Best drywall saw

The Klein 725 is my top pick because it does the one thing a drywall saw has to do well: start a hole without a drill. Klein gives it a hardened, beveled blade point for scoring and plunge cuts.

That matters when you're opening a wall to reach a shower valve or a leaking drain. You push the point through the board, then saw out the opening from there.

The handle has a flat end so you can palm the saw or punch it through the drywall, Klein says. Klein also describes a curved front end on the handle for comfortable two-hand use.

The blade is hardened carbon steel, 6 in. long, with 8 teeth per inch. Klein says the triple ground teeth give a fast cut, and the blade cuts in both directions, on the push and the pull.

Klein lists it for drywall, wallboard, plywood and plastic. That covers most of what you'll hit when you open a wall or ceiling to get at pipe.

It's 12 in. overall and weighs 5 oz, per Klein's spec sheet. That makes it the lightest hand saw on this page by Klein's and DeWalt's own numbers.

There's no folding blade and no sheath listed, so think about how you'll carry it. A loose 6 in. blade in a canvas bag is how bags get holes.

Klein's warnings are short and worth following: wear eye protection, never use it on or near live electrical circuits, and never pry with the blade, because it can break.

Before you cut into any wall, find out what's behind it. A stud finder helps, and a small first hole lets you look before you open it wider.

My call: if you buy one drywall saw for plumbing repairs, buy this one. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Klein 31737 is the saw for your tool pouch. Klein says plainly that jab saws can rip or tear a tool bag, and this one folds so you don't need taped-up homemade sheaths.

Klein says the carbon steel blade is as sturdy as a fixed-blade jab saw, even though it folds into the handle. The blade is hardened carbon steel, 5.2 in. long, with 8 teeth per inch.

The lockback holds the blade at two positions. At 180 degrees it's a straight jab saw. At 125 degrees the blade sits at an angle, which Klein says is for hard-to-reach spots.

That angled position is handy in a vanity cabinet or under a sink, where you can't get your hand straight behind the cut. It lets you saw the back panel without bending your wrist all the way around.

The teeth are triple ground and cut in both directions, Klein says. Klein lists the job as penetration cuts and hole making, in drywall, wallboard, plywood, plastic and other building materials.

The handle is plastic with rubber grips, and the end is cushioned for palming the saw, per Klein. There's also a lanyard hole, so you can tether it when you're working on a ladder.

Open, it's 11.9 in. long. Klein lists it at 8.6 oz, heavier than the fixed 725 because of the folding handle.

Klein's warnings match its fixed saws: wear eye protection, never use it on or near live circuits, and never pry with the blade.

The trade-off is reach. The blade is the shortest of the Klein saws here, so it's less suited to thick boards or reaching past framing.

My call: if the saw lives in your pouch, get this one. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Klein 31711 adds a feature the others don't have: rasping holes in the blade. Klein says they remove material fast, so you can enlarge a hole and smooth its edges.

In plumbing work, that's the hole that's almost right. A pipe stub-out or a tub spout that's a little off center needs the opening grown by a fraction, not recut.

With a plain saw, you'd shave the edge with a knife. Here you file it out with the side of the same blade.

Klein says it cuts drywall, wallboard, plywood and plastic. The teeth are triple ground and cut on both the push and the pull, which Klein says gives faster, cleaner cuts.

The blade is 6.5 in. long, the longest listed on this page, and 0.063 in. thick. Klein lists 8 teeth per inch and a hardened steel blade.

Klein lists its application as standard cuts and penetration cuts. That's the same plunge work the 725 does, with a blade half an inch longer.

It comes with a sheath. Klein says the sheath locks the blade in, protects your other tools and makes it safe to carry and store.

The handle is contoured, with a wide, cushioned base for palming or punching through drywall. Klein says that reduces strain. The handle is 4.8 in. of polypropylene and rubber.

It's 12.7 in. overall and weighs 8 oz, per Klein. That's heavier than the 725, but the sheath and rasp are worth carrying if you fit openings around pipe.

Klein's warnings: wear eye protection, don't use it near live circuits, and never pry with it.

My call: if your holes need fitting around pipe, this is the saw. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The DeWalt DWHT20540 is a fixed jab saw built around its teeth. DeWalt says the triple ground tooth design cuts up to 50% faster than traditional tooth designs.

DeWalt names drywall and plastic as its main uses, and the Amazon listing adds other building materials. The listing also says the teeth are induction-hardened to stay sharp longer.

Plastic matters in plumbing. Access panels, tub surround cut-outs and some shower bases are plastic, and a saw that's sold for both saves you a second tool.

The handle is bi-material, which DeWalt says adds comfort. DeWalt lists the handle as composite.

DeWalt's spec sheet gives a length of 14.0 in. and a weight of 0.36 lb. It doesn't list the blade length or the teeth per inch, so I can't compare those to the Klein saws.

DeWalt does list the width at 2.6 in. and the height at 1.4 in. Check those numbers if it has to fit a narrow pouch slot, since there's no sheath.

That's the main reason this isn't my top pick. Klein publishes the blade length, the tooth count and the warnings. DeWalt's page gives less.

What DeWalt does publish is a warranty: 1 year limited. Klein's pages don't list a warranty term for its saws.

There's no sheath and no folding blade listed, so store it the way you'd store any fixed saw, blade covered or in a hard box.

Bob Vila named this saw its best overall drywall saw, which is part of why it made my shortlist. My pick still goes to the Klein 725 for its published point and specs.

My call: if you want DeWalt's faster tooth design, this is a solid fixed saw. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Lenox folding jab saw is the one on this page that goes beyond drywall. Lenox says the handle accommodates a hacksaw blade and is ideal for flush cutting, or when a hacksaw isn't available.

The Amazon listing goes a step further: it says the interchangeable handle holds a standard reciprocating saw blade. That means you can swap in the blade the job needs.

Lenox lists the applications as plaster, drywall, wood, plastic and metal. Metal is the reason to pick it. Inside a wall, you may need to cut a pipe hanger, a strap or a screw flush with the stud.

A hacksaw frame won't fit in a small opening, but a single blade in a handle will. That's the flush-cut job Lenox describes.

It comes with two blades, which Lenox lists by part number as 635R and 6J6R. The Amazon listing gives the blade length as 6 in.

Lenox says an aluminum locking mechanism keeps the blade from coming out during use. The body is die-cast aluminum, and the grip is over-molded rubber.

It's a folding design, which Lenox sells as part of its Tri-Fold series.

Lenox files it under specialty hand saws, not drywall saws. That fits what it is: a blade holder first, so the blade you put in decides what it cuts.

Lenox backs it with a lifetime limited warranty and says it will repair defects in materials or workmanship without charge. That's the longest warranty on this page.

Lenox doesn't publish a weight or tooth count, so check the blade you install for the material you're cutting.

My call: if you ever cut metal inside a wall, keep this one in the bag. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The DeWalt DCE555B is a different kind of drywall saw. It's a cordless cut-out tool: a small rotary tool that spins a cutting bit at 26,000 RPM, per DeWalt.

People ask Google for the fastest way to cut drywall. With a lot of holes to make, this kind of tool is the answer. On a remodel, that can be every box, valve and drain in the room.

DeWalt says it has a depth guide for consistent cutting depth. That's the feature to care about behind a wall, because it limits how far the bit reaches past the board.

It takes 1/8, 5/32 and 1/4 in. bits and collets. DeWalt says bit changes are tool-free, so you don't need a wrench.

The on-off button sits forward on the body, and an LED lights the cut, per DeWalt. The motor is brushless.

DeWalt calls it the most compact drywall cut-out tool in its class. Its spec sheet lists it at 9.5 in. long and 1.6 lb without a battery.

This is the bare tool. DeWalt lists the tool and a belt clip in the box, and says the battery and charger are sold separately. If you're not on DeWalt's 20V platform, factor that in.

DeWalt lists no variable speed on this model. It's also Tool Connect chip-ready, for DeWalt's DCE042 tracking chip, sold separately.

DeWalt notes that 20V is the battery's maximum initial voltage and 18V is nominal. It lists the tool at 10.38 in. tall and 3.5 in. wide, so check clearance in a tight bay.

DeWalt backs it with a 3-year limited warranty. Read DeWalt's manual for its safety rules before you use it.

My call: if you already own DeWalt 20V batteries and cut many openings, add this to your hand saw. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.