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5 Best Circular Saw

For every DIY construction project, there are really only TWO crucial tools: an electric drill and a power saw!

Saying DIY home projects is difficult without a circular saw is 100% an understatement.

Circular saws make woodworking projects a breeze, as they help you slice, dice, and chop your wood into the right shapes, angles, and lengths for whatever you’re building.

With the best circular saw, you’ll never find a project you can’t build at home.

No need for fancy chop saws—all you need is a well-built, versatile, handy-dandy circular saw to cut through anything.

Looking for a circular saw that works like a charm?

We’ve tested dozens of saws, combed through thousands of circular saw reviews, and studied product specs to bring you the best circular saws for your needs!

Read on to find out which saws deliver quality, durability, and reliability at a price tag you can love…

Best Budget Circular Saw

SKIL 5280-01 Circular Saw

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Design		8.5
Power		8.5
Features		8.0
Value		9.0

Why People Love it

A great budget buy; quality at a low price tag
Powerful, versatile, and lightweight
Perfect for a first-time DIYer

80 User Score

4.06 Editor Score

ProsCons

Powerful motor, quick and easy blade changes, lightweight, reliable, user-friendly design, comfortable to grip, versatile, durable, and safety button prevents accidental start-up.

Quality control issues; the metal hardware is lacking durability.

Design

8.5 / 10

The design of this circular saw is very comfortable, with an easy-grip handle that will be comfortable even after long minutes of depressing the trigger. The fact that it’s lighter than your average saw means that it’ll be easy to maneuver for more precise cuts, not to mention portable.

The saw really shines in its blade-changing design. The spindle lock makes it easy to remove and install the blades, and the necessary wrench comes included on the circular saw. You’ll find it’s a cinch to switch out blades for any project.

Power

8.5 / 10

With a 14-amp motor spinning the saw blade at 5300 RPMs, you’ll find this circular saw is able to cut through everything you throw at it—from plywood to 2x4s to thicker lumber. The motor is beautifully powerful and will rarely slow or jam, even with dense hardwoods.

Features

8.0 / 10

The features on this saw are pretty par for the course: a reliable dust blower to keep dust and debris out of your line of sight, a laser guide that helps maintain accurate cuts, and an adjustable bevel (up to 51 degrees) for more accurate beveled cuts. Safety is the priority with this saw, which is why it comes with a built-in trigger guard to reduce the risk of accidental start-ups.

Value

9.0 / 10

At less than $60, this is the best budget option on the market! You get good quality (minus the occasional quality control issues) at a great price, and a reliable saw that will get the job done right.

Learn more:SKIL 5280-01 Circular Saw »

Best Cordless Circular Saw

DEWALT DC390B 6-1/2-Inch 18-Volt Cordless Circular Saw

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Design		8.5
Power		8.0
Features		8.5
Value		7.5

Why People Love it

Never bother with plugs or extension cords again
Fast, versatile, and lightweight tool
Good power, great price tag

82 User Score

4.16 Editor Score

ProsCons

No power cable needed, well-powered motor, highly durable, carbide-tipped blade, easily adjustable, durable design, and lightweight.

No cordless battery included, must be purchased separately.

Design

8.5 / 10

The cordless design makes it slightly different than your regular corded saw, with a lighter-weight grip and more compact motor housing. It’s comfortable to hold and lighter than average (at 7.7 pounds), and you’ll love how the built-in second handle makes it easy to keep the cutting on track.

Power

8.0 / 10

This may not be as powerful as the heavy duty saws on our list, but don’t let that fool you! With 18-Volt motor spinning the saw blade at 3700 RPM, it’ll shear through anything you throw at it. Plus, thanks to the fact that it’s battery-powered, you never have to worry about making sure it’s plugged in.

On the downside, the battery doesn’t come included, so you’ll have to purchase it separately.

Features

8.5 / 10

The saw comes with a 6 ½-inch carbide tipped blade that’s capable of serious cutting power, and you’ll love how easy it is to adjust the cutting angle (from 0 to 50 degrees) for easy bevel cuts. The fan-cooled motor comes with replaceable brushes that will help you keep your saw in good shape, even after years of regular use.

Value

7.5 / 10

At $70, you’re paying a reasonable price tag for a very high quality DeWalt circular saw. You will have to spend a bit more for a battery pack, but it’s great for anyone who already works with DeWalt cordless tools at home.

Learn more:DEWALT DC390B 6-1/2-Inch 18-Volt Cordless Circular Saw »

Best Compact Circular Saw

Rockwell RK3440K Versacut Ultra-Compact Circular Saw

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Design		9.5
Power		8.5
Features		8.5
Value		8.5

Why People Love it

Cut through wood, ceramic, slate, aluminum, and plastic with one useful saw!
Lightweight and beautifully easy to maneuver
Well-balanced, reliable, and accurate cutting

87 User Score

4.42 Editor Score

ProsCons

Super compact grip, lightweight, ultra-portable design, easy to operate, durable, powerful despite its small size, ergonomic design, very reliable laser guide, versatile cutting blade, and built-in dust extraction system.

4-inch blade is too short for thick wood.

Design

9.5 / 10

The unique design of this saw is what makes it one of our top picks! Not only is it lightweight (just 4 pounds), but it’s designed with a comfort-grip, ergonomic handle that keeps the body of the saw out of your line of sight as you cut. It’s easy to use with just one hand, and you’ll never feel the strain on your wrists or arms. Thanks to the slim-grip handle, you’ll be able to stave off carpal tunnel syndrome and keep your joints happy even after long hours on the construction site.

On the downside, the blade is only 4 inches long, so it won’t be cutting through anything thicker than a 2x4. However, for thinner lumber or plywood—or the other materials listed above—it works like a dream!

Power

8.5 / 10

Don’t let the small size of this saw fool you! It may not be as powerful as some of the heavier-duty tools on our list, it still does an amazing job powering through not just wood, but plastic, ceramic tile, aluminum, and slate. With a 4-amp motor spinning the blade at 3500 RPM, you’ll find it can cut through anything you throw at it.

Features

8.5 / 10

The features built into this bad boy make using it a breeze. You get a built-in laser guide for precision cutting, a pivoting metal guard that helps keep you safe and makes for easy plunge cuts, a dust extractor to clear dust out of your line of sight, and a 10-foot-long cord that will give you freedom of movement. Now that’s a saw you can work with!

Value

8.5 / 10

At $100, this is a tad on the pricier side, but worth it if you want an ultra-portable, lightweight, and compact saw that you can take with you anywhere you go.

Learn more:Rockwell RK3440K Versacut Ultra-Compact Circular Saw »

Best Heavy Duty Circular Saw

PORTER-CABLE PCE310 Circular Saw

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Design		9.0
Power		9.5
Features		7.5
Value		9.0

Why People Love it

A heavy duty, ultra-powered circular saw guaranteed to get the job done
Good weight, great design, excellent operation
Highly reliable, good durability

91 User Score

4.62 Editor Score

ProsCons

High-powered motor, not too heavy, carbide-steel blade, easy to adjust on the fly, pre-set bevel settings for quick adjustments, well-designed, great price tag, and 3-year warranty.

Does not include a built-in rip guide.

Design

9.0 / 10

Weighing in at just over 9 pounds, this saw has a bit more heft to it than our top-rated pick, but that makes it feel nice and solid when you’re working with it. The magnesium shoe and the built-in metal guards (upper and lower) feel very durable and will keep your saw in good working condition for years to come.

For those who want to work with bevels and angles, the built-in pre-sets on this bad boy make it easy for you to do quick adjustments before cutting.

Power

9.5 / 10

If you want power, this is the heavy duty saw for you! At 5500 RPMs and a 15-amp motor, you’ve got power enough to cut through anything. Plus, the included blade is tipped with carbide steel, so there’s no wood too hard or tough for this saw.

Features

7.5 / 10

This saw doesn’t come with a lot of features—an extra grip handle, easy-adjusting bevel angle, and quick-access to the saw blade—but you’ll find it doesn’t need them. It’s just a simple, versatile, and very well-powered saw that gets the job of slicing and dicing your wood done like a boss.

Value

9.0 / 10

At just over $60, this is a very well-priced saw that will prove itself well worth the investment. Plus, you get a 3-year warranty to back it up, so you’ll always have it handy for any home or construction-site projects.

Learn more:PORTER-CABLE PCE310 Circular Saw »

Best Circular Saw overall

DEWALT DWE575SB Circular Saw

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Design		9.0
Power		9.5
Features		9.0
Value		8.0

Why People Love it

Very lightweight and maneuverable
Heavy duty design and powerful motor
User-friendly operation, construction, and incredibly reliable

96 User Score

4.88 Editor Score

ProsCons

Highly durable, professional-grade circular saw, great for at-home and construction site projects, maneuverable, wonderfully lightweight, easy to hold, top-of-the-line laser guide, heavy-duty rubber cord, and beautifully-designed saw.

Saw requires adjustment initially; blade isn’t properly parallel to the plate upon shipping.

Design

9.0 / 10

The design of this circular saw makes it incredibly comfortable to grip, with all the points of contact and grip surfaces easy on your hands and wrists.

Weighing in at just 8.8 pounds, this is an incredibly lightweight circular saw that will be easy to maneuver and work with, yet still packs a powerful punch with its heavy duty motor.

The blade changing tool is easy to access, and you’ll find it’s a breeze to adjust the bevel angle or fiddle with the blade itself. This is important, because multiple users have complained that the saw arrives with the blade angle misaligned, so it’ll take a bit of work fiddling with the blade to get it straight before using.

Power

9.5 / 10

If you want a circular saw guaranteed to blast through any 2x4 or plywood, this is your top pick! With a high quality, heavy duty 15-Amp motor, this DeWalt circular saw has the power to chop through any wood you’ve got.

Thanks to its heavy-duty power cable, you’ll never have to worry about the cord breaking or being damaged on the job.

Features

9.0 / 10

This circular saw has it all: a dust blower to get rid of sawdust from your cutting surface, an adjustable blade plate that lets you work with up to 57 degree angle for precision beveling, a highly reliable electric-powered speed brake that will reduce the risk of injuries, and one of the best laser guides on the market.

Value

8.0 / 10

At $130, this is a bit on the pricier side, but 100% worth it for a heavy duty circular saw that weighs surprisingly little and does an amazing job every time!

Learn more:DEWALT DWE575SB Circular Saw »

By: Andrew Peloquin

Fitness has come hard for Andy; he's had to work for it. But, his trials have led him to becoming a martial artist, a NFPT-certified fitness trainer, and a man passionate about exercise and healthy living. That’s why he’s our resident fitness expert.

His favorite food is lettuce-leaf steak tacos – though he’ll admit to a love of hot wings if you leverage the right pressure.

We know him as the guy who understands British humor and wishes everyone was as passionate about life as he is. His previous forays into the worlds of international business and education have left him wildly optimistic. And, if that wasn’t enough, he's also a best-selling, award-winning author of fantasy novels! Can you say renaissance?

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