Intro
Straight cuts are what circular saws and table saws do best — but the moment you need to cut a curve, a circle, or an intricate shape in wood, metal, or plastic, a jigsaw becomes the essential tool. Whether you are cutting a sink opening in a kitchen worktop, scribing a worktop to an uneven wall, creating curved furniture components, or making cutouts for electrical sockets in plasterboard, a jigsaw's narrow reciprocating blade lets you follow lines that no other power saw can manage. The best jigsaws combine a powerful motor with variable speed control, an orbital action that speeds up cutting in straight sections, tool-free blade changes, and a sturdy base plate that stays square to the workpiece. For woodworkers, kitchen fitters, and DIYers tackling projects that demand more than straight lines, a quality jigsaw with a good blade selection unlocks creative possibilities that would otherwise require expensive stationary tools or hours of hand work.
Generalities
Jigsaws are judged by a handful of key capabilities: motor power (600 to 800 watts for corded models), stroke length (26 millimetres is solid for all-round use), variable speed range, and the quality of the orbital action. Orbital action — where the blade moves slightly forward on the upstroke in addition to its vertical motion — dramatically increases cutting speed in straight sections, and having multiple orbital settings lets you dial in the right amount for each material. A tool-free blade change system is essential on a tool where you may swap between a coarse wood blade, a fine metal blade, and a scrolling blade several times in a single project. HIKOKI — the brand that succeeded Hitachi Power Tools — brings Japanese engineering to the CJ90VST2 jigsaw, a 705-watt corded model with electronic feedback control, four-stage orbital action, and a 26-millimetre stroke. It ships with a carry case, blade, and dust extraction adapter.
This review examines the HIKOKI CJ90VST2 jigsaw in detail: its 705-watt motor and variable speed performance from 850 to 3,000 strokes per minute, the four-stage orbital action and OSC system, the tool-free blade change and anti-twist aluminium base plate, dust management, and how it handles curved and straight cuts across wood, metal, and plastic. If you are looking for a capable corded jigsaw for furniture making, kitchen fitting, or general DIY, this review covers what you need to know.
Description
The HIKOKI CJ90VST2 is a 705-watt corded jigsaw with electronic feedback control — a system that monitors motor load and adjusts power delivery to maintain the set speed under varying cutting resistance. The variable-speed dial and trigger combination delivers a no-load stroke rate of 850 to 3,000 strokes per minute, and the 26-millimetre stroke length provides good cutting aggressiveness across the full speed range. The cutting capacity is rated at 90 millimetres in wood, 10 millimetres in mild steel, and 3.2 millimetres in aluminium — solid figures for a jigsaw in this class. The tool handles bevel cuts up to 45 degrees in both directions, and the minimum cutting radius is a tight 25 millimetres, making it suitable for fairly intricate scroll work.
The standout feature of the CJ90VST2 is HIKOKI's OSC system — a four-stage orbital action that adjusts how much the blade moves forward on the upstroke. Setting 0 gives you a straight up-and-down motion for clean, splinter-free cuts in veneered panels and for metal cutting. Settings 1 through 3 progressively increase the orbital aggression, with setting 3 providing the fastest cut speed for rough work in softwood and chipboard. The tool-free blade change uses HIKOKI's PL system — a lever that ejects and locks blades without tools — and accepts standard T-shank jigsaw blades from any manufacturer. The base plate is nickel-plated aluminium with an anti-twist design that keeps the blade perpendicular to the workpiece even during aggressive orbital cutting.
Ergonomics and usability are well considered. The body features a soft-touch rubberised housing on both the main barrel grip and the front knob, providing secure two-handed control. At 2.2 kilograms, it is light enough for one-handed operation when needed — useful when holding a workpiece with your other hand — yet has enough mass to sit stably on the workpiece without bouncing. The tool measures a compact 215 by 199 by 72 millimetres, fitting comfortably in one hand and storing easily in a tool chest. The variable-speed dial is positioned on top of the body and clicks positively into each setting. A dust blower directs a stream of air across the cut line to keep it visible, and this can be switched off when using the included dust extraction adapter connected to a vacuum.
The accessory package adds genuine value. The CJ90VST2 ships in a moulded carry case with dedicated compartments for the saw, blades, and accessories. Included in the box are a saw blade, a dust extraction adapter for connecting to a shop vacuum, and a wrench for base plate adjustments. The carry case is a practical inclusion that protects the tool during transport and storage — especially valuable for mobile tradespeople. The nickel-plated aluminium base plate resists corrosion and slides smoothly over workpieces, and the anti-twist design includes a key box for storing the hex key securely when not in use.
The CJ90VST2 measures 215 by 199 by 72 millimetres (tool only) and weighs 2.2 kilograms. It is manufactured in Spain (listed as España in the product data) and backed by a two-year manufacturer's warranty. Customer ratings stand at 3.7 out of 5 stars, though the review count is very small at just five — too few to draw statistically meaningful conclusions about long-term reliability. The saw ranks number 235 in Jig Saws, reflecting its relatively low sales volume rather than a quality judgment. HIKOKI's heritage as the successor to Hitachi Power Tools provides some confidence in the engineering and build quality, and the comprehensive feature set — variable speed, four-stage orbital action, tool-free blade change, and carry case — represents good value at this price point.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Four-stage orbital action (OSC system) with settings 0 to 3 — from clean splinter-free cuts in veneer to aggressive fast cutting in softwood, all from one tool
- Electronic feedback control maintains set speed under load — consistent cutting performance whether you are starting, mid-cut, or pushing through a knot in hardwood
- Tool-free PL blade change system — swap between wood, metal, and scrolling blades in seconds without reaching for tools
- Nickel-plated aluminium base plate with anti-twist design — stays square to the workpiece for accurate bevel cuts and resists the twisting that causes wandering cut lines
- Moulded carry case with compartments included — protects the saw and accessories during transport, practical for mobile use and tidy workshop storage
- Compact 215 x 199 x 72 mm body and manageable 2.2 kg weight — comfortable for one-handed guided cuts and easy to store
- Wide 850 to 3,000 SPM speed range with 26 mm stroke — covers slow, controlled metal cutting through to fast wood ripping
Cons
- Very limited customer feedback — only 5 reviews averaging 3.7 out of 5 stars makes it difficult to assess real-world reliability and common issues
- No integrated LED work light — useful for following a pencil line precisely, a feature now common on competing jigsaws
- No pendulum action indicator — unlike some models that show the orbital setting clearly, the CJ90VST2's orbital lever position can be harder to read at a glance
- Corded design means managing a power cable during curved cuts — the cable can snag when rotating the saw to follow tight-radius curves
- Relatively low market visibility and sales rank — spare parts and service availability may be more limited than for higher-volume brands like Bosch or Makita
Use cases
The HIKOKI CJ90VST2 jigsaw is suited to woodworkers, kitchen fitters, and DIYers who need a feature-rich corded jigsaw with variable speed, orbital action, and tool-free blade changes — particularly those who value the included carry case and dust extraction adapter.
Curved and Shaped Furniture Components
Cutting curved table legs, arched headboards, shaped shelf brackets, and decorative scrollwork demands a jigsaw with good orbital control and a tight minimum radius. The CJ90VST2's 25 mm minimum cut radius and orbital setting 0 (straight cut) produce clean, controlled curves in hardwood and softwood alike, making it the right tool for bespoke furniture projects.
Kitchen Worktop Sink and Hob Cutouts
Cutting the rectangular opening for a kitchen sink or hob in a laminate worktop is a high-stakes jigsaw task — one wrong cut and an expensive worktop is ruined. The anti-twist aluminium base plate and variable speed control let you make slow, deliberate plunge cuts and straight edges, while the dust blower keeps the cut line visible.
Scribing Worktops and Skirting to Uneven Walls
No wall is perfectly straight, and fitting worktops, skirting boards, and panels against uneven surfaces requires scribing a curved line and cutting precisely along it. The jigsaw's narrow blade follows scribed lines accurately, and the tool-free blade change lets you swap to a scrolling blade for tight corners.
Cutouts in Plywood, MDF, and Plasterboard
Cutting openings for electrical sockets, ventilation grilles, and plumbing penetrations in sheet materials is routine work during renovation and fitting out. The CJ90VST2's 90 mm wood capacity handles double-layer plasterboard and 18 mm plywood, and the dust extraction adapter keeps the workspace clean when cutting MDF indoors.
Metal and Plastic Sheet Cutting
Cutting aluminium sheet, steel plate up to 10 mm, and plastic panels requires slow speed and a fine-tooth blade — exactly what the variable-speed dial on the CJ90VST2 provides. The orbital setting 0 and low speed prevent the blade from overheating and binding, producing clean edges on materials that would destroy a wood-only blade.