Circular saws are the powerhouse of a handyman’s toolkit. Used in engineering work, joinery, and even manufacturing, no modern-day project is complete without a circular saw. You can use it to maneuver through plastic, wood, or other construction materials.
From the plethora of options available in the market, you need to choose the one that best suits your needs. We have sifted through the lot to research the best circular saws for you.
Makita HS7601J is our overall best choice when it comes to circular saws. If you are looking for the best circular saws with particular features; cordless or corded, plunged or standard, check out our top four circular saws.
Also, you can scroll towards the end to read the brief buying guide. This will help you get the best out of your circular saw purchase.
A Spotlight On Some of The Best Circular Saws 2021:
Makita HS7601J 190 mm Circular Saw with MakPac Carry Case: Overall Best
With the best performance and maximum convenience, the HS7601J/2 from Makita is a handy, easy to use, and lightweight circular saw.
It comes with a tough MakPac carry case which allows you to safely carry this tool on the go. The hardy carry case gives double insulation protection to save your circular saw from bumps and knocks.
It comes included with an un-built rear dust exhaust port which comes with compatible guide railings. With RPM as high as 5200, you can use it to speedily cut through the hardest materials. Another thing of convenience is its weight, just a single person will be enough to lift and operate it. All you need to do is to plug the circular saw and start working. Moreover, you can almost instantly change its depth with its single-action lever.
One downside, however, is that there is a possibility that the blade guard may get stuck inside your cutting material. Also, some customers have complained of the occasional aluminum blade burning smell. Keeping that aside, this makes for an amazing work tool that comes with a durable in-built carry case.
- Handy and easy to carry
- Lightweight design; weighs just 4 kgs
- High performance 5200 RPM motor; can cut through almost any material
- Convenient handle grip
- Single-action blade with level depth adjustment
- Rear angular guide for adjustment
- It comes with a carrying case
- Blade guard may get stuck into other materials
- The aluminum base may throw out burrs
- Unfit for left-handed people
Makita DHS680Z Brushless 18 V Li-ion Circular Saw Bare Unit, 165 mm: Best Base Unit
This one from Makita is among the best cordless circular saws. With an exceptional base unit, it gets power from a reliable 18V Li-ion battery.
This circular saw can deliver up to 5,000 RPM, which is the best it can get for a cordless saw. Accompanied with a large base, the DHS680Z offers greater stability and accurate cuts. The cherry on the cake is that it has some of the best additional features. An example would be its built-in automatic speed control which can change the motor’s speed as per your project needs.
Another impressive feature is its electric brake and electronic current limiter that ensure safety and protect against overloading. Moreover, it comes with 2 LEDs which makes enhances your visibility, no matter when you work. Finally, its three-indicator battery fuel gauge also lets the user be aware of energy consumption and refilling needs.
Its battery life is one of its major downsides. This circular saw relays its power and performance in return for consuming lots and lots of battery power, making it energy inefficient. Adding to this, the battery doesn’t come included with the saw and needs to be bought separately.
- Cordless
- Great motor performance with 5,000 RPM
- It comes with an electric brake and electronic current limiter
- The blower feature maintains accurate lines and cleans wood dust
- Stable functioning due to its large base
- Features LED lights
- It comes with safety breaks and guide rule
- It doesn’t include a battery in the package
- Not as energy-efficient, you would require a second battery
- Not the most durable or heavy-duty circular saw
WORX WX423 85mm 400W Compact Circular Saw Worxsaw: Best Ergonomic Saw
If you are looking for a compact, small-built, yet ergonomic saw with a stable blade, this one from Word might be your perfect pick. You can easily use it to cut through tiles, metal, plastic, and wooden material.
Another key feature is that it is easy to port and travel with. Weighing less than 2 kgs, this ergonomic saw is lightweight and offers easy storage. However, this 400 W circular saw is not suitable for heavy-duty work but is more than enough for DIY and basic jobs. Additionally, you can adjust its blade depth and use its parallel guide for maximum accuracy. It also features a spindle lock which helps in changing its blade.
One downer is that this saw lacks in diversity of usage. You can only make simple, straight cuts with it and not any of the bevel effects. Also, it is not suitable for thicker materials used in heavy-duty projects.
- Can easily cut through thinner materials
- Extremely lightweight, weighing just 1.9 kg
- Multipurpose and easy usage
- Accurate results with an included parallel guide
- Unfit for most heavy-duty work
- May obstruct and stop on thicker wood
- Not as stable
- Not fit for beveled work
Bosch Professional Hand-Held Circular Saw GKS 190: Best Heavy-duty
Looking for a saw that can meet your heavy-duty project needs? This handy model from Bosch gives professional performance while cutting through both the soft and hardwood.
To suit heavy-duty and versatile projects, the GKS 190 features a fan-cooled motor and a 16 tooth TCT blade which can angle up to 56 degrees. While in use, the saw provides a smooth cutting experience and ease of use.
Plus, you can use its dust extraction adapter feature to get rid of the waste by-products around your cutting space. Its handy parallel guide and wood chip deflector will help you make precise yet safe cuts.
What’s more, is that this saw is adjustable; you can change its blade depth and bevel easily. However, this piece is more suitable to meet your heavy-duty needs than precision work. This will not give you the ultra edge-cutting experience but will breeze through heavy, tough materials. Another downside is that this saw has a flimsy base, which isn’t expected from Bosch.
- Strong high-power 1400w motor with 16 tooth TCT blade
- Sharp and durable to cut through both hard and softwood
- Easy-clean dust extraction
- Wood chip deflector
- Adjustable cutting guide for maximum flexibility
- Cuts lack precision
- Unstable and flimsy base
- Bade not fine enough to make small cuts
Buying Guide
Whether you are a DIY expert or a professional handyman, only the best circular saw can give you precise, straight cuts. You have to decide whether you want a corded or cordless type, standard, or plunge-cutting saw. It is equally important to narrow down the average power rating, blade type, and extra features.
This guide has all the pointers you must keep in mind before choosing a circular saw for yourself.
Standard vs. Plunge Saw
If you are looking for a tool to make frequent straight cuts, go for the standard circular saw. These are worked with both hands, one gripping the rear handle that has the on-off switch while the other holds and steers the front handle.
A standard circular saw comes with a shield guard to protect the blade’s bottom, which retracts as you progress with the cut. Plus, standard models offer roughly an rpm ranging between 3000 to 6000.
A plunge cut saw, on the other hand, differs just slightly from a standard saw. It offers an additional function, i.e., on pressing down the handle, the blade also ‘plunges’ down and penetrates the wooden surface. Here too, the blade comes protected with a guard shield that has a return spring. This implies that you can cut material from almost any point, edges, middle, or anywhere else.
Power Rating
In simple terms, the power rating of a circular saw hints at its capability to cut through materials. The ideal power rating for you would depend on the size and type of your workpieces and your requirements.
But as a general rule, a tool with a rating above 1800 W offers considerable cutting power. Contrary to that, a saw with less than 1200 W wouldn’t allow you to cut through even an 80 mm x 1.5 m piece of oak timber.
Power rating also refers to the depth of cut, which in turn is based on the diameter of your tool’s blade. This means the weight of a saw varies with its power rating, the more Watts it has, the heavier it will be.
Battery-powered, cordless saw
Cordless saws are generally less powerful than the corded type and run on Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. This also limits their use when it comes to longer duration and deeper cuts. To avoid running out of battery and stopping your work mid-way, go for a cordless variety that comes with a dual battery. You can use a cordless saw to reach a depth of 55 mm at the most.
Corded circular saws, on the other hand, need to be plugged into an electricity source while operating. These are much more durable and are more suitable for heavy-duty work. The only downside is that they are not fit for outside work or in case of a power outage.
Accessories and features
There are some accessories and features that are a must-have when it comes to circular saws.
These include guide rails, laser guides., and adjustable guides. An adjustable guide will help you control the action of your circular saw and improve the precision and accuracy of cuts.
Most circular saws are equipped with an adjustable guide which is fixed parallel to the base. Laser guides offer a greater chance for precision, but the degree of accuracy of your cut ultimately depends on your ability.
Moreover, you can get maximum control using an aluminum guide rail, which comes with clamps or non-slip brackets. The rail is placed upon the workpiece, and the saw base moves along it to guarantee an accurate straight cut.
Extra Safety Features
Investing in a quality saw with a blade rotation speed of up to 6000 rpm needs to be paired with additional safety features. You must look for a few or more of these features to prevent any possible injury or damage –
• Splitter: Prevents the cut part from blocking the blade.
• Electric brake: Reduces stoppage time to around 3 seconds.
• Variable-speed drive: Helps adapt cutting speed to the chosen material.
• Retractable blade guard: Protects against cuts and injury.
• Rear and dust extractor: For removing wood dust and clearing the chips.
• Tilting base plate: To make 45° bevel cuts.
• Adjustable blade depth: To suit variable thickness levels.
Blade Type
The circular saw blade varies with the size of its diameter, material used, size of its borehole, and the number of teeth. Circular saws are made for specific blades as per their diameters which decides the depth of the cut. Whereas the speed and finish of your cut depend on the number of teeth, which usually ranges between 10 to 48. In short, the greater the teeth, the more precise, neat, and slower the cut.
The popular high-speed steel (HSS) blades, though cheaper, wear out quickly. For the best quality and longevity, go with carbide-tipped or Diamond blades. To make the best out of your purchase, choose multipurpose blades that are designed to cut through all kinds of materials – softwood, hardwood, plastics, non-ferrous metals like brass and copper, and laminates.
The blade is attached to the saw at its bore. Its size would vary with the size of your blade, so make sure to check the blade size first. And even after that, if you are unable to find the correct size, try using a reducing ring.
Budget
Getting full value for the money you pay for your welding machine is essential. Every person has a budget, and they would want the best MIG welder that falls under their budget.
However, problems may arise with the functionality, durability, and features present in the welder when choosing low-budget options.
At the same time, it does not mean that all high-priced welders will be excellent in these sections. Both low and high-priced welders can work exceptionally well if they are of good quality.
It is always advisable to go for well-known brands that provide quality welders. Numerous famous brands manufacture high-quality yet low-budget models with amazing features.
Final Verdict
To get the best out of your circular saw, you need to choose one that fits the pre-requisites of a great performing circular saw. You may need different types of tools for different projects and need to research accordingly. However, more generally, an adjustable saw cutter is multi-purpose and can be used for a number of projects, be it DIY or heavy stuff.
In a nutshell, the lightweight and high-performing Makita HS7601J is the overall best choice. If you want a cordless saw for an outdoor building, you can look at another ergonomic model from Makita, the battery-powered DHS680Z. The only problem here is that it drains energy more rapidly than its corded counterpart.
If you are here looking for a professional circular saw and do not care much for pin-point precision, go for Bosch GKS 190. Be sure to double-check with the above-mentioned buying guide before you purchase your next circular saw.
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