Shop Garden Tools & Accessories >

FREE Delivery Over £99

Next Day Delivery

Finance Available

FREE Delivery Over £49

Next Day Delivery

Finance From £150

Hands on With the Makita BJV180 LXT Cordless Jigsaw – a Job Site Guide

Posted by Toolstop Colin on 25th Apr 2013

Hi, I’m Tom Alfry and Toolstop has asked me to write up short reviews of some of the power tools I use on a regular basis. You can read my introduction here! The comments section below is where you can agree or disagree with me, so get commenting. Please be sure to check out my website – Got Wood?

My experience with the Makita BJV180 LXT 18v lithium-ion jigsaw
I’ve used the jigsaw sporadically since I bought it because I left the blades in my other toolbox! However, when I retrieved the blades it was a delight to work with.

The ease of use with the entire Makita LXT range is my first love.

Even of you are new to DIY or carpentry you can read the manual (yes chaps that’s what that booklet is for), pop the battery in and cut to your heart’s content. Naturally it takes practice to cut dolphin shapes, but you’ll be there in no time.

As with the other Makita LXT tools in the range,  the BJV180’s grip is comfortable rubber. I have used it for kitchen work recently and it can be used upside down (not encouraged unless you are a professional) in order to see pencil lines and cut accurately.
Changing blades is easy due to the quick-release blade change system Makita have employed (no more burnt finger tips due to touching hot blades) and the tool comes with blades for cutting wood, plastic and metal. The saw has different modes for pendulum cutting and can be adjusted to cut at a variety of angles. You can read more about what pendulum cutting is here.

The sensitivity on the trigger is perfect, slow cut to max speed in an instant. Check out Toolstop TV’s video of the jigsaw.

Here’s some spec:

Cutting Capacity: Strokes Per Min: Length of Stroke: Extra Features
135mm in wood 0-2600 26mm LED job light
10mm in steel Ergonomic grip

Who is the Makita BJV180 LXT cordless jigsaw suitable for?

I reckon this tool would be suitable for all anyone who needs a cordless jigsaw. It’s lightweight, easy to use and control. And if you need more power, get a corded version.

For me, I need a cordless jigsaw for use in all my kitchen fitting jobs, so the Makita BJV180 LXT jigsaw is happily coping with the work I’m throwing at it!
Toolstop’s Note:

What cordless jigsaw do you use on the job site? If you’d like to write about it, let us know in the comments! Do you think cordless is the way forward for most power tools now? Agree or disagree, let us know in the comments.

And if Makita isn’t your bag, then check out our cordless jigsaw buying guide where we cover what’s on offer from Metabo, Bosch and more.