THE 2024 Tool of the Year Awards Program is the first in what promises to become an annual tradition of celebrating the most notable new home tools and aids. This set highlights the most practical products launched over the past 12 months across seven essential home improvement categories, from power tools to cleaning tools. We’re also awarding a DIY Game Changer, an honor reserved for the most exciting project innovation of the year. Check out all the winners here.

For the inaugural Tool of the Year Awards, the team knew we wanted to highlight the most practical products for tasks ranging from projects to everyday maintenance. We researched recently released, top-to-bottom, high-caliber construction tools that made projects easier, faster, and more efficient.

But there is effective design, and then there is innovative design.

That’s why we recognize a tool that rethinks typical processes and functions to improve projects: something revolutionary that would change the way DIYers use this type of tool. Our first handpicked DIY Game Changer emerged from the power tool category: Grizzly 21-inch Variable Speed ​​Scroll Saw.

Keep reading to find out how Grizzly reinvented this saw for woodworkers and ended up creating a revolutionary tool in the scroll saw industry.

Let’s start with something small. Traditionally, scroll saws feature an on/off switch on the base or rear of the tool, as well as a separate speed control button located on the upper cutting arm. This means the user starts and stops the machine with just one hand on the material. This placement may be suitable for professional woodworkers who have become accustomed to it with practice, but it can be difficult for beginners and those who prefer to keep going. both hands on the wooden board. The Grizzly team recognized the need and moved the control to a pressure-sensitive on/off pedal on the G0969. Now, tapping your toes, you start and stop the blade, keeping both hands free to hold the workpiece steady.

Still in the name of controlled cuts, the Grizzly saw made a more significant design change: it effectively reversed the cutting configuration. The G0969 replaces a tilting table (more often seen on standard scroll saws) with a tilting saw arm. Now it’s the saw that tilts up to 45 degrees to make bevels and other more complex cuts, leaving the material horizontal and stable on the steel table. After trying it, we can honestly say that it is the best way to cut bevels. Grizzly minimizes any risk of slipping that could damage the part or cause injury.

The end result? With improved precision and a cutting speed range of 400 to 1,550 strokes per minute (SPM), the Grizzly scroll saw cuts soft and hard woods with ease. Additionally, these cut edges were smooth and required minimal sanding.

Long-time scrollers have likely mastered the skills needed to cut intricate designs on any scroll saw. But for those just starting out in the business or anyone looking for greater control, the Grizzly G0969 is a real game changer.