RIDGID R8646B 18V Cordless Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only) review

RIDGID 18V reciprocating saw · R8646B tool-only package

The R8646B is the bare-tool retail configuration of RIDGID’s conventional 18V reciprocating saw. Its U.S. product page identifies the B suffix as tool-only and says the battery and charger are sold separately; the page also lists a blade, and the matched R8646 manual describes that included blade as a wood-cutting blade. This is a source-based assessment of the exact package and its documented common saw body—not a report of ownership, field use or cutting tests.

A conventional cordless format with modestly bounded claims

The exact listing identifies a brushed motor, 1-1/8-inch stroke and a 3,000-strokes-per-minute figure. The operator’s manual qualifies the speed as a 0–3,000/min no-load range and describes a variable-speed trigger: more trigger pressure raises speed, while less lowers it. These details tell you the saw has adjustable trigger control and a full-size reciprocating motion; they do not predict how quickly it will cut a particular pipe, nail-embedded board or branch. No named maximum cut-capacity table or independent timed comparison was found in the reviewed material.

The body presents the familiar front barrel grip and rear D-handle arrangement shown in RIDGID’s exact-model image. That makes it a two-handed format rather than the shorter, one-hand R8648 family. It is not a substitute for checking clearance around a wall cavity or making a safe support plan: the manufacturer does not give a dimensioned profile in the sources used here.

What “tool only” means for this exact suffix

R8646B includes the saw, a wood-cutting blade and an operator’s manual. RIDGID’s page explicitly separates the 18V battery and charger. If you already own a compatible RIDGID 18V system, the B package avoids another charger and pack; if you do not, the kit configuration R8646K is a separate model number with a listed R87004 4.0 Ah battery and R86093 charger. Do not use a kit photo or a broad “R8646” search result as proof of what a seller will ship—check the suffix and the written package list.

The page advertises RIDGID 18V compatibility, but this review does not infer that any battery from another brand or any adapter is appropriate. Confirm the exact pack and charger against RIDGID’s compatibility information. The B product page also describes a Lifetime Service Agreement subject to registration; read the current registration rules and keep the purchase documentation rather than treating the benefit as automatic.

Blade work and shoe contact shape the practical setup

The manual describes a lever-operated, tool-free blade clamp. It instructs the operator to remove the battery before blade changes, raise the clamp lever, seat the blade fully and release the lever to secure it. The blade may be installed with teeth facing up or down. The same manual says the shoe pivots up and down in both directions, which can help it stay supported against surfaces approached at different angles. It does not specify an indexed position count.

The included wood blade is a starting point, not a complete assortment. RIDGID’s manual recommends choosing tooth pattern for the material, gives 10 teeth per inch as typical for wood, and recommends 14 TPI for plastic and soft metals and 18 TPI for hard metals. For metal, it advises a slower speed, no forcing, and cutting oil for steel and soft metal. Those are setup directions, not an assurance of cut quality. Clamp the workpiece securely, keep the shoe bearing on the work and plan around concealed wiring, plumbing and other hazards before opening a wall. The manual also warns against plunge cutting with blades longer than six inches because they can whip.

Unsettled details should stay unsettled

The product table shows “Product Weight” as 5 lb, but it does not say whether that number is a bare saw, a battery-installed tool or another product-weight basis. The saw being sold as tool-only does not by itself define how the catalog weight was measured, so I leave bare-tool weight unknown. A strict numerical bare-tool filter should not count the R8646B under a five-pound limit on this evidence.

The pages reviewed do not establish selectable orbital action, vibration control, a work light, body dimensions or a named cut capacity. That is an evidence boundary, not a claim that the saw lacks every unlisted feature. If orbital action, a verified mass or exact clearance is a must-have, ask RIDGID or the seller for an exact-model answer before deciding.

Who should compare the B and K packages

The R8646B makes the most sense to compare when your battery and charger are already covered and you want the documented saw body, wood blade and manual. The R8646K is worth a separate look when an included 4.0 Ah pack and charger matter more than avoiding duplicate power equipment. Both share the R8646B saw body and the same manual-backed controls; their meaningful difference in this assessment is the box, not a different reciprocating mechanism. Verify the exact SKU, the battery and charger labels, the blade suited to your material and the seller’s written contents before purchase.