To be as transparent as possible, in this article I have included links to the Amazon store which will direct you to the Mac Allister electric reciprocating saw. As an Amazon affiliate partner we receive a small commission when an item is purchased via a link on this website.
I usually write reviews based on tools and machinery used for my gardening business which ofcourse would only ever be petrol or battery powered due to customers not always being at home, power outlets not always being within reach as well as safety concerns when it comes to wires being in your way. I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t actually own a reciprocating saw for my gardening and landscaping business since I’ve never actually needed one, but when the time came that one was needed for my home I decided to opt for the Mac Allister MSRS850 850W electric reciprocating saw 220-240v. A cheaper alternative at just £39.99 from Screwfix whilst still carrying a reliable brand, at least from experience and other reviews I have written anyway.
Why I purchased the Mac Allister MSRS850 reciprocating saw
This might sound like a strange story but here it goes! My wife and I recently moved into our new home (along with our 5 children I might add) which came with a large shed at the bottom of the garden. Since the garden already came with another shed by its side my wife insisted that this one needs to come down to make way for the children’s trampoline. Fair enough I said. But since I work most days at this time of year it had to be done on a Sunday and not just any Sunday, this Sunday!
Being a professional gardener and landscaper I’ve taken down many sheds, and always have my business partner helping to make sure that the shed doesn’t collapse with me still inside. But being a Sunday I was by myself and having a quick look around there were no obvious fixing points for the roof which is what I would usually remove first (start high and work yourself down). As well as this, the screws I did see were all rounded off and the shed was rotten, ready to collapse as it stood. My first thoughts were “how on earth do I take down this shed safely by myself?”.
Being a Sunday I had to think of the quietest way of taking the shed down as to not disturb my new neighbours and unscrewing the shed already being out of the question due to rounded off screw heads, being unsafe etc.. I knew I was just going to cut it apart. Usually I would just grab the chainsaw in this situation but being petrol this was going to be way too loud! So I settled on purchasing a reciprocating saw to help me take down the shed! I looked on the Screwfix website and found the cheapest one available since it was for a one-off job and settled on the Mac Allister MSRS850 reciprocating saw.
The Mac Allister MSRS850 850w electric reciprocating saw 220-240v specifications
I wasn’t too fussed on the specifications when purchasing my new reciprocating saw as it was only for a one-off job so all I really looked for was that it had variable speed and that the blades were easy to replace since I was sure I’d be going through a few. The variable speed feature was great as it was as easy as releasing pressure on the trigger to reduce the speed of the blade and all I had to do it replace the blades was twist the blade quick release feature 90 degrees to release and replace. It’s also worth noting that the Mac Allister reciprocating saw comes with 2 blades, 1 metal cutting blade and 1 wood cutting blade. The specifications taken from the Screwfix website are as followed;
- Variable Speed
- Keyless Blade Change
- Variable-Position Shoe
- ABS Gearbox
- Non-Replaceable Carbon Brushes
- Without Work Light
- Electronic Brake
- Fan-Cooled Motor
- Rubber-Coated Grip
Which blades did I purchase for the Mac Allister MSRS850 reciprocating saw?
I’m a big believer in that it’s not necessarily the cutting tool you are using but more the blades you are using. Just like our petrol chainsaws, skill saws etc., we tend to go for an inexpensive brand with a good reputation but opt for the better blades and chains. Since I was going to be using my new Mac Allister reciprocating saw to be cutting up an entire shed which meant going through felt, hidden nails and anything else that stood in my way, I opted for the Bosch S1531L reciprocating saw blades meant for cutting wood and came in lengths of 240mm. Out of a pack of 5, I had 2 left when finished which I feel was pretty good going considering how much I had to cut!
My overall thoughts on the Mac Allister MSRS850 reciprocating saw
Well I used the Mac Allister reciprocating saw for around 3 hours with no breaks so it’s fair to say that I put it through its paces, although with a 2 year trade rated guarantee from Screwfix I wouldn’t have expected any less. That’s the great thing about this reciprocating saw in particular and when purchased from Screwfix is that it’s only £39.99 and still comes with a 2 year guarantee (at least at the time of writing this review) as well as being trade rated. I mean, surely you can’t get better value then that?!
Not only this but the Mac Allister MSRS850 850w electric reciprocating saw 220-240v is well built! It was well put together with nothing put where it shouldn’t be, no rattles or strange noises and really looks the part if you needed to use it for your business. Just bear in mind that it is mains fed so would need plugging in. If I really wanted to be picky then I would have just one negative thing to say about this reciprocating saw and that’s that the blade did pop off twice during the 3 hours usage but this was when I was using the saw at awkward angles and twisting the blade. If this is the cost of having a well working quick release blade feature then who am I to complain? At £39.99 the Mac Allister reciprocating saw is excellent value for money.
Would I recommend the Mac Allister MSRS850 850w electric reciprocating saw 220-240v?
Would I recommend the Mac Allister reciprocating saw? Absolutely I would! In short, it’s a well built saw with variable speed and features a quick release blade feature at just £39.99 from Screwfix and comes with a 2 year trade rated guarantee. If you don’t mind having a mains fed electric reciprocating saw then save some money and go for the Mac Allister! Remember, it’s not always the electric saw itself but the blades you choose to cut with, although in the case the Mac Mac Allister did not disappoint!