The best Metal band saws, compared.
Top pick: ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw Best value: ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw – Lowest shelf price at £99.99, with a stated multi-speed portable cut, on a small review sample. Updated October 2026.
A metal band saw uses a continuous blade loop to cut ferrous and non-ferrous stock, tube and pipe, with less sparking than many abrasive methods when the blade and the speed match the material. In the United Kingdom the shelf splits into portable cordless saws for site and overhead work, corded portables for larger capacity, and compact benchtop saws for a small fabrication bench. This comparison keeps five amazon.co.uk machines from a 20 extract, after seven blade-only or woodworking listings were set aside. Match cut capacity to the largest job you repeat, confirm whether a battery or a mains plug is in the box, and treat variable blade speed as essential when you move between thin-wall tube and solid bar. No listing replaces training or guarding at work. Capacity, supply and speed are set out in the [metal band saw buying guide](/hub/power-saws/metal-band-saw/sub/metal-band-saw-buying-guide). It is not a woodworking bench band saw with a metal-capable blade fitted. That swap does not give a metal duty cycle, which is why wood and metal stay on separate pages.
A metal band saw uses a continuous blade loop to cut ferrous and non-ferrous stock, tube and pipe, with less sparking than many abrasive methods when the blade and the speed match the material.
18 products checked · 52 hrs invested · +16,800 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you cut?
The ONEMANA brushless portable is the cheapest metal band saw body in this set at £99.99, with a 2.5 inch cut claim, six speeds, an LED light and spark-reduction copy in the bullets. Five amazon.co.uk ratings sit at 5.0, but only a handful of texts appear in the extract, so the score stays cautious. The listing fights itself: tools only in the title, a battery in included components, and 20 V marketing against an 18 V row. Makita-platform compatibility may help if you already own packs, yet total cost can approach a trade bare tool once you buy cells and a charger. It fits occasional light metal, pipe and PVC work when you resolve the box contents first, not bench fabrication or heavy stainless production.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Light site cuts if you already have compatible packs or accept tools-only economics.
Less suitable: Buyers who want one verified kit box or maximum stated depth.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a battery included with the ONEMANA bandsaw?
The title says tools only. The included-components field lists Battery. The listing does not prove what arrives; confirm on the live listing photos and basket.
Will Makita batteries fit this saw?
Bullets claim compatibility with Makita platform packs. That does not replace checking your exact pack model and any warranty limits.
What cut depth is claimed?
Bullets state a 2.5 inch deep cut for metal, pipe and conduit. That is smaller than the 127 mm Milwaukee title claim in this comparison.
Milwaukee's M18FBS127 Gen 2 bare listing sits at £299.99 with 4.5 stars from 25 amazon.co.uk reviews, the densest file in this metal band saw set. The title advertises a 127 mm deep cut, four speed steps for stainless and aluminium, and cut-stop after the cut. UK reviewers describe a capable handheld saw once tracking is set, with the usual bare-tool caveat that M18 batteries and a charger are extra if you are not already on the platform. The product data flags weak catalogue rows: weight printed as 12 g, included components mentioning a drill attachment, and a best-seller rank under drill drivers. Those rows do not override the review pattern but they must stay visible so you verify the SKU you add to basket. It is the top pick among these five for trade portable work if you accept M18 running costs.
Pros
Cons
Best for: M18 owners cutting conduit, threaded rod and light structural metal on site.
Less suitable: Buyers who need a mains bench saw or a complete cordless kit in one box without reading the SKU.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the M18FBS127-0 listing include a battery?
The title names a bare unit. The included-components field says Drill Attachment, which does not settle pack contents. Check the live amazon.co.uk basket before you buy.
What capacity does the Gen 2 Milwaukee claim?
The title states a 127 mm deep cut. Review themes mention stainless and mild steel once the blade is tensioned correctly.
What is cut-stop on this model?
Listing bullets say the tool shuts off automatically after the cut. It is a convenience and safety aid, not a substitute for guarding and training.
This Milwaukee M18 FBS85 listing at £319.08 sits between the budget ONEMANA and the Gen 2 FBS127 bare tool in price, but the evidence file is thin: 4.3 stars from only three amazon.co.uk reviews in the extract. Bullets promise FUEL brushless performance, an LED work light and a rafter hook, which is the right feature set for overhead metal work if the capacity suits your stock. The raw text mixes kit language (2 x 2 Ah in the title) with bare-unit marketing, so the comparison cannot state what ships without a live basket check. Listed weight is 3.9 kg, and a 24-tooth HSS blade line appears in the technical rows, yet the extract never states a millimetre capacity. A 12 x 12 x 12 cm dimensions row is the same unreliable catalogue pattern as on the Gen 2 card, so you cannot treat those centimetres as the real tool size. Choose the FBS127 row instead if you need the published 127 mm deep-cut brief and richer review history, unless this SKU proves a genuine kit deal on the day you buy.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Existing M18 users who confirm kit contents and capacity on the live page.
Less suitable: Buyers who need the Gen 2 deep-cut spec and larger review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Milwaukee listing include batteries?
The title references 2 x 2 Ah Li-ion while other lines read like a bare FBS85. Treat supply as unconfirmed until the basket matches the SKU you need.
How does FBS85 differ from FBS127 in this set?
The FBS127 title advertises 127 mm deep cut Gen 2 features. This FBS85 listing does not state the same depth in the extract.
Is it aimed at metal work?
The surface recommendation row says Metal and bullets target trade professionals.
Bucktool's MBS125V-UK is the only corded benchtop metal band saw in this comparison, listed at £329.99 with 1200 W, 240 V, variable band speed from 0.7 to 2.4 m/s and a 127 mm capacity claim. Bullets add table dimensions and a 1143 x 12.7 mm blade in the box, which is the right shape for a small garage fab bench. Reviews split: some buyers praise assembly and variable speed for light tube, while a long UK review reports an unlevel painted table, no useful fence, repeated blade snaps on 10 mm mild steel and a refund after a month. That pattern caps the score despite the promising specification block. Budget spare blades and time to tram the table before you prep lathe bar stock.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Light bench tube and hobby metal if you accept blade cost and setup time.
Less suitable: Precision bar prep for lathe work without adding your own fence and vice strategy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Bucktool bench saw include a blade?
Bullets state a 1143 x 12.7 mm blade is supplied. Pack spare blades before you rely on it for a project deadline.
Can it cut mild steel bar?
One UK review snapped a blade on 10 mm mild steel without forcing feed and later received a refund. Treat bar work as high risk until speed and blade pitch are matched.
Is there a fence for straight cuts?
The listing does not describe a track fence. A detailed UK review notes freehand bar cutting only and asks for clamp points.
This Generic-branded listing asks £548.99, more than the Milwaukee Gen 2 bare tool, while supplying only marketing bullets and almost no verifiable electrical specification on the stored listing. It claims 1100 W, cold cutting, mitre ability to 45 degrees, a 12 cm round capacity and six bimetallic blades, which would be generous if documented. Those blades are listed as 24T, 14/18T and 10/14T pitches, with wheels and an LED in the bullets, but weight, voltage and plug type are absent. With no reviews in the 20 October 2026 extract and a Generic manufacturer name, the row exists so you can see what expensive search clutter looks like, not as a recommendation. A shopper question about thick stainless steel sits unanswered, and the title mixes metal with wood, so duty cycle stays unknown. Verify UKCA documentation, plug and real-world tracking before you consider it against Milwaukee or Bucktool alternatives in this table.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Not recommended on current evidence; compare trade listings instead.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs verified UK specification and review proof.
Specifications
Common questions
Why is there no star rating on this card?
The October 2026 raw extract contained no customer reviews line for this ASIN, so stars stay blank rather than invented.
Does it include a UK plug?
The extract does not state voltage, plug type or cord length. Check the live listing before you order.
Is it suitable for thick stainless?
A listing question asks about thick stainless steel, but the listing does not include an official answer.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings for these five metal band saws, captured on 20 October 2026, plus the review notes stored with those listings. This comparison did not lab-test the saws. Weights sum to 100. The top pick is the Milwaukee M18 FBS127 bare listing. Best value is the ONEMANA portable at £99.99. A high price with no reviews scores low.
Amazon evidence
30%Star rating on amazon.co.uk, then review count. A file under 10 reviews is discounted heavily.
Listing fit
35%Capacity, speed control, power source and what the box claims to include must not contradict. Incomplete catalogue rows are deducted.
Review outcome
20%Themes that name real jobs count. Blade snaps and refund stories are deducted.
Value
15%Shelf price in GBP against the evidence on the listing. A high price with no reviews scores low.
Match capacity, supply and blade speed before the brand line. These five amazon.co.uk listings are not one saw. Portable cordless machines suit site and overhead work. The Bucktool is the benchtop metal saw. The top pick is the Milwaukee M18 FBS127 bare listing, on review depth and a 127 mm title claim. Best value is the ONEMANA at £99.99, with a smaller stated cut and a conflicting box line. A high price with no reviews is not a recommendation. This page is not a workshop test.
A metal band saw uses a continuous blade loop to cut ferrous and non-ferrous stock, tube and pipe. When the blade and the speed match the material, it throws fewer sparks than many abrasive methods. It is not a woodworking bench band saw with a metal-capable blade fitted. That swap does not give a metal duty cycle, which is why wood and metal stay on separate pages. In the United Kingdom this amazon.co.uk shelf splits three ways.
A search for metal band saw also returns replacement blades and woodworking saws. This set kept five machines after seven blade-only or woodworking listings were set aside. Read the title for a saw body, not a blade length on its own.
Running stainless at a wood-band speed strips teeth, and the motor is not the cause. The FBS127 claims four steps, the ONEMANA claims six speeds, and the Bucktool claims 0.7 to 2.4 m/s. The FBS85 and Generic rows do not state a speed in this extract.
A UK review of the Bucktool notes freehand bar cutting and no useful fence. Clamp the work. Do not treat cold-cut marketing as permission to skip eye protection, or as proof that oily stock is fire-safe.
Job class comes before the brand. A portable cordless saw is for conduit, threaded rod, Unistrut and light structural steel on a ladder or scaffold. A benchtop metal band saw is for bar and tube on a garage bench. The Milwaukee M18 FBS127 title claims 127 mm. The ONEMANA bullets claim a 2.5 inch cut, about 63.5 mm, which is smaller. The Bucktool MBS125V-UK claims 127 mm on a fixed saw. The M18 FBS85 listing does not state a millimetre capacity in this extract.
Power source decides whether the saw can stay on the job. A mains machine in the UK should be checked for a 230 V supply and a UK plug. The Bucktool row states 240 V and 1200 W. A cordless saw should name the battery platform. The Milwaukee rows are M18. The ONEMANA title says 20 V and tools only, while other rows say 18 V and list a battery. The FBS85 title mentions 2 x 2 Ah packs and other lines read like a bare unit. The Generic extract does not state voltage or plug type.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You cut conduit, threaded rod and light structural steel on a ladder or scaffold, and you need to know whether a battery is in the box. The Milwaukee M18 FBS127 bare listing at £299.99 claims 127 mm and has 4.5 from 25 reviews. M18 packs and a charger are extra if you are not already on the platform.
You cut bar and tube on a garage bench and can accept blade cost and setup time. The Bucktool MBS125V-UK at £329.99 claims 1200 W, 240 V, 127 mm and variable speed from 0.7 to 2.4 m/s. UK reviews include blade snaps on 10 mm mild steel and complaints about table flatness and the lack of a fence.
You want the lowest shelf price for occasional pipe, conduit or light metal, and you will confirm the box contents. The ONEMANA at £99.99 claims a 2.5 inch cut and six speeds, with 5.0 from five reviews. The title says tools only while another row lists a battery, and the voltage lines disagree.
The top pick is the Milwaukee M18 FBS127 Gen 2 bare listing at £299.99, with 4.5 from 25 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 127 mm deep-cut claim, four speed steps and cut-stop. Best value is the ONEMANA portable at £99.99, the lowest shelf price here, with a smaller stated cut, six speeds and only five reviews, and conflicting battery and voltage lines. The Bucktool is the only benchtop metal saw in the set, and its reviews include blade snaps on mild steel bar. The Generic listing at £548.99 has no reviews in the extract and is not a recommendation.
ONEMANA 20 V brushless portable metal bandsaw
Lowest shelf price at £99.99, with a stated multi-speed portable cut, on a small review sample.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 20 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
