The best ryoba saws, compared.
Top pick: Temple Tool R-240 ryoba Best value: JORGENSEN 250 mm ryoba – Both pitches printed at about £18.99: 250 mm, 7–12 TPI rip and 18 TPI crosscut, at 4.4 from 357 reviews. Updated October 2026.
A ryoba is a handsaw with a rip edge and a crosscut edge on one plate, and it cuts on the pull. You use it to size stock and to cut tenon cheeks and shoulders when you do not want a separate push saw for each direction of the grain. The ones you can specify name a length in millimetres and two tooth pitches. A flush-cut saw, a spine-backed dozuki and a folding pruning saw are different tools, even when a listing borrows the word ryoba. The field checks sit in the [ryoba saw buying guide](/hub/power-saws/ryoba-saw/sub/ryoba-saw-buying-guide). A kataba has one edge and no spine, so the idle teeth do not scratch a deep kerf. A dozuki has a spine, which keeps a shoulder straight and stops the cut when the spine meets the wood. A flush-cut saw is thin, with little set, for pegs and proud ends. This page keeps double-edge ryobas and sets that include one. Temple and the 150 mm stay only as conflicts. The title says a single-edge kataba while the bullets say double-edge. UK reviews of the 150 mm saw describe a flush-cut saw.
A ryoba is a handsaw with a rip edge and a crosscut edge on one plate, and it cuts on the pull.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you cutting?
The Temple Tool R-240 is listed at £45.00, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 from 434 reviews, which is the joint-highest star line in this set. Reviewers describe a sharp first crosscut, a light saw, and a plate whose flex did not spoil the cut once it was used as advised. One reviewer says it is not a flush-cut saw, which matches a bench ryoba better than a peg saw. The title still says 9.5 mm, while the model is R-240 and one dimension is 25.4 cm, so 9.5 mm is not a blade length you can trust. Rip pitch and crosscut pitch are not printed. The bullets say Japan and a case is included, but the spec table has no origin field. At 320 g it is the heaviest row here. Leave it until the length and both pitches are readable, even though the star count is high.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A later look only if Temple reprints a millimetre length and two pitches on this ASIN.
Less suitable: A first purchase while the title still says 9.5 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the blade 9.5 mm long?
Do not treat 9.5 mm as the length. The model is R-240 and the dimension line includes 25.4 cm. No separate blade length is printed.
Are two pitches printed?
No. Rip pitch and crosscut pitch are not stated.
Does it include a case?
Yes. Included components say a case.
The Temple Tool K-265 is listed at £32.80, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 from 74 reviews. The title calls it a 10.5 inch single-edge kataba. The bullets say rip teeth on one side and crosscut teeth on the other, which is a double-edge ryoba, and the part number is R-240 rather than K-265. No separate blade length is printed, though one dimension is 25.4 cm, and neither pitch is given as a TPI. A case is included, and the bullets say Japan without an origin field. The file holds four short UK reviews: brilliant and well crafted, a gift called good quality, and one line that it is not great but does the job for the price. That is not enough text to judge a cheek cut. Treat the card as an unresolved kataba-versus-ryoba clash, not as a scored bench saw.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Neither a kataba buyer nor a ryoba buyer, until the title and the bullets describe one saw.
Less suitable: A tenon cheek, a shoulder, or any comparison that needs a single edge layout.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it single-edge or double-edge?
The title says a single-edge kataba. The bullets say rip teeth on one side and crosscut teeth on the other.
Is a blade length printed?
No separate blade length is printed. One dimension is 25.4 cm. The part number is R-240, not K-265.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
Four. They are short, so further criticism is not available from this capture.
The Magicbox set is listed at £17.99 as four pieces, and the bullets name two double-edge saws, a flush-cut saw and specialty wood saws. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 from 70 reviews. One detailed review splits the box into two smaller saws for dowels and two larger twin-blade saws, and others mention a fine cut in a confined space once the pull stroke is learned. Blade length and both pitches are not printed, so a 4.7 star line does not tell you the tooth spacing. One review says the metal is very thin and bends a lot, and another says it dulls quickly. The origin field says China, and the listed weight is 310 g for the set. It is a low-price box of pull saws, and a poor way to choose one bench ryoba.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap set of small pull saws for dowels and tight gaps, if you do not need a stated pitch.
Less suitable: Anyone comparing one 240 mm or 250 mm bench ryoba by length and TPI.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the set?
The bullets say two double-edge saws, a flush-cut saw, and specialty wood saws. Four pieces in total.
Are length and pitch printed?
No. Blade length and both pitches are not stated.
Where is it made?
The country-of-origin field says China.
The KLRStec is listed at £24.99 as a 240 mm double-edge pull saw, with rip teeth stated at 9 TPI and a nylon case with a belt clip. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 2,922 reviews, the largest sample in this set. Reviewers say the blade comes off the handle for storage, and that the pull stroke settles after a first cut on timber and small boxes. Crosscut teeth are described as fine and trapezoidal, with no TPI number, so you cannot compare that edge with an 18 TPI row. One review says the cut is not as clean as a Japan-made ryoba, and another says the rip edge dulled after about 8 feet of 12 mm plywood. The origin field says China, while the bullets also call KLRStec a German tool brand. The spec table lists 4,500 rpm and 6 teeth on a handsaw, which you should ignore. Take it when you want a 240 mm saw, a case and a large review file, and leave it if the crosscut pitch has to be a printed number.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 240 mm ryoba with a case, when a huge review file matters more than a printed crosscut pitch.
Less suitable: A comparison that needs a numeric crosscut TPI, or a saw whose origin field says Japan.
Specifications
Common questions
What pitches are printed?
Rip teeth are stated as 9 TPI. Crosscut teeth are described as fine and trapezoidal, with no TPI number.
Where is it made?
The country-of-origin field says China. The bullets also call KLRStec a German tool brand.
Does it include a case?
Yes. A nylon case with a belt clip is included. Spare blades are sold separately.
Across 657 amazon.co.uk reviews, the SUIZAN SR-001 is listed at £39.80 as a 240 mm double-edge pull saw with a 0.5 mm plate, 9 TPI on the rip edge, 15 TPI on the crosscut edge and a 0.8 mm kerf. Reviewers use that thin kerf for rip and crosscut in hardwood and softwood, and some name joinery such as half-laps. The bullets say the blade can be replaced, and favourable reviews call the swap straightforward. The same file keeps returning to the handle wrap: loose, frayed, plastic rather than rattan, or short of covering the grip. A long rip can flex the plate, and one reviewer wanted a finer crosscut edge. Included components say bare tool, so the listing does not include a case. It is the top pick in this set when you want a Japan origin field and both pitches on one 240 mm plate, and a weak match if the box must include a sheath or the rip is long and unsupported.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first 240 mm bench ryoba when both pitches and a Japan origin field have to be printed.
Less suitable: A long unsupported rip, or a kit that must include a case.
Specifications
Common questions
What size and pitches are printed?
240 mm blade, 0.5 mm thick, 9 and 15 TPI, kerf 0.8 mm, overall length 59 cm.
Is it made in Japan?
Yes. The country-of-origin field says Japan, and the bullets repeat Japan.
Does the listing include a case?
Included components say bare tool. UK reviews often mention the handle wrap coming loose.
The Temple Tool R-180 is listed at £33.50, and the bullets describe a 180 mm double-edge pull saw with a wood handle and a case. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 93 reviews. Reviewers praise a clean rip and crosscut from one saw, and several say it is easier than a push saw for a novice. The same card’s spec line also says Japanese flush-cut saw, and the part number is R-240 rather than R-180, so the row does not agree with itself. Rip and crosscut pitches are not printed. One review reports rust on the teeth and plate a month after cutting citrus in a polytunnel, and the blade is described as very flexible. At a listed 181 g it is a short saw with a case, and a poor benchmark while the flush-cut line and the part number still clash.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A shorter saw only after Temple’s own card stops calling it a flush-cut saw.
Less suitable: A 240 mm bench saw, or any row you need to compare by TPI.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the blade?
The bullets say 180 mm. The part number is R-240, which does not match model R-180.
Are both pitches printed?
No. Rip pitch and crosscut pitch are not given as TPI figures.
Does it include a case?
Yes. Included components say a case.
The GARTOL HS-2P is a two-piece set listed at £16.99: a 6-inch flush-cut saw and a double-edge ryoba, with the origin field set to China. Across 564 amazon.co.uk reviews the score is 4.5. Reviewers call the teeth very sharp for small straight cuts, light work and dowels, and some flush-cut softwood and plasterboard with the flush saw. The bullets say coarse and fine teeth and do not print a TPI, so you cannot line the ryoba up against a 9 and 15 TPI plate. More than one review reports a loose handle or rivets that were not tight, and one reports a warped blade and poor straight lines. Some reviewers say the set is not a true flush cut on hardwood, and one notes the lack of a pouch. At 150 g it is a small-job pair, and a weak substitute for a single 240 mm bench ryoba.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Small cuts and dowels when you want a flush saw and a ryoba in one £16.99 set.
Less suitable: Sizing a bench board, or any comparison that needs two printed pitches.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this one ryoba or a set?
It is a two-piece set: a 6-inch flush-cut saw and a double-edge ryoba.
Where is it made?
The country-of-origin field says China.
Are the pitches printed?
No. The bullets say coarse and fine teeth without a TPI number.
The SUIZAN listing titled a 150 mm ryoba is £24.80, with 4.5 from 309 amazon.co.uk reviews and Japan in the origin field. The bullets print a 0.4 mm plate, a 0.55 mm kerf, and TPI as H:17 and S:20, which are not labelled rip and crosscut. Reviewers describe a very thin, sharp cut with little tear-out, and they use it as a flush-cut saw on dowels and small pieces. Several of those reviews like the flex for flush work, which is the opposite of a bench plate you want to keep straight through a tenon cheek. One review says the blade moves in the handle, and another calls it a knock-off despite the Japan origin field. There is no tooth protector, and included components say bare tool. Do not read this file as a test of a 240 mm rip-and-cross ryoba. It is a short flush saw that happens to carry the word ryoba in the title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Flush-cutting a dowel or a proud end, if you already know it is not a bench ryoba.
Less suitable: Ripping a cheek or sizing stock, where those reviews do not apply.
Specifications
Common questions
What pitches are printed?
The bullets print TPI as H:17 and S:20. They are not labelled rip and crosscut.
Is this a bench ryoba?
The title says ryoba for rip and crosscut. Several UK reviews describe a thin flush-cut saw. Do not read those reviews as a test of a bench ryoba.
Where is it made?
The country-of-origin field says Japan.
The Kimura title says a 24 cm double-edge ryoba at 7 TPI rip and 14 TPI crosscut, listed at £24.99 with 4.5 from 284 amazon.co.uk reviews and Japan in the origin field. The dimension line on the same card is 10 × 10 × 10 mm, which is not a blade size. Many UK reviews describe a folding pruning saw that locks in three positions and cuts branches, or a 15 cm pull saw, or a flush-cut saw. A minority describe a thin double-edge pull saw for wood. One folding-saw review reports play at the blade joint and a near snap. You cannot treat the branch-cutting praise as a test of a 24 cm bench ryoba, because the file does not agree which Kimura tool arrived. Skip it for joinery until the listing and the reviews describe the same saw.
Pros
Cons
Best for: No bench-ryoba job in this comparison, until the reviews match the 24 cm title.
Less suitable: Tenon cheeks or any cut where you need the reviews to describe this plate.
Specifications
Common questions
What length should you trust?
The title and blade-length field say 24 cm. The dimension line says 10 × 10 × 10 mm. Do not treat that cube as the blade size.
Do the UK reviews match a bench ryoba?
Many UK reviews describe a folding pruning saw with lock positions, or another small Kimura saw. Do not treat them as a test of a 24 cm bench ryoba.
What pitches are in the bullets?
7 TPI rip and 14 TPI crosscut.
The JORGENSEN 70626A is listed at £18.99 as a 250 mm double-edge pull saw, with 7–12 TPI progressive rip teeth and 18 TPI crosscut teeth on a 0.5 mm plate. Across 357 amazon.co.uk reviews the score is 4.4. Reviewers praise sharp cuts, both edges on one plate, and finishing a cut a machine has already started. The bullets say the blade unscrews from the plastic handle, yet one UK review could not find a spare at a sensible UK price, and another criticises the retaining screw. One unit arrived used and missing the attachment bolt, and one review says teeth snapped after about 20 minutes. Another found the rip teeth poor in softwood and wanted 18 TPI on both edges. The origin field says China. It is the best value when you want both pitches printed under £20, and a poor match if a spare plate has to be on a UK shelf the week the blade kinks.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A lower-price 250 mm saw when both pitches have to be on the listing.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a spare blade already in stock in the UK.
Specifications
Common questions
What pitches are printed?
7 to 12 TPI progressive teeth for rip cutting and 18 TPI for crosscutting, on a 0.5 mm plate.
Can the blade be replaced?
The bullets say yes: unscrew the handle. One UK review could not find a spare blade at a sensible UK price.
Where is it made?
The country-of-origin field says China.
The WORKPRO W016086A is listed at £18.99 as a 250 mm double-edge pull saw, with 7–10 TPI for rip cuts and 18 TPI for crosscuts on a 0.6 mm plate. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 85 reviews. Reviewers call it sharp and easier than a push saw on branches and timber, and one calls the size medium with a good cut. The bullets say the blade can be changed with a screw or an unlock button, and a PVC teeth protector is included. Two reviews say it blunts quickly. One UK review returned the saw because the blade would not stay in the handle and the thumbscrew would not tighten. The origin field says China, and the listed tooth count of 276 is not a pitch you can use. It is a second £18.99 row with both pitches printed, and a poor match if the blade has to lock on the first try.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 250 mm saw at £18.99 when you want 18 TPI crosscut teeth and a teeth protector in the box.
Less suitable: A first saw if the blade must stay locked without a return.
Specifications
Common questions
What pitches are printed?
7-10 TPI for rip cuts and 18 TPI for crosscuts, on a 0.6 mm SK5 plate.
Can the blade be replaced?
The bullets say yes, with a screw or an unlock button. One UK review returned the saw because the blade would not stay in the handle.
Where is it made?
The country-of-origin field says China.
Eleven amazon.co.uk listings from the 19 October 2026 capture are on this page. These saws were not lab-tested. A handsaw does not need a UKCA or CE mark. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 still apply. The top pick is the SUIZAN SR-001, the highest score, and the only single saw here with 240 mm, 9 and 15 TPI, a 0.5 mm plate, a 0.8 mm kerf and Japan in the origin field. Best value is the JORGENSEN 250 mm saw at about £18.99, with 7–12 and 18 TPI printed. The KLRStec scores one point lower, costs more, and does not print a crosscut TPI, so it does not take the value award.
Listing fit
35%A length you can read, two pitches, and a title that matches the bullets. No usable TPI pair, a length you cannot trust, a title that fights the bullets, pitches that are not labelled rip and crosscut, only one numeric pitch, origin only in a bullet, a multi-piece set, a nonsense spec row, or no case on an otherwise complete card, each reduce the score.
Amazon evidence
30%Star rating first, then review count, from the amazon.co.uk figures in this capture. A 4.7 scores higher than a 4.4. A file of 2,000 reviews adds more than a file under 80. The star line is not a lab result.
Review outcome
20%Repeated cuts in wood score in the mid to high teens. A repeated handle or lock failure, a file that describes a flush-cut saw or a folding pruning saw, or only four short texts, is marked down.
Value
15%A single saw under £20 that prints both pitches scores highest on this slice. A 240 mm saw around £25 with one pitch and a large review file scores less. A fully specified Japan-origin saw at £39.80 scores lower still on price, which is why it can still be the top pick on the other weights.
A ryoba is one plate with two edges, and it cuts on the pull. Read the length in millimetres before the brand, then both pitches, then whether the title matches the bullets. Use the country-of-origin field, not a Japan line that appears only in a bullet. Prices below are the 19 October 2026 amazon.co.uk captures for these eleven listings. These saws were not lab-tested.
A ryoba has rip teeth on one edge and crosscut teeth on the other, and no spine. It cuts on the pull. You use it to size stock and to cut tenon cheeks and shoulders when you do not want a separate push saw for each direction of the grain. A kataba has one edge and no spine, so the idle teeth do not scratch a deep kerf. A dozuki has a spine, which keeps a shoulder straight and stops the cut when the spine meets the wood. A flush-cut saw is thin, with little set, for pegs and proud ends.
A ryoba has a rip edge and a crosscut edge. KLRStec prints 9 TPI for rip and does not give the crosscut edge as a TPI number. Magicbox and GARTOL print neither. You cannot line those rows up against a 9 and 15 TPI plate.
SUIZAN’s 240 mm and 150 mm rows print Japan in the origin field. JORGENSEN, WORKPRO, GARTOL, KLRStec and Magicbox print China. Temple bullets say Japan, and not every Temple spec table repeats an origin field. A bullet is not that field.
UK reviews of the SUIZAN 150 mm saw describe a flush-cut saw. Many Kimura reviews describe a folding pruning saw, while the title says a 24 cm ryoba and the dimension line says 10 × 10 × 10 mm. Do not treat those files as a test of a rip-and-cross bench plate. Pushing a 0.5 mm plate is how a kink starts.
The length you can compare is a millimetre figure that agrees with the title. SUIZAN SR-001 states 240 mm, with 9 TPI on the rip edge and 15 TPI on the crosscut edge, on a 0.5 mm plate with a 0.8 mm kerf. JORGENSEN states 250 mm, with 7–12 TPI progressive rip teeth and 18 TPI crosscut teeth, on a 0.5 mm plate. WORKPRO states 250 mm, with 7–10 and 18 TPI, on a 0.6 mm plate. Temple’s R-180 bullets state 180 mm and print neither pitch.
The title, the bullets and the origin field have to describe one saw. Temple K-265 is titled a single-edge kataba, and the bullets say rip teeth on one side and crosscut teeth on the other. The part number is R-240, not K-265, and only four short UK reviews are in the file. Temple R-180 bullets describe a 180 mm double-edge saw, and the spec line also says flush-cut. The SUIZAN 150 mm title says ryoba, the bullets print TPI as H:17 and S:20, and UK reviews describe a flush-cut saw.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one plate with a millimetre length and two printed pitches, and Japan in the origin field. The SUIZAN SR-001 is the top pick at about £39.80, with 9 and 15 TPI, a 0.5 mm plate and a 0.8 mm kerf, at 4.6 from 657 reviews. Included components say bare tool, so the box does not include a case.
You can accept China in the origin field if the listing prints a length and two pitches. The JORGENSEN 250 mm saw is best value at about £18.99, with 7–12 TPI progressive rip teeth and 18 TPI crosscut teeth, at 4.4 from 357 reviews. One UK review could not find a spare blade at a sensible UK price.
You want a 240 mm saw with a nylon case, and you will accept a crosscut edge that is described as fine rather than given as a TPI number. The KLRStec is about £24.99, with rip teeth at 9 TPI and 4.6 from 2,922 reviews. The origin field says China.
The top pick is the SUIZAN SR-001 at about £39.80. It scores 85, with 4.6 from 657 amazon.co.uk reviews, as a 240 mm double-edge pull saw with 9 and 15 TPI, a 0.5 mm plate, a 0.8 mm kerf and Japan in the origin field. Reviews keep returning to a loose handle wrap, and the listing says bare tool. Best value is the JORGENSEN 250 mm saw at about £18.99. It scores 79, with 4.4 from 357 reviews, and it prints 7–12 and 18 TPI. The origin field says China, and a spare blade was hard to find at a sensible UK price in one review. Leave a row whose title fights the bullets, or whose reviews describe a flush-cut saw or a folding pruning saw.
JORGENSEN 250 mm ryoba
Both pitches printed at about £18.99: 250 mm, 7–12 TPI rip and 18 TPI crosscut, at 4.4 from 357 reviews.
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 sources named in the research digest, plus the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Retrieved 19 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.
