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Why Buying a Circular Saw?
Circular saws have existed for a long time, in one form or another. The earliest models were made in the 18th century if you can believe that. Over the years they have been refined and have become a staple power tool for many professionals as well as amateurs. They are used to cut wood, ceramic tiles, steel, plastic, masonry and more.
The main reason to get a circular saw is the ubiquity of this tool – it has been around for ages, and people have figured out a ton of different, effective ways to use it. It has been refined to near-perfection, and it can be incredibly versatile. In fact, we believe that everyone who intends to work with wood or ceramics, even as a hobby, should own at least one of these tools. They will offer you all the basic functionality a power saw can give you and a bit extra.
Make straight and precise cut with the best circular saw
Circular saws are also less expensive when compared to more specialized saws, but they don’t slouch when it comes to their cutting power and the range of tasks they can perform. While circular saws are most well known for making straight cuts and nothing but that, most of them are quite adjustable nowadays. They can make angled cuts and perform other tasks that previously required specialized tools.
One of the main benefits of a circular saw is the adjust-ability. Due to how long they have existed, there are various useful add-ons and different blade types that can be attached to a circular saw. This way, it can be turned into almost anything you need.
Overall, circular saws are just essential tools for woodwork, masonry or house improvement projects in general and you shouldn’t look them over if you want to do any of that.
Circular saws are great tools, of course – but not all of them are amazing. As is the case with most products, there are both winners and stinkers out there, and it might be difficult to determine which is which at first glance. Don’t worry though; we will help you. After testing a ton of different circular saws, we decided to write this article and lay out all the important info you need to pick out the right product for you. We will give you some tips and trick and review some of the best products on the market. So, let’s get it started!
Meet the Best Circular Saws
The Good: This is a highly adjustable and maneuverable circular saw.
The Bad: It is not fit for heavy-duty jobs, and the blade it comes with is of poor quality.
The Bottom Line: Overall, this is quite a good quality circular saw, but it is not suited for heavier tasks – otherwise, it’s worthy of a recommendation.
The Good: It’s quite a lightweight and powerful corded saw that has a few neat extra features to boot.
The Bad: Unfortunately, the laser guide is inaccurate, and the saw is lacking in regards to durability.
The Bottom Line: This is a mixed bag with a lot of great upsides and horrible downsides. Think twice before getting it, but it might still be worth buying.
The Good: It has great cutting capacity and can make incredibly accurate cuts. It also has space for great add-ons.
The Bad: It’s quite bulky, and it’s underpowered for its size. It also doesn’t come with a battery and is a money drain.
The Bottom Line: When all is summed up, this saw simply has too many downsides and is just too expensive to readily recommend.
All of the Factors Considered
It is not easy to pick out a best circular saw since they are quite complex and beginners might not know what to look for. A lot of circular saws might look great on the surface but turn out to be useless duds after you get them. Well, we are here to help you distinguish the good from the bad. We tested a ton of different saws and came up with a comprehensive list of the most important aspects to consider when buying one of these products.
Motor Power
Most circular saws use an electric motor, either powered by a battery or a cord plugged into a power outlet. Either way, the power of the motor, usually measured in amperes, is what chiefly determines the cutting power of a circular saw. It affects the speed at which the blade rotates (measured in RPM), which affects which materials it can cut through.
Of course, the more powerful the motor is, the bulkier the saw becomes. You should strive for more power in most cases, but if you’re just looking to use the saw for some home improvement or carpentry project, a more maneuverable saw might be the thing for you. You won’t need a lot of cutting power for such tasks, and a weaker saw will spend less electricity.
Cutting Capacity
The cutting depth of a saw determines the thickness of the material it can cut, in essence, and it is adjustable on most saws. However, there is a minimum and maximum to it. It also differs depending on whether the saw is used to cut straight or to cut to bevel.
The cutting width is also important, and this refers to the width of the cut the saw makes, not the width of the material you are cutting.
Both of these are mostly referred to as the cutting capacity of the saw and are determined by the size of the blade. You will often find the size of the blade listed in the product info of a circular saw, in inches. This refers to the diameter of the blade.
Most circular saws use an electric motor
The cutting capacity you want depends on what you need. If you want to use it for larger jobs, you need a larger cutting capacity, while a smaller one is enough for smaller jobs and offers you more maneuverability.
Adjustability
When you’re getting a saw like this, you want to buy one that’s highly versatile so you can get the most value for your cash. To that end, you should look at the adjustability of the saw. This entails quite a few things. There are speed options, for example, which allow for adjusting the number of blade rotations for different materials. Then, there are various attachments that you can get, as well as different blades – exchanging the blade is easy on some models and you can do it in the middle of work, while others require more fiddling. Then, there’s the bevel – if you plan on cutting miters with your saw, you want them to be as adjustable as possible. Most saws offer three positions – 0, 45 and 90 degrees, while others might offer even more options.
You can find a lot of depth in a highly adjustable saw, and it might save you money since you won’t need to buy additional tools.
Durability
If you get a tool like this, you want it to last and do a lot of work, to justify its price in a sense. That won’t happen if it falls apart the third time you use it or lasts for just a couple of months.
To that end, you should look for a well-built product from a proven manufacturer. You should look for a saw that is mostly built from metal and has as few plastic parts as possible. Also, check out some user reviews and see how it fared in the long run for other people.
You shouldn’t be afraid to pay a few dollars extra for durability and quality since it will pay off in time.
Extra Features
Of course, extra features are always a welcome addition when it comes to a saw like this. Additional attachments or different blades that might come with the saw increase its value and versatility. Others, like a laser guide, might make the saw much easier to use and handle for both beginners and pros alike. Having a bit more than is standard is almost never a bad thing, as long as the basic functionality of the saw is decent.
Now that you know what’s crucial to consider, here are the saws we consider to be the best ones on the market right now.
In-depth Reviews of 3 Best Circular Saws
WORX WX429L Circular Saw
Key Features
Strong Motor for the Size
Despite its small size, this unit has quite a strong, electrical motor. It’s a 4 amp, 120-volt motor that is comparable to those found in larger models and allows the blade to reach a speed of 3500 RPM, which is more than decent.
Highly Adjustable
You can make bevel cuts from 0 up to 45 degrees, in increments, meaning that you can fine-tune how you cut. The blade is also replaceable, which is good since the one it comes with is of poor quality. It also has speed and depth control options.
Decent Cutting Capacity
This compact saw feature a blade that is only 4.5 inches in diameter, with a cutting depth of 2 inches. That is rather shallow when compared to other models, but is okay for a saw of this size. The larger problem is that it is hard to stabilize the saw on long cuts.
Incredibly Durable
This is quite a durable piece of kit, and it won’t break or bend easily. You can depend on this saw, and it will last for quite a long while with not a lot of maintenance required.
Some Neat Extras
It comes with a few extra things, the most useful of which is the parallel It solves the problem the saw has with accuracy during long cuts and makes all of your cuts more precise.
Customer Reviews
I used it to cut through a few boards, and it did the job well. The cutting depth is nicely adjustable, up to 2 inches, and it can cut from almost any angle. Even for an amateur like me, it is so easy to use, and does a tremendous job.
Who Should Buy this Product
For people who want a compact saw to use for a smaller project, this is the ideal product that they have to get. It offers more than enough power for a saw of this size, and it can cut through a lot of different materials with ease. It is also highly adjustable so you will be able to do anything you might want with it.
What to Watch Out For
Even at first glance, it is clear that this saw is not meant to be used for heavy-duty work – if that is what you want, you should look elsewhere. It also has some minor problems, like the fact that it comes with a poor-quality blade and that there are some issues with stabilization on extremely long cuts, but that’s about it.
The Conclusion
This is an incredibly maneuverable and highly adjustable circular saw that is good for most home improvement tasks due to the power it packs into its small frame. However, it is not fit for heavy duty work, and it has issues with making long cuts. It’s quite a good product, overall, but if you want something for tough work you should look elsewhere.
Purchase this Product on Amazon.com
SKIL 5280-01 Circular Saw
Key Features
Exceptionally Strong Motor
The incredibly strong 15-amp motor inside this machine is what makes it exceptional. It allows the blade to reach an impressive 5300 RPM and cut through almost anything.
Decently Adjustable
You can bevel cut with this saw up to 51 degrees, which is quite good. It has other standard adjustments, but nothing special. It is about average. However, the depth adjustment lever is badly placed, you might set it off by accident, and it makes the saw difficult to hold.
Large Blade & Cutting Capacity
The diameter of the blade is 7-1/4 inches, which is quite large and this unit can cut up to 2-3/8 inches deep, which is decent.
Not Durable Enough
Sadly, this unit isn’t well made, and the reason it’s so light is that it’s flimsy. It is mostly made out of metal, but it’s thin metal that can easily bend or break if it sustains even a moderate hit.
A Mixed Bag of Extras
There are a couple of great extra features on this tool, but only one is good in practice. The dust blower works great and cleans out the area so you can see what you’re cutting. The laser guide, however, is simply inaccurate and will just cause problems.
Customer Reviews
Who Should Buy this Product
If you are looking for a strong and easy to use a corded circular saw, this is the product you ought to get. It has more than enough power to do anything you might need, and it is still quite lightweight and maneuverable. In addition to that, it also has quite a few neat extra features that you might like.
What to Watch Out For
There’s no getting around it – durability is not the strong side of this saw. Even though it is mostly made out of metal, it is not incredibly thick or sturdy, and it might bend if you just drop it lightly. The laser guide extra feature is also not that great since it is inaccurate. There is also a problem with the depth control lever since it makes the whole saw difficult to hold properly.
The Conclusion
Overall, this is a light corded circular saw that is quite powerful and can handle a lot of different work and has good extra features. However, it is plagued by a few problems, the worst of which is the flimsiness of the materials used to make it. The laser guide is also terribly inaccurate, which is a shame. It’s a mixed bag in the end, but it might still be worth buying.
Purchase this Product on Amazon.com
Makita XSS02Z Circular Saw
Key Features
Under-powered Motor
This unit has a 4-amp, 18-volt motor, which is frankly not strong enough for its size and the blade can only reach 3700 RPM. More is expected from a saw of this size. It also drains the batteries incredibly quickly, so you won’t get a lot of work done with it.
Good Adjustability
It is decently adjustable, with a bevel of up to 50 degrees and it has all the other regular adjustments a saw like this needs. The controls are also well-placed, and you won’t trigger them by accident.
Good Cutting Capacity & Precision
This saw can make cuts that are incredibly precise, and it has a decent cutting capacity with its 6.5-inch blade. The maximum cutting capacity is 2-1/4 inches.
Decently Durable
The durability of this tool is adequate, it is not the sturdiest one around but it will last for quite a while and won’t break easily. It is huge and bulky, and this is how it makes up for that.
Extras are Optional
The good part is that this saw can have a lot of different attachments. The bad part? You get none of them. You don’t even get the battery. You have to buy everything separately, and the saw itself already costs a lot, so you do the math.
Customer Reviews
Who Should Buy this Product
For people who want a decent saw that has good cutting capacity and can make highly accurate cuts, this will be the perfect product. It can also be vastly improved with different add-ons that you can buy from it, something most people will find useful, and it further improves the utility of the saw.
What to Watch Out For
There are multiple problems with this saw that make it a bit of a difficult sell. The largest one is just how bulky it is, compared to its power – it’s just too weak for a saw of this size. It also drains the batteries incredibly quickly, and it costs quite a bit, especially when you consider that you have to buy the battery separately.
The Conclusion
One of the good points of this saw is just how versatile it can be with various add-ons you can get for it. You can attach a light or a dust collector to it; it can use various blades and so on. It also has good cutting capacity and can be quite accurate. However, it is too bulky, underpowered and costly to recommend easily.
Purchase this Product on Amazon.com
The Best Circular Saw – WORX WX429L Circular Saw
Determining the best circular is a difficult task, and we approached it all quite seriously. We tested a ton of different circular saws, compared them extensively and finally decided that one saw is better than the others in most regards. That product is the WORX WX429L Circular Saw circular saw.
The main reason why we consider it to be the best is just the quality it offers. It has no major downsides or at least none that can’t be fixed, and it is incredibly strong for its size. For the average person, this is a great circular saw. It is not fit for heavy-duty work, that’s for sure, but most people don’t need that and will prefer a smaller, maneuverable tool, which this is. Because of that, it is our best pick for today.
The Conclusion
So, that’s it. We chose that circular saw as the best battery powered product out there, and we hope our article helped you even if you didn’t agree with our choice. After all, people require different things from their tools, and our top choice might not be the best fit for you. However, there are other great products out there, and this article should help you find and recognize them. So, with that in mind, thank you for reading, and we hope you share this article if it was helpful to you. Have a nice day!
I do not use this. I do not even know that these are out but it looks handy and convenient. I love it. Where can I buy it?
Amazon or Home Depot.
Definitely any serious wooder should have a circular saw. I use circular saw as well and I love it because they are quite versatile and functional too.
Thank you so much for the review! Makita XSS02Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2″ Circular Saw, Tool Only seems like a ripoff to me. I might check out the WORX WORXSAW 4-1/2″ Compact Circular Saw – WX429L. It seems quite good to me.
Amazing products on circular saws here. I didn’t know much about saws, but I have learnt a lot. The WORX WX429L is amazing with its long lasting battery, good size and easy to carry around.
I love WORX WX429L circular saw because of its small size and many functionalities. This means it will be very easy to work around with it. I would definitely recommend it.