Skil has finally come out with a new cordless multi-cutter, filling a hole left in their revamped lineup.
The new multi-cutter is part of Skil’s PWRCore 12V cordless power tool lineup, and features a self-sharpening blade, 1/4″ cutting capacity, compact design, and lock-off switch.
Advertisement
It’s sold as a tool-only, and so you’ll need your own Skil PWRCore 12V battery and charger. I’d recommend their brushless drill kit, which I reviewed here and is currently priced at $70.
Multi-cutters like this one are suited for cutting cardboard, plastic packaging material, fencing, vinyl, fabric, paper, and other types of flat materials up to 1/4″ thick. It might help to think of them as powered scissors.
Price: $50 for the bare tool
Buy Now via Amazon
See Also: Drill Kit
See Also: Multi-Tool Kit
Discussion
There have been many different versions of this tool in the past, by Skil and other brands.
Advertisement
First came a 3.6V cordless model, with built-in rechargeable battery.
Then came an multi-cutter attachment version, where the cutter head attached to the front of their iXO cordless screwdriver.
Now, they have this 12V cordless version, part of their PWRCore 12V lineup of revamped and modernized tools.
The price seems reasonable – $50 for the bare tool, but since there doesn’t seem to be a kit format, that’s $50 on top of at least $70 to get your started in Skil’s PWRCore 12V platform.
There’s also a Makita 12V Max (CXT) cordless multi-cutter, even more attractively priced, at $102 for a full starter kit.
Buy Now: Makita Kit via Amazon
So, it’s $102 for the Makita kit vs. $120 minimum for the Skil bare tool plus a drill kit, or just $50 for the Skil bare tool if you’re already in the PWRCore 12V cordless power tool platform.
Perhaps we’ll see a discounted starter kit for the Skil multi-cutter. If not, while I’m glad to see a new Skil-branded multi-cutter on the market, they’re not giving new users enough of an incentive to join their PRWCore 12V cordless platform.
If you just want a multi-cutter and haven’t yet bought into any brand’s 12V platform, the Makita is the more economical bare tool choice. Not to mince words, but Makita is also considered a more pro-oriented brand than Skil. Skil does have some very compelling tools in their 12V lineup though, and some very modern features, but a lot of users looking for a tool like this will look at pricing first and foremost. Here’s to hoping we see a ~$79 starter kit at some point.
All this is to say that I’m happy to see a new Skil multi-cutter option, but the bare tool format and pricing immediately opens it up to strong competition and from a typically higher-positioned brand.
We also don’t when the Skil cutter will be available for purchase, as right now Amazon describes it as being temporarily out of stock, which is typical for new introductions, and so there might be additional purchase options (hopefully a kit) on the way.
fred
Fixed battery tools often seem to be aimed at hobbyist and crafts people. I guess the advantage is a lower purchase price – with the sometimes issue that the fixed battery may die prematurely. So Skil’s making this part of their 12V PWRCore slide-on cordless lineup may have appeal.
I bought my wife the Makita version when she asked for it in 2018. I don’t think she’s found it as useful as she thought it might be. I still see her mostly using manual rotary cutters with a mat – plus her old standby Wiss and Gingher scissors/shears
MarylandUSA
Sweet! I own three of Skil’s PwrCore 12 inflators. I’m already full of 12 volt tools from Makita. I plan to order the 12 volt jigsaw this year but I’ve been looking for a third Skil tool that can use my Skil 12V batteries. I’m grateful to Skil for offering this without as a bare tool. I don’t need another charger, and I prefer the 4.0-amp-hour batteries in any application.
Diplomatic Immunity
I bought the Skil 12V jigsaw recently. Works great. I have medium size glove hands and the barrel grip fits perfectly. It’s actually quite small in overall size. I ended up buying the kit over other brands because it’s like $130 on Amazon, the jigsaw has a dust blower, various speeds including speed assist, and an led halo light. That and other Skil 12V tools are dirt cheap when they go on sale and I’m already in Makita’s 18V lineup. My only complaint is that I wish the dust blower wasn’t speed dependent. If you run at a very low speed the dust blower doesn’t really reveal the cut line. If you’re at max speed or assist it ramps up and really blows away the sawdust. Also if you’re using the orbital function it really will drain the 2.0aH battery fast. Overall I’m pleased with how precise it is and how easy it is to get to the on/off switch.
Jim Felt
Is the Bosch GUS 12V-300 Professional still considered the gold standard of these little cutters?
And why not?
Stuart
9 years later, and it still hasn’t been released in the USA.
https://toolguyd.com/bosch-cordless-shear-gus-10-8v/
You can find it on Amazon via 3rd party sellers (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P9A3AI/?tag=toolguyd-20), but that’s not the same as it being a USA product.
I can’t imagine the Bosch being that much better than the Skil or Makita – these are all pretty low-powered tools meant for cutting soft materials.
MarylandUSA
Jim Felt,
Yes, all that I’ve read and watched on YouTube suggests the Bosch still reigns supreme. But it’s considerably larger and heavier than the Makita and the Skil.
Some guy on YouTube has compared the Bosch against a copycat called something like Parkside. The Bosch stayed cooler. I forget how it compared in performance.
Stuart
Hmm, I’ll have to take a look.
It’s also worth mentioning that Skil was a part of Bosch, and the earlier Skil versions predated the Bosch.
Jp
I have the worx version, love it. I want a 12v version for power, but I am a Milwaukee user, so no battery platforms for Skil or Makita
Luckey Dodge
When will the battery wars be over and then I can select a set of “good tools” that share the same architecture—–lots of tools and few batteries?
1).. Now I have a full set of NEXTEC 12-volt tools and I just like the compactness of them..
2).. But now I want to go to Big-Battery set of tools, with the same mind set–lots of tools and few batteries.
3).. Where should I go for reliable tools and batteries?
4).. Or should I wait until 2021?
5).. When will the tool war settle down so I can start to buy?
…..lastly, where can I get a chart to show what tool company makes what tools? Sort of a tool tree.
Most are made in China and I see that B&D may be bringing tools back to USA.
Any info is greatly appreciated.
Thnks,
Luckey Dodge (Huntsville, Alabama).
Stuart
Determine your immediate budget and the tools you might want to purchase together to start with, and consider future needs and tool costs.
5) Late November will be the best time to buy.
Last year Makita had the a great bargain combo kit.
https://toolguyd.com/best-cordless-power-tool-combo-kit-deal-black-friday-2019/
The previous year, there was a great Dewalt brushless combo kit.
A lot of brands always have value-centered combo kit options.
A tool chart showing what company makes which tools would be a massive undertaking. I haven’t come out with a good way to do it. Keep in mind that most cordless power tool brands have entire catalogs of offerings. It’s hard to sort things out unless you have specific filtering requirements.
fred
Some of your questions seem to be part of a perennial topic of discussion. I think the consensus is that most toolmakers make at least as much (if not more) money selling batteries as they do on tools. The manufacturers also seem to believe (or espouse) that the handshaking between their tools and their batteries add performance, reliability or safety features that would be lost if the cordless world moved to a generic battery interface. For better or worse – we seem to continue to be stuck with LiIon battery platforms that for the most part are incompatible across brands – even brands that come from the same parent organization (e.g. TTI’s Ryobi, Rdgid/AEG, Milwaukee – or SBD’s Dewalt, Porter Cable, B&D). It can be frustrating – impede the end user from cherry picking across brands (as we once did with corded tools) – but I can’t see this changing anytime soon. In my case that means that I’ve bought Makita 18V, 18Vx2 and 12V ; Milwaukee M12 and M18, and Bosch 12V tools. I’ve resisted forays into other platforms from Dewalt, Fein, Festool , Mafell, Metabo et. al. even though some of their offerings have much appeal.
dandLyons
I have the iXo cutter & use it to breakdown cardboard boxes for recycling. It works great. I would much prefer a tool that had a removable battery and a bit more power. But I don’t own any Skil or Makita tools & would not adopt yet another battery system just for a cutter. If Milwaukee had a cutter like this in their M12 line I would likely buy it.
Joatman
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M12-FUEL-12-Volt-3-in-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-Cut-Off-Saw-Tool-Only-2522-20/305663849?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&mtc=Shopping-BA-F_Test-G-D25T-25_9_PORTABLE_POWER-Multi-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-PortablePower_LIA_BFT&cm_mmc=Shopping-BA-F_Test-G-D25T-25_9_PORTABLE_POWER-Multi-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-PortablePower_LIA_BFT-71700000069365623-58700006141906642-92700055509299492&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4_77zqCS7AIVzMDACh300Ay8EAQYASABEgITTfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
dave jones
Fein have just released some more powerful corded and cordless multitools: https://fein.com/en_uk/machines/new-products/
Joatman
I have the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Cut-Off tool. I used it last weekend to cut some corrugated poly roofing sheets. It cut through like butter. I like the fact that you can reverse the direction of the blade
Wish it was only $50!!!
Blocky
I use the cxt version to open those treacherous PET plastic packages with the thick stamped perimeters.
I’ve also has good speed and precision with carpet cutting. Can bog it down easily if you hurry it tho.
Javier A.
I hate to be the “Harbor Freight has this guy” but Harbor Freight has this, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought from there, next to my tool cabinets and my floor jack:
https://www.harborfreight.com/4v-lithium-ion-cordless-power-cutter-56192.html
Got it for somewhere around $30 if memory serves…