Bosch 0603013003 Review

Few power tools unlock creative freedom quite like a jigsaw. While circular saws excel at long straight cuts and table saws dominate repetitive ripping, the jigsaw does what neither can: it follows a curving pencil line through timber, cuts a sink opening out of a worktop, shapes a decorative bracket from plywood, or trims a laminate floorboard to fit neatly around a door frame. This versatility makes the jigsaw essential for kitchen fitters cutting worktop apertures, joiners shaping curved furniture components, floor layers navigating awkward corners, and DIYers tackling everything from shelving projects to garden decking. Modern cordless jigsaws have closed the power gap with their corded counterparts, and brushless motor technology means you can now get clean, fast cuts through thick timber and metal without being tethered to a socket — ideal when you are working on-site, up a ladder, or in a garden where extension leads become a tripping hazard.

Choosing a jigsaw comes down to a handful of factors: motor power and type, pendulum action settings, blade change mechanism, and whether you want corded reliability or cordless freedom. Brushless motors — sometimes called carbon-free — are now the standard for quality cordless jigsaws, delivering more cuts per battery charge, longer tool life, and better speed control under load. Pendulum action, where the blade moves forward into the cut on the upstroke in addition to its vertical motion, dramatically increases cutting speed in wood at the expense of a slightly rougher finish — good jigsaws let you dial this from zero (for clean scroll work) to maximum (for fast rough cutting). Bosch has been making jigsaws for decades, and their green Advanced range brings professional-grade features like the SDS quick-change blade system to the serious DIY and light-trade market at accessible prices.

In this review we put the Bosch AdvancedSaw 18V-140 through its paces — testing its 140-millimetre wood cutting capacity, the effectiveness of the 4-stage pendulum action, blade changes with the SDS system, dust extraction and the LED ring light for cut-line visibility, battery runtime on the included 2.0 Ah pack, and overall build quality and handling.

The AdvancedSaw 18V-140 is built around a brushless 18-volt motor spinning the blade at up to 3,000 strokes per minute — fast enough for clean cuts through wood up to 140 millimetres thick, steel up to 10 millimetres, and aluminium up to 20 millimetres. That 140-millimetre wood capacity is significant: it means you can cut through a 100 × 100 millimetre fence post or a laminated kitchen worktop in a single pass. The 4-stage pendulum action ranges from zero — a straight up-and-down blade motion for fine, splinter-free scroll cuts in plywood and laminates — to maximum orbital action where the blade aggressively drives forward into the cut, ripping through construction timber and chipboard flooring at speed. The variable-speed trigger gives you progressive control from a gentle start for precise entry cuts up to full speed for rapid straight runs.

Blade changes are handled by Bosch's SDS system — a tool-free mechanism where you simply push a lever and the blade ejects, then push the new blade into the clamp until it clicks. It genuinely takes about three seconds and can be done one-handed, which matters when you are switching between a coarse wood blade and a fine metal blade multiple times during a project. The tool comes with three 144D blades covering the most common starting points. An LED ring light encircles the blade area, casting shadow-free illumination directly onto the cut line — a significant improvement over single-point LEDs that create shadows exactly where you need to see. The integrated dust extraction nozzle sits close to the blade and, when connected to a vacuum cleaner, pulls dust away before it can obscure your pencil mark. A transparent chip guard and protective base pad help prevent splintering on the top surface of delicate materials.

At 1.6 kilograms without the battery — and approximately 2.0 kilograms with the 2.0 Ah pack fitted — the AdvancedSaw is light enough for one-handed overhead cutting when you are trimming fascia boards or cutting holes in ceiling plasterboard for downlights. The barrel-grip body with a soft-touch overmould sits comfortably in the hand, and the balance feels natural — the tool does not try to tip forward or sideways as you guide it along a line. The pendulum action selector is a simple rotary dial on the side of the body, clearly marked and easy to adjust mid-cut if needed. The Cut Control guide — a clear plastic attachment that sits in front of the blade — provides a reference line for following curved cuts accurately, and can be adjusted for angled cuts up to 45 degrees. The base plate is sturdy pressed steel, not plastic, and locks firmly at the set angle without slipping under vibration.

The kit comes ready to work: one 2.0 Ah 18-volt battery, a charger, three saw blades, the Cut Control guide, a chip guard, dust extraction nozzle, protective pad, and a sturdy plastic carry case that holds everything securely. The battery provides approximately 18 minutes of continuous cutting on a full charge — enough for most DIY projects without stopping, and the charger refills the pack in reasonable time. For heavier use, the tool is compatible with Bosch's full range of 18-volt Power for All batteries, including larger 4.0 Ah and 6.0 Ah packs that extend runtime significantly. This is the same battery platform shared across Bosch's entire green 18V range — drills, sanders, garden tools — so an existing Bosch cordless user can buy this as a bare tool and save money.

Customer reception has been very positive: the AdvancedSaw holds a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating from 42 reviews, and it ranks at an impressive number 9 in the Jig Saws category on Amazon — a strong position that reflects its combination of features, build quality, and value. The tool is manufactured in Hungary and comes with Bosch's standard warranty. For the kitchen fitter cutting worktop apertures, the floor layer trimming boards around door frames, the joiner shaping curved furniture components, or the DIY renovator tackling a mix of straight cuts, curved cuts, and cut-outs in wood, metal, and laminate, the AdvancedSaw 18V-140 delivers cordless freedom with the power and precision that until recently required a mains-powered tool.

The Bosch AdvancedSaw 18V-140 is the cordless jigsaw of choice for kitchen fitters, joiners, floor layers, and serious DIYers who need powerful, precise curved and straight cutting through thick timber, metal, and laminate — with the freedom to work anywhere without hunting for a power socket.