What To Look For In A Circular Saw

It’s good when you know what to look for in a circular saw.  After all, when working with wood, there are a few tools that are fairly essential – and I think a circular saw is one of them.

A circular saw is fantastic for making cross cuts, slit cuts and even bevel cuts.  You may wonder what to look for in a circular saw, as there are quite a few out there on the market.

With so much choice, navigating a good one from a dud can be a bit of a mine field.  To help in this process, this guide is designed to address some basic info plus give you our top 5 recommended products from our own personal use and research.

Related: Dremel Ultra Saw Versus Saw Max

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Firstly, what is a circular saw?

A circular saw is an electric saw that reverses level blade to cut wood, steel, or plastic depending on the blade selected. Circular saws are managed with on/off trigger switch, an arbor nut to hold the blade in place, and also guards to shield the operator from touching the spinning blade. In addition, circular saws have height/depth and bevel modifications. Always refer to the circular saw’s procedures manual for specifics.

Circular saws differ greatly to jigsaws which allow more intricate cuts and the ability to cut out shapes and patterns.  Circular saws are similar to miter saws which make crosscuts and miters by pulling a large backsaw or circular saw blade down for serious project work.

RELATED: How to Use a Circular Saw Without a Table

Although the same cuts can be made with a table saw or a radial-arm saw, the round saw has the benefit of mobility. Numerous types are offered, from home models to expert, heavy-duty versions.

Two Main Types of Circular Saws:

• Corded-Electric
• Battery-Powered

Corded circular saws do not rely on batteries for power as well as are better suited for challenging cutting work, like stonework, steel and continual wood cutting. When collaborating with wood, a cordless handheld circular saw is helpful and allows flexibility in your work space.

Related:  Best Saw For Cutting 2×4

What To Look For In A Circular Saw

Circular saws make fast, straight cross a board (crosscuts) or along the board’s size (slit cuts). You can additionally set a circular saw to make bevel cuts. Criterion components on a circular saw include:

• A blade guard that covers the blade when the saw isn’t in operation as well as retracts to subject the blade during usage.
• A foot plate or footwear that steadies the saw versus the job item.
• A depth modification to allow for job pieces of different densities.
• A bevel adjustment that lets the foot plate tilt in connection with the blade for making bevel cuts.rs

So, I want a Circular saw, what next?

The very best circular saw for each individual project depends upon a number of elements.

• Task dimension, product type.
• Budget plan.
• Ability level.

 Top 5 Circular Saws Compared

**Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, with no additional cost to you, I can earn from qualifying purchases. I sure do appreciate it as it helps to maintain this site.  Knowing me though, I’ll most likely buy a beer with it instead!  Of course you can buy these products in a retail store too.  Totally up to you!

What To Look For In a Circular Saw – Our Reviews

Below is our detailed guide of the 5 best selling circular saws and our experiences with them.  Each review gives you the opportunity to check out the price on Amazon (or read more reviews which are helpful too).

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DEWALT DCS570B 7-1/4″ (184mm) 20V Cordless Circular Saw – Top Pick and Amazon Best Seller

For a cordless saw it certainly packs plenty of power and it will cut though almost anything. The best feature is the way they designed the bottom plate as you can see EXACTLY where your blade is cutting.  Definitely user friendly for the beginner as you can make perfect cuts with this every time. It is also pretty quiet compared to a plug-in saw.

It has decent weight (which helps with the cut), easy to use with plenty of torque and the rafter hook is a nice touch. .  It does come with a blade and blade changing wrench but you will need to purchase a battery and charger with this one.  You can purchase the batteries with the saw as part of a kit and that will save you some money.

The almost instantaneous blade brake is a really nice feature. And no extension cord to drag around the shop or job site, or a generator to set up.

Overall it’s a great circular saw for a beginner with a well thought out design plus it cuts like butter! Just make sure to set your blade to the correct level and NOT support both end of your 2x to avoid binding!

If you would like to check the price of the Dewalt DC570B 7-1/4″ (184mm) 20V Cordless Circular Saw, Click Here.

The Good:

• Powerful brushless motor provides 5200Rpm and maintains speed under load
• Ease of use – bevel capacity up to 57 degrees
• Bevel tops 22.5 and 45 degrees
• Depth of cut at 90 degrees, 2-9/16″
• Electronic brakes and rear pivot
• Runtime – 100 cross cuts in a 2×4 (Pine)
• Includes 1 x 7-1/4″ (184 mm) circular saw plus 1x 1/4″ (184 mm) blade and 1x blade wrench
• Top handle

The Bad:

• Bare tool only with battery and charger sold separately

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SKIL 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw with single laser beam – Budget Friendly

This circular saw by Skil is certainly one of the more cheaper ones on the market which can make it helpful for the beginner who is just starting out.  Interestingly Skil describes it for the ‘experienced user’ (see their quote below) as according to them it has ‘advanced features.’  Really these features I would describe as more helpful than advanced such as a laser guide (super helpful to get the cut on the line) and onboard wrench storage.  A beginner could definitely use it.  It isn’t battery powered though so less mobile friendly than some other ones. It does have a shaft lock added to make changing blades easier which is handy.

The thing I like most about this is the lighter weight. If you cut a lot, it becomes very noticeable. It has plenty of power for ordinary uses like easily cutting 2x4s, 1.5″ planks, plywood, etc. The maximum cut depth is just under 2-1/2 inches. The blade guard retracts smoothly. The sawdust blower keeps a clean cut line.

If you are a beginner you should be aware that this saw does not have an electric brake which would stop the saw blade after you release the trigger (seems like this is a missed safety feature!) so it would be something you would need to be mindful of.  It does have an easy-to-use safety button to prevent accidental startup plus a torque clutch to help lessen risk of kickback.  The saw dust blower is handy to keep cut line visible – although some have reported it didn’t work so well for them.  At the end of the day, this is a popular product with far more positive reviews than negative and it packs a mean punch (you could cut through bricks with it).    Its good value for the price.

If you would like to check the price of the Skil 5280-01 15 AMP 7-1/4 Inch Circular Saw, Click Here.

The Good:

• Powerful 15 AMP motor
• 5,300-RPM for greater speed and faster cuts.
• Spindle lock for easy blade changes and on-tool wrench
• 51° bevel capacity for a wide variety of cuts.
• Laser guide included for increased accuracy
• Integrated dust blower keeping line of cut sawdust free
• Carrying bag for portability and storage
• Power on indicator for powered tool alert
• Anti-snag lower guard reduces snags when making narrow cut-offs
• Wide foot plate for stability when cutting
• Rear view depth adjustment for clear visibility and quick cut-depth changes

The Bad:

• Fence is square and is not adjustable
• Not suitable for metal cutting
• Not Battery Operational
• Does not support 240v power outlets (for those outside the US)

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TACKLIFE Circular Saw (TCS115A) – Best Mini Saw

If you’re after a mini saw, this one by Tacklife is a honey. When doing this review I compared the Tacklife to the Rockwell, but found the Tacklife to have a bit more guts in the motor plus a laser guide and it’s a bit cheaper which is always a bonus!

The downside?  I should come with a bag/case, as this type of saw is good for taking it to jobs away from your regular work space. Really what I look for is the types of cuts it can make and It had no problem cleanly cutting 5/4 x 6″ cedar deck boards. You’ll need to use a quick square as a guide, as I do with my larger saw, to get a nice straight cut.

I am tempted to use this one more than my regular circular saw since it is much easier to handle one handed. But alas, the one I tested wasn’t mine (it was dad’s) and he said that ‘Plunge cutting wood boards for removal was a breeze!’.

The only real improvement I could see would be to make the shoe a bit more solid since it feels a little flimsy and flexible. Seems to work ok though. A beginner could definitely handle this little beast!

If you would like to check the price of the TACKLIFE (TCS115A) Circular Saw with Metal Handle, 6 Blades(4-3/4″ & 4-1/2”), Laser Guide, 5.8A, Max Cutting Depth 1-11/16” (90°), 1-3/8” (0°-45°), Click Here.

The Good:

• Features a 5.8 Amps copper motor to deliver full-size performance at 3,500 rpm, making cut wood, plastics, plaster board, PVC pipe, tile with ease.
• Easy and quick to install and disassemble by rotating the handle without any auxiliary tools.
• A parallel guide attachment ensures straight, precise cuts easily and quickly.
• Metal handle and laser design
• Adjustable cutting angle 90 – 45 degree
• Features a curved dust post making it convenient to connect your vacuum cleaner
• Easy set depth scaled gauge lever
• Left-sided blade design for great cut-line visibility
• Includes 6 blades (wood, soft metal and tile cuts); 1x metal handle; 1x parallel guide; 1x dust port; 1x hex key

The Bad:

• This product does not come with a carrying case
• Not rechargeable.  It’s a corded circular saw.

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Makita 5007MG Magnesium 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw – Most Powerful

I choose to review this saw mainly to compare it to the Skil and the Dewalt.  I do like Makita products and this one is no exception.

All adjustments work smooth, the depth and bevel. It cuts great with as much power as I can remember in any 7 1/4″ circ. saw. I’m impressed with the balance, ergonomics and cutting ease. It cuts smooth, the dust blower and light work reasonably well, plus the depth adjustment works well.  As a bonus it comes with a case which is good to keep the saw secure.

This is a quality circular saw that has good sight lines and plenty of power yet isn’t bulky or too heavy.

I have found that the reviews for similar brands comparably priced all have the same critiques. Nonetheless, blade swap-out is easy and the motor has great power (perhaps more so than the Skil verson which is also a 7-1/4 circular saw). For the price it’s a great product and could be easily handle by the novice and more experienced alike.

If you would like to check the price of the Makita 5007MG Magnesium 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw, Click Here.

The Good;

• Powerful 15 AMP delivers 5,800 RPM for jobsite durability
• Magnesium components create a lightweight saw (10.6 lbs.) that is well balanced and jobsite tough.
• Two built-ins L.E.D. lights illuminate the line of cut for increased accuracy
• Large cutting capacity (2-1/2″ at 90°) and bevel capacity (0°-56°) with positive stops at 22.5°and 45°
• Built in dust blower clears the line of cut for greater accuracy
• Blade wrench is attached to saw for fast and convenient blade changeing
• Includes a premium 7-1/4″ carbide tipped framing blade that cuts faster and last longer
• The product comes with a carrying case

The Bad:

• The saw may want to kick back when trying to cut a bevel angle more than 45 degrees
• The circular saw is corded and not battery powered.

What to Look for When Buying a Circular Saw

At the end of the day any tool should feel comfortable when you use it. Think about the work you need to do, and balance the power you want against the size and weight you can comfortably handle.  Decide if you want a cordless or corded and of course what your budget is.  Also decide if you want a fence, carrying case and laser for guided technology.

Read reviews and consider all pros and cons.  This will help you to find best circular saw for beginners.Of course,  the number of times you use the circular saw and whether or not you’re using it for projects that require high amounts of power will also play an effect in overall durability.

For further information including feedback, comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us as we would love to hear from you.

Quick Links to Our Circular Saws

Dewalt – Top Pick

Skil – Budget Friendly

Milwaukee – Most Innovative

Tacklife – Best Mini Circular Saw

Makita – Most Powerful