The Importance of Pendulum Action - What It Is and Why You Should Have It

Pendulum action is often confused with orbital action. And it's an easy confusion to fall into as both terms essentially refer to the same thing. It's a technology built into modern jigsaws that gives you the ability to move the blade in a circular motion. Simply put, the blade moves up and down (of course), but with pendulum action it also moves backwards and forwards.

As explained here, this means you can cut into thicker, harder materials quicker. That equates to longer motor life, longer blade life, and less work time. Bonuses all round.

To learn which cordless jigsaws have pendulum action, take a few moments to browse our cordless jigsaw buying guide.

We recently produced two videos with the help of Bosch power tools to demonstrate why it's important to use pendulum action. In the first video, Eric Streuli explains what pendulum action is, why it's important to use a good quality blade (see our jigsaw blade buying guide for more tips) and how to cut through thick worktop without damaging the laminate.

In this video, Eric again explains the importance of using pendulum action due to the control it provides you with when cutting curves in hard material.

Thanks to Bosch for these demonstrations. The jigsaw used in each is the Bosch GST140BCE Professional. You can read our review of its benefits and features here.

What do you typically use your jigsaw for? And how has pendulum - or orbital - action helped you? Or if you've got any question, let us know in the comments.