Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw PS60 Review

Jan 18, 2024

The Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw is incredibly compact and light, but trades off performance and features to get there. I'd really like to see what Bosch could do with this same foundation and a brushless motor. Even if they don't update it, the cutting performance is still relevant, though it's not challenging the top contenders.

The Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw came out more than 6 years ago, but it's still the most compact in the 12V class. We tested it head-to-head against other 12V saws and found that while it may be time for an update, it's not ready to be put out to pasture just yet.

Buy it if you’re looking for the most compact and lightest 12V reciprocating saw available. Pass if you’re looking for a lot of bells and whistles or class-leading performance.

12V reciprocating saws aren't very effective at woodcutting, save for very thin wood. While we run most reciprocating saws through a nail-embedded wood test, it's not something that's relevant for this class.

This type of saw is more likely to be found cutting material like 3/4″ EMT on an electrical installation. The Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw took an average of 6.60 seconds to cut in that test. It's the second slowest cutting time we saw with the fastest going to Hilti at 3.17 seconds.

Moving to 3″ PVC, things get a bit better for Bosch. Its 15.86-second average scores much better, though Hilti and Milwaukee can both finish the cut in less than 11 seconds.

So what materials are a good bet to cut with this saw? Its 3000 SPM no-load speed and 9/16″ stroke length do better work on thinner metal and PVC where the short stroke length can still clear material effectively while it cuts. You can get away with cutting wood up to 1/2″, but it's going to be a slow process compared to other reciprocating saw classes.

The Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw wasn't the worst in vibration control, but it's near the bottom of the group. To be fair, the 12V class doesn't see a lot of vibration control technology moving into it. However, this model has more vibration making it to your arm than Hilti, Milwaukee, and Skil.

Let's keep that in perspective, though. We’re talking about a 12V reciprocating saw and while the Bosch PS60 has more vibration than most in the class, it's still quite a bit less than the best in the bigger classes.

The Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw has a design that clearly focuses on keeping things compact. If you’re calling your model a "pocket" reciprocating saw, you better make it small, right?

This is the one area that Bosch's design really knocks it out of the park. It's just 2.3 pounds bare and 2.7 pounds with a 2.0Ah battery. The next lightest is 0.2 pounds heavier and the heaviest is nearly 1.5 pounds heavier!

The Bosch PS60 also enjoys the shortest overall length. It's 10.0″ length has a little competition from DeWalt and is more than 7″ shorter than Makita's 12V CXT.

Even though Bosch calls this a pocket model, it doesn't actually fit in my pocket. I didn't expect it to, but it seemed prudent to check.

As a saw that's been around for a while, the current pricing structure runs inverse of what we expect. The bare tool is $89.99. The kit with a 2.0Ah battery and charger normally runs $129, but we found several retailers with it at $89.

Bosch backs the PS60 with a 1-year warranty that extends to 3 years if you register with a free ProVantage account.

From a straight-up price comparison, only Skil beats Bosch, and that's by just $10. Milwaukee's M12 Fuel runs $159 as a kit and Hilti runs $189 with a charger and 4.0Ah battery.

One of the reasons the price is so good on this model is that it uses a brushed motor and has a pretty basic feature set. Here's what you can expect:

Like the rest of the 12V class, there's no orbital action, variable speed dial, tool-free adjustable shoe, rafter/belt hook, or smart controls. Personally, I don't mind the basic feature set on this saw. Occasionally though, I wish it had a hook since it's small enough to carry on your belt. Because it's useful mainly on smaller jobs, I don't miss some of the convenience features larger models have.

The Bosch 12V Max Pocket Reciprocating Saw is incredibly compact and light, but trades off performance and features to get there. I’d really like to see what Bosch could do with this same foundation and a brushless motor. Even if they don't update it, the cutting performance is still relevant, though it's not challenging the top contenders.

Buy it if you’re looking for the most compact and lightest 12V reciprocating saw available. Pass if you’re looking for a lot of bells and whistles or class-leading performance.