Makita
Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw
$199Cheaper
Best Jigsaws · head-to-head
Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw is cheaper at $199. Every spec and price links to its source.
Festool
Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw
$445
Which is better: the Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw or Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw is the cheaper at $199.
See Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw on Amazon See Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw on Amazon
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw | Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $199 Bare tool, battery not included | $445 |
| Brand | Makita | Festool |
| Released | — | — |
| 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 |
Sources — Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw: makitatools.com (verified 2026-06-20). Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw: woodcraft.com (verified 2026-06-20).
What's the difference between the Makita XVJ03Z 18V LXT Cordless Jig Saw and Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- 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 false vs Festool Carvex PSB 420 EBQ-Plus Jig Saw true
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
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.)
Praised: Excellent Makita build quality across the lineup; Brushed motor delivers more control and accurate cuts at very slow speeds; Comfortable D-handle, bright LED light, and strong dust blower keep the cut line visible.
Flagged: Splitter guard pops out easily and gets abandoned; Shorter runtime than the brushless siblings because of the brushed motor.
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.)
Praised: Blade guidance/tracking rated best-in-class; Four-LED strobe lights make the blade appear to stand still for easy line-following; Very good dust extraction on the 90-degree bases.
Flagged: Expensive, roughly twice a Bosch once the accessory Systainer is included; Angle base doesn't extend far enough ahead of the blade to start angled cuts easily; No dust collection possible with the angle base.