Skil 9.0 Amp Variable Speed Reciprocating Saw

A weekend with the Skil 9-amp recip saw

I put the Skil 9-amp recip saw to work on a few real jobs: cutting out a window opening in sheathing, trimming some stubborn deck boards, and lopping off a couple of small nuisance limbs in the yard. After a few hours of mixed use, I had a good sense of where this saw shines, where it’s just okay, and how it fits in alongside pricier demolition tools.

Build and ergonomics

This is a straightforward corded saw built around a 9.0-amp motor and a heavy-duty metal gear housing. It’s not flashy, and that’s part of the appeal. At about 7.2 pounds, the balance feels right in a two-handed grip, with the forward section giving you enough mass to keep the blade planted without wrestling the tool. The soft-grip handle isn’t overly plush, but it does enough to keep glove seams from hot-spotting your palm during longer cuts.

The overall footprint is compact for a corded recip saw (roughly 18 inches long and 5.5 inches tall). That helped when I was cutting between studs and around joists; I could sneak the nose in and rotate the shoe onto the work without fighting the wall behind me. The pivoting foot is simple but useful—rocking the shoe into the cut reduces chatter and helps you leverage the saw’s weight to your advantage.

The metal gear housing is the right choice for longevity. I tossed the tool down onto subfloor more than once and bumped it through a pile of demo debris, and the housing shrugged off the abuse with only scuffs to show for it. You won’t mistake it for a premium magnesium body, but it feels more durable than many plastic-heavy budget alternatives.

Controls and features

Skil keeps the control scheme simple. There’s a variable speed dial to set your top-end speed, paired with a standard trigger. I liked using the dial as a governor when switching materials—dialed down for thin metal or pruning, then bumped up for fast rips through 2x stock. The power-on indicator is a small thing, but on a corded saw it’s a welcome safety cue; a quick glance told me when the tool was live as I swapped blades.

Blade changes are tool-less via a front clamp. The action on my unit was positive—twist the collar, slip a blade in, release, and give it a tug to confirm it’s locked. I swapped dozens of times without issue. The saw ships with a wood-cutting blade and a hex key. The included blade gets you started, but you’ll want a small assortment—bimetal for nail-embedded wood and steel, coarse pruning blades for green wood. The hex key is handy for adjustments; I kept it taped in the case so I wouldn’t misplace it.

Skil lists a counterbalance for vibration reduction. It’s not marketing fluff—there’s a noticeable difference compared with bare-bones homeowner models. It doesn’t make the saw silky, but it takes the edge off the buzz that usually fatigues your forearms.

Cutting performance

Power is the main story here. A 9-amp motor lands squarely in the midrange for corded recip saws. In practice, that meant I could power through treated 2x material and decking quickly with a sharp wood blade, and I had sufficient torque to take down 1-inch EMT and 3/4-inch black pipe with a fine-tooth bimetal blade. On thick nail-embedded sill stock, the saw slowed, but it didn’t stall unless I leaned on it. The lesson, as always with recip saws: let the blade do the work, and use the shoe to keep the cut stable.

I used the variable speed dial a lot more than I expected. For metal, setting a lower cap kept me from accidentally over-revving and burning teeth when my trigger finger got impatient. For pruning, a moderate setting gave more control as the blade started into the branch and helped prevent the tip from hopping.

Where the saw shows its limits is in long, continuous demolition cuts through dense or layered material. With a 9-amp motor, you can get there, but it takes patience and a sharp blade. Compared to the brute force of a 12–13-amp pro-grade unit, this Skil is more of a steady worker than a sprinter.

Vibration and control

The counterbalance is genuinely helpful. Cutting overhead or at shoulder height, the tool stayed controllable, and I didn’t feel as much tingling in the fingers after 20–30 minutes as I usually do with entry-level saws. That said, you’ll still get the typical reciprocating saw buzz, especially when the blade starts to dull or you’re cutting thin metal that wants to chatter. The pivoting shoe is the unsung hero here; keep it pinned against the work and roll the nose as you cut, and you’ll tame most vibration.

Noise is what you’d expect—loud. Hearing protection is wise, doubly so with metal cutting. The motor note is smooth with only minor high-frequency whine at top speed.

Durability notes

The metal gear housing inspires confidence, and the overall build is tidier than most in this class. My only caution is the blade clamp area. It’s convenient and plenty secure, but like any collar-style, tool-less system, it’s not meant to be a pry bar. If you abuse the blade as a lever or twist hard while the blade is bound, you’re asking a lot of the mechanism. Keep cuts supported, work the shoe, and avoid binding and you’ll extend the life of the clamp.

Dust ingress didn’t seem to bother the tool. I blew it out with compressed air after a weekend of subfloor cuts, and everything stayed smooth. The cord strain relief is adequate; no cuts or kinks after dragging across concrete and joists.

What it’s missing

A couple of omissions are worth noting. There’s no rafter hook, which I missed when working on ladders—it’s nice to hang the tool rather than set it down. And there’s no orbital action on my unit, a feature some saws use to speed rough cuts in wood. You can still make fast progress with a coarse blade, but an orbital option would give it a little extra bite on demo tasks.

The kit is barebones—one wood blade in the box. That’s not unusual, but plan on buying a variety pack of blades right away. A case or bag isn’t included either, so you’ll want a pouch to corral blades and the hex key.

Practical tips from use

• Use the variable speed dial as a material preset: low for thin metal, mid for pruning, high for clean lumber and demo.
• Keep the shoe in contact with the work and rock into the cut to reduce vibration and wandering.
• Let the blade do the cutting. Excess pressure only increases heat and wear and can stress the blade clamp if the blade binds.
• Match blades to the task: 6–10 TPI for wood and demo, 14–24 TPI for metal, and specialized pruning blades for limbs.
• Watch the power-on indicator when changing blades. It’s an easy reminder to unplug if you’re doing anything beyond a quick swap.

Who it’s for

This saw fits homeowners, DIY remodelers, and maintenance techs who need a reliable corded recip saw for periodic demolition, rough cuts, and jobsite problem-solving. It’s strong enough for framing adjustments, window and door openings, PVC and metal pipe, and yard clean-up. Full-time demo crews and framers who live on a recip saw all day will likely want more motor and features, but for most residential projects, the Skil 9-amp recip saw hits a sweet spot of power, size, and simplicity.

The bottom line

The Skil 9-amp recip saw is a well-built, no-nonsense tool that favors durability and control over gimmicks. The metal gear housing, counterbalanced design, pivoting shoe, and tool-less blade change make it easy to live with on real tasks. The 9.0-amp motor is capable across wood, metal, and pruning with the right blades, and the variable speed dial is more than window dressing—it’s practical day to day. You do give up niceties like a rafter hook and orbital action, and the included blade won’t take you far. Treat the blade clamp with respect and resist the urge to muscle bound cuts, and the tool rewards you with steady performance.

Recommendation: I recommend the Skil 9-amp recip saw for homeowners and DIYers who want a dependable corded saw for light to medium-duty demolition and general cutting. It’s comfortable, reasonably powerful, and thoughtfully equipped for the price class. If your work leans toward heavy demolition or you need maximum speed in thick wood all day, step up to a higher-amp model with more features. For everyone else, this Skil hits the mark as a trustworthy, straightforward recip saw you’ll reach for often.