Customer Reviews

Milwaukee 2420-22 12-Volt Hackzall Saw Kit

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I bought into the Milwaukee M12 line of tools including the Hackzall, Inspector, Drill/Driver, Impact and Pipe Cutter. There were a number of features that sold me on these tools including ergonomics, product selection using this same battery, battery life indicator, LED illumination, 5 year warranty, opinions from other reviews, first hand testing, etc. Another guy I've worked with has a Hackzall and I've personally seen it dropped off counters, ladders and trash cans. This guy is a bit careless and is unnecessarily tough on his tools, but his Hackzall continues to work well and nothing was ever bent or broken on it from the falls...so far.

Based on my experiences, the Hackzall can easily be used one handed for cutting softer or thin materials, but I prefer to keep my right hand on the trigger/grip while resting my left hand across the top to provide more control, especially when cutting thicker and harder materials. The Hackzall is a useful tool for tight places and it easily cuts copper pipe, 2x4's, EMT, drywall, fiberglass, etc, pretty well as long as what you're cutting is not too wide (less than a couple inches and the thinner the better). Milwaukee has its own line of Hackzall blades that are recommended for this saw, but all the regular Sawzall blades will work in this as well. However, longer blades have a tendency to jump around on this saw quite a bit more than I'm used to with my other larger reciprocating saws (Dewalt, Hitachi, etc).

I was hoping to also use this tool to cut extruded aluminum tub / shower rails among other similar tasks and while it can do this task, it doesn't do it very well for me. There's just too much vibration to get quick clean accurate cuts unless the work piece is securely clamped under more ideal conditions. And even then it takes a while to make these cuts and the blade wants to wander about, possibly due to the vibration and short 1/2 inch stroke. In comparison, my larger 18 volt Hitachi CR18DL makes very quick work out of these rails and cuts them dead-on accurately one handed as if it's going through butter. With my Hitachi CR18DL I don't even have to think about the cut other than lining up the blade to my mark. I just line it up, squeeze the trigger and it cuts the larger rails in ~2 or ~3 seconds with excellent accuracy. With the Hackzall, I'm often fighting with the work piece as its being jerked around. I also have to use a considerable amount of downward pressure and grip the top of the tool with my left hand to keep the saw cutting, but sometimes the overload protection kicks in an the saw shuts off. I won't be using the Hackzall anymore on extruded rails wider than two inches.

Today I had the chance try Hitachi's new CR10DL, which is the 10.8 volt saw designed to compete with Milwaukee's M12 Hackzall. The CR10DL is about 3 inches longer than Milwaukee's Hackzall which might be a concern in tight places, but it also has a comfortable feel for one handed use. I only got a chance to do a couple test cuts with the CR10DL before the contractor with this saw left the job site, but I was very impressed with the Hitachi CR10DL and also found it well suited for many small tasks.

Never the less, I own the Milwaukee Hackzall and it's paid for. It does all my tight quarters cutting work fairly well when using the right blade for the right job. It feels well built, nicely balanced and I'm glad I own it, especially since it nicely compliments the other M12 tools I own. I probably won't be switching over to Hitachi's 10.8 volt tools anytime soon, but I would have given more serious thought to them if I was starting from scratch. Even then, the M12 tools are still very appealing because I like the tubing cutter, the impact gun, the drill/driver, the inspector and I do like the Hackzall for simple light duty tight quarters work. I just wish Milwaukee would have given the M12 an adjustable foot, better LED work piece lighting and a belt clip to make this tool more versatile for my needs.


UPDATE: January 26th, 2009
I really should have given this tool a 4 star rating. It's not perfect and it could be better, but its been a GREAT tool for us as is. We're using these saws daily and they're holding up very well so far. I'm very impressed with most of the M12 product line, although we've had some battery life issues which are hopefully isolated to just a couple batteries. The ergonomics of the Hackzall are great and its become the saw everybody now reaches for on all kinds of tasks.


UPDATE: April 19th, 2009
Our M12 Hackzall's are still going strong. It's our goto tool for under the sink plumbing issues. We often run across fixtures that are corroded very badly and won't come off with a wrench without breaking something or busting a knuckle when it does break loose. And most of the time there's very little room for us to work in. The Hackzall doesn't use much space and it zips though all under sink plumbing in seconds. We use it for many other tasks, but its definitely our goto tool when removing stubborn kitchen or bathroom plumbing fixtures.

Milwaukee quality in a tiny package. Very strong motor, almost as much power as my full-size 18V Ridgid cordless recip saw. Cuts copper pipe and PVC just as fast. If you look at the pictures above, you can see how it compares in size to my Milwaukee 6521-21. Cutting a 2x4 twice, a 3" PVC pipe, a piece of 1/2" rebar, a piece of 3/8" all-thread, ten cuts in 1 1/2" PVC, a bar of 1/2" thick brass 1" wide, and ten cuts in 1/2" copper caused the battery to drop one of four lights. It does cut faster with the Hackzall blades because they are a thinner kerf, but they aren't flimsy at all. It weighs roughly five pounds. As a service plumber, I can tell you this will make some of my jobs a lot easier, safer, and faster.

I have been using this hackzall for about 2 weeks and am finding more uses for it every day !! It's typical Milwaukee quality, seems like it's built to last. You will not be satisfied with this saw if you don't use it for it's intended purpose, just remember it's NOT A FULL SIZE SAWZALL !!!!! It has a specific application, and it does it flawlessly !!!!! I LUV THIS LITTLE WORKHORSE, AND THE BATTERY LASTS FOREVER. This hackzall is not a must have ... it's a NICE TO HAVE.

I bought this to replace copper plumbing with PEX plumbing. I needed the saw to cut the old copper out. Man does it do that!

Before I was using a cheap pipe cutter, several actually, and it kept crushing the thin copper pipe. That doesn't sound like a big problem but I had to connect to where I cut off and spent a great deal of time trying to make a cut...on my back in a cold crawl space. It was a major pain. With this puppy, hold with one hand, and zip the pipe off.

I'm sure to find many more uses but it sure does the job I needed.

I started to buy it at Lowes or Home Depot but it turned out cheaper on Amazon and came with a pack of blades and another accessory. It was a very good deal.

It does have some vibration which seems unavoidable.

It's more powerful and cuts smoother than a crappy B&D full-sized recip saw I got as a gift. Not that that's saying much.

Vibration IS pretty crazy at top speed but with this much power and portability, something had to give and it certainly wasn't the quality or construction of the tool. Fortunately it's not a continuous thing. At lower speeds it's quite stable but around 75% on the trigger it starts to shake a bit and I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable using anything but two hands on it at top speed. I don't think I'd like it for repetitive use at top speed for long periods of time, but that's not really the kind of work this tool is meant for.

So basically, if you want a finer cut, or decent control when cutting one-handed, you'll have to take it down a notch. If all you care about is making two pieces where there was once one ASAP, however, the option to go full bore is there and it cuts faster than I had hoped at this speed and still smoother than the B&D. I've used it do a plunge cut through an inch of pine and I'm looking forward to trying out the wood scrolling blades when I get the chance since I can't really afford a jigsaw at the moment and the cuts seem pretty smooth at lower speeds.

Which is the only really negative point for me. I like it just a little bit too much to give it up but I didn't really need it. I'm psyched to get that impact driver via the rebate and I love my subcompact drill/driver but as incredibly handy as it will come when I actually do have a use for it, there's other tools that would have been a better choice for me personally. That's more of a knock against me than the tool though and I suspect I'll feel less ambivalent when I start my first rehabbing project.

Oh well, at least it replaces that ridiculous B&D saw, which, incredibly enough, feels like a toy by comparison, both in the hands and during use. I can only imagine how much a corded or V28 sawzall outclasses the B&D. But then I couldn't just throw one of those into a large inner trench pocket or a glove compartment.

Usually people complain that the case didn't leave any room for extras like blades and other stuff. This case is nice and fits everything in the kit along with space to keep a full-sized blade in the tool during storage, a third battery and an extra pocket for more blades. If portability for transport is less of a concern, you'll probably like this case. Personally, I would have opted for one that sacrificed the convenience of not having to detach the blade and less space for extras in order to keep it smaller.

Blade-swapping is about as easy as it could be. They pop out with a twist of a knob and pop in with even less effort and none of the uncertainty of a lesser tool. The ability to use full-size blades is nice in a pinch, I suppose, but I stick to the ones designed specifically for this tool as it has a noticeable impact on performance.

If you've never encountered a Milwaukee sawzall in real life and it's the portability of this tool that appeals to you, I'd recommend having a look at a sawzall first. The best of the corded sawzalls is cheaper than this kit and they are already surprisingly compact tools for the amazing things they're capable of. If it has to be cordless, check out the V28 (but not the kit - it's priced more than its components cost separately).

Overall, I'm very impressed, but let's be honest. If you're not sure you need one of these, you probably don't. If you're a member of any of the obvious professions Milwaukee has targeted with its m12 line, it's definitely worth a look.

Milwaukee 2420-22 12-Volt Hackzall Saw Kit
Although this will not replace my Delta Sawzall in the shop, in the garden it is invaluable for cutting 5" or less branches. Used in combination with the Skill "The Ugly" reciprocating saw blades, this saw cuts through branches and roots like butter! The 12v Rechargeable Ion batteries lasts a very long time and the ergonomic design of the saw enable the saw to be used easily with one hand. Its compact size allows for use in very tight places. I highly recommend this for any serious home gardner!

I own a lot of Milwaukee tools (and other brands too) and I really appreciate Milwaukee's quality and durability. As far as this tool is concerned I thought it might be a nice tool but I already had a Sawzall so I didn't think it was worth the money to get a smaller saw. Whenever I ran into a situation where my Sawzall didn't fit, I used a keyhole saw with a little elbow grease.

One day, I ran into a situation where I needed to cut some 4" PVC sewer line inside a wall in a very cramped area. To do it with my sawzall would have requied a lot of extra demolition just to get to the pipe (and then a lot more repair work). I could get my keyhole saw in place but with the difficult angles, I couldn't get any pressure on it. I don't think I could have cut through the pipe by hand if I spent all day on it. I was pressed for time so I went and got a Hackzall. I made two clean cuts in less than a minute and was very pleased. Just that one 60 second job was worth the money I spent for the hackzall due to the time it saved me and the demolition and repair it allowed me to avoid. I could have thrown it out then and been ahead.

Interestingly, I use it all the time now and my sawzall doesn't get much use except for big jobs. It is a great feeling when you buy something that not only meets your needs but also wildly exceeds your expectations. This is a very nice, convenient, durable tool and the battery lasts a very long time. It is well balanced and feels great in your hand. I wish I had bought this a long time ago.

This tool is a great add on for the around the house fixer upper. For any job that requires a good bit of cutting that can't be done with other tools, this is the tool. The control that this tool allows is excellent. I have used a lot of sawzalls in the past and the larger ones are great for heavy demo. However I can use this where some detail work or fine movement is required. I haven't found anything this won't cut through cleanly yet.

This is one snazzy little saw. It's everything I hoped it would be!
My primary purpose for the purchase of this product was to cut down pesky "weed trees" that I cannot stop from growing around my house.
Whereas before I had to get out a larger saw with extension cord and the job was a pain. Now I walk out with this cordless little miracle and in minutes I have the cutting done.
I will point out that I can eat up the charge on a battery within fifteen minutes, but the kit comes with a second battery and the batteries charge incredibly fast. Even still I will probably purchase a third battery, for which there is already an extra spot for in the well designed case.
Lastly the changing of the blades is a snap with the welcome new design, which only requires a quarter turn of a spring loaded chuck and that quick you have a new blade installed.
THIS IS ONE REALLY SHARP LITTLE TOOL !

This is a great saw that is very powerful and cuts very fast given its size and intended purpose . It's very well made and fits the hand nicely . This little gem will be a favorite of a good many tradesman once they buy or borrow one . The features like the built in lite , battery meter , tool free blade changes and overall quality is proof of milwaukees continued commitment to making the best of the best . This saw has a fixed base rather than a swivel base found on the bigger saws . This is not a full size saw however capable of doing the things full size saws do . It's a saw you use in places the full size saw won't fit . It's what you use on light weight stuff when the big saws are not needed . I love it for drywall ,cutting traps and sink drains etc.. As for the complaints by some of the Mary's that have written reviews about excessive vibration I don't see it . It is necessary to always keep the saw base firmly against what you are cutting . Start your saw slowly and then bring your blade into what your cutting with lite pressure at first . Increasing the speed of the saw once you have established a straight cut . Running the saw too fast at first and or allowing the blade to bind up is what causes the vibration in any saw . In the right hands this saw is a pleasure to use and very effective . I'm surprised by just how smooth this saw is considering its size and weight . It doesn't vibrate nearly as much as a full size saw when you hold it in one hand . While I don't like seeing made in china stamped on the side clearly it's still milwaukee quality . Milwaukee has been forced to go with cheaper labor because everyone else already has due to the number of foolish consumers in this country buying up as much foreign made products as possible . Even though the American made products while a little more exspensive are almost always better .