# Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw (Makita) and Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw (Festool) among jigsaws. Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw is the cheaper of the two at $199.

## Side by side

| Spec | Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw | Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $199 | $445 |
| Brand | Makita | Festool |
| Power source | cordless | corded |
| Amps or voltage | 18 V | 4.5 A |
| Strokes per min max | 2600 | 3800 |
| Stroke length (in) | 1 in | 1 in |
| Orbital settings | 3 | 4 |
| Bevel capacity (°) | 45 | 45 |
| Tool less blade change | Yes | Yes |
| Brushless | No | Yes |

## Key differences

- Power source: Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw cordless vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw corded
- Amps or voltage: Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw 18 V vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw 4.5 A
- Strokes per min max: Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw 2600 vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw 3800
- Orbital settings: Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw 3 vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw 4
- Brushless: Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw No vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw Yes

## What reviewers say

**Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw** — One whitelisted hands-on reviewer covers this exact model. Pro Tool Reviews used all three Makita 18V jigsaws, including the brushed XVJ03 (XVJ03Z bare tool), which the reviewer owns. Praised were Makita's usual excellent build, the comfortable D-handle, bright LED and strong dust blower, and the brushed motor's superior slow-speed control that yielded more accurate cuts than the brushless siblings. Downsides flagged: a splitter guard that pops out (the reviewer abandoned it) and shorter runtime than the brushless models. No lab measurements were taken. (1 sourced review.)

**Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw** — One whitelisted hands-on tester (Pro Tool Reviews, Ernie Conover) used the barrel-grip corded Carvex 420 for about two months and rated it the best jigsaw he had ever used, praising blade guidance, the strobe LEDs and dust extraction. The main gripe is cost, roughly double a Bosch once the accessory Systainer is added. No other whitelisted coverage of this exact model was found; forums and trade blogs excluded. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw: https://makitatools.com/products/details/XVJ03Z (makitatools.com, verified 2026-06-20)
- Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw: https://www.woodcraft.com/products/festool-carvex-psb-420-ebq-plus-d-handle-jigsaw (woodcraft.com, verified 2026-06-20)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/jigsaws/makita-xvj03z-vs-festool-carvex-psb-420-ebq-plus/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw ($199) vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw ($445) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/jigsaws/makita-xvj03z-vs-festool-carvex-psb-420-ebq-plus/
License: CC BY 4.0.
