Milwaukee Sawzall One-Key – M18 Fuel Reciprocating Saw 2721

Not too long ago Milwaukee announced their new One-Key solution system for the contractor.  Since this launch I have read a ton about it, while I see a lot of positive reviews there are some who don’t see the benefit in the One-Key.  Now if you are not familiar with One-Key, the One-Key is a way for the user to set up their tools for their work.  A user can match the tool to their application  When a manufacturer designs a tool, they have to give it a balance between speed and torque.  However, some users may want the speed because they don’t need a ton of torque and vice versa.  With One-Key, the manufacturer no longer controls that, as the user you get to control the specs and how the tool operates.  For me, I think this is such a cool feature.  I love being able to set up my tools for the job.  However, I never use this, part of the reason is I have an older phone and the App will not work with it.  I have an iPhone 5s which is from my understanding based on a different bit system than the newer phones.  I also understand that this isn’t for everyone.  Some people will love it, while others will never use it.  But it’s nice to have that option.  As we all knew, it wouldn’t be long before Milwaukee started putting that technology into other things like the Milwaukee Sawzall One-Key.

Well it has been 3 years since Milwaukee released their 2720 Fuel Sawzall.  So now they have the next version, the 2721 M18 Fuel Sawzall with One-Key.  If you look at the side by side comparison of the 2720 and the 2721, they are identical.  Both have 0-3,000 spm, adjustable shoe, same black locking system, same weight, same length and built around a brushless motor, but there are a couple of differences between the two.  Now if you haven’t used the 2720, you don’t know what you’re missing.  The saw is great in regards to speed and power.  You can pretty much cut through anything and best of all, the vibrations are minimal.

So since they are pretty much the same tool, I am not going to talk about stats and the other things.  I want to focus on two key components to the new 2721, the One-Key and the Brake system.

Again, not everyone is going to take advantage of the One-Key.  But for those who use their reciprocating saw every day, the One-Key is a great system to have as you can set up the tool around your routine applications.  All this is done with your smartphone.  There are four custom profiles you can set up.  Say you are cutting metal every day.  Well you can set it up so your tool starts off slow and then trigger ramps up. This is great to eliminate vibration on cut starts and helps keep the blade where you want to cut.  If you make plunge cuts into wood, you can optimize the tool for that also.   One cool thing about the app is you can set it up for optimization.  When you do this, just click the setting, “cut optimization.”  Then you can choose the material you will be cutting such as EMT pipe.  Then pick your pipe size and the app will tell you the best type of blade to use.  How cool is that?  This is great for when you cut materials that you normally don’t cut often and have experience with.  This way the app can really let you dial in the speed setting and even the recommended blade.  So what is cool about the set up with One-Key is you really only have to set the tool up once.  When you want to activate a certain predefined setting, you can just push the number 1-4 on the tool.  So you can set up 1 for metal, 2 for wood and 3 and 4 for whatever floats your boat.

Now I personally think the One-Key system is great for people who use the Sawzall every day, but what really stands out to me is the ability for a blade brake.  Yes, a brake.  When you get to the end of a cut, you know the saw will keep cutting unless you take your finger off the trigger.  With the app, you can enable or disable the brake setting.  So this is how the brake works.  When it’s enabled, the saw will sense when you are done with your cut and it will automatically stop cutting.  This is a huge safety feature.  But what I love most about it, is I don’t always have to have it on.  I love being able to set use it or not use.  Not only is it a big safety feature, but it will also allow you to protect surrounding material.  We all know that when we use the Sawzall, it can be in an awkward position or another pipe is about 1″ away.  So as you cut through the first pipe, it will automatically stop and protect the next pipe over.

Milwaukee Sawzall One-Key Specification

• Length 18-1/2″
• Weight 8.9 lbs
• Stroke Length 1-1/8″
• SPM 0 – 3,000
• LED Light Yes
• Keyless Adjustable Shoe Yes
• Keyless Blade Clamp Yes (QUIK-LOK® Universal)
• Hang Hook Yes
• Cut Brake Yes
• Tool Warranty 5 Years

As with their 2720, I think the 2721 Milwaukee Sawzall One-Key system is an awesome reciprocating saw.  The saw runs through anything and doesn’t bog down.  It’s comfortable and doesn’t have a ton of vibrations.  I love the blade shut off or brake.  Personally, for the $35 premium, I think it’s worth it if you are looking for a new saw.  Do I think it’s worth it to run out and buy this if you have the 2720?  If you are going to take advantage of the One-Key, then yes. The people who use their Sawzall all the time, it’s a great feature.  However, if you are not going to use the One-Key, I would stick with the 2720.  Overall this is a great saw and it has been proven time and time again.  With the ability to use the 9Ah high demand battery, you can get crazy run times.