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Corded vs cordless Bosch reciprocating saw

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are standing between a £74.99 corded Bosch and a cordless body that can cost more than twice that before a battery exists. The corded vs cordless Bosch reciprocating saw choice is whether the work stays by a socket, and whether you already own the matching 18 V packs. A bare-tool price is not a working saw. The six listings are on the [Bosch reciprocating saw](/hub/power-saws/bosch-reciprocating-saw) page. Prices were captured on 20 October 2026. There was no lab test, and pack prices are not invented here. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are standing between a £74.99 corded Bosch and a cordless body that can cost more than twice that before a battery exists.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch GSA 12-30

Best overall

Bosch Bosch GSA 12-30
9.8/10about £142.10
View offer
Bosch Bosch GSA 18V-28

Rank 2

Bosch Bosch GSA 18V-28
9.6/10about £201.95
View offer
Bosch Bosch PSA 700 E

Best value

Bosch Bosch PSA 700 E
9.2/10about £74.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the amazon.co.uk price includes
  2. 2.When the lead is the better tool
  3. 3.When the battery is the better tool
  4. 4.The 1,100 W line and the cut lead

What the amazon.co.uk price includes

The PSA 700 E at £74.99 includes the motor: 230 V, 710 W, one wood blade, S 2345 X, and a carton. You need a socket, not a charger. UK reviews still say the lead is short and there is no two-button lock-off. The GSA 12-30 at £142.10 looks like the other mains saw. The power-source cell reads ac_dc and leaves voltage blank. The manual for part 06016C7070 states 1,250 W, 230 V, class II, and a BS 1363/A plug on GB products. A 110 V tool is another part number. The item weight is 6.63 kg. Treat that as the listing cell, not a proven bare-tool mass. Every cordless price is a body, or a garden saw without a pack: PSA 18V-200 £110.53, GSA 18V-24 £139.98, GSA 18V-28 £201.95, Keo £69.98 with battery and charger excluded. Stroke and colour checks are on the Bosch reciprocating saw buying guide. Named picks are on best Bosch reciprocating saw.

When the lead is the better tool

Choose the PSA 700 E when the work stays by a 13 A socket and you own no Bosch packs. At 710 W and a 20 mm stroke, UK reviewers use it on decking, logs and firewood. The GSA 12-30 is the corded step up at £142.10: 30 mm in the bullets, two blades and a case. Four UK texts under a 4.9 from eight reviews describe joists and scaffold poles, and a spring button that is uncomfortable with the trigger. Use an RCD on 230 V. These cordless listings state no runtime.
Bosch Bosch GSA 12-30

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch GSA 12-30
9.8/10about £142.10
View offer

When the battery is the better tool

Choose a bare body only when you already own the matching 18 V packs and a lead would be in the way. The GSA 18V-28 manual points at a ProCORE18V of at least 5.5 Ah. The GSA 18V-24 page recommends at least 4 Ah. If those packs are yours, £139.98 or £201.95 is the body. The PSA 18V-200 and the Keo are green Power for All. The two GSA models are blue, and the 18V-28 page names AMPShare. One UK review of the green PSA calls it Professional 18 V, which conflicts with the listing. The GSA 18V-24 is about 1.68 kg before the pack. The GSA 18V-28 is 3.2 kg. No runtime is printed.

The 1,100 W line and the cut lead

Equal to 1,100 W on the GSA 18V-28 does not mean the battery saw draws 1,100 W. The Amazon cell copies a corded comparison. The PSA’s 710 W is mains input. The GSA 12-30’s 1,250 W is in the manual. A recip will cut its own cable. Route the lead behind you and use an RCD on 230 V. If the blade binds, switch off and wait. That sequence is on the how to use a Bosch reciprocating saw page. Stay with the PSA 700 E when you have a socket and no packs. Buy the bare body that fits the packs you already own when the lead is the hazard.

Common questions

When is the corded PSA 700 E the better buy?
When the cutting stays next to a socket and you do not already own Bosch packs. At £74.99 it includes a 230 V, 710 W motor and one wood blade. UK reviews use it on pallets and firewood, and they also say the lead is short and there is no lock-off. It is the wrong buy when you are moving through a loft or working where the cable can fall into the cut.
When is a bare GSA the better buy?
When you already own blue Professional 18 V packs and a lead is the hazard. The GSA 18V-24 at £139.98 suits a tight space if the pack is at least 4 Ah. The GSA 18V-28 at £201.95 is the longer 28 mm stroke if you accept 23.1 m/s² declared vibration and a ProCORE18V of at least 5.5 Ah. Both prices exclude the battery.
Is £110 or £201 the cost of a working cordless saw?
No. £110.53 is the PSA 18V-200 body and one blade. £201.95 is the GSA 18V-28 body, two blades and a cardboard box. A pack and a charger are extra, and those prices are not in the raw files. The figure becomes a working saw only when the matching packs are already yours.
What is wrong with the GSA 12-30 power-source cell?
It says ac_dc and does not print 230 V or a wattage. The manual for 06016C7070 states 1,250 W, 230 V, class II and a BS 1363/A plug on GB products. UK reviews describe a corded saw. A 110 V version is a different part number. Use the manual for the supply, and keep the 6.63 kg cell as an unverified listing weight.
What is the cable hazard on a corded recip?
The blade cuts whatever it touches, including the lead. Keep the cable behind you and out of the kerf, and use an RCD on a 230 V supply. Hold the insulated grips. If the blade binds, switch off and wait until it stops before you pull the saw back. The PSA 700 E adds a handling fault: UK reviews say it can start as you pick it up, because there is no lock-off.

Related pages

Bosch reciprocating saw for pruning

Bosch reciprocating saw

Best Bosch reciprocating saw: packs or a UK socket

Bosch reciprocating saw buying guide: job and pack

How to use a Bosch reciprocating saw: keep the shoe

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Prices captured 20 October 2026.

  1. Bosch DIY PSA 700 E (retrieved October 2026)
  2. Bosch DIY PSA 18V-200 (retrieved October 2026)
  3. Bosch DIY Keo (retrieved October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional GSA 18V-28 (retrieved October 2026)
  5. GSA 18V-28 manual (retrieved October 2026)
  6. Bosch Professional GSA 18V-24 (retrieved October 2026)
  7. GSA 12-30 manual (retrieved October 2026)
  8. HSE INDG175 (retrieved October 2026)