Because it's battery powered, the cordless Hatchet has a much smoother operation (a bit like the difference between a cordless and corded drill). The ultra-smooth and controllable movement combined with the shorter stroke length makes it ideal for delicate situations like cutting around wires, copper pipe, and other stuff that I don't want to nick when remodeling. I also prefer the Hatchet over a corded sawzall for light demolition work like cutting into drywall. The Hatchet makes drywall installation and demolition really fun and easy.

Since it's cordless it's easy to move the Hatchet around, especially in rooms that don't have electrical service yet. It's also my tool of choice for headering off joists on remodel jobs. It can fit between joists that are spaced 16" O.C. and flush cut right through them with the blade facing up. A standard sawzall is too long to do this.

My only complaint with the cordless Hatchet is that it's really difficult to remove the battery (hence the 4 stars). I don't know if this is a design flaw that affects all 18V Milwaukee products or if my Hatchet is an isolated instance. It's a cinch to remove the battery from my 14.4V Milwaukee drill, though.

For serious use, you'll need at least 2-3 batteries and/or a corded sawzall. As a cordless tool, the Hatchet is great, but don't expect it to be able to handle tough situations.

UPDATE: I have since purchased other Milwaukee 18V tools and have noticed that their battery design has been updated. The battery that came with the Hatchet doesn't release well as I mentioned, but my three newer 18V batteries that I have work smoothly on the Hatchet. So I've increased my rating to 5 stars.

try again (Rating: 1.00)
Review : This Saw is the worst tool from Milwaukee that I have ever purchased! It has weak gears in it , as far as I could tell, and have stripped out on me three times so far. They fix it but it strips again eventualy. I will buy another corded sawzall by Millwaukee , those cannot be beat. As for cordless , I just don't know.

Buy this!! (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I bought this after agonizing over the Porter Cable combo kit - it was the right choice - the whole combo kit is great including the radio but this is the standout tool. The flexibility is the best thing - it has all the power you would expect but being able to fit into small spaces and awkward spots has been great. I have used the Dewalt and the PC Tiger cordless and would rate Dewalt at the bottom, PC in the middle and this way above the others. Enjoy!!

Handy, handy saw (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I liked the corded 11a orbital Sawzall so much I went out and bought the cordless Hatchet as well. It has proved to be a quality , useful, and very handy tool. The 18v Hatchet also has orbital action which increases it's usefulness, and it is lighter than the corded one. However, if you have major demo work to do, grab the corded Sawzall. The corded Sawzall can't be beat for big, difficult jobs, but this is the one to take when you have a few cuts to make or need to get into a tight space. The battery run time is actually quite good, but it you are in an attic or crawl space, you might want to take a spare battery just to make sure. It can be used one-handed, and the folding handle makes the saw very versatile. I actually find that I use it as much or more than the corded Sawzall, but I wouldn't want to be without the corded one either. Overall, I have been very happy with this quality tool.