Tool Test: Circ Saws

Tester Comments
This is a well-made saw with some good features, but we wish it had a normal cord–the clips on the saw don’t always hold the extension cords tightly. The composite base is solid, and the adjustments have nice repositionable ratcheting levers. Has bevel stops at 22.5° and 45°, but the stop springs make it hard to set angles close by. Stops for common cut depths are hard to use and unnecessary. Guard performance is excellent on all cuts. Blade changing is fair. The only saw with a rafter hook–a nice feature for framing. Has a tool bag.

Street Price
$140

Contact
Bosch
877-267-2499
www.boschtools.com

Tester Comments
We found little to recommend about this saw; it felt clunky and slow. The cast base is stiff, but its assembly flexes too much. The adjustment levers are of decent size but poorly designed. The bevel lever won’t stay adjusted; each time we go past the 45° stop, its bolt comes loose and requires fixing. Guard performance is fair, but changing the blade is a nightmare. The blade bolt head is short and hard to get ahold of. Cord has a lighted plug. Includes spare motor brushes, a large rip fence, and a plastic case. Blade brake model.

Street Price
$140

Contact
Craftsman Professional
866-798-6657
www.craftsman.com

Tester Comments
This is the saw derived from the venerable Saw Cat. It adjusts depth by pivoting from the back to keep the handle low when the cut is shallow. The saw has a flat aluminum base, which is thick and rigid. The depth adjusts quickly with the front-handle knob without taking your hands off the saw. The bevel adjustment has a knob and lacks a 45° stop. Excellent guard performance for all cuts. The only saw that can be adjusted for base to blade parallelism, and with adjustable depth and angle pointers. Includes plastic case. Blade brake model.

Street Price
$159

Contact
DeWalt Industrial Tools
800-433-9258
www.dewalt.com

Tester Comments
In our top three. This hard-working saw is especially comfortable because it’s lighter and more compact than most. It has a composite base that is virtually indestructible. There is some play in the base assembly, but it doesn’t seem to make the saw bind. Has nice bevel and depth adjustment levers. Bevel stops at 22.5° and 45° click in place with a ball detent system that is among the easiest to use. Excellent guard performance at all angles. Blade changes were easy. Includes plastic case. Blade brake model.

Street Price
$139

Contact
DeWalt Industrial Tools
800-433-9258
www.dewalt.com

Tester Comments
This sturdy and powerful saw looks like the Porter-Cable saw but without the annoying blade-change feature. To me, the motors felt different; this saw doesn’t seem to run as smoothly, although it is among the better models. Has a sturdy cast base assembly and nice adjustment levers. There is a bevel stop at 45°. The depth lever is hard to reach between the blade housing and the handle. Excellent guard performance at any angle. Comes with a great long cord and no case. Blade brake model.

Street Price
$159

Contact
Hilti
800-879-8000
www.us.hilti.com

Tester Comments
This saw has thin handle grips, so people with smaller hands really appreciate it, but all agreed that it was among the most comfortable. The cast base didn’t wobble, and the adjustments are all done with levers. It took finesse to get past the 45° bevel stop, and the depth lever is a bit hard to reach between the handle and blade housing. The blade guard is fair; it is hard to start the saw into an angled cut. Blade changes were easy with the T-handle blade wrench, but don’t lose it–the arbor bolt is too small for a wrench. No case included. With blade brake.

Street Price
$129

Contact
Hitachi Power Tools
800-829-4752
www.hitachipowertools.com

Tester Comments
In our top three. This saw is a smooth cutter and a real comfort standout, with great ergonomics and every adjustment lever covered in soft rubber. The bevel adjustment is the best of all with a simple dial to set stops at 22.5° and 45°. The depth adjustment works smoothly, although the depth-gauge sticker fell off quickly. The guard action is excellent, and the cast base unit is plenty sturdy. Blade changing is easy with the onboard hex wrench and the LED headlight was a surprise hit. Comes with a plastic case and rip fence. With blade brake..

Street Price
$169

Contact
Makita USA Inc.
800-462-5482
www.makitatools.com

Tester Comments
Our test winner. Powerful, durable, and easy to use: just the best overall. The flat alumimum base holds up well, and the base assembly is solid. I really like the bevel adjustment–a steel lever that I can use without taking my hand off the front grip. It only goes to 50° and has no stops, but it’s the fastest to use. The blade- guard action is excellent at any angle. Easy blade changing with an onboard hex wrench. Features unique rotating rear handle, front handle mounted directly to the base, and detachable cord. Includes plastic case. Blade brake model.

Street Price
$159

Contact
Milwaukee Electric Tool
800-729-3878
www.milwaukeetool.com

Tester Comments
This is a very well-done pro saw with good ergonomics and a sturdy build, but with one big flaw. The cast base is solidly attached, and levers are used for adjustments. There is a bevel stop at 45°. The depth adjustment lever is hard to reach between the rear handle and the blade housing. The blade guard handles all types of cuts well. Its downfall is its clumsy, tool-free blade change mechanism. The arbor bolt has a spring-loaded sliding lever that you turn by hand, painfully and slowly. Built-in sawdust diverter can be attached to a vacuum. Includes plastic case.

Street Price
$329

Contact
Porter-Cable
888-848-5175
www.deltaportercable.com

Tester Comments
This saw was not a favorite, placing just above the low-cost models and costing just a little more. The flat aluminum base is not well detailed, with its square-cornered cut-outs inviting fatigue. Levers are used for adjustments. The bevel stop at 45° is hard to disengage to pass, and the depth lever is difficult to reach between the handle and blade housing. Excellent guard performance for all cuts though, and has a nice onboard hex wrench. Since our test began, the saw was renamed the R3201 and now comes without the rip fence and plastic case.

Street Price
$99

Contact
Ridgid
800-474-3443
www.ridgid.com

Tester Comments
With its warranty not in effect for jobsite use, this saw is not designed the pro–and its construction reflects that. The base is light-duty stamped steel, and there is some flex in the base assembly. Most adjustments are made with plastic knobs. A crucial design flaw is the lack of a trigger-area divider, so you may accidentally start the saw when picking it up. Blade changing is awkward, and the bevel angle is limited to 45°. This saw has a decent laser and a nice adjustable sight notch on the base. Includes rip fence and plastic case.

Street Price
$70

Contact
Black & Decker
800-544-6986
www.firestormtools.com

Tester Comments
Not a pro model, even though its warranty does not prohibit professional use. It seems cheaply made. The saw base is light stamped steel, and all of the adjustments are with small plastic knobs. The blade guard must be manually held up to adjust the saw beyond 42°, and a third hand is needed to get beyond 45°. Blade changing is difficult. The lasers fore and aft are interesting, but we can’t figure out a purpose for the rear one. Has a vac attachment that cannot be left on for use without a vac. Comes with plastic case and rip fence.

Street Price
$69

Contact
Ryobi
800-525-2579
www.ryobitools.com

Tester Comments
This saw’s warranty disclaims commercial use, but it has a more serious flaw for pro use. The grip is small, the trigger is two-fingers large, and it has no trigger-area divider, so picking it up usually results in starting the saw inadvertently. The build quality is nice, but some design features seem mostly cosmetic. Comfort suffered with the wide separation between the handle and the blade axis. Adjustment levers are nice, but the bevel angle is restricted to 45°. Has clever rotating handles. With onboard hex wrench, rip fence, and plastic case.

Street Price
$76

Contact
Worx Power Tools
866-354-9679
www.worxpowertools.com