Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10952 in Home Improvement
• Color: Black, Silver, & Yellow
• Brand: DEWALT
• Model: DW331K
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 4.50" h x 14.50" w x 13.50" l, 10.00 pounds

Features

• Heavy-duty top-handle jigsaw with a powerful 6.5 Amp motor and variable cutting speed of 500 to 3100 RPM
• Rubberized handle and counterbalance mechanism reduce vibration and lessen user fatigue
• Non-marring shoe cover protects surfaces from scratches
• Lever-action keyless blade change system makes it easy to quickly change out blades
• Includes set of t-shank blades and a heavy-duty kit box

Amazon.com Review
Gentle curves, sharp turns, circles, ovals or straight cuts, it’s all a cinch with this DeWalt. It’s got so much power, it can easily take on jobs you’d normally hand to your circular saw, but it’s got the finesse you need for cutting curves.

Our pet peeve with jigsaws has always been the complicated, tooled method of changing a blade, but bravo to DeWalt for engineering this tool-free, practically effortless blade changeout system, quality-made completely of metal. The flip of a lever is all it takes, and you’re back on the job. It’s nice, too, to not have to handle that sizzling hot blade – the saw ejects it for you.

Control is phenomenal, and the saw really does the work for you. The motor powers the blade at 0 to 3,000 strokes per minute, so whether you’re cutting 1/8th-inch ply or a 2-by-4, this saw does not disappoint. You can tailor the speed and aggression to suit your cutting needs with a four-position selector that changes the attitude of the blade for different cutting applications. The non-marring shoe bevels to 45 degrees with positive stops, but we found it a tad difficult to determine the exact angle we’d set. A minor quibble, but one worth mentioning.

We particularly like how this saw feels in hand. It’s beautifully balanced, and the curved rubber grip feels good to grasp. The shape of the front of the tools lends itself nicely to your free hand for guidance. And while you’re cutting, the built-in dust blower really does a great job of keeping your cutting line clear. Carpenters and contractors will love this saw, and the do-it-yourselfer will find a hundred uses for it.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste

Amazon.com Product Description
DEWALT Heavy-Duty Top Handle Jig Saw features a powerful 6.5 Amp motor and variable cutting speed ranging from 500 to 3100 strokes per minute for superior cutting ability through a wide variety of materials. The lever-action keyless blade change system makes it easy to quickly change out blades, and the extra-large rubber grip handle and counter-balance mechanism provide for comfortable handling while minimizing vibration and user fatigue. This heavy-duty jigsaw also features bevel detents set at 0, 15, 30 and 45 degrees making it easy to locate the most common cutting angles.

Customer Reviews

A great jigsaw!
I really like this jigsaw! I've been using a Bosch jigsaw, and while it is a very good jigsaw I never really warmed up to it. When Dewalt brought out the DW331K I looked it over and decided to try it. I'm glad I did. First I like the quick, easy, no tool blade change. I far prefer the lever type system that Dewalt uses to the spinning knob system that Bosch uses. Every time I changed blades on the Bosch and the knob snapped when it locked the blade in it always felt like something had just broken. Also another feature that I'm really happy with is the dust blower on the Dewalt. It works! The dust blower on my Bosch has never worked well at all. I also like Dewalt tools because they appear to be of good quality, and sensibly built. I may keep the Bosch as a backup, but when it comes to a jigsaw the Dewalt DW331K is my weapon of choice.

Great Saw, but takes some playing with
I have had this saw for about 8 months now, and I have to say that it has been great. I haven't used it as much as some other people may in that time, but it's been very handy when I've needed it. When I first received this item, it seemed to have scratches on it. The blade also fell out when I went to use it. I sent it back to Amazon, who was completely awesome about the return, and received a new one.

When I got the new one, I opened the box and was shocked to see some of the same scratches on the saw that the one I sent back had. When I went to use it, I noticed the same bevel problems that others have stated- even at 0 the bevel would slide under pressure. Since the jig saw is the kind of tool you lean on a little when you use it, this was unacceptable. I called Amazon and got a third saw- figuring 3 strikes and you're out.

The third saw came, and there weren't as many "scratches". It appears upon closer inspection, that what I saw may have just been marks from the case. I started using the saw a little more and noticed something interesting. The shoe moved not only in a beveled left/right motion, but also front to back. The arm to release the shoe would give some pressure no matter what, and appear to hold the shoe in place until I put pressure on it. On inspecting the motion more closely- I realized that the shoe is designed to have the arm unlocked, then you pull back the shoe, set the bevel, push it forward to click it into place, and then lock the arm. It is VERY easy to miss this "push forward" step and then the shoe would not lock. Once it's done right though, the shoe is unmoveable. My mistake- I am glad I figured it out though. I'm not sure if this would solve other's issues with the bevel not staying in place on this saw, but I think it may.

The next issue is the blade falling out. This happened to me a few times, and I finally figured this one out too. The blade goes in very firmly. You also have to have the lever all the way open to get it in all the way. Once it's in, you release the lever and pull the blade down to check it (please do this with the saw unplugged). You will feel how firm it is in there. As one other reviewer mentioned- you have to play with it a little to get the feel for it.

And finally- put good quality blades on this thing. The blades it comes with are sub-par. I bought a nice set of Bosch blades for something like $10 and they are far superior. Match the blade to the intended use. You'll be suprised at the difference it makes. Using inferior blades I couldn't cut square or smooth. With the bosch blades on this thing- I am amazed at how smooth things are. I do wish I could cut a little straighter with it- but I am pretty inexperienced with the jigsaw, and one end of the blade does roam freely, so some motion is to be expected. I have cut counter tops, pine, and maple with this thing though and everything comes out perfectly as long as you're careful.

All in all, I would give this 4.5 stars due to the fact that it came scratched because the case isn't designed "pefectly" (although I'd rather they give a great tool and an OK case than an OK tool and a perfect case), the fact that it comes with inferior blades, and the fact that you have to master a couple of tricks to overcome the complaints others have mentioned. However, I am thrilled with the purchase now and love the tool- I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

One last note- when I was searching I was looking between this saw and the Bosch 1790EVSK. I decided to break from the pack and go with the Dewalt. I just liked the way it felt in my hand better. Personal choice. I am sure the Bosch is also a great saw and since I've never used it I can't compare directly. However, I can't imagine it is perfect, or that much better than the Dewalt. If I was buying again- I know it would come down to the Bosch or the Dewalt and I would go to a store and hold each tool and pick the one I thought felt better. Maybe I'd be shocked if I used a Bosch- but I think that many of the Bosch users may be shocked if they gave the Dewalt a shot too.

Time To Upgrade
First let me say that 97% of my portable electric tools and air staplers/nailers are from Porter Cable. They and Delta remain my standards for comparison. I broke my old PC 348 jigsaw and nearly cried when I was told that most critical parts are no longer availabe. But then, I purchased it back in the late 70's so it has been a true workhorse. So what to replace it with? After much research and hands on at various tool stores I settled on the DeWalt DW331 and let me tell you that this is one fine machine in every way and that the yellow D can be very proud of this product. I rate it a full 10. Wonder if I can get 20+ years out of this one - I think perhaps. Best feature - the ability to flush cut to the wall. WOW!! The vibration is minimal, the adjustments are rock solid, the grip is as good as gets for a top handle, and jeesh there is gobs of power. Buy this one if you want to own the current standard for corded jigsaws. Oh, the yellow means it can't hide in the pile - it's like its saying "I'm over here, silly".