Bosch RS428 14-Amp Reciprocating Saw Review

Like many of its corded competitors, the Bosch RS428 14-amp reciprocating saw hasn’t seen a need for change in the last decade. When it comes to the 14-amp class, Bosch is pretty well on its own with most major brands moving up to a full 15-amp motor or settling in with a 13-amp motor. We tested this Bosch reciprocating saw against others with higher and lower amperages to see where it best fits.

Pros

• Compact size

Cons

• On the slower side for cutting speed

Bosch RS428 Cutting Speed

In our quest to discover where this Bosch reciprocating saw best fits, we put through a series of four cutting speed tests. You can see the details of our testing methods here.

Bosch pairs its 2900 SPM rate with a 1-1/4″ stroke length. On paper, it’s just a touch slower than the 3,000 SPM rate we see at the top while matching the stroke length. There’s also a constant orbital action. We’re up in the air on an orbital action you can’t turn off—it should mean that it’s helpful in wood cutting but adds more vibration to your metal cutting. However, it didn’t seem to have a huge negative effect on the 12-amp RS328’s metal cutting speed.

The stage was set early in our nail-embedded wood test. Bosch’s 17.89-second average put it in the range of the 13-amp class as it was more than 10 seconds away from any of the 15-amp saws. It was the slowest model in our roofing sandwich test as well.

Nail-Embedded Wood

• 13-Amp Range: 8.30 – 20.09 seconds
• 15-Amp Range: 5.99 – 7.11 seconds

Roofing Sandwich

• 13-Amp Range: not tested
• 15-Amp Range: 9.25 – 12.32 seconds

Moving onto metal, the performance gap between the two groups was much closer. Bosch’s 6.32-second average in 2″ EMT wasn’t tremendously slower than the 15s, but it was a better fit in the 13-amp group.

2″ EMT

• 13-Amp Range: 4.23 – 6.46 seconds
• 15-Amp Range: 3.45 – 5.02 seconds

The line between the two classes blurred in our rebar cutting test. Here, Bosch needed 7.37 seconds on average, only about 0.3 seconds slower than the 15-amp saws. However, its time and a couple of others from the 13-amp group were able to compete well against them.

#5 Rebar

• 13-Amp Range: 5.81 – 8.27 seconds
• 15-Amp Range: 5.27 – 7.37 seconds

Performance is really the deciding factor in deciding where a saw fits, and it’s clear you’re better off considering the Bosch RS428 in the 13-amp class rather than closing in on the cutting speed of the 15-amp saws. That said, it does okay. You can find a faster cutting saw in that class if you like, but it’s not so slow that we’d recommend you avoid it.

Vibration Control

Bosch did design some vibration controls into this model and you can tell using it side-by-side with saws that don’t. It’s not the most advanced, though. Compared to other saws that have a more well-developed counterbalance system, the Bosch RS428 has more vibration.

Additional Features

We already mentioned Bosch’s constant orbital action feature and this saw also has a pivoting, tool-free adjustable shoe. Like many of the corded saws we’ve tested, it’s pretty basic from there.

Here are some of the things you can find on other models that Bosch doesn’t include:

• Variable speed dial
• Rafter hook
• Blade ejection
• LED light

Size and Weight

The Bosch RS428 reciprocating saw is a pretty compact design. It measures just 18.9″ long, shorter than anything in the 13-amp or 15-amp classes. It’s pretty reasonable in the weight department as well. It weighed 9.6 pounds on our scale, just 0.2 pounds from the lightest in either class.

Price

The retail price on this model is $149, but we’ve seen it as low as $129 online recently. Prices in the 13-amp class are as high as $189 for Milwaukee’s 13-amp Super Sawzall and as low as $89 for Skilsaw’s 13-amp Buzzkill.

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The Bottom Line

When the sawdust settled, it was clear that the Bosch RS428 is a closer match to the 13-amp class and is really outmatched by today’s 15-amp reciprocating saws. That’s not a knock against it, though. Its performance is in line with other 13-amp saws and you can find it on the lower side of the price scale there as well. As a step up in performance from Bosch’s RS325 (12-amp), it’s worth spending a little more if you’re a Bosch fan.

Bosch RS428 14-Amp Reciprocating Saw Specs

• Model Number: Bosch RS428
• Motor: 14A, 120V
• Measured Length: 18.9″
• No-Load SPM: 0-2900
• Stroke Length: 1.125
• Measured Weight: 8.65 lb
• Price: $149