This jig saw is the best there is. As a counter top fabricator,brI use a jig saw daily. I recently gave my Milwaukee 6266-21 tobrmy assistant, and went to buy another. I found out the 6266-21 has been superceded by the 22. Great improvement on a suberbbrproduct. The base plate is now larger, and diecast aluminum. It is also now allows keyless adjustment. There is a tight distance to nose for cutting in tight corners. Not sure what the other reviewer meant about no vacuum port, put the 22 has one. This sawbris the most powerful in the industry, and is very low vibration.brMade in Germany, this saw also has Milwaukee's life time warranty. I recommend this saw highly. Better than the Bosch, andbran improvement over the 21. A life time investment.

This jig saw is the best there is. As a counter top fabricator,I use a jig saw daily. I recently gave my Milwaukee 6266-21 tomy assistant, and went to buy another. I found out the 6266-21 has been superceded by the 22. Great improvement on a suberbproduct. The base plate is now larger, and diecast aluminum. It is also now allows keyless adjustment. There is a tight distance to nose for cutting in tight corners. Not sure what the other reviewer meant about no vacuum port, put the 22 has one. This sawis the most powerful in the industry, and is very low vibration.Made in Germany, this saw also has Milwaukee's life time warranty. I recommend this saw highly. Better than the Bosch, andan improvement over the 21. A life time investment.

I bought this saw to replace a bottom-of-the-line saw I've had for years. The first nice thing I noticed was the total lack of vibration, even at the highest speed... very impressive to me after living with the rattle of my old saw! I didn't think such balancing was even possible. The speed range was both lower and higher than my old saw, and smoothly continuous. All adjustment controls were larger and easier than competing saws. Extremely solid materials/construction overall (exceptions noted below), and great carry case too.The list of advantages over my old saw is too numerous, but here are the negative comparisons, in reverse order:1. Much heavier, although I suppose that's to be expected of a quality tool.2. Fit/finish of the saw's plastic casing (not the carry case) was same or worse.3. The trigger itself was not variable! The biggest flaw for me was that non-variable trigger. So on startup at the highest setting, the saw jumps due to its high torque. I often stop a long cut half-way through to reposition myself or the work... I'm afraid this jump will damage my work when continuing a cut. I tried adjusting the speed dial while holding the trigger, but this is just too awkward. I will be returning this saw (probably for the Bosch) for this reason. (Even my old saw had the variable trigger.)There were two clear plastic parts that disturbed me:1. A shield that fit in front of the blade was very thin and would easily pop off if knocked directly. Worse, it needs to be removed to angle the blade. I didn't realize this until I tried to adjust the angle and probably nearly broke it. It's made of that very tough (polycarbonate?) plastic, but it still seems like a loss/breakage liability.2. An anti-splinter device slips onto the non-marring plastic shoe, and the metal shoe too. It's flat with a slot for the blade. This piece is solid, but a little difficult to remove, and harder to correctly slip back on. It can't be used when angled.A pet peeve of mine on all tools is angle adustments. This one does have excellent positive stops at -45, 90, and +45 degrees. It is a little better than most at small adjustments... the tool is marked in 15-degree increments (embossed in the metal shoe, not a crappy sticker like some), but the scale is just too tight to be very accurate. Not important for most work I know, but that's why it's my personal pet peeve.I thought the speed dial was recessed a little too deep. It takes more finger flicks to adjust it across the range than I'd like. (Seven, for me.)Everyone touts the blade release on this saw. It was very easy to operate, but I found it tricky to insert the blade exactly far enough to lock straight. It seemed too easy to set the blade shallow, which would cause the blade to be twisted against the anti-splinter blade slot when releasing the spring-loaded mechanism. Maybe it's just me?Summary: I would have *loved* this saw, even with the minor gripes, if it weren't for the non-variable trigger. If you don't care about that... go for it!

I bought this saw to replace a bottom-of-the-line saw I've had for years. The first nice thing I noticed was the total lack of vibration, even at the highest speed... very impressive to me after living with the rattle of my old saw! I didn't think such balancing was even possible. The speed range was both lower and higher than my old saw, and smoothly continuous. All adjustment controls were larger and easier than competing saws. Extremely solid materials/construction overall (exceptions noted below), and great carry case too.pThe list of advantages over my old saw is too numerous, but here are the negative comparisons, in reverse order:p1. Much heavier, although I suppose that's to be expected of a quality tool.p2. Fit/finish of the saw's plastic casing (not the carry case) was same or worse.p3. The trigger itself was not variable! pThe biggest flaw for me was that non-variable trigger. So on startup at the highest setting, the saw jumps due to its high torque. I often stop a long cut half-way through to reposition myself or the work... I'm afraid this jump will damage my work when continuing a cut. I tried adjusting the speed dial while holding the trigger, but this is just too awkward. I will be returning this saw (probably for the Bosch) for this reason. (Even my old saw had the variable trigger.)pThere were two clear plastic parts that disturbed me:p1. A shield that fit in front of the blade was very thin and would easily pop off if knocked directly. Worse, it needs to be removed to angle the blade. I didn't realize this until I tried to adjust the angle and probably nearly broke it. It's made of that very tough (polycarbonate?) plastic, but it still seems like a loss/breakage liability.p2. An anti-splinter device slips onto the non-marring plastic shoe, and the metal shoe too. It's flat with a slot for the blade. This piece is solid, but a little difficult to remove, and harder to correctly slip back on. It can't be used when angled.pA pet peeve of mine on all tools is angle adustments. This one does have excellent positive stops at -45, 90, and +45 degrees. It is a little better than most at small adjustments... the tool is marked in 15-degree increments (embossed in the metal shoe, not a crappy sticker like some), but the scale is just too tight to be very accurate. Not important for most work I know, but that's why it's my personal pet peeve.pI thought the speed dial was recessed a little too deep. It takes more finger flicks to adjust it across the range than I'd like. (Seven, for me.)pEveryone touts the blade release on this saw. It was very easy to operate, but I found it tricky to insert the blade exactly far enough to lock straight. It seemed too easy to set the blade shallow, which would cause the blade to be twisted against the anti-splinter blade slot when releasing the spring-loaded mechanism. Maybe it's just me?pSummary: I would have *loved* this saw, even with the minor gripes, if it weren't for the non-variable trigger. If you don't care about that... go for it!

Another reviewer sited the lack of trigger controlled variable speed as a reason for returning this saw and choosing another brand. I typically don't like to contradict other reviewers as everyone has their own technique and application. I would, however, like to offer a bit of a different insight into the matter. When negotiating an intricate cut, any change in SPM will impact the accuracy of the cut. I always find it advantageous to maintain a constant speed throughout a cut. Maintaining a constant speed can be difficult when the speed control is integrated with the trigger. When performing an intricate cut your grip pressure often increases and decreases in and out of the turns. An increase in grip pressure can result in more displacement of the trigger and subsequently a sudden change in SPM (and an inaccurate cut). I personally like the fact that Milwaukee has made the speed adjustable via a separate control. Unlike the other reviewer, I have not noticed high torque jumps with this saw. When I need to restart a cut I always insure that I have backed the saw sufficiently away from the uncut material. This is a great saw, and though it initially seems that trigger integrated speed control would be convenient I think the separate speed control is a well thought out design. Perhaps Milwaukee may want to implement a soft-start feature if it is widely perceive that start-up torque jump is an issue. Personally I wouldn't find such a feature valuable enough to merit an almost certain increase in price.

My old Black Decker jigsaw wasn't up to the task of cutting metal siding for my new barn. I needed a heavy duty tool and knew that Bosch and Milwaukee were the top contenders. After using both, the Bosch was the one I returned. Here's why. The Milwaukee is more powerful (6.2A vs. 5A), very easy blade exchange (slide the lever vs. screwy fooling around with upper knob), no tool req'd for plate tilt, and less expensive. The drawbacks are the non-variable speed trigger and the excessive time for the blade to stop. The metal siding is now complete and I couldn't have done it without my Milwaukee (I did use Bosch blades).

It was time to replace my 30 year old Craftsman scroller saw, and I read a review of the Milwaukee jig saw that rated it very high. I bought one about two months ago, have used it several times, mainly during a kitchen remodeling, and I find it to be everything Milwaukee claims it to be. It cuts through wood like butter, is much quieter than my old saw, and blade changes are a snap with the T-shank blades. The only problem I have had with is the clear plastic shield in front of the blade, and the plastic 'anti-splinter device', both of which occasionally fall off the saw. It has a very long cord for a portable power tool, which is very convenient, and comes with a nice carrying case and a plastic shoe cover. Milwaukee lists an edge guide/circle cutter attachment for it, but apparently it is not yet available. This saw is made in Germany (maybe by Bosch?), and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Couldn't decide between this saw and the Bosch. Since I (like a lot of people) was replacing an ancient Craftsman, I knew that I'd like either one. The things that tipped me to this saw over the Bosch were the really fast blade change mechanism, the toolless bevel adjustment (no allen wrench required), and my past experience with Milwaukee tools - They ALWAYS work. So far this saw has been no exception. Powers through counter tops with ease - no binding, even on really tight radius turns. Smooth cuts through 2" lumber. Even a couple of nice minor touches: Good case with room for everything, and a really long cord. pI'm sure I would have liked the Bosch, but I have no complaints about my Milwaukee purchase (saved a few bucks too).

I finally broke down and bought a new jig saw after becoming completely disgusted with my old Craftsman. The old saw was too light (vibrated excessively), underpowered (blade would bind on curved cuts and freeze up the saw even with new blades), and had a novel "feature" in which the blade could be rotated to facilitate making curved cuts. Unfortunately, the lock on the blade rotation had too much play and therefore it was impossible to make a straight cut. Also, changing blades was cumbersome and required the turning of 2 set screws. While that model was the epitome of what a jig saw should not be, the Milwaukee is a shining example of a good one. First, it has plenty of power and has yet to bind on me. Second, it has orbital action that not only speeds up cutting in wood, but also helps stabilize the blade and keep it from deflecting side to side. Third, it is fairly heavy and almost vibration free. Fourth, it has a tool free blade changing system that works great. Finally, it comes with a long power cord and I have not yet needed to use an extension cord with it. I would have considered the barrel-grip version, but it is much more exspensive for basically the same features. I admit that I bought the Craftsman many years ago while in college and I had little money. But a jig saw is usually used to make precision cuts, which requires a good quality tool. So although you may be able to get by with a cheaper drill or circular saw, don't skimp on a jig saw. The Milwaukee is a great perfomer at a very competitive price.

I bought this saw for a song from a local home improvement center where it was on the closeout table. It had been the display model and had no case and was missing the clear dust cover over the blade. I ordered the case ($24) for it and dropped Milwaukee an email about the missing dust cover. Less than a week later, the missing dust cover arrived in the mail at no cost to me. Kudos to Milwaukee for remembering what customer service is all about. It was a toss-up between this unit and the Bosch but what finally sold me on the Milwaukee was the blade change. The Bosch has the clumsy "lift-and-turn" lever on the top of the saw. I see great potential for breakage with this plastic lever. I note that last month Bosch introduced a new saw (1590EVSK) with a blade changing device that looks very much like the Milwaukee's. pI've used it on numerous projects already and have found this saw to be like all the other Milwaukee tools I've used; plenty of power and built to last. The only thing that took a little getting used to was the variable speed thumb wheel. It took a few sessions but I find myself being very comfortable with it now. To be fair, Milwaukee is probably re-thinking this and the new model will have a variable speed trigger but we'll have to wait and see. I've since ordered the rip fence as well as the vacuum attachment and hose. The rip fence is nice and sturdy and the vacuum attachment does a fairly good job of keeping the cutting area clear of dust. The shoe cover is a great attachment especially when working with laminates. The motor is smooth and virtually vibration-free and as I already noted has more power than the average user will ever need. This jigsaw will provide most, if not all, users a lifetime's worth of troublefree operation

I am a professional hardwood floor, cabinet, and granite installer. I bought this jig saw (mainly for its price and features) about 6 months ago to replace the old Craftman. It did a nice job, I thought. Until one day, I picked up my friend's Bosch, wow. What a jig saw. The Bosch is smooth as butter. Hardly any vibration cutting thru 3/4 Cherry. I am selling the 6266.

The saw now has more power, tool less bevel adjustment and a nice case. The case can hold the base plate, clear shield and optional rip guide.

There is way too much obsessing about tools on line. I worry that people are spending all of their time worrying about minor details about the tools and not enough of it working wood! Now that my rant is finished, on to the review....pThis is a powerful, well made tool that does what it says it will do. It handles well, cuts straight, manages a wide range of materials without complaint, is durable, and comes with a 5 year warranty. No one (except for a tool snob who worries about tools more than works with them) will have a serious complaint about this saw.pThat being said, would I make minor design changes? Probably. The anti splinter device could be easier to put in and it could stay in better. The case could be designed to accommodate the rip fence. It is a bit tricky to adjust the speed on the fly due the the location of the dial. And maybe a few other quibbles. But these are generally preference issues rather than flaws.pIn summary, it is a fine saw, as good as any and better than most. It will serve you well for years to come.

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND THIS TOOL EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. VERY LITTLE VIBRATION EVEN WHEN CUTTING SHARP TURNS IN TWO INCH STOCK. POWER TO SPARE AND GREAT CONTROL. THIS IS THE BEST JIG SAW I HAVE EVER USED. IT MAKES THE OTHERS I HAVE USED A WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT. BLADE CHANGES ARE SIMPLE AND FAST.

This saw is vibration free right out of the box. The supplied blades (2) provide a clean cut with little tear out. The saw is a pleasure to use and performs well using any of the 7 available speeds. The adjustable orbital action comes in handy as well for adjusting the saw to the material being cut. I grew up using an older BD jigsaw and there is no comparison. This saw is well built, powerful, and easy to operate. The bosch 1590 gets good reviews as well, however, the price difference and brand loyalty lead me to buy this one, and I have absolutely no regrets.

I bought this saw last night and used it on some circular hardboard cuttouts. Things went great and im very happy with the saw. A variable trigger would be nice in addition to the speed control dial but not as a replacement since holding the trigger part way thru a long cut would be a pain. I like Milwaukee tools and have five of them. Ive been happy with them all with the exception that they dont all have quick release cords like my sawzall and right angle drill. I love that feature and think it should be standard on all of their tools.

I bought this saw last night and used it on some circular hardboard cuttouts. Things went great and im very happy with the saw. A variable trigger would be nice in addition to the speed control dial but not as a replacement since holding the trigger part way thru a long cut would be a pain. I like Milwaukee tools and have five of them. Ive been happy with them all with the exception that they dont all have quick release cords like my sawzall and right angle drill. I love that feature and think it should be standard on all of their tools.

I've owned this Milwaukee jigsaw for 3 years now and have used it for a variety of applications ranging from fine cuts in furniture-grade hardwares to sawing through sheet metal. As I would expect from Milwaukee, this unit is well-built and hasn't even so much to show any signs of tiring or fatigue. The Milwaukee is light years ahead of the Black Decker, Skil, Ryobi, and DeWalt products on the market.
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br /There are several reasons, however, that I can not dole out 5 stars to this product. Firstly, the shoe easily comes out of alignment and even after some adjustments on my part, it will let loose at random. I've been told by my local tool dealer this has been the complaint of several customers and has on occasion plagued Milwaukee's circular saws as well. Secondly, the plastic casing could be of a higher quality. Sure, it is better than a Black Decker, but given more than a $100 price differential, Milwaukee could have stepped it up on the materials. Thirdly, I believe the Bosch jigsaw is of slightly higher build quality, has a softer start, and is better-suited for precision applications.
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br /All in all, Milwaukee has a great tool here that with a few refinements could be an excellent one, even better than the Bosch. I would recommend this product to any potential buyers.

I just bought this unit today and tried on several 2x2's crosscuts and rip cuts, and there is no strain on the saw at all. It felt like I was slicing butter with a hot knife. Very very smooth. I'm glad I waited for this one, instead of buying the slightly more expensive Bosch. I read some reviews on the 6266-21 model and could not figure out why the cutter has to see the blade cut. With this saw, all you have to follow is the guide on the tip of the saw. One thing that should or be made available to the market is a rip fence or a straight guide for this saw. Although the cuts are smooth, it still definitely need a fence to make straight cuts. I own several Milwaukee tools and so far, none of their products were disappointing. Although, DeWalt has some nice high powered tools, the price they ask for are just ridiculous. Their jig saw that has 5.0 amps costs close to ($$$), and this jig saw which has 6.2 amps costs ($$$). Buy this tool, you will like it alot. I know I did, and will for a long time. Plus it comes with 5 free blades and a case.