A circular saw is a compact tool that every woodworker or builder needs in his arsenal. These handy tools are perfect for portability and efficiency, plus they do not put excessive strain on your arm. However, all the above won’t be true if you don’t pick a substandard model.
Luckily, our experts are here to help with the finest circular saw reviews on the market.
Reviews of the Best Circular Saws
1. SKIL 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4-Inches Circular Saw
The powerful SKIL 5280-01 has an impressive 15 amp motor and produces 5300 RPM, enough power to cut through most of your materials. The 7-1/4-inch carbide-tipped blade is secured in place with a lock spindle that allows for quick blade changes. This saw also has a 10 foot power cord.
Not only powerful but also unique. Unlike other 45 degree bevel the 5280-01 corded circular saws feature a 51-degree bevel to accommodate a wide variety of cuts. Although it’s a full-sized saw, the SKIL saw has a 1 / 4 inch lightweight circular saw that can help reduce fatigue on your arm, thanks to its anti snag features.
Another excellent feature that our team found very useful is the dust buster that gives you a clear line of sight and keeps it free of debris.
What We Like
- Powerful 15 amp motor
- 5300 RPM
- 7-1/4-inch lightweight carbide-tipped blade
- Has a spindle lock
- Can be used for a variety of cuts
- Full-sized
- Lightweight
- In-built dust buster
What We Don't Like
- Blade can stop
- Customer service can take longer
2. WORX WORXSAW 4-½: Compact Circular Saw
Small handheld models are often featured on our list of best circular saws, and that’s because they are half the size and half the weight. The smaller size of the WORX WORXSAW 4 1/2 inch will allow for quicker and more efficient cuts with more control.
Bevel cuts can be set from 0 to a 45 degree angle with the EZ depth gauge and the WORKXSAW 4 1/2 inch Compact Circular disk-like Saw is the best overall choice for cutting saw for lumber around 2 inches thick without weighing down your arm. With that angle of 45 degrees this saw was designed with a left-sided blade that gives users a better visual of their cuts.
What We Like
- Small and compact
- Lightweight
- One of the best for short work
- Efficient and easy to maneuver
- 3500 RPM
- Easily portable
- Left-sided blade for easy visuals
- Bevel cuts can be set from 0 to 45 degrees
- Best cutting saw for lumber
What We Don't Like
- Less cutting power than some full-sized blades
- Rip fence is partly plastic
3. BLACK+DECKER 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw with Laser
As a great lightweight saw, the BLACK+DECKER 7 1/4 Lightweight Circular Saw with Laser Guide features a 12 amp to 13 amp motor and a lock spindle for easy blade switches. The saw is excellent for heavy duty jobs and isn’t a very hefty investment for those who don’t need something for long term.
The addition of the laser pointer guide will help you make more precise cuts by visualizing the path. The bevel adjustments are easily done for angled cuts with this corded circular disk-liked saw.
You don’t only get the saw, but also a wrench for adjustments. This saw from BLACK+DECKER comes with a 2-year limited warranty.
What We Like
- Easy blade changes with the spindle lock
- Great for heavy duty jobs
- Comes with hex key, blade and high quality saw
- Lightweight
- Backed by a 2-year warranty
- 13 amp motor
- Very affordable price
What We Don't Like
- No integrated dust blower
- The saw must be running to turn on the laser guide
4. DEWALT 7-1/4-Inches Circular Saw with Electric Brake
Like the famous Dewalt DWE575SB, the Dewalt 7 1/4 Circular Saw also comes with an electronic brake for more security. This circular saw is one that costs a bit more, but it has excellent features that make it worth your money. The compact and lightweight saw has a 1/4 inch blade plus a patented 15 amp motor powerful enough to handle any depth of cut for most materials.
The Dewalt saw offers more beveling capacity with a maximum of 57 degrees. This is highly precise and comes with its own carrying case. To help you keep your workspace clean, the dust buster will clear the way for these power tools to give you a clear view.
What We Like
- Lightweight and compact for a full-sized circular saw
- 57-degrees for beveling
- Comes with a carrying case
- Ball bearing lower guard
- Built-in dust blower
- Electric brake
- Durable materials
- Comes with accessories
What We Don't Like
- No illumination for cutting
- Lock nut is tight
5. TECCPO Mini Circular Saw with Laser
We have another mini circular saw option that has a lot of power for its small size. At 3700 RPM, these small saws are excellent power tools to keep for those moving from site to site. Not only that, but the smaller blade size and overall lightweight body gives more portability and maneuverability.
The compact circular comes with extra blades for cutting that are suited for different materials. The small saw comes with awesome features such as a guided laser to facilitate cutting and a double safety switch. As a small handheld saw design, the TECCPO Mini Circular Saw with Laser has an ergonomic handle and is easy to handle.
What We Like
- Ergonomic grip
- Small and lightweight
- Comes with 3 blades
- 3700 RPM
- 4.8 amp for cutting power
- Portable power tool
- Double safety switch
- Lots of accessories
What We Don't Like
- Difficult to put blades on
- Still requires a guide
- No wrench storage
6. Makita 5007Mg Magnesium 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw
The Makita 5007Mg Circular Saw is excellent to make quick and accurate cuts and is made of magnesium components to make it lighter than most other saws. It’s one of the most powerful corded circular disk-liked saws out there with a 5800 RPM and 15 amp motor. It also has an exceptional scale that is easy to read. The Makita also has a 3-3 / 8 inch blade has a maximum cut depth of 1 inch at 90 degrees.
Any saw is useless if you can’t see the cut. The Makita saw has not one but two LED lights to illuminate the path. These saws have a large cutting capacity and the bevel is adjustable up to 56 degrees. Other than the depth of cut and extra features, the Makita saw is also covered by a 1-year warranty. Overall, it’s one of the best circular saws in our books.
What We Like
- Lightweight magnesium components
- Two LED lights
- 56-degree bevel capacity
- Large cutting capacity
- 1-year warranty
- One of the most powerful circular saws
- 3 3/8 inch blade
- Very durable
- Built-in dust blower
- Easy to read scale
- 10 foot power extension cord
What We Don't Like
- Need to adjust the height to fit into the case
- The handle can get in the way of your line of sight
7. GALAX PRO 10 A 5800 RPM Hand-Held Circular Saw
The GALAX PRO 10 A is another well-balanced power corded circular saw with a powerful motor that won’t require you to spend a lot. The design of this saw is very similar to the bosch cs10 and It’s also very easy to maneuver and the hand-held design allows you to make straight cuts without worrying about the weight.
You can make bevel and miter cuts with the easy to adjust lever that can also set the cut depth. The GALAX PRO circular saw is safe to use with its motor housing and won’t start up without you unlocking it first with the safety button. There is a parallel guide to assist your cuts and an integrated dust buster to keep the path clear.
What We Like
- Has a dust blower
- Depth adjustment
- Bevel and miter cuts
- Tough blade
- Accurate cuts
- Safety lock button
- 10 amp motor
- 5800 RPM
- Lightweight with a soft grip
- Plastic lower blade guard
- Affordable
What We Don't Like
- Might be too light for balance
- Dust could get blown up
(You can also compare Miter Saw versus Circular Saw to see how it compares to other brands.)
Circular Saws Buyer’s Guide
To ensure you get the right circular saws for your projects, our team has compiled a list of important features to want in the top saw. It’s more than the cut line and the material of the saw blade. You should also take into account the design of the saws, the motor power, and the type of cut you like.
Corded or Cordless Circular Saw?
There are two types of circular saws, and they are corded and cordless options. Yes, having a cordless circular saw such as Dewalt DCS391B will bring more convenience, a wider range of movement, and higher portability. However, cordless or battery-powered options have a shorter performance period and less amperage [1] in some cases.
Older battery powered options were inferior compared to the more conventional corded options and were outperformed in terms of speed and power at every turn. However, newer models have lithium ion batteries that last longer, are less heavy and won’t jam the blade.
Brushless motors have a lot to do with the smooth operation, but we’ll talk about the its power in a bit. The lithium ion batteries are very efficient and can extend the hours you get out of your cordless circular saw.
In the end, it’s more about the power and speed, but also the convenience factor. If you are someone who works on site without needing to relocate often, then our team suggests the traditional corded circular saws. However, if you require a lot of movement and move from site to site, then high-powered cordless saws are the best for you.
Motor Power
The motor power says it all when it comes to how fast your blade can cut through material and what it can slice through. Of course, a smaller saw will have less amperage simply due to the room it has. A smaller body cannot accommodate a larger motor, which equals less power.
For example, regular-sized 7-¼ inch saws should be able to yield 12 amp to 15 amps on average with 5000 to 5500 RPM as a rule of thumb. Judging from our experts’ estimated figures, if you can find saws of that size with more power and faster RPM, then you’re in luck.
One thing to keep in mind is the speed doesn’t necessarily dictate the material you can cut through, you can cut a laminating floor with a saw or a more complex material, in the same level of speed. The material you can cut through is determined by the material of the blade.
You may also come across what’s called a high-powered worm drive circular saw, which are longer lasting, more powerful and have more torque.
Cutting Depth & Bevel
Some adjustable features of your circular saw include the depth adjustment and bevel capacity. Depending on what you’re cutting, or how you cut thick wood using a circular saw, you want the freedom to adjust these features to give yourself an easier time. It’s not only about having the option to adjust the depth and the bevel, but also how easy it is to do so. A saw that can do repeated cuts at its depth of 2-9/16 inches is good enough.
For example, some circular saws have buttons for the setting but others integrate lever controls for depth adjustment. In our experts’ experience, the levers are easier to control and access when you’re in a hurry.
As for the bevel, this is necessary for angled cuts and you want the saw to give you a wide range of angles. You may find the most common setting to go up to 45 degrees, but others can go higher to 57. For bevel capacity higher than 45 degrees, you can find some stops in the angle adjustments at 22.5 to 45 degrees.
Ease of Use
Everyone appreciates a power tool that’s easy to use, so the ease of use is another vital consideration. Having a dust port surely is important but the weight is also a very big indicator of how easy the circular saws, either a 6 ½ and 7 ¼ circular saw variety, are to maneuver. You want ones that are as lightweight as possible so the saws don’t put undue strain on your limbs.
Lighter saws also equate to longer hours working on your projects without you feeling fatigued. Our expert team will dive into the materials you may find in your saws in the next section.
The blade change should also be simple and straightforward and a great way to ensure this is with a s. The maintenance is another factor that should be easy, there are impressive circular saws with dust port or dust blower that can guarantee a fast cleanup.
Size and Design
Larger full sized models are, of course, heavier and bulkier but they are more powerful, has an easy to read scale, and gets the job done faster as opposed to a more compact handheld model. The other size factor to consider is the blade. There is a very extensive range of blades and some circular saws can come with a few options suited for different materials.
Aside from listing the size, manufacturers can also label what each blade is good for. You will come across plywood blades and all-purpose among others. You may also see the teeth count on the blade, which is also a great indicator for the materials they can cut through. The higher the teeth count, the harder the material the blade can handle.
If you want to know other materials that these saws can cut, you can check our page on how to cut plexiglass using the circular saw power tool.
You also have to make sure the design of the saw is ergonomic, whether it’s full-sized or not. For the material, there are a few ubiquitous ones in circular saw manufacturing, and they are steel, aluminum and magnesium. Steel was once the most popular type, but manufacturers have started to phase it out and make way for the lighter aluminum and magnesium options.
Sure, aluminum is lighter, but it’s not as durable as steel and also more expensive. Our experts like magnesium for its lightweight properties and higher durability, but it is more on the expensive side.
If you want to make your saw more convenient to use, you can check some ways to convert circular saw to table saw without costing you much.
Safety Features
If you know how to use a circular saw when cutting concrete blocks, then you are aware of its corresponding safety measures. There are important safety features to look for that can not only keep you from injury but also facilitate your work include LED work lights, a laser guide for the cut line, and a blade guard for a straight cut and a rafter hook.
Having LED work lights light the way will give you clear visuals of the cut path. The laser guide will allow for a precise cut line, but our team still suggests utilizing a blade guard to make sure the cut is straight.
Then there is the consideration of the shoe material (steel, aluminum, magnesium shoes). Steel shoes can bend, so an aluminum or magnesium shoe has square edges but the magnesium shoe is what we recommend as it’s much lighter. Not only that, the magnesium shoe is the strongest among the three.
The warranty isn’t a safety feature of the saw itself, but more of a safety feature to protect you as a buyer. Just in case you end up with a faulty product that was damaged upon delivery or if your parts need replacing or fixing somewhere down the line, an extensive warranty is recommended.
As you probably saw on our top list, we have products with a very basic 1-year warranty and others that have at least 2 years.
FAQ
What is the best circular saw for home use?
The best saw for home use is the WORX WORXSAW 4-½: Compact Circular Saws. It’s a small handheld model that is great for easy jobs at home. It’s very lightweight, still packs a lot of power and is highly portable for all job site areas.
circular having a circular shape More (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)
What size circular saw is best?
The best size for this saw is 7-¼ inches. This also happens to be the most common size and is the best suited for a variety of jobs. It can cut through many materials and is still lightweight and easy to use.
Our Top Pick For a Circular Saw:
5280-01 from SKIL
Our team’s top choice for the greatest lightweight circular saw is the SKIL 5280-01. The 15 amp motor powers with carbide blade tips that can cut through tough materials. The saw offers a high level of adjustability from cutting depth to the bevel degrees. Maneuvering is easy as the saw is incredibly lightweight for its size and the dust buster will keep your cutting area clean.
To keep your space tidy after a long day’s work, you can use the best small shop dust collection we listed here. Read next!
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