Are you a construction worker, a hobbyist or you're just looking to do some mini renovations in your home? Circular saws usually come in very handy for such applications. However, you could end up feeling overwhelmed, not knowing which one to go for.
There is a vast catalogue of different types of circular saws having various features. You may feel confused as you may not know where to start from or what exactly to look for.
To eliminate this confusion, this guide has been prepared to give you direction on where you could begin your search.
Table of Contents
A quick glance of Circular Saws
The Best Circular Saw on the Market of 2020
1. SKIL 5280-01-15-Amp 7-¼-Inch Circular Saw with Single Beam Laser Guide (Our Top Recommended)
This circular saw is laden with advanced features that could help you with carrying out various DIY tasks around the house.
Its 15-Amp motor has the power and performance which you’ll need in cutting lumber and sheet goods, quickly. It also delivers a 5,300 RPM, which gives you greater speed and faster cuts.
Another feature this saw has is the single-beam laser. This feature guides your cuts and increases accuracy. The integrated dust-blower feature keeps the line of cut sawdust free which invariably improves your visibility.
A guarded trigger which has been included in the saw minimises your risk of accidentally powering it up. With the 51-degree bevel, you can now have a variety of cut options with positive stops at 45 degrees. It also has a spindle lock and on-tool wrench that makes blade changes easier for you.
Its 60 volts voltage, 30 watts wattage and 2.50 horsepower make it an even more desirable circular saw for you. However, the absence of an LED work light feature might be one disadvantage you would find in using this saw.
This is our no.1 recommended saw. With its lightweight design, anti-snag lower guard feature, and speedy 5,300RPM it tops the list.
- Facilitates faster cuts and greater speed.
- Easier blade changes.
- A wider variety of cuts is promised.
- No LED light to indicate power on.
2. BLACK+DECKER 7-I/4-Inch Circular Saw with Laser, 13-Amp (BDECS300C) (Best for the Money)
The BLACK+DECKER circular saw has an original design and innovative and user-friendly features. One of its unique features includes the spindle lock that secures your blade in place for smoother cutting.
The laser guide feature in this circular saw provides you with a clear line of sight and ensures you make a wide variety of accurate cuts. Not just that, it comes with an easy bevel adjustment that helps you cut up to 45 degrees.
This circular saw also gives you a lightweight design that erases fatigue and boosts your speed in completing your job. It only weighs about 7lbs so that you can carry it around easily.
You don’t need batteries for this saw; instead, it is powered by an electrical cord and a powerful motor. You can also enjoy the BLACK+DECKER’s 2-year limited warranty that comes with the saw upon purchase. It indeed gives you back your money’s worth.
With all these features, you may, however, need to be wary of the laser guide to avoid accidents or injuries.
This lightweight saw would give you the best value for your money. It is powerful enough to cut different materials and can be easily adjusted to suit your needs.
- It has a powerful motor with a laser guide
- It has a powerful motor with a laser guide
- It does not come with a case.
- Safety concerns with the laser.
3. DEWALT 7-¼-Inch Circular Saw with Electric Brake, 15-Amp (DWE575SB)
With its smallish, lightweight and compact design, this is one of the lightest circular saws in its class that you may find. Do not be deceived by its size; however, this circular saw packs quite a punch.
With its 1,950 Max Watts Out (MWO), 15-Amp motor and 5,100 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), the unit supplies plenty of power to perform some of the most demanding types of cuts you may want to make.
It has an integrated dust blower that helps to clean your work area as you start to cut. It provides smooth cutting and high-quality performance. The circular saw also features a 57-degree bevel capacity with positive stops at 22.5-degree and 45-degree detents, which allows you to use it for a variety of applications.
The lightweight circular saw has an on-board blade wrench storage that allows you to store and change blades effortlessly. In addition to this, there’s a ToughCord cord system that gives you three times more resistance to cord pullouts, in comparison to others. This shows you just how durable the saw is.
It has an electric brake that allows for the saw blade to stop after two to three seconds, from the time the trigger is released. This gives you additional safety. If the saw had an LED light, it would make it almost flawless, however, this feature is missing.
This saw makes safety one of their top priorities. It has a strong and powerful motor. With equally fast speed. It gives you a toughened cord and an overall durable machine.
- It includes a handy carrying case for easy portability.
- A dust blower ensures you have a clean line of cutting.
- It features ergonomic handles and trigger actuation, which aids comfort and balance.
- No LED light for clearer vision.
4. Makita SP6000J1 6-½ Inch Plunge Circular Saw Kit
With its powerful 12 AMP motor and a large cutting capacity, this saw is designed to give you optimum performance.
Its precision cutting feature and built-in depth stop allow you to make splinter-free 1/16-inch cuts giving you an exceptional finish. Similarly, its blade and Guide Rail work together to provide you with accurate cuts and minimal tear-outs.
It also comes with electronic speed control which maintains a constant speed for smooth cutting. The variable speed control dial has a range between 2,000 to 5,200 RPM enabling you to match the speed of the saw to the type of cut you’re making. To help you increase productivity, it also has an electric brake feature.
This particular model has a bevel capability of up to 48-degree with positive stops at 22.5 degree and 45 degrees. The package of the saw includes a Carbide-Tipped Saw blade, a Hex wrench, a Guide rail and a stackable tool case.
One thing you should note as you use this saw is that it's not built for tough cuts. It's excellent for use around the house, or your workshop but may not be suitable for on-site jobs.
This saw gives you increased cutting speed, helping you to do more jobs. You can also make angled cuts without getting tired quickly.
- No adjustment is needed during bevel cutting
- Ability to cut close to a wall
- A splinter-free mirror finish is guaranteed
- Provision of comfort and reduction of hand fatigue due to rubberised grip
- It's not suitable for large-scale projects.
5. SKILSAW SPT77WML-01 15-Amp 7-¼-Inch Lightweight Worm Drive Circular Saw
This is a very lightweight circular saw made with the lightest magnesium to reduce your fatigue. It’s sturdy and rips through almost anything.
It possesses a 15-Amp dual-field motor that gives you the power to cut through more lumber in less time, while also staying cool, no matter how long you use it for. Its 53-degree bevel allows you to make a wider variety of cuts, featuring positive stops from 0 degrees to 45 degrees.
With a no-load RPM of 5,300 and a 24-tooth carbide-tipped SKILSAW blade, your cutting needs will become less tasking and more productive. Its on-tool multi-function wrench for blade changes and oil maintenance makes it quite user-friendly.
You can make quick and accurate depth measurements with the saw’s cut-ready system while the anti-snag lower guard provides smooth operation to help you cut-off small pieces while working.
You may, however, find it a little bit challenging to adjust the bevel of this saw because the magnesium plate is not so strong. They still have a little work to do in that area.
This saw is designed to give comfort as you work. It has a powerful motor and cuts at top speed.
- Soft-grip ergonomic handles which provide comfort all day.
- It has an anti-snag guard that protects the blade when not in use.
- It has an anti-snag guard that protects the blade when not in use.
- You might find it difficult to adjust the bevel.
6. Makita 5377MG 7-¼ Inch Magnesium Hypoid Saw
This saw houses a powerful Makita-built industrial motor and is designed using a compressed winding technology which helps to give it compact size.
Its powerful 15-Amp motor delivers at a speed of 4,500 RPM, in addition to its internal magnesium components. These features help to create a 13.2 pound saw that is well balanced enough to give you a hitch-free experience on the job.
As you use this saw, you might just enjoy the precision-machined hypoid gears, which deliver more constant power than the usual worm drive gears. This is because the hypoid gears have greater surface contact that makes the transfer of more power to a wider surface possible.
All of those features work to provide increased power and durability for your saw to get the job done. In addition to this, its hypoid gears are in an oil bath, ensuring consistent oil coverage for smooth running.
It also has a balance mechanism that keeps its power, durability, and ease of use at a user-friendly pace to give you an optimum cutting performance. You might, however, find this saw somewhat heavy to use. This means that you would require two hands to use it.
It's an excellent fit for people with larger hands while offering up to 90degrees angle-cutting. Of course, it cuts at a rapid rate of 5,300RPM; just fast enough to get you through your work quicker.
- More efficient cutting is delivered to the blade through Hypoid gears.
- Greater clearance between the rear handle and blade case provides better grip for larger hands.
- Blade wrench helps with fast and convenient blade changes.
- It's on the heavy side, unlike other lightweight counterparts.
7. WORX WORXSAW 4-½ Inch Compact Circular Saw - WX429L
If you're an avid DIYer or hobbyist, this one's for you. The WORXSAW allows you to work on personal projects around the house in a short time.
With this saw, cutting 2 by 4's becomes too easy because you can cut and quickly manoeuvre through the material in a single pass. The compact saw has a thin, 4.5-inch blade which makes cutting easy with less tool strain, resulting in improved cutting speed and performance.
Its size also makes carrying it less tedious; it's almost as if you're not carrying a saw. Furthermore, through the 0-45 degree bevel cutting feature, you can now make a wider variety of cuts. It operates at a no-load speed of 3,500 RPM.
The WORXSAW comes with a parallel guide attachment that ensures that you make straight and accurate cuts. With its left-sided blade design, you now have excellent cut-line visibility. Included in its grip is a safety trigger that provides you with comfort, balance and control.
This saw has solid features which may persuade you to go for it, but before you do, note that it is primarily suitable for home use and not industrial work. It's a better choice for DIYers.
This saw will help you get through home projects faster. It rips through plywoods and other materials, ensures your optimal safety and cuts fairly fast for its RPM.
- Easy-grip handles.
- Lightweight, great for easy carriage.
- Mostly suitable for DIY projects.
8. Rockwell RK3441K 4-½ Inch Compact Circular Saw.
The Rockwell compact circular saw is a small-sized saw that has a compact yet powerful 5-Amp electric motor that can match the performance of fully sized saws with 3,500 RPM.
Despite its size, it is still capable of cutting through 2 by 4’s in a single pass. It might have a small size but a big performance. You don't have to worry about the size when you cut, just let it do the job.
Its left-handed blade design provides you with cut-line visibility. With the slim design of the saw, you can grip, control and guide the circular saw with just one hand. The maximum cutting depth of the saw is 90 degrees, and it has a bevel capacity of 45 degrees.
The Rockwell circular saw enables you to finish your jobs quicker without having to drag out the big heavy circular saw, due to its compact nature. You can make quick and easy operations with the increased manoeuvrability that allows you to make cut-offs, plunge cuts and rips.
Because of the compact nature of this saw, you can only use it with wood that is not too thick. It cuts fast but is limited in the thickness of the material you can cut. This might be the only challenge you would have.
The compact design of this saw, coupled with its innovative ergonomic design makes it easy to work with. It works fast, and you can manoeuvre it without much stress.
- It can be manoeuvred for overhead cuts.
- Slim grip handle allows for easy control.
- Cannot be used on wood thicker than 2 inches.
9. DEWALT 6-½ Inch 20V Max Circular Saw, Tool Only (DCS391B)
The powerful 460 MWO and a 5,250 RPM motor of this saw deliver power and speed to help you make the most demanding cuts with ease.
Its high strength and lightweight magnesium shoe provide you with a durability that helps you make long and accurate cuts. With its 0-50 degree bevel capacity, you can carry out aggressive bevel cuts for different types of materials.
The handle of the DEWALT circular saw is over-moulded with optimised rubber that provides you comfort, optimal balance and control as you the saw. The saw cuts as deep as 45 degrees is 1-⅝ inches, while its depth of cut at 90 degrees is 2-¼ inches.
One downside to this ssw is that the saw doesn't come with a battery or charger included. You may need to buy them separately.
This saw is fitted with features that make it versatile enough for projects. It's fast and comfortable to use.
- The optimised rubber on the handle helps with easy gripping.
- It's lightweight.
- The Battery and Charger do not come with the saw.
10. Milwaukee M18 2630-20 18 Volt Lithium Ion 6-½ Inch 3,500 RPM Cordless Circular Saw.
No products found.
The Milwaukee circular saw consists of electronic brakes that help to stop your blade as soon as you are done with cutting. You no longer have to wait on your blade to slow down before you get back to work. You can pick up from where you stopped immediately.
It also features a soft-grip handle which provides you with maximum comfort as you work with precision. This is excessively handy in humid and slippery environments. Magnesium guards are placed at the top and bottom of the blade to keep this unit protected whenever it falls, keeping you and your tool safe.
The powerful motor that accompanies this saw pushes the blade to help you make up to 3,500 Rpm. The engine is securely protected in a solid structure that acts as a guard and protects it from accidents.
With this saw you get as much power and toughness as possible, it's intentionally created to allow you to use it immediately you purchase it. Because of this, there's a sturdy carbide-tipped cutting blade in its package.
Its electric brakes protect you from harm and speed up your work, and its fast motors decrease the time you take to work significantly. It's also ergonomic, yet rugged.
- It comes with electric brakes to make fast stops.
- It has a soft handle grip.
- It cannot be used without M18 lithium-ion batteries.
- Package does not come with batteries.
Buying Guide
A circular saw is a portable machine tool used to cut large pieces of wood, plastic, metal, concrete and other materials. They could be either left or right-handed. This is dependent on the side of the blade where the motor is. Circular saws help you to make a wide variety of cut applications, and you can use them for small or large projects.
What to Look Out For
Take note of the Revolutions Per Minute of the circular saw you’re about to purchase
Keep an eye out for the bevel capacity of the saw.
Ensure the circular saw has an easy-change blade system.
It should come with a dust blower that would enhance the visibility of the cut-line.
An electric brake stops the blade of the saw when you release the trigger. It helps improve safety, and so should be looked out for during your purchase.
What's Your Budget?
Your budget plays a significant role in determining the saw you eventually choose. Whether you decide to go for a more expensive saw or a cheaper one also depends on the application you need it for.
If you need the saw for smaller scaled projects around the house, then you don't need an expensive saw. For larger sized projects, you may wish to choose a saw in the costly category. You can browse through the saw prices to see which one fits your category.
Conclusion – The Circular Saw, Our Choice
We have looked at several circular saws in this guide & can conclude that they all have great features; despite their shortcomings. However, one circular saw stands out above the others, and that is the SKIL 5280 7-¼ inch circular saw.
It's 15-Amp motor, and a 5,300 RPM caters for your cutting and ripping needs effectively. The BLACK+DECKER 7-I/4-Inch Circular Saw, on the other hand, also provides you with a clean and broader variety of cuts.
It is guaranteed to serve you well, and you get your money’s worth. These are our top picks from the list, they're both, great choices.
*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com.
Ask Me Anything