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Metabo body grip vs top handle jigsaw

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are choosing two compact Metabo cordless jigsaws that cut the same timber and do not feel the same in the hand. Metabo body grip vs top handle jigsaw means the ST 18 L 90 against the STB 18 L 90, not the deeper STA. Both are bare 18 V tools in the 90 mm wood class. In the October 2026 pull the body grip is £92.00 and the top handle is £58.97. Peter F. used those listings and the ST 18 L 90 datasheet. There was no lab test. The [Metabo jigsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/metabo-jigsaw) shows the wider set. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are choosing two compact Metabo cordless jigsaws that cut the same timber and do not feel the same in the hand. Metabo body grip vs top handle jigsaw means the ST 18 L 90 against the STB 18 L 90, not the deeper STA.

Our top picks

Metabo Metabo STB 18 L 90 top-handle jigsaw

Best overall

Metabo Metabo STB 18 L 90 top-handle jigsaw
8.0/10about £58.97
View offer
Metabo Metabo STA 18 LTX 150 BL jigsaw

Rank 2

Metabo Metabo STA 18 LTX 150 BL jigsaw
9.2/10about £149.99
View offer
Metabo Metabo ST 18 L 90 body-grip jigsaw

Rank 3

Metabo Metabo ST 18 L 90 body-grip jigsaw
8.4/10about £92.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Same depth class, different place for your hand
  2. 2.What £92 and £59 buy, and what they leave out
  3. 3.Curves, straight cuts, and how far you can see the line
  4. 4.Which one to order

Same depth class, different place for your hand

The ST 18 L 90, order 601047850, is the body grip. Metabo's datasheet states 90 mm in wood, a 22 mm stroke, 750–3000 strokes per minute, and four pendulum levels, plus an LED and a dust port. The listing is bare, with two blades, a nozzle, and guards. A 4.4 from 17 reviews is mostly not UK opinion, and 750 RPM or 180 W rows disagree with that stroke table. The STB 18 L 90, order 601048850, is the top handle in the same 90 mm class, with Metabo Quick, a soft grip, an LED, and a dust blower, also bare in a cardboard box. Stars are 4.8 from six reviews. Stroke, bevel, and pendulum are blank, so do not copy the 22 mm stroke across. Neither is the 150 mm STA, and neither includes a battery. A Makita-compatible title that is not branded Metabo is outside this pair. The buying guide is the filter for that shelf noise.

What £92 and £59 buy, and what they leave out

Thirty-three pounds separate them, and that gap is not a deeper cut. You pay £92.00 for the low grip and a datasheet that states stroke, speed, and four orbits. You pay £58.97 for the top handle and a thinner row. Both still need a Metabo or CAS 18 V pack and a BS 1363 charger, added once. Neither is a metaBOX. The STA 150 BL at £149.99, with a metaBOX and a 26 mm stroke, is a different depth. The STB 18 LT 130 BL at £168.29 is a dearer top handle than the one already at £58.97. Seventeen reviews against six do not prove a cleaner cut. Battery drain belongs to the older STA 140, not to this pair.
Metabo Metabo STB 18 L 90 top-handle jigsaw

Testsieger

Metabo Metabo STB 18 L 90 top-handle jigsaw
8.0/10about £58.97
View offer

Curves, straight cuts, and how far you can see the line

A body grip sits low over the shoe, which helps an internal cut-out or a tight curve in 18 mm plywood. If you stand too upright you look over the motor. A top handle is calmer on a longer curve, and worse in a carcass where the handle hits a shelf. Pendulum off is the start for laminate and metal on both. The four levels on the ST 18 L 90 speed solid timber, not a visible face. The how to use a Metabo jigsaw page is that setting. Both blowers clear the line and do not capture dust. The ST datasheet declares 90 dB(A), 7.6 m/s² in wood and 8.7 m/s² in metal, only when the cut matches the test. HSE's typical band is about 9–17 m/s². The STB card has no matching figure, so do not copy it across.

Which one to order

Order the STB 18 L 90 at £58.97 if you own a Metabo or CAS pack, the timber is inside 90 mm, and you want the top handle. Six reviews and a blank stroke row mean you are buying the handle, not a filled datasheet. Order the ST 18 L 90 at £92.00 when the low grip is how you cut curves and you want the 22 mm stroke written down. The extra £33.03 is not extra depth. Order neither for thicker board, with no packs, or when you need a case: that is the STA 150 BL, the corded STEB 65, or a joiner for a fitted worktop. PUWER 1998 still applies at work.

Common questions

Are the ST 18 L 90 and STB 18 L 90 the same saw?
They share a 90 mm wood class, Metabo Quick, and a bare 18 V format. They are different order numbers, 601047850 and 601048850, and different handles. Only the body grip has a datasheet stroke of 22 mm and four pendulum levels in this file. The top handle is the cheaper amazon.co.uk listing, at £58.97 against £92.00.
Which is better for curves?
The body grip is the easier steer for a tight curve or an internal cut-out, because your hand is low over the shoe. The top handle is calmer when you need to watch a longer line from above. Neither removes the need to clamp the work and to keep pendulum off on a finished face.
Is 90 mm enough, or should I buy the STA?
Ninety millimetres is enough for sheet and for many furniture parts. It is not the 150 mm wood figure on the STA 18 LTX 150 BL. If you regularly cut thicker than the compact class, this handle decision is the wrong page. Pay for depth instead of arguing about grip.
Do either of them include a battery?
No. Both kept listings are bare units with two blades, a nozzle, and guards. You add a Metabo or CAS 18 V pack and a UK charger. The cardboard box on the STB is not a metaBOX. The £58.97 and £92.00 figures are not a ready-to-cut price until that pack is already yours.
Can I trust the star ratings?
The body grip is 4.4 from 17 reviews, mostly not from the UK. The top handle is 4.8 from six reviews. Neither sample is large enough, or British enough, to pick the handle for you. Use them as a caution about sample size, then choose by grip and by the datasheet you can actually read.
Why is there a 750 RPM row on the body grip?
It conflicts with Metabo's 750–3000 strokes per minute for the ST 18 L 90. Treat 750 RPM and 180 W as amazon listing noise. The same habit shows up on other cards in this set as tooth counts or the wrong battery type.

Related pages

Best Metabo jigsaw

Cordless vs corded Metabo jigsaw

Metabo jigsaw

Metabo jigsaw buying guide: depth, handle and plug

How to use a Metabo jigsaw: set blade, orbit, dust

Sources

Public sources listed for this comparison, October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in that set. We did not run a lab test.

  1. Metabo UK ST 18 L 90 (retrieved October 2026)
  2. Metabo datasheet ST 18 L 90 (retrieved October 2026)
  3. Metabo STA 18 LTX 150 BL (retrieved October 2026)
  4. CAS battery alliance (retrieved October 2026)
  5. HSE vibration assessment (retrieved October 2026)
  6. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved October 2026)
  7. HSE wood dust (retrieved October 2026)
  8. GOV.UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved October 2026)