At first I wasn't exactly sure what I'd use this little tool for, but I quickly became a fan while I was building a new bathroom. The saw looks like a miniature reciprocating saw. It's very compact and has a short stroke which is advantageous when working in tight areas. In my opinion, working in confined areas is this saw's strong point. I've had it about a month now, and have used it to cut copper pipe, wood, and plastic PVC pipe.

In my mind, the Hackzall is not a replacement for a full sized reciprocating saw, but when you're working in a tight spot, this saw really shines. It really does shine in fact, as there is a built in LED light that illuminates the cutting area when the trigger is pressed. The 12V saw runs on a rechargeable Li-Ion battery (two batteries and a charger are included).

I bought a set of Hackzall blades - the set includes metal cutting and wood cutting blades in a couple of lengths. Blades are inserted and locked in position with knurled knob - no tools required. Blades can be inserted in an up or down position which comes in handy depending on where/what you're cutting. There's a built in battery charge meter that indicates approximate battery strength. The trigger locks so saw can't be turned on accidentally. Battery life is limited so having the extra battery and quick charger is a necessity

I've seen these saws at Home Depot, but I happened to buy mine at Amazon as part of a set that came with a compact 12V Li-Ion drill. I think I paid about $200 for the set. HD is selling the saw alone for ~$175.

All in all, I'm quite pleased with the Sawzall - it fills a special niche that I'm guessing other manufacturers will soon try to fill also, if they haven't already! I have a couple of other Milwaukee brand tools, and I'd say they make some good stuff - even if this particular saw was made in China.