The 10 Best Keyhole Saws

For cutting outlet and switch-box holes in drywall, the Klein 725 is a sturdy, simple choice. Its hardened point stabs through board without a starter hole, and the triple-ground teeth bite on both the push and the pull. The rubber grip ends in a flat butt you can smack with your palm to start a cut. Bob Vila named it the top drywall saw. It comes with no sheath, so the bare tip needs a guard in a tool bag.

Electricians who carry a saw in a pouch all day are the people the Klein 31737 suits. The blade folds into the handle, so the point can't poke through a bag, and it locks open at two angles, one tilted for reaching into cramped spots. The teeth cut in both directions, and the handle end is padded for palming. It's heavy for a pocket tool, and the blade swings shut hard when you release the lock, so keep fingers clear.

Anyone who wants a name-brand saw for a few remodeling jobs should look at the Stanley FatMax 20-556. Its carbon steel blade handles drywall, plywood and plastic, and the two-material grip is cushioned and resists slipping when your hands are dusty. Stanley's limited lifetime warranty covers it. Push hard in a deep cut and the thin blade can flex, which tends to leave a wavy edge, so take it slow on work that will show.

Built for crews who cut a lot of board, the Shark Rockeater has teeth ground to shape rather than stamped, which helps them stay sharp through long remodels. The needle-sharp tip plunges cleanly, and a cord loop lets it hang from a wrist or a nail. Its coarse teeth chew fast but can tear the paper face of drywall, and the chunky handle feels awkward inside a tight box. Shark gives it a one-year warranty.

If your hands get sore from cutting box after box, the Irwin ProTouch is worth a look. Its triangular, rubber-covered handle gives a firm hold at odd angles, and the extra-thick blade stays stiff, so cuts run straight. The aggressive teeth work on both strokes, and Irwin guarantees the saw for life, with some limits. That stiff blade is slower to steer around small curves, and nothing comes with it to cover the tip.

The Goldblatt Folding jab saw brings a locking, fold-away blade at the cost of a basic fixed saw. A red button releases the lock, the blade tucks into the handle for the trip to the job, and the bi-metal teeth cut on both strokes. A hole in the handle end lets it hang on a hook. Opinions split on how long it stays sharp: one woodworking magazine ranked it first, while other reviewers found it dull after a few jobs.

A light, low-cost saw from a major tool brand, the DeWalt DWHT20540 suits homeowners who cut a hole or two a year. DeWalt says its tooth pattern cuts up to half again as fast as standard teeth, and the teeth are heat-hardened to stay sharp longer. The grippy handle has a hang hole for a pegboard. No independent review of this exact model turned up, so that speed claim rests on DeWalt's word alone.

Woodworkers cutting a curved opening in a cabinet back or a shelf want fine teeth, and the Kakuri 40381 has them. It's a Japanese saw that cuts on the pull stroke, which keeps the thin blade from bending and leaves a clean edge in wood. The curved beech handle fills the palm. It's slow going in drywall, and the carbon steel blade will rust if it's put away damp.

Cutting holes from a ladder is safer when the blade has somewhere to go, and the Fiskars Pro Power Tooth jab saw snaps into a hard sheath with a belt clip. Fiskars backs it with a full lifetime warranty. The bright orange handle is easy to spot in a pile of offcuts. It's a fairly new model with a small owner base, so there's little track record yet on how long the teeth stay sharp.

For a one-time job, like opening a single access panel, the Irwin Standard is a no-frills saw that costs very little. The rigid blade has teeth that cut on both strokes, and the hardwood handle is plain and balanced. It's close to a throwaway tool: the teeth dull quickly, the handle can work loose with heavy use, and the short blade struggles with thick board.