole. Other versions, known as hole cutters, feature two adjustable blades with a centered drill bit.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Tool to Cut Drywall

With that background on the types of tools to cut drywall, it’s time for the top considerations to keep in mind when choosing one. The following are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing from the best tools to cut drywall, from the power source to performance.

Cutting Performance

For a tool for cutting drywall to be effective and perform well, the blade needs to be sharp. This is true of all tools, including utility knives, rotary tools, and oscillating multi-tools. If the blade isn’t sharp, the tool will not work well.

Also consider the application. A utility knife will not perform well when cutting curves despite its blade being razor-sharp. Likewise, cutting straight lines with a rotary tool can be a pain. Use the correct tool for the job for the best performance.

Power vs. Manual

There are a lot of reasons to choose power tools over manual tools and vice versa. Power tools are much faster, but they’re loud and can make an incredibly dusty mess. Manual tools are obviously quieter, but they take longer and require more effort from the user (drywall saws, specifically).

In most cases, it pays to have both tools on the job. Manual drywall tools are relatively inexpensive and they’re handy for keeping in a tool belt or Power tools are heavy-duty and make short work of a long cut.

Corded vs. Cordless

When it comes to corded vs. cordless drywall tools, there is no clear winner, as both have their place on the project. Corded tools can be a hassle because their wires can be trip hazards, but they’re typically very powerful, and the user doesn’t have to worry about battery management. Cordless tools are incredibly portable, and today’s models are plenty powerful, but their batteries can die and slow a job’s progress.

Ultimately, the favor is probably in the cordless tool department, as modern batteries last longer, and brushless motors have plenty of power. And as long as the batteries are full, it doesn’t matter whether the outlets in the room are live—a challenge on many drywall projects.

Our Top Picks

The following are some of the best tools for cutting drywall. Each has its pros and cons, so shoppers will want to keep the top considerations in mind when comparing these tools.