How many amps should my reciprocating saw be?

I’m an average DIYer and I’m looking to buy a reciprocating saw but have no many amps would be good for just average projects around the house. Need something that can cut wood, metal and plastic.

Mine is 5 amps but they vary depending on size of motor. The saw should have a tag on it giving you this information. Mine isn’t an expensive one but has given me years of service and still going.

5 Responses to “How many amps should my reciprocating saw be?”

  1. I don’t think it should be any more than 10 amps.
    It should not be any bigger than the breaker in your breaker box.
    References :
    Personal experiance

  2. RetiredEngineer on January 7th, 2010 at 9:03 am

    Mine is 5 amps but they vary depending on size of motor. The saw should have a tag on it giving you this information. Mine isn’t an expensive one but has given me years of service and still going.
    References :

  3. It will have a tag on the saw somewhere and will give you the (V) volts, (A) amps, RPMs, etc…
    References :

  4. Have Tool Will Travel on January 7th, 2010 at 10:16 am

    If your not making a living with it, really doesn’t matter I would look at the stroke more. the longer the stroke the faster and easier the cut.
    References :

  5. Most of them range in the 5-15 amp area so you should not have to worry about your circuit breakers. If you are looking for something with substantial power, I would look at the ones that are over 10amps. If you are going cordless you probably should look at something with a little more voltage maybe around the 24v area. You might also consider how it feels in your hands. I know some people like the lighter models if they are doing a significant amount of work above their head- it reduces fatigue. Look for one with a rotating blade, I love mine- it is so much easier to use in certain situations when I can just turn the blade 90 degrees.
    References :

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