Metabo HPT 36V MultiVolt Brushless Jig Saw (CJ36DAQ4) review

The Metabo HPT CJ36DAQ4 is a 36V MultiVolt brushless top-handle jigsaw with two separate ways to power the same saw body: a compatible MultiVolt battery or the ET36A AC adapter. The U.S. listing is tool-body only, so the machine is not a ready-to-cut battery kit.

Keep the CJ36DAQ4 suffix and CJ36DA manual bridge clear

Metabo HPT’s exact U.S. page identifies the retail model as CJ36DAQ4 and links an owner manual whose internal cover calls the saw CJ36DA. That is a useful official page-to-family bridge for operating instructions, not a reason to collapse every similar CJ model into one product. This assessment keeps CJ36DAQ4 as the product identity and the linked CJ36DA document as its manual source; CJ18DAQ4, CJ90VST2 and older CJ-numbered saws remain separate records.

The exact CJ36DAQ4 page lists a No. 41 blade, a 4 mm hex wrench, a chip cover and a splinter guard. It states that no battery is included and that the ET36A adapter is compatible but sold separately. The linked manual’s CJ36DA (NN) accessory list also excludes the battery, charger, plastic case, dust-collection adapter, sub base and battery cover. Treat the page’s suffix and a seller’s written carton list as decisive; an accessory photo or the word “MultiVolt” does not turn this bare tool into a kit.

Battery and AC-adapter power are different plans

For cordless work, the manufacturer identifies 18V/36V MultiVolt battery packs. The linked manual names the BSL36B18 as an example and warns that older BSL3660/3626/3620 and BSL18xx/BSL14xx batteries cannot be used. That makes the platform filter meaningful: a generic Metabo HPT 18V pack is not automatically compatible. The body weighs 4.4 lb without a battery; the manual lists 6.6 lb with a BSL36B18 installed. Neither figure predicts how long a particular pack will run.

The alternative is the ET36A AC adapter with cord. The exact page identifies it as an optional, separate accessory; it is not a direct cord on the saw and does not come in the CJ36DAQ4 body package. This gives the model a corded mains operating arrangement when the appropriate adapter is purchased, but it does not erase the pack, charger or adapter cost and compatibility check. The two power arrangements are alternatives, not a simultaneous setup.

Four orbital positions, with specific material limits

The linked manual describes four selector positions, from 0 with no orbital movement through positions I–III. In standard mode the speed range is 800–3,500 strokes per minute; AUTO varies from 1,400–3,500 according to load. Stroke length is 1-1/32 in. These are published specifications, not a measured comparison or a promise that a particular speed will produce a certain edge.

For general lumber, the manual describes both ordinary and pocket cutting. Its guidance is to reduce orbital action for harder stock and accuracy, and increase it for softer materials such as lumber and plastic. The manual lists phenol-resin and vinyl-chloride plastics, plus mild steel, aluminum and copper plate. It does not split wood into an approved hardwood-versus-softwood rating, so those more specific material labels should not be inferred from the broad “wood” capacity.

Stainless steel is the special case. The manual requires a separate No. 97 blade, position 0 and cutting fluid, and gives a blade-specific 1.5–2.5 mm thickness range. Its general specification table separately lists 1/8 in (3.2 mm) stainless capacity. The exact product page and tool card list mild-steel capacity as 13/32 in, while the linked manual says 25/64 in (10 mm). These source figures are close but not identical; do not treat them as a single tested or universal rating. The package’s included No. 41 blade is not the stainless No. 97 blade.

Dust collection can remove the bevel option

The built-in blower clears loose debris from the cutline; it is not a dust-capture system. Metabo HPT lists dust collector 370492 as a separate accessory. The owner manual says angular cutting cannot be done with the dust collector installed, and the chip cover cannot be attached while the base is inclined. Its exact page and tool card list bevel capacity to 45 degrees right and left. In practice, the documented bevel arrangement is the blower with the chip cover removed; the external vacuum adapter arrangement is a square-cut plan. Do not combine “vacuum” and “bevel” just because both features are listed separately.

The saw also includes a splinter guard, which the manual says can reduce splintering on wood. That is not a finish guarantee. The separate sub base is described as useful for curved work, but it is not part of the listed tool-body contents; the manual says fitting it reduces blade protrusion by 3 mm. Check blade length and clearance for the real stock.

Who should shortlist this body?

The CJ36DAQ4 is worth comparing if you need a top-handle, T-shank-only body, already own the specified MultiVolt battery family, or want the separate ET36A corded supply as an option. Its manual-supported orbit settings and built-in cutline blower give it several documented arrangements, but the package omissions matter: budget for power hardware, and for an external vacuum adapter if extraction is essential. A battery-platform match does not answer the box-contents question.

Before buying, confirm the exact CJ36DAQ4 suffix, compatible MultiVolt pack or ET36A adapter, and the written items in the seller’s box. For metal, verify blade type, speed, stock thickness and cutting-fluid instructions against the current manual. If you need a bevel, remove the chip cover and do not use the dust collector in that setup. This review is an evidence-based assessment of manufacturer documentation and the exact-page image; no hands-on use, ownership, cutting test, runtime measurement or customer experience is claimed.