Best Circular Saws
High quality track saw. What I would expect from Festool. Awesome!! Show details
This thing is bloody awesome – The saw on the track cuts beautiful straight clean square cuts like nothing else I've used bar a table saw and it cuts thick particle board and… Read more
laminates like they are not there. I got the deal where they threw in the extra guide rail which made it better value than the teal coloured contender, so it was a no brainer, just get the best. I like that you get a charger per battery as well. This is only my second Festool purchase after the CT 15 Midi extractor. One hit of the green cordial and you're hooked.
For the price, this saw performed well. Easy to set up and operate and not heavy to move around. Cuts are clean and the saw has no problem with… Read more
thicker pieces of timber. A couple of downsides - the dust bag is for show only and practically useless and before using the saw, make a couple of practice cuts to ensure the saw is cutting at 90 degrees. The first saw I bought had to be offset by around 8 degrees to get a perfect square cut (even with the saw table offset to the max). I returned this saw to Bunnings and they had no issue to provide a replacement. The new saw still needs to be offset by a couple of degrees but nowhere near as bad as the original saw. I figure this will be an issue with these saws and a result of a low price. 'You get what you pay for' right? The upsides - it's cheap, does what it's supposed to do and has a 3 year warranty. Overall, a positive experience and happy with Ozito.
Heavy duty workhorse – These saws are big, heavy and powerful but thats why you buy one. Well not so much for the weight. These saws have remained a similar design for 30… Read more
years and its a well proven, simple and reliable design. Ive used these for framing for years and they just dont miss a beat.
You really can treat these harshly and you would be working hard to kill one. Given thier size and weight I only get it out when the cordless circular saw wont get the job done and thats only for serious full depth ripping in hardwood. They come with the standard accessories you would expect and I would recommend for those serious into heavy timber framing if youre not doing that get one of the smaller and lighter makita cordless saws.
My go to site saw – When fitted with the 250mm crosscut track, it essentially become a very portable mitre saw. If you're not doing repitative lengths of cuts, might as… Read more
well just get this out, may even be slightly faster than a bench mitre saw. Because it's so easy to line up cut mark. Battery life is fine, power is fine, even when ripping. Handy too that it is a plunge track saw as well. Being able to quickly and accurately adjust the height of cut is great. Only negative is combination cuts at 45' on 45mm timber, because blade is just slightly too small. Well worth getting, no other circular saw can compare with the results of quality and speed.
Well built machine – This saw is built really well and has enough power for most hobbyists and diyers. I've used it for a number of projects including building a timber… Read more
pergola and as long as you have a decent blade it can handle 45mm thick pine beams, particle board benchtops etc. So far no complaints. Obviously it's going to struggle with hardwoods or a blunt blade so you need to be sensible on how to use it. It'd be great if Ozito made a 36V version.
Great saw with plenty of power – Bought this saw for $119 in August 2020 to rip some 45mm thick hardwood. Very impressed with how easily it ripped through the timber and how fast it… Read more
was. The blade was at the right angle straight out of the box and did not require any adjustment. The guide is surprisingly easy to use to cut to pre-determined width. Overall very impressive!
Great tool with room of improvement – Had my chain for at least couple of years. Cuts great and beats the noise of conventional chainsaws. You can easily view oil level. Issues I found… Read more
with the chain bar were when cutting close to the tip of the bar, the chain may go into the bar opening a gap. This happened twice. Milwaukee’s warranty is great, however, the bar quality can be improved. I was wondering if I had the chain too tight, but hard to imagine this would happen twice. Never experienced this with other conventional saws. The chain saw RPM is on the low side compared to others. Aside from that, as usual with Milwaukee products, great product.
The ryobi 150mm circular saw 18v is useless with your small batteries it sucked the life out of three of small batteries to cut a length of wood around 3 feet long very disappointed had to use the large battery
Good for the price – I'm just a DIY user, but I quickly grew past what this saw could do. The two major issues that hold it back for me are the blade cover getting stuck… Read more
at the start of work, often needing to awkwardly pull it back slightly to get it started Then the power of it, I instantly swapped the default blade to a Irwin Weldtech and was having issue with it getting bogged down.swapped again to a Diablo and still the same issue. Now I am talking about cutting 200x50mm sleepers so it's quite a task for a small saw, but it's still enough to make me look elsewhere now. Besides those two issues it has been great.
A joy to use – I bought this saw as an upgrade from an older TS75 Festool model, which had seen a lot of use and after being dropped on the work site a couple of… Read more
times was no longer the machine it once was. A test cut with the new TS 60K made it clear I needed to put a new splinter guard strip on my tracks because the new saw had a thinner blade and made the cut slightly different from the old model.
When that was done I started cutting some melamine-coated 20mm hardwood ply panels for a cabinetry project. I was amazed by the difference. Firstly the saw ran a lot quieter than the old model. The cut accuracy was incredible and the new blade sliced through the ply so easily. It also made a much cleaner cut with no chips at all. I previously had to edge the cut panels with a router to clean up the cut. No need for that anymore. It's also much easier to set the depth of cut with a high degree of accuracy.
I love this saw. It's a joy to use. It will save me so much time and give me a much better quality end product. Highly recommended.
Handyman must have – Good value product, battery lasts long enough to do decent days work.. design and feel of the saw fits well and is easy to use...not to heavy..
No more cords – Ive had one of these for years, they are powerful and useful. When i first got it i took a bit of a chance as they were fairly new on the market and… Read more
only 3ah batteries were availble. Now there are bigger capacities available the corded 9 1/4 only comes out for ripping ironbark or similar heavy work. I have the new cordless makits 18v and it sits even higher up the chain than this one in terms of features, build quality and battery life. I would spend the extra and go for the newer model. If youre on a budget this will get you by fine.
Milwaukee M18 2730-20
Rubbish don't buy – Breaks down constantly , now going in to be 'fixed' for the forth time . Haven't been able to use it for 6 months now . Milwaukee and Total Tools customer service is non existent . You have been warned .
GMC MX1275
A Classic GMC Power Saw – Writing a review on the GMC MX1275 1200W 184mm Circular Saw is to write about a saw from the past. This model was one of the GMC models from around… Read more
2004 when the company (Australian) was at it's peak of success and was also one of the best no frills greatly priced 184mm saws around for the home handyman, and at the time was recommended as the best circular saw for a Fathers day present in that year
I myself had one from new and it gave me 10 years of reliable service before it died of overwork
But recently my Daughter who has become quite the Female handyman came home with GMC MX1275 1200W 184mm Circular Saw which she pickup free from an elderly couple cleaning out the garage.
It was still in the original box with the Bunnings receipt and never used, it blew me away when she bought it to me to ask if was any good.
I told her she had quite a unique saw, and yes it was a saw that she could cherish and that properly used would still capable of giving her many years of service
Powerful, fast cutting and well built, can’t fault it – I bought this saw as part of a five piece kit in June 2020, when I finally decided on DeWalt as the tool brand I would buy into, after some research… Read more
and asking various friends. In hindsight I think I made the right decision, and I wish I’d taken the plunge into the DeWalt cordless tools sooner!
For a long time, I was using my housemate's corded Makita circular saw. It was a good saw, and I even bought the same saw after he moved out and took his saw with him. However I probably should have bought one of these instead, because having a cord on a circular saw is just a major inconvenience. Since I got this saw, I’ve hardly used my corded Makita.
I don’t use my circular saw for that much cutting since I now own a corded Makita sliding compound mitre saw, which I use for accurate right angle or other angled cuts. I find the circular saw particularly useful for ripping (since I don’t have a table saw). It comes with a rip fence, which makes ripping easy, though simply following a ruled line is also easy enough. I also use it for convenient cutting when I’m not near a power-point or can’t be bothered lugging the sliding compound mitre saw to location.
I’ve found this DeWalt saw to be an excellent saw. I’ve mostly used it with hardwood. It’s powerful and cuts very quickly. It’s well-balanced and comfortable to hold. It has an LED which is effective at lighting up your cutting area. The blade depth can be adjusted easily, and the blade angle can be changed to make bevel cuts (which I don’t do much but it’s good to have the option). The weight of the saw is fine, it fits my expectations. The runtime also seems pretty good; I used mine to cut firewood from a bunch of off-cuts from some hardwood milling and I could get a decent little pile out of each 6 Ah battery. I also like the electric brake, which stops the blade pretty quickly when you release the trigger, for a bit of added safety.
So, I’m very happy with this saw, and can’t think of anything to fault it.
Bosch GKS 190 Professional
Fantastic little power saw – Was looking for my first circular saw and did some research, went to different shops and picked up saws and had a look at what was out there from… Read more
various manufacturers in this size. Have to say I'm delighted with this saw. Powerful motor (1,400W), very comfortable, good for right and left-handers and it doesn't weigh a tonne.
The only thing that's gone wrong was that the dust extraction bracket broke, which was partly my fault anyway. The only other thing I would mention is that if you're using the guide fence, the minimum distance from the blade you can cut is pretty much the face of the blade to the front of the foot plate (i.e. if you want to cut off a 10mm strip, you'll need to get a straight bit of low timber and clamp it down to use as your guide).
Very happy with the saw. Powerful, compact, light, comfortable. Guide fence doesn't allow for cutting thin strips (see main review), broke clip for dust extraction
So easy to use and accurate – Great product and accurate saw with great safety features. Cuts great and is very light. Battery lasts for a surprisingly long time. Service from… Read more
Ryobi via Bunnings is second to none with an additional 2 year warranty added once registered. Hard to go past.
Great little DIY saw – I've been using this now for 3 years. It has help lay laminate flooring, bamboo flooring, a small tiling job and lots of small jobs in between. The… Read more
saw hasn't missed a beat, it's nice and safe, and it comes with a 3 year warranty. Highly recommended for the DIYer!
Good tool, good value – This saw was hard for me to justify buying, I really didn't want to spend $725 + $ 330 on the FSK rail, and then like $400 on 2x 1400 tracks, that… Read more
ended up costing a total of $1500!
However it was value.
The saw works really well, it's powerful, quiet and easy to use and can do lots.
Whats impressive is that it can pretty much do exactly what a 7 1/4 sliding mitre saw, a plunge cut track saw and a standard circular saw does. If you were to buy all those tools separate you would spend way more on them than buying this one piece of kit and some of its accessories.
It's the one tool you thought you never needed until you have it! – If there is one thing I hate is spending money on tools that I end up not using or worse, regret buying! Try to explain that to your wife! Well this… Read more
isn't the case with this little gem, it can do a lot with its small package and I end up using far more than its bigger counterpart the angle grinder.
Few reasons why: 1 the size, it fits in any tool bag, 2 the weight, it's super light with my 2A battery and it last 3 in most cases you want to cut something on the fly, you hold it in one hand and you use the tool in the other, try that safely with the angle grinder. 4 dust extraction! 5 you can change the direction of cutting! 6 setting a depth of cut 7 flat and square shroud plate 8 over 20mm of cutting depth 9 dust extraction I am sure there is more but I can't think of the others.
No joke, this tool is a fantastic addition to my collection, and I wished it was on the blue skin but theirs has a massive flaw that the Dewalt doesn't. The shroud can be removed easily, without having to use any tool or remove the blade. that's genius! It comes with 3 blades, metal, ceramic and the universal, and I have used them all, only concern that I have is the availability of the blades but I will find them but overhaul I am very happy with the results if I had to describe the tool in only a few words, It's like having the circular saw on your angle grinder.
So to finish, For the price point you can't go wrong ($236.50 at the time of writing), and it will be as versatile as the angle grinder, except a lot safer.
The TSV 60K Plunge Cut Scoring Saw, is simply the best invention by Festool. I First used a Scoring saw blade on a Big Industrial Table Saw at… Read more
TAFE, when I was doing my Carpentry Course. For Over 30 years now I’ve been wondering who was going to add the Scoring saw blade onto a Circular Saw. The Answer is Festool of corse. Very well done Festool, keep up the GOOD work.
Thank You.
An outstanding track/plunge saw – When in the market for a quality track saw, there are obviously the two main options - i.e. Festool or Makita. Further complicating the decision then… Read more
is whether to go for 18V or the newer high capacity battery system. Obviously if you are already within a certain battery ecosystem it makes sense to probably stick with that since the batteries are a large part of the investment. I took the Makita XGT 40V option a couple of months back and have been absolutely blown away by this saw. Bought it in a kit form with a rail and two batteries and that's certainly a worthwhile bundle, but you may also want to consider another 1.4m rail or longer if cutting larger sheets. The added bonus with the kit is that you get a bluetooth module which lets you sync to a Makita vac if you have one of those.
There's a few YouTube reviews out there so it's not worth going over all the features, but the main thing that has absolutely astounded me with this saw is the battery performance. I've been able to work with this saw all day on a single 4ah battery and given that the kit came with two of them, I can't see how I would ever go through both unless I'm cutting down a forest. Everything about the saw has been fabulous. It runs smoothly on the track and the adjusters take out any play to give you very accurate cuts. The locking clip to keep it in the rail has been a lifesaver on several occasions (especially when the saw is tilted to cut a miter) and quality as well as ease of cuts has been brilliant. Have had a much cheaper 240V corded track saw before and this absolutely blows it away in every regard. Can highly recommend.
Pro's : - Quality of cuts - Performance of 40V system is astonishing - Short stop on the plunge to give you a score on laminate (quick and easy) Cons: - Miter angle adjustment can be a bit fiddly. - The depth gauge on the saw doesn't consider track depth - Dust extraction port would be nicer to have a clip system so that hose can't pull out.
Worx WA5047
The response from Positec Australia was excellent – There is no mention of a center hole dimensions, I obviously incorrectly assumed that it would fit all miniature saw benches as it comes supply with… Read more
various sizes of shims. not happy as I can't use it would like to return it for a refund regretfully I opened it. Tried to enlarge the hole using a drill cone. Using a small amount of pressure, it shattered. I was contacted by the importer of the saw blade, the response was first class, not only was I sent a replacement blade but also a refund. I was asked to return the blade so that the problem could be investigated, you can't ask for more than that, thank you very much.
Solid, powerful and good quality, though rather loud – I bought one of these in March 2020 for $349 at Total Tools, though I used the same model extensively before-hand because my housemate owned one. I… Read more
didn’t have a drop saw so to make straight cuts, I would set up a piece of timber as a guide on top of the piece I wanted to cut on the table, make it square with my square, clamp it down and make the cut with the circular saw. The method works fine, but it’s way slower than using a drop saw, and I should've just bought a drop saw to start with.
Nonetheless, the Makita circular saw has performed flawlessly. I’ve mostly used it with hardwood, which of course is generally more demanding than softwood, and has been no trouble for this saw. I used it to build about 20 garden wicking beds, a loft, a greenhouse, a solar dehydrator, a teeterboard, etc, as well as for cutting up firewood.
At 1800 watts, the saw has plenty of power - more than my Makita mitre saw in fact, at 1430 watts, and with a higher blade speed of 5800 RPM versus 4300 RPM. It’s reasonably heavy at 4.8 kg, but comfortable to hold and easy to use. The base seems flat and solid and can easily be tilted for bevel cuts or lowered to adjust the depth of the cut. It can cut a decent depth: 63.5 mm, or 45 mm with a 45 degree bevel. It also features an LED to light up your cutting area, which I’ve found useful at times. By the way, I believe the “MG” in the model name designates that it has a magnesium base/shoe, which helps save on weight while being very sturdy and durable. And I believe the only difference between the 5007MG and the 5007MGK is that the latter comes with a carry case.
I liked the saw enough to buy my own when my housemate moved out and took his with him. Unfortunately though, my saw hasn’t seen much use, because I ended up buying both a Makita sliding compound mitre saw and a 5-piece DeWalt Flexvolt kit which included a cordless 54V circular saw. I’ve hardly used my 5007MG saw since then. That’s because, as with other corded tools, I’ve found the main shortcoming of this saw is that it has a cord, and it’s just rather an inconvenient thing to have on a circular saw. The only other minor shortcoming is that it lacks an electric brake, which I’ve become accustomed to on my cordless circular saw and my mitre saw. It also seems reasonably pricey for a corded circular saw, but it seems you get what you pay for.
If you’re doing a large volume of sawing in one spot with good access to a power point, you need heaps of power, or you don’t want to invest the premium in buying batteries for a cordless version, then perhaps this saw would suit you? I can confidently affirm that it’s a solid saw.
Just an awesome piece of kit – I needed a plunge saw with an incresed cutting depth of 75mm and although this saw doesn't quite make the full 75mm depth the last 1.5mm needs to be… Read more
planed away, the end result is exactly what I would expect from Festool, the guide rail is so easy to use and combined with my existing Festool extractor what would be a tedious task has now become an enjoyable and efficient event.
Great saw – My saw is five years old. It has heaps of power. The blade has lasted well. The laser is easy to see and accurate. The saw is light. It is easy to… Read more
adjust. It is slightly limited in depth of cut by the small blade size. This saw is highly recommended. It easily rips red gum sleepers. Powerful Small blade size
Fantastic concrete saw for the price! – I've owned this saw for a little over 18 months now and it has been fantastic every time i use it. The supplied blade that comes with the machine… Read more
is a cheap blade and won't last much past 20m cut if that. Buy yourself a decent diamond blade to run on the machine and it's extremely capable.
Love this machine and it's price can't be beat. Make sure kill switch isn't turned into off position before starting and it seems to fire up fine after a few pulls.
At 1/8th the price of a huskie, I'm not expecting the same flawless performance as a huskie machine. If you want that, go spend $2500 on a huskie.
terrible – found the rest of my metabo kit very good in general. however the circular saw is a dog does not even compete with old battered makitas or dewalts. sent back once told (its ok) will be sending to metabo direct very dissapointed Show details
Worst purchase of my life – This tool is for the bin, biggest regret buying the k970. Purchased brand new from Sydney tools and it caught fire cutting concrete after barely… Read more
being used.
Got it independently accessed at a location provided to me by Tamara @ Husqvarna in order to put a warranty claim through. They determined it was a faulty clutch bearing that seized up which then subsequently caused the fire. Husqvarna then contacted the independent assessor trying to convince them it was operator error, the independent assessor confirmed the issue was the faulty clutch bearing by getting a second mechanic to take a look (second mechanic was from another shop).
Husqvarna still not willing to accept fault and having to go to VCAT now to get anything moving.
Stay away from this hunk of junk and even Sydney tools as a retailer all colluding together to avoid repair / replacement / refund.
What is a circular saw?
A circular saw is a power tool that uses a toothed blade spinning in a rapid, circular motion to produce precise, perfectly straight cuts in wood, such as MDF, plywood, and decking.
They’re most suited to cutting timber boards down to size, trimming decking, and making rough cuts from timber, although certain blades allow users to cut different materials.
Aside from the motor and blade, the main components of a circular saw are:
- A blade guard that covers the blade when you aren’t using the saw, which retracts to uncover the blade when it needs to be used.
- A foot plate that stabilises the saw against the work surface.
- A bevel adjustment that allows the foot plate to tilt in order to make bevel cuts.
- A depth adjustment to allow the user to cut through wood of different thicknesses.
There are two basic types of circular saws:
Sidewinders
A sidewinder has a motor that sits on one side of the saw and a handle that is set above the blade. Sidewinders are the more common style because they’re generally considered to be the most suitable circular saw for home use - making them a great choice for any personal projects you want to do.
Worm-drive saws
A worm-drive saw is generally narrower and longer than a sidewinder and has a motor that’s in line with the blade at the rear of the tool. Because they’re the most powerful circular saw, they’re generally preferred by many construction workers.
What should I look for in a circular saw?
Features
There are some features found in some circular saws that you should keep in mind when browsing store shelves which can help improve the safety and ease of use of your tool.
- Laser guide: A laser guide projects a laser onto your work surface to help you cut accurately.
- Electric brakes: The flow of electricity on a saw with electric brakes reverse when the trigger is released, providing it with the friction needed to stop the rotating blade. This means it stops a lot quicker (even as little as two seconds) than saws without electric brakes - this feature has likely saved many a blade, work piece, or even finger.
- Spindle lock: A spindle lock stops the blade from rotating so that you can safely remove it - this makes changing the blade easier.
- Built-in light: A built-in light can help illuminate your work surface and make it easier to see what you’re doing.
- Dust extraction: A dust extractor that vacuums the sawdust produced from your work will reduce dust getting in the way of your cutting track and will also make the clean up a lot simpler.
Power
Mains-powered circular saws are generally more powerful and better suited for sustained, tough work than cordless saws, however developments in battery technology are reducing this gap. A battery circular saw does have a limited run time, however can be a great option for workspaces where a power socket isn’t available.
Ease of use
Easy to use power tools are generally safer and more likely to let you achieve exactly what you set out to do. Look for circular saws with large, smooth-cornered lever locks and easy to grasp knobs that can be adjusted with one hand - this will make it quick and easy to change the bevel settings and cutting depth.
Your safest bet is to head to your local tool shop in person and test different models out for yourself, taking note of the grip, how the handle feels in your hand, and whether it’s the right weight for you and you’re comfortable with how visible the blade and different adjustment levers are.
Price
Corded circular saws can range from anywhere from $60 to $1200 and upwards, while cordless models can set you back from $50 to around $740.
Choosing a blade
A decent blade is one of the most important tool accessories to invest in.
You can switch out the blade in your circular saw to suit different purposes - some blades can even cut through bricks and concrete. Getting the right blade for your project can help you work safely and efficiently.
When choosing a blade, you should consider the following:
Blade size: Check the manual of the circular saw you’re considering to buy to see which size diameter blade it’s compatible with. Diameters usually range from 160mm to 305mm.
Arbor size: The arbor is the shaft to which a blade mounts, and so the arbor hole is the hole in the centre of the blade. The size of the arbor hole will differ depending on the blade size, so check that it’s compatible with your saw. If your saw has a smaller arbor size than the blade you want to use, then you can buy reduction rings (or bushes) to fit on the blade.
Speed: Some blades, particularly those for cutting metal, have the maximum revolutions per minute it can achieve listed, so you should avoid using it with a saw that goes faster than this rate.
Specialty blades: While there are plenty of blades for general purpose that you can use, a specialty blade can be more efficient and can better help you achieve your desired result. They’re particularly useful when cutting materials like aluminium, laminate, or metal, as they have teeth that are specially designed for an easy cut for their intended surface.
Number of teeth: Simply put, the more teeth your blade has, the smoother your finish will be, and vice versa. If a blade is labelled as ‘framing’ or ‘ripping’, it will likely produce a rougher finish, and if it is labelled ‘trim’ or ‘finish’ then it indicates a smoother cut.
Wrapping up
Thinking about what features are important to you and how you intend to use your circular saw will help you choose the right tool for you and your projects that helps you make safe, efficient cuts.