When it comes to power tools, few types are as useful as a circular saw. This tool is simply an indispensable part of the setup of any well-equipped workshop.
So, if you’re looking to work with wood effectively, then you should consider investing in the best circular saw that you could afford.
That being said, it has encouraged a range of manufacturers to bring their versions to the market.
As such, there are some great products out there, but there are also a few duds.
That is why we have curated this article to try to find the best model and brand on the market today.
Best Circular Saws: Your Options
Tacklife TCS115A Circular Saw
This saw from Tacklife certainly comes packed with useful features.
Key Features
First, it has a built-in laser guide which can help you cut quickly and accurately, no matter how many pieces of wood or items you need to work on. Second, this saw has a built-in dust blower that keeps the cutting line and surface free from sawdust buildup.
Apart from these features that come handy while you are cutting, its motor also stands out. Although it is only rated at 5.8 amps and 1500 Watts, it is made of high quality and pure copper. This means that the power output is actually equivalent to a motor that has a rating of 15 amps and 1800 Watts.
What is more interesting is that this has a speed of 3,500 RPM. That is a very high spin rate that will translate to a powerful cutting action with an excellent level of control.
One of its strong features is that it comes with 6 blades: 2 for wood cuts, 2 for wood and metal cuts and 2 for tile cuts.
Notable Highlights
- Powerful motor
- Five-inch cutting depth at 90 degrees
- Equipped with an aluminum guard
- Guided cutting
- Clean cutting line
Rockwell RK3440K Ultra-Compact Circular Saw
At the opposite end of the rope, we have this product from Rockwell. This model is all about mobility, though it does sacrifice some power to achieve that.
Key Features
Let’s take a look at the good stuff first and, as we said, this saw has a low weight, which is approximately less than four pounds. It also has a 120-inch power cord that really does make this easy to carry around. It also boasts an ergonomically designed and slim handle to provide you with excellent grip and control.
The manufacturer even placed the motor right at the rear to offset the blade and guard weight, which means that this product feels wonderfully well-balanced. In operation, a built-in laser guide really helps make accurate cuts, and while it doesn’t have built-in dust blowers, it can be easily hooked up to an external dust extractor since it has a designated adapter for such. Adjusting the depth is also quick and easy as it only has a simple lever.
The only issue, as we alluded to above, is with power. In order to get that excellent level of mobility and lightweight construction, the motor has been cut in size. It only produces 4 amps of power; hence, it can cut a lot of materials, but it will likely struggle to cut denser ones and achieve deeper cuts.
Notable Highlights
- Multi-functional design
- Extremely compact and lightweight
- Comfortable and easy to use
- Guided cutting
- Extremely long power cord
Minor Drawbacks
- Requires an external dust blower
- Underpowered motor
- Uses non-standard blades
SKIL 5280-01 15-Amp Circular Saw
This saw is all about the power! It’s right up there in the product’s name and, just in case you missed it, the saw also come equipped with bright red stickers highlighting that 15-amp motor. This model is the most powerful saw on our list, so if you only care about raw cutting power and if you are looking for a saw that powers up easily for almost any cutting situation, this could be the one for you.
Key Features
The useful features of this product include a 6-foot power cord. It uses standard 7.25 inches blades, which means that finding replacements would be an easy task.
Sadly, although this circular saw has a 15-amp motor, it actually has a pretty basic design. Meaning, there aren’t quite the refinements that you would find on a more premium model.
For one, the integrated laser guide only uses a single beam, making it a little less accurate than the dual beam found on the Tacklife model above. Second, you won’t be able to adjust the laser guide according to your needs, so you need to position the wood appropriately.
To sum up, this is a wonderfully powerful and very basic circular saw.
Notable Highlights
- Extremely powerful
- Lightweight
- Guided cutting
- Long power cord
- Compatible with standard-sized blades
Minor Drawbacks
- Too simple design
- Not too accurate laser beam
Verdict
The three models are fine examples of a circular saw, but which is the best circular saw among them?
For us, it’s hard to look past the Tacklife Circular Saw. To break that down a little, the Rockwell is a very useful and extremely mobile machine that is very easy to use, but the low power makes it unsuitable for smaller-scale jobs. The SKIL has the opposite problem, which is being extremely well powered but has a too-basic design that limits its usefulness.
The Tacklife happily sits in the middle. It has the right amount of power and fully stocked with a wide range of extremely useful features, but is still easy to use. Hence, this can be used for both small and large projects.
Would you like to see our top 10 mini circular saws on the market today for small cutting jobs, that we have hand picked for you? Check out our top 10 mini circular saws list here.