Both DeWalt and Makita are staking their claims to cutting-edge 21st-century technology by offering the latest in cordless tools: jigsaws. The DeWalt DW933K and the Makita 4332D share some common traits: They have variable speed, orbital cutting action, T-slot blade holders, sliding shoes, and they come with one nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery and charger. The similarities end there.

DeWalt’s 7-1/4-lb. tool is powerful, comfortable and user-friendly. This model is driven by an 18-volt battery. To test the run time of the battery, I crosscut slabs of 2×10 Douglas fir planks. The tool made it through 23 cuts.

The DeWalt’s handle, angled toward the rear, is comfortable, well-proportioned and has a vinyl grip insert. Its practical features include a toolless, twist-lock blade holder, a slide-switch safety lock that operates independently of the trigger and a lever-operated shoe-adjustment system. This model is rounded off with a dust blower and a well-marked bevel-angle indicator, and it comes with a removable shoe cover.

DeWalt’s 18-volt DW933K and Makita’s 14.4-volt 4332D have nearly the same cutting capacity per volt ratio.

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