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Bosch jigsaw bow handle or barrel grip

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are choosing between two GST 18V-125 bodies that look like one saw at two prices, and the difference you will feel is where your hand sits. A Bosch jigsaw bow handle or barrel grip changes the trigger, the view of the line and the vibration figure Bosch publishes. It does not change the 125 mm class. The amazon.co.uk title that says bow handle is the dearer L-BOXX listing, and the barrel-grip listing never uses the word barrel. The [Bosch professional jigsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/bosch-professional-jigsaw) keeps the prices. Products Compared used Bosch’s UK pages, those listings and the review notes, not a lab, on 19 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are choosing between two GST 18V-125 bodies that look like one saw at two prices, and the difference you will feel is where your hand sits.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch GST 18V-125 S in L-BOXX

Best overall

Bosch Bosch GST 18V-125 S in L-BOXX
9.6/10about £207.12
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Bosch Bosch GST 18V-125 B in L-BOXX

Rank 2

Bosch Bosch GST 18V-125 B in L-BOXX
9.4/10about £223.32
View offer
Bosch Bosch GST 90 BE corded

Best value

Bosch Bosch GST 90 BE corded
9.2/10about £129.31
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the two grips change
  2. 2.GST 18V-125 B and S on the Bosch pages
  3. 3.What the amazon.co.uk titles actually say
  4. 4.GST 90 BE and the mushroom-handle E

What the two grips change

A bow handle puts your hand above the saw, with a trigger under one finger. A barrel grip puts the hand lower and closer to the shoe. Trades use it for scribing, tight curves and cutting from underneath, where the show face stays up. One UK review of the GST 18V-125 S says the on-off switch and the speed control may not suit a left-handed user, and that the speed dial is easy to knock. Neither grip squares the cut by itself. Those settings live on how to use a Bosch jigsaw.

GST 18V-125 B and S on the Bosch pages

Bosch’s UK page for the GST 18V-125 B describes a bow handle, 0–3,500 strokes per minute, about 2 kg without a battery, and about 4.1 m/s² in wood with uncertainty K of 1.5. The S page describes a barrel grip, 500–3,500 strokes per minute, about 1.9 kg without a battery, and about 7 m/s², again with K of 1.5. Both are the 125 mm class with a 26 mm stroke. The 7 m/s² figure is an emission for a stated test cut, not a daily dose. You cannot turn 4.1 versus 7 into a safety ranking. The 4.0 Ah note belongs on the 12 V or 18 V page.
Bosch Bosch GST 18V-125 S in L-BOXX

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch GST 18V-125 S in L-BOXX
9.6/10about £207.12
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What the amazon.co.uk titles actually say

Pay for the sentence on the title, not for the letter in the model code. The GST 18V-125 B in an L-BOXX, ASIN B0BS9RND5N at £223.32, states a bow handle and bevel cuts up to 45 degrees. The cardboard GST 18V-125 B at £179.98 shares 4.7 from 204 ratings, and the title does not say bow handle. The GST 18V-125 S at £207.12 states an SDS holder and an L-BOXX. It does not say barrel grip. The GST 18V-95 B ends in B and the listing never names a handle. Do not read that B as bow. Bosch’s GST 12V-70 page does say barrel grip, which the Amazon titles omit. Depth and batteries are on the buying guide.

GST 90 BE and the mushroom-handle E

The GST 90 BE bullets, at £129.31, say a bow handle with a variable-speed trigger, plus bevel, a blower and orbital action. That is the mains saw if you want the bow and a plug, with 4.6 from 320 reviews. The GST 90 E highlight, at £158.50, says mushroom handle. A mushroom grip is closer to a barrel than to a bow with a trigger in the loop. The cutting-angle cell says 90 degrees, so a tilting shoe is unconfirmed even though the BE states bevel. Choose the BE when the bow and the stated bevel are what you came for. Choose the E when the mushroom grip and the published 90 mm, 20 mm and 10 mm depths are the point.

Common questions

When is the bow handle the easier saw?
Use the bow when most cuts are on a bench, from above, and you want a trigger under one finger. Bosch’s GST 18V-125 B page describes that handle and a speed range that starts at zero. On amazon.co.uk the title that states bow handle is the L-BOXX B at £223.32, and the GST 90 BE bullets state it too. The cardboard 125 B title does not, even though the model code says B.
When is the barrel grip worth it?
Use it when you scribe, cut tight curves, or cut from below so the show face stays intact. Reviewers of the GST 18V-125 S describe that grip as precise and less tiring than a D-handle they owned. Bosch’s S page is the source for the barrel word, the 500–3,500 stroke range and the higher vibration emission. The Amazon title at £207.12 does not say barrel, so you are reading the model code S together with those reviews.
Are the 125 B and the 125 S the same motor?
They are the same 125 mm class on Bosch’s UK pages, both with a 26 mm stroke. What changes is the handle, the bottom of the speed range, the bare weight by about 0.1 kg, and the declared vibration. Amazon does not print the wood depth on either listing. A battery is absent from both boxes. Treat them as one depth of saw with two ways to hold it, then read the title you are about to pay for.
Why is the published vibration higher on the S?
Bosch UK states about 7 m/s² for the S and about 4.1 m/s² for the B, each with K of 1.5, for stated cuts. The barrel grip and the test condition differ from the bow. Those numbers are emissions, not your daily exposure and not a safety ranking. Employers still use the 2.5 and 5 m/s² A(8) values. Occasional DIY use is what HSE describes as unlikely to cause ill health. Pick the grip you can control.
What does mushroom handle mean on the GST 90 E?
The Amazon highlight on the GST 90 E says mushroom handle, and reviewers talk about a compact grip that does not slip. It is the corded listing that uses that phrase, at £158.50, with 90 mm in wood stated in the bullets. The GST 90 BE bullets say bow handle, and that angle cell says 45 degrees. The E angle cell says 90 degrees, so the grip word and the bevel word need to be read apart.

Related pages

Best Bosch professional jigsaw

Bosch professional jigsaw

Bosch 12V or 18V jigsaw: depth and the pack you own

Bosch Professional jigsaw buying guide: depth, pack

How to use a Bosch jigsaw: blade, pendulum, the shoe

Sources

Manufacturer pages and UK public sources for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings read on 19 October 2026. We did not run a lab test.

  1. Bosch Professional GST 18V-125 B (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Bosch Professional GST 18V-125 S (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Bosch Professional GST 18V-95 B (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional GST 12V-70 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Bosch Professional GST 90 BE (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. GST 18V-125 English manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. HSE hand-arm vibration advice to employers (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)