My £30 Reciprocating Saw: A Marvel of Modern Engineering (Or Not)

Right, so, a few weeks back I did a thing. I bought a reciprocating saw. Now, I'm not exactly Bob the Builder, but occasionally a bit of DIY calls my name (usually something along the lines of "fix that wonky shelf" or "chop up that overgrown shrubbery before it takes over the entire garden"). So, I thought, a reciprocating saw! Perfect! Especially as I found one on eBay for under £30. Bargain, right? It was described as a "21V-Li Reciprocating Saw Cordless Hand Saw Electric Wood Metal Cutter 2x 2500mAh". Crikey, with a name like that, it practically sold itself.

It arrived in a lovely hard case, which immediately made me feel like a proper tradesperson. Inside, nestled amongst the plastic moulding, were the saw itself, two batteries, a selection of blades that looked like they'd been sharpened by a badger, and even a pair of safety gloves. All for under £30! I was practically giddy. I mean, who needs DeWalt when you've got… well, whatever this was?

Fast forward to yesterday. The sun was shining (sort of), the birds were singing (Starlings), and I had a job to do. An old wooden gate, destined for the great bonfire in the sky, needed to be halved. Now, the wood was a bit on the damp side, but hey, that's British weather for you. No biggie, I thought. My trusty new reciprocating saw would make short work of it.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Let's just say, my "marvel of modern engineering" struggled. I mean, really struggled. It kept stalling, like my first car trying to climb a hill. The blade seemed to be making about as much progress as a snail on a Raspberry tart. I swear I could practically hear the saw whimpering.

I persevered, naturally. I wrestled with the gate, coaxed the saw, and may have uttered a few choice words that would make a docker blush. After what felt like an eternity, I finally managed to hack through the wood. And here's the kicker: I reckon I could have done it faster with a handsaw. Yes, you read that right. A handsaw.

So, have I thrown my £30 down the drain? Possibly. It's looking that way. Maybe it'll be brilliant for cutting butter or something. Or perhaps it'll become a rather expensive paperweight. Anyone need a slightly temperamental, battery-powered paperweight? 

The moral of the story? Sometimes, you get what you pay for. And sometimes, you buy a reciprocating saw on eBay for under £30 and learn a valuable lesson about the limitations of budget power tools. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy a decent handsaw. And maybe a stiff drink.

I guess I should've read reviews first, before jumping into the abyss.