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If you have ever tried to cut through hardwood with a power saw, you know that a high level of tear out and burning can occur.
We are here to make the argument that working with a jigsaw is actually one of your best options for cutting hardwood – and we have a list of awesome jigsaw blades that will help you make the cleanest, truest cuts you have ever seen.
Hoping to cut right to the chase? Below are the best jigsaw blades for hardwood:
- Best Overall: Festool 204275 Set
- Runner-up: Bosch T308BFP
- Best for the Money: Dewalt DW3703H
Comparison of the Best Jigsaw Blades for Hardwood
Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
Festool 204275 Set  | Read Customer Reviews | |
Bosch T308BFP  | Read Customer Reviews | |
Dewalt DW3703H  | Read Customer Reviews | |
Bosch T101AO3  | Read Customer Reviews | |
Lenox Tools 1990963  | Read Customer Reviews |
What Makes a Jigsaw Blade Great for Cutting Hardwood?
Hardwood can be tough to cut if you don't have the right tool. Luckily, a jigsaw is a pretty solid tool for hardwoods provided you have the right blade.
Durability
You want a blade that can go the distance for it, and cut through hundreds of different hardwood projects without needing to be sharpened or replaced – and without breaking midway through, which can be exceptionally dangerous. Go with a jigsaw blade for some safety and peace of mind.
Precision
Jigsaws are specifically intended for projects with intricate details and curves that a regular saw would not be able to handle – hence why they are called jigsaws, as they can be used to cut pieces for a jigsaw puzzle. You need a blade that is not going to negatively impact the precision of your saw.
Clean Cuts
Hardwood is – wait for it – harder than other kinds of woods, which means it is more brittle and prone to breakage. Especially if you are using another kind of saw besides a jigsaw, you may experience a high level of tearout when you are making cuts. Not so with a jigsaw blade.
What Size of Jigsaw Blade and Number of Teeth Do I Need to Cut Hardwood?
For cutting hardwood, you should defer to the normal consideration when thinking about blade size: the blade should be at least one inch longer than the thickness of the material you intend to cut.
For number of teeth, it can become a little bit more complicated. Teeth are measured in teeth per inch, or TPI. Typically, when it comes to harder materials, lower TPI will result in a rougher cut while higher TPI will result in a slower cut. Like all things in life, there is a tradeoff: in this case between speed of cut and cleanliness of cut.
Review of the Best Jigsaw Blades for Hardwood
Now that you have a better sense of what you should be looking out for with jigsaw blades for hardwood, let’s check out some actual products!
Best Overall:
Festool 204275 Set
PROS
CONS
Our Review
If you want to get cracking on a project right away, you have got to go with these Festool blades! These blades are ready to go right out of the box upon arrival. They can make exceptionally quick cuts, so you will be flying through your different projects.
And when we say different projects, we really do mean different projects – these blades are versatile enough to be used on a wide range of different jigsaw jobs, thanks to the many different kinds of blades that are included with this set, from fine cut to straight cut.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
Multiple users reported their appreciation for the way these blades are stored and organized. They arrive with their own storage box, and are sorted according to the blade curve, so you will always be able to grab the blade you need easily right out of the box.
Runner-up:
Bosch T308BFP
PROS
CONS
Our Review
These blades are so tough, they can move on from regular jigsaw projects to be used in even heavy duty projects such as working with construction timbers! If you are looking for a blade that will stay sharp for a long time and save you some time on regular sharpening needs, this is the one you have got to go with.
Some users reported they were even able to use these blades to trim tree branches! Talk about a blade that can really handle tough hardwood. You will certainly not encounter any rough edges or burning when you use these blades.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
Multiple users reported that the aspect of these blades that they found to be most impressive was the complete and total lack of tearout. They say that even when cutting plywood, these blades cut a straight, true edge without any raggedness at all.
Best for the Money:
Dewalt DW3703H
PROS
CONS
Our Review
We were particularly impressed by one of the intentional design aspects on these blades. Dewalt has specifically manufactured their blades to have both an increased level of space between each tooth on the blade, and for each gullet to be deeper.
These changes help the blade in its work of removing more material at a time than its competitor blades can do, meaning a blade from Dewalt will cut at a much faster pace than a blade from another manufacturer. But do not worry about a faster cut potentially leading to a more sloppy cut – the blade teeth are precision ground.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
Okay, you are probably going to be pretty skeptical when you see the price point on these blades. Really? That low of a price, for a product from Dewalt? But we promise that these are the real deal. You are going to want to hurry up and buy these at this price!
Editor’s Pick:
Bosch T101AO3
PROS
CONS
Our Review:
One user commented that when they are using this blade, they can actually make cuts faster using their jigsaw on sheet goods than they can when they are using a pair of scissors to cut out paper snowflakes! You really cannot get a stronger endorsement than that.
Plus, many people commented that the cut they produced using these blades was so clean that they did not even feel the need to sand the edges of the cut down afterwards. If you are working on any sort of intricate pattern, these are the blades you need to be working with.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?:
You may have noticed that many of the blades on this list have their thickness listed as a drawback, because it usually results in less precision when making curved cuts. This is not the case with these Bosch blades. These blades are so thin they can handle any fine, precise cut you may need.
Honorable Mention:
Lenox Tools 1990963
PROS
CONS
Our Review
Lenox is setting themselves apart from the competition for a number of reasons. First, they incorporate two different kinds of metals in the composition of this blade. This design detail means the blade is less likely to break than other brands, and it will also last longer and not need to be sharpened as often as some of the other options on this list.
Plus, Lenox has specifically designed the tooth angles on their blades to be optimized to the max, which helps their blades to consistently produce a smooth finish when they are making cuts, even on hardwood.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
Lenox has patented a form of blade production technology that they are calling “Power Blast.” This “blasting” of their blades while they are in manufacturing makes for tougher blades, that not only will last longer than competitor brands, but are also better at making longer cuts.
In summary, here are the best jigsaw blades for hardwood:
- Best Overall: Festool 204275 Set
- Runner-up: Bosch T308BFP
- Best for the Money: Dewalt DW3703H
What Are The Benefits of Cutting Hardwood With a Jigsaw?
Other options do exist for cutting hardwood, but we generally prefer a jigsaw for anything short of large scale or repetitive cutting.
Navigating Curves
Blades specifically designed for use with a jigsaw are going to be better at working around curved cuts than blades that are not designed for that purpose. Especially when working with hardwood, cutting curves can be super tough, so you want to make sure you have the right blade for the job.
Tooth Angle and Layout
You have to be careful when you are cutting hardwood, or really any kind of harder material. The amount of teeth on the blade can make a big difference, but so too can the way those teeth are set up. Jigsaw blades are specifically designed to optimize their teeth for the fastest and cleanest cuts.
Versatility
Unless you want to only be cutting hardwood, all day every day, you are probably going to feel the need to branch out into other projects. Jigsaws and jigsaw blades are a great option not just for cutting hardwood, but also for working with any kind of particularly hard material, such as acrylic.
Conclusion
Hardwood can be exceptionally tricky to work with, and you certainly have to have the right tools for the job. No jigsaw would be complete without a set of blades specifically designed for tackling hardwood. We guarantee that you will not be disappointed if you work with any of the awesome blades from our list above.