I went through 2 Milwaukee Super Sawzall's in a year, which I loved until they both experienced the same demise: the motor whirred, but the blade didn't move (I have a review there). I read some good reviews of Bosch's previous bulky recip, so I decided to try this new design. Except ergonomics (this saw is nicely designed) I'm not sure they improved on their previous design much, this saw vibrates a lot (I can't find any mention of an antivibrate feature like their previous design had and the Super Sawzall has), it's pretty big and heavy, but has plenty of power. There is no 'orbital' feature, but it seems to cut very well, and it has a slick toolless blade change feature -- turning a collar ejects the old blade (nice since it is often toasty) the collar locks open until you insert a new blade, a small push and click, your ready to go. The trigger allows great control over cutting speed, nice when starting a plunge cut (frankly, they don't need the 2 speed switch). There are 2 lights pointing at the cutting area, they are on all the time and seem kind of gimmicky, though I'm sure to appreciate them next time I'm in a crawl space. The hook is very nice, allows you to hang the saw on a joist or rafter so you can use both hands to crawl around while you're framing. I also like that it takes any extension cord, though when pricing, keep in mind you'll need to buy one. The case is cheap plastic (just some internal dividers) and doesn't have enough storage for blades (the Sawzall has a nice formed plastic case with an internal compartment that snapped shut that could fit a bunch of blades up to 12") and you can't fit a 25' cord in it, nor will you feel much like taking the cord off since it is looped through a clip, a bag would have been better.

I have just embarked on a remodel of part of my house, and decided I needed a reciprocating saw to help with the demolition of the old. I got the RS20 since I've always been very happy with Bosch tools.
br /
br /I really like the quick blade change mechanism, and I think the LEDs that are mounted on either side of the blade do a good job of lighting up the target area. The saw has lots of power and is very well designed from an ergonomics standpoint. All the buttons are in exactly the right spot and do exactly the right thing. I like the longer stroke length too. Very handy, and makes short work of anything. The saw is very comfortable to hold, and I like the fact that you can just plug an extension cord directly into it rather than into a power cable dongle.

I love my Bosch RS20CX.
br /
br /Pro's:
br /
br /* Well formed grips for comfortable, easy and secure handling.
br /* Two speeds (Lo/Hi). I use the low speed for more precise cutting of drywall. The Hi speed tears through anything and everything (even double studs - no problem).
br /* Powerful 13 amp motor (compare to less expensive 10/11 amp)
br /* The joist handle is very handy indeed. I've hung the saw on my toolbelt and ladders, but not yet a joist.
br /* The cord connection is super tight to ensure a snug fit. Also, it has an additional cord thingy (for lack of technical term) that the cord clips into to ensure the saw does not come unplugged if there is tension on the cord.
br /
br /So far, no signifigant cons. It does have a tiny LED headlight I noticed, but I haven't benefited from it yet. And, enlarging the case to fit the power cord would be helpful. However, chances are good the power cord will services three tools at any given time through the project.

I am a huge Bosch fan but in this case I am extremely disappointed.
br /
br /Pros:
br /+ Good ergonomics
br /+ Power
br /+ I like the concept of a detachable power cord. The loop-lock feature on this saw ensures that the plug will not be disconnected until you want it to be.
br /+ The cord that Bosch includes with this saw is awesome. It is wonderfully flexible and I like the lighted female end that indicates that power is on.
br /+ The blade release is excellent. You will never need to touch a hot blade again, they just pop right out - literally - with a simple twist on the chuck. Inserting a new blade just requires you to firmly push it in until it clicks.
br /+ The foldout hanger will let you put it down without worring about it falling to the ground.
br /+ The foot is easily adjustable with the push of a button.
br /
br /Cons:
br /- This tool has an insane amount of vibration. After 30 seconds of use my fingers begin to swell. This problem outweighs all of the good points mentioned above.
br /- The illuminating lights seem like a good idea, but they are not that bright. Don't use the lights as a deciding factor. They certainly don't hurt, but they are more of a gimick than a useful feature.
br /- The case is too small and has no storage for a cord. The only space available for blades is awkwardly divided to the point of being worthless.
br /- You will need to buy a tool bag for this one. The cord is a pain to disconnect. So you will probably want to leave it attached to the tool - which means you can't store it in the original case.
br /
br /Take a serious look at saws from Porter-Cable or Milwaukee before buying this one.

I generally like Bosch equipment but this saw is one to stay away from. I am a general contractor and have used this saw for many different applications. It does work well enough in the beginning but I'm now sending it back for the second time to be serviced. Luckily Bosch has an absolutely fantastic warrantee program. But I probably only have about 8-12 hours on the saw. Here are my opinions:
br /Pros: comfortable, good ergonomics, built-in joist hanger is nice, detachable cord a good idea (but not well designed).
br /Cons: powercord hoop/hook on saw a pain to get the cable into and out of, trigger had to be replaced in first year and after about another 2hrs of use has stopped working again. The service center guys said that the internal switches are too complex to withstand all the vibration and have been a chronic problem.
br /I'd recommend going with another saw until Bosch comes out with a new model.

had this saw for over a year and was happy to pull it out of the case every time i needed it. i did not find anything wrong or about it. the only thing: make sure you buy it with a cord otherwise you will have to get the cord separately. the case is to small to fit the entire power cord, so my solution to that was to get this small cord adapter that i left permanently inside the saw (otherwise there is a possibility of braking the plug in power pin and then the saw will be useless). the led lights are very handy, i am working in tight and often dark places. the metal hook on top is just great idea i wonder why not every tool has this thing (i would hang it on 2by4's, ladder and what not.
br /this saw broke down after i gave it to my helper and he broke it while the saw sustained a great deal of abuse for a whole day of work.
br /now i am about to buy a new saw and it will be bosch rs20 again unless i see something extremely much more appealing.

I'm a framing carpenter and I make my living with my tools so I was pretty pissed off when my brand new sawsall stopped working after only a few min. of use I talked to bosch and they said they'll replace it for free but I don't have high hopes for it in the future

Amazon is selling the saw without any power cord at all, and does not bother to disclose this in their promotional materials.
br /Home Depot is selling the same saw WITH POWER CORD for only $159.
br /
br /Have you priced 25' extension cords with #12 wire lately???????
br /Shame on you, Amazon.

This is a massive recip saw,has a good rugged feel and a very good quick blade change chuck;also I like the rafter hook and the Direct Connect feature,but...After 10 minutes of use,it died! Now when use push the trigger, it barely moves the blade--looks like a bad switch.Took back to Lowes and got a Porter Cable--will see how it holds up.

br /Hey, it's a Bosch!
br /It was only within the last decade [and after many a man's suffering] that we began to recognize the hazards and injuries associated with repeated exposure to heavy and continued vibration. Hence, new models now boast gel pads and the like addressing this very real danger. Someone just forgot to tell the folks at Bosch...
br /
br /But it's a Bosch!
br /Yes, it is. And enough of us who have used tools either professionally or semi-professionally over many years realize there is no one toolmaker that makes the best of everything. Not even the Rolls Royce of tools, Hilti; the toolmaker who's prices are so high they now come with a built-in magnetic security "key". Much like your expensive car radio's secret code, if stolen, the tool cannot be used again without having the "key". Unfortunately, Hilti hasn't informed the local crack addicts of this system so your prized Hilti will probably still end up where the majority of Hilti end up: on an obscure stolen goods list of your local municipality. But I digress, again. . .
br /
br /Can you really have your cake and eat it too?
br /Now, I ask you, what good is having a cake if you *can't* eat it?? So much for old "witticisms", some get repeated without the slightest thought to any real logic to them. But I digress, again. . .
br /
br /What I meant to say was
br /Is it possible to have a real power in a portable tool without having your joints shaken loose? YES! Just not with this tool from Bosch. Porter-Cable proved it perfectly with their famous 330 SpeedBloc ¼-sheet sander. In this class, there is simply nothing else on the market that even comes close, making Dewalts, Milwaukees, and Makitas appear to be experiencing grand mal seizures while providing a finish that effortlessly rivals those mentioned. P-C grasped and mastered the concept of "counter-balancing", but they're not talkin', at least not to Bosch. After decades of 330s virtually without change, we're reminded that "if something isn't broke, you don't fix it". Porter-Cable knows this, so does Bosch, only *this* Bosch needs a *lot* of fixing.
br /
br /But it's still a Bosch, right?
br /I'm a Bosch fan. Their jig saws are considered by many to be the best available bar none. Hilti can only out price it. Yes, the first Bosch jig saw models introducing the now much copied "clic-change" system that cut true but also originally tossed blades faster than a mad Italian housewife at three o'clock in the morning. But Bosch went back to the boards and worked on it until they achieved absolute and beautifully harmonious perfection [maybe we could send some Bosch reps to Little Italy].
br /
br /Yes, it's a Bosch!
br / It just doesn't get any better than Bosch when it comes to their jig saws. Use one and you will soon discover you can cut a *true* straight or curved line almost effortlessly and very cleanly, almost "laser-like" with just a little practice. But unfortunately, that's a horse of a different color. No, wait, same colors--which I so much prefer to the look-at-me-I'm-a-pro yellow. Right church, wrong pew.
br /
br /Can you feel me?
br /If you want your nerves to continue to do what they do, avoid this tool at all costs. Forget trying to "man-up" and tough it out. That's not manly, that's just plain dumb[yes, there IS a difference for all of the misandrists out there]. This thing doesn't just shake your hand like a nervous politician, it tries to take your entire arm off sending your brachial plexus into chaos, synapse by rattled synapse. If you *must* use one of these, for the love of God and country wear gloves specifically designed to absorb or isolate vibrations; there are several renditions on the market available for a few plus bucks.
br /
br /Is it really *that* bad?
br /The vibration of this machine as it throws itself wildly to and fro in every direction but the one desired is so violent it may actually cause some temporary damage even after limited use without the proper protective gear. So remember, goggles, mask, and now, special gloves, and you may not be any worse for wear, maybe. But why on earth take that chance when there are safer alternatives?
br /
br /Tell me what it was like. I want *all* the details!
br /Tests revealed that if you place the bladeless saw's footplate against a hard surface while the tool is horizontally oriented, and pull the trigger, the resulting vibration at various speeds is enough to drive an 8 penny nail into pine and you could easily accomplish this except the footplate travels wildly in every and any direction except straight: Bosch's claimed "wobble" effect?? This all happening while your entire arm gripping the handle is shaken till it's numb[at a little over six feet and 200lbs, that's not such an easy task], while the copiously-lubed drive shaft splatters black goo all over the nifty blade release and maybe a little on the surrounding area: maybe Bosch's self-lubricating blade design?? Are we having fun yet?
br /
br /You're not the only one
br /As for the machine, I doubt it's possible for any machine that suffers from such a cacophony of shakes could also be impervious from them. I have little faith this machine would survive any substantial operation. Actually, I doubt another manufacturer could make a reciprocating saw vibrate more than this model even if they tried their darndest. It's as if this extended 1-1/4" throw is trying to set a 3-1/4" throw record.
br /It's just like Bosch to actually develop an over-achiever.
br /
br /OOhhh, but the plug lights up, yes?
br /Yes, and it's pretty cool, even the blue color is a nice change. Great idea, poor execution. The prongs on the tool end are actually very thin[read fragile, cheap import Christmas light plug thin], and getting this "custom" cord to fit completely and snugly takes some finesse, a prayer, and maybe a little luck.
br /But then if you were lucky, you wouldn't be using this tool, would you?
br /
br /But it's still a Bosch, dammit!
br /Yes, Bosch is a company of high integrity, but sometimes whether by hubris or ambition, they just try a little *too* hard. Their 7.25" circular saw of the same series suffers its own ills besides the same tenous cord system. It seems the parts ala Glock made up of "space-age polymers" Bosch boasts of withstand a single story drop, are in practice far too fragile due to thier placement and design, not just material. I wouldn't use my Glock for a hammer, would you? Perhaps Bosch's claims of drop-proof damage are true, they just left out the part about ". . .if it lands on your neighbor. It's never the fall that kills ya, but the sudden landing.
br /Once again, either by hubris or desire, this Bosch manages to completely disappoint.
br /
br /Oh well, now what?
br /Well, the saw and the saw both go back [but can't I keep those cool cords?]. It was a great looking design, the pretty blue cords lit up, its clic-change blade system is second to none [Bosch *does* learn from experience]and even though there's no place for that oh-so-special cord in the custom Bosch case provided, it's got neat little almost useful LED "headlights", a cool built-in hanger for those impromptu beer breaks from 20 feet up, and after all, it's a Bosch! That's all that really matters, right? Wrong.
br /
br /Which brings us finally to the last witticism I can currently manage to recall: "Not everyone can be right all the time",
br /not even our beloved Bosch.
br /
br /
br /AX~
br /
br /
br /
br /

Here is a e-mail I just sent to bosch.
br /
br /I needed a new Reciprocating saw to replace my favorite bosch with the orbital action. I was reluctant to buy the new RS20 because it did not have the orbital action. In fact I first bought a Hitachi instead and returned it for the bosch RS20 the next day. The bosch rep. assured me the RS20 did not need the orbital action and would out cut any Reciprocating saw on the market. Although the RS20 has many great features it is far from the Reciprocating saw Bosch use to make with the orbital action. In fact the Hitachi will cut faster but not near as fast as your old model. Also, after one day of use, my RS20's motor makes a weird squeaking noise when the trigger is released. I used to own a Milwaukee Reciprocating saw with the orbital action it was a great saw, but your old Reciprocating saw with orbital action would put it to shame. The bottom line is, I have no choice but to take advantage of your 30 day money back guarantee and shearch for another saw.
br /Disapointed in Kentucky