Editor’s note, April 28, 2026: For the most recent update, I replaced a few outdated models with newer ones, including Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V Cordless 4-1/2-Inch Circular Saw. This is a great choice if you’re a beginner, thanks to its ergonomics and lightweight, balanced design.
When it comes to woodworking efficiency and versatility, few tools match a high-quality circular saw. Circular saws are powerful tools that both crosscut wood (move across the grain) and rip it (move with the grain). Unlike stationary table saws or precision-focused miter saws, circular saws combine mobility with impressive cutting ability. These workhorses feature a motor-driven circular blade that spins at high speeds (typically 4,000 rpm or higher), so they chew through lumber and plywood with relative ease.
Along with overall build quality, what separates exceptional circular saws from merely adequate ones is power output, measured in amps for corded models or voltage for cordless; cutting capacity, which is how deeply the blade cuts; and bevel capacity, or the angles at which the blade tilts. Premium saws, including the best overall, from Makita, have magnesium motors and other components that make them lighter without sacrificing durability.
We’ve put dozens of circular saws through their paces across countless lumber cuts, plywood sheets, and renovation projects. The models we’ve selected below represent the very best circular saws available today, from budget-friendly options to professional-grade tools capable of withstanding the demands of daily use.
| Model | 5377MG |
| Power | 15 amp |
| Weight | 13.2 lb |
| Speed | 4,500 rpm |
| Blade Size | 7 1/4-inch, 24-tooth |
Yes, it’s corded. But if we’re choosing the best circular saw, you’d be foolish not to look in this Makita’s direction.
First and foremost, it’s a cutting beast, capable of making its way through heavy, pressure-treated 2x10s like nothing. It’s also lighter than most circular saws in its class at 13 pounds, thanks to its lightweight magnesium components. That includes a motor that delivers more constant power than standard circular saws. The motor components are sealed with oil during production, which, in conjunction with a built-in fan, continually bathes the gears in lubrication. This feature eliminates the need to change or add oil as you do on traditional saws, ensuring a longer lifespan for the tool.
The visibility of the blade line as you cut is excellent, too, and there’s ample space in the handle and trigger area for ease of operation. It’s the kind of saw that can do it all—and at a fair price—from cutting sanded plywood to demoing a bathroom subfloor or making trench cuts in concrete.
Full Makita 5377 Magnesium Hypoid Saw Review
| Model | 5280-01 |
| Power | 15 amp |
| Weight | 8.8 lb |
| Speed | 5,300 rpm |
| Blade Size | 7 1/4-inch, 24-tooth, framing |
Skil has a storied history with the circular saw, and this corded model feels like they’ve taken all of that experience and engineering and stripped it down to what matters most—a powerful saw that cuts cleanly.
It’s one of the lightest saws on this list, so right away, it’s easier to handle than most, especially when you consider it doesn’t sacrifice much in terms of power and speed compared to heavier and bulkier saws out there.
It’s also quite straightforward to operate. Our tester especially liked that the cut depth is easy to adjust, which is not always the case on some saws, as you sometimes have to fight with the thumb lever or maybe you have a shoe that doesn’t lower easily. Adjustments are smooth at the bevel pivot, as well.
What stood out the most during testing, though, was the power. The 15-amp motor doesn’t bog down when you lean into it—and our tester ran it through full-depth lumber rips and crosscuts without hesitation. The bright power indicator adds a touch of safety, especially when you’re moving fast and want to be sure the saw is live between each cut.
This isn’t the flashiest saw. You can find something more feature-laden if that’s your thing—all this one comes with is a laser guide, but we found it easier to cut without it—but if reliability is your priority, this saw will get the job done (and at a really appealing price).
| Model | DCS590 |
| Power | 20 volt/60 volt |
| Weight | 8.2 lb without battery |
| Speed | 5,500 rpm |
| Blade | 7 1/4-inch, 24-tooth, framing |
DeWalt took its 20-volt cordless circular saw and sent it to the gym. Now, it runs on a standard 20-volt Max battery or the hulking dual-voltage 20/60 FlexVolt power pack. The latter enables a ridiculous amount of cuts on one charge or repeated cuts at its depth of 2 9/16 inches.
During our testing, it made so many buzzes through 2x4s that we didn’t even bother counting them; we ran out of wood before the battery showed any signs of fading. Of course, with these larger batteries, you’re hauling around more total weight.
Making cuts was comfortable thanks to the ergonomic handle positions and rubber grip. We also appreciated the effectiveness of the electronic blade brake, which stops the blade from spinning a second or two after you release the trigger.
Overall, this DeWalt cordless circular saw is a powerful, smooth-cutting tool with outstanding accuracy. If you’re thinking of going cordless but want to ensure you maintain top performance, this is the one to get.
| Model | GKS18V-25GCB14 |
| Power | 18 volt |
| Weight | 11.6 lb |
| Speed | 5,000 rpm |
| Blade Size | 7 1/4-inch, 24-tooth, framing |
This Bosch circular saw is a really nimble, lightweight tool, equipped with a standard 7-1/4-inch blade and an 8-amp-hour battery.
It has an aluminum accessory track—no special shoe or mounting hardware required. Lay the track (available separately for about $100) on the board or plywood, and slide this Bosch down it like a locomotive riding the rails. The resulting rip or crosscut is table-saw-accurate.
To control cutting depth, this saw features a thumb latch right above the trigger. Move the latch forward and press down, and the saw’s shoe drops. To fine-tune the shoe’s position, simply hold it with one hand while pressing down on the latch. When the shoe is where you want it, release the latch. And the amount of blade exposure below the shoe is right where you need it.
There’s also an eco setting that reduces power for light cutting while conserving battery life, and six speeds for enough range to make multiple cuts in thin plywood on low to full bore (and maximum blade depth) to cut construction lumber. A battery life readout tells you how much charge you have left.
| Model | 2930-20 |
| Power | 18 volt |
| Weight | 11.6 lb with battery |
| Speed | 6,000 rpm |
| Blade Size | 7 1/4-inch, 24-tooth, framing |
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel rear-handle saw takes cordless power to the next level. This saw cuts clean and fast, tracking well across 3/4-inch plywood. Milwaukee also put the dust port on the right side of the blade shroud on this model, which keeps the left side of the blade in full view against the cutting line—a problem with previous iterations of this saw.
Like most saws of its kind, this one is on the heavier side, but a nicely designed and tucked-away rafter hanger reduces fatigue. The onboard LED light is another welcome feature, and the clearly marked measurements on both the depth gauge of the shoe and the bevel pivots make this saw a must-have for carpenters and framers.
Full Milwaukee M18 Fuel 18V Rear-Handle Circular Saw Review
| Model | 5007MG |
| Power | 15 amps |
| Weight | 10.6 lb |
| Speed | 5,800 rpm |
| Blade Size | 7 1/4-inch, 24-tooth, framing |
I think I’ve seen Makita’s 5007MG circular saw on more construction sites than any other saw by an order of magnitude. In those arenas, they may be scarred, dinged, beat up, and battered, but one thing’s for sure—they work. I like to think of it as a “framer’s framing saw.” For most people, that should be endorsement enough.
Built from a lighter magnesium, this saw is easy on the hands and arms over the course of a long day, but it has the cutting ability to handle any piece of lumber without difficulty. This saw tracks incredibly well over plywood and paneling, thanks to the excellent visibility of the cut line. Two onboard LED lights help to ensure you're not missing a cut due to poor visibility, and a nifty, ducted dust blower continually moves debris from the line as you cut.
Because it’s corded, of course, you have to sacrifice portability and some maneuverability with this saw compared to others on the list, but if those aren't of much concern to you, this is a great investment that should have a home in your truck or workshop for years to come.
| Model | PCL400 |
| Power | 18 volt |
| Weight | 3.5 lb |
| Speed | 5,200 rpm |
| Blade Size | 4 1/2-inch, 24-tooth |
There’s a place for everything in this world, and that’s certainly true of this small yet mighty circular saw from Ryobi. Truth be told, this isn’t the saw a contractor grabs to frame a deck or rip through wet, pressure-treated wood on a given day. That’s not the assignment for this one. But this 18V saw from Ryobi’s ONE+ platform is a great way to come off the sidelines.
This is a compact, 4-1/2-inch circular saw that’s built for convenience. I always reach for a saw like this when I’m cutting things on the fly, like cedar shakes or 1x4 trim. Unlike other small saws I’ve used in the past, this one is uncommonly easy to control and small enough to get into spots where a full-size saw feels like hulking overkill.
It’s got enough power to handle 2x framing lumber if you need it to, but where it really shines is on sheet goods, trim, and quick cuts when you don’t feel like dragging out the bigger saw. As an added bonus, the battery lasts a long time, which is a feature I’ve always enjoyed with Ryobi’s outdoor power equipment like its string trimmers and chainsaws.
Our team sourced each saw for real-world testing on a range of wood types and cuts, using each saw to cut across and with the grain with the blade perpendicular to its shoe and at an angle to it.
For the purposes of testing, we ran each saw through 8-foot rips of ¼-inch and ⅝-inch plywood to better understand the tool’s cutting power, weight, balance, cut line visibility, and dust control. We also made crosscuts in the same sets of plywood in order to assess material tear-out and splintering.
We then ran each saw through the same rip on 2x12 lumber in both Douglas fir and pressure-treated in order to gauge power and cleanliness of cuts. Ripping first, we timed each saw in how long it took to complete a rip with constant control factors of material clamping and consistent width of material. We then proceeded to a second stage of crosscuts, set up exactly the same to measure each saw’s ability to make straight crosscuts as well as beveled miters.
Apart from the rear-handle saws we cover, the tools that we tested don’t exhibit much design variation. With a few exceptions, most of their blades are 7-1/4 inches in diameter and positioned on the right side of the motor. When the blade is fully lowered, the saw cuts to about 2.25 inches deep (or slightly deeper). Circular saws do have some variations in their design and capabilities, though, so in order to ensure you choose the best one for your tasks, make sure you’re familiar with the following factors.
For corded saws, power is expressed in amperage (the amount of electricity it draws), with 15 amps being the most common across the board.
Battery-powered saws rate power in voltage, which can vary from 12 to 60 volts. While it’s true that higher voltage draws more current from the battery to the motor, the size of the battery also plays an important role. Measured in amp-hours (Ah), the battery’s capacity ultimately determines how long it can provide the intended voltage.
The speed at which the saw’s motor can spin its blade—measured in revolutions per minute (rpm)—directly affects its performance and is a useful metric to compare one saw’s potential productivity with that of another. The higher the rpm, the quicker the motor can spin the blade, and the faster it cuts through material. Circular saw speed varies from saw to saw, and saws that cut 4,000 to 5,500 rpm are perfectly sufficient for most home projects.
Circular saws are available in either corded or cordless models. To choose the best option for you and your project, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each.
The most common circular saw blade sizes are 5-1/2, 6-1/2, and 7-1/4 inches in diameter, although you can find a range of smaller or larger options if you need them. The larger the blade, the deeper it can cut, and the more functionality it has in the woodshop. Circular saws that use 7-1/4-inch blades are useful for so many applications, and since they’re so popular, spare blades are easy to find.
That said, we’ve found 6-1/2-inch models to be especially convenient and comfortable for common cross and rip cuts, and depending on your cutting requirements (their shallower cut depth isn’t ideal for 45-degree cuts, for example), their lighter weight and compact size are worth the compromise.
Most circular saws are designed with right-handed users in mind, but blade orientation plays a bigger role in comfort and accuracy than many buyers realize.
On a blade-right saw (the most common configuration), right-handed users typically get a natural stance and good control, but line-of-sight to the cut line can be partially obstructed by the motor housing. Left-handed users often struggle more with this setup, especially during long rip cuts or precision work, where visibility matters more than raw power.
Blade-left saws flip that equation. They generally offer better cut-line visibility for right-handed users and can feel more intuitive for lefties, particularly when free-cutting plywood or trimming framing lumber. That said, blade-left saws may throw debris differently and can feel unfamiliar to users who’ve spent years on blade-right models.
Rear-handle saws (our favorite is the Milwaukee M18 FUEL) complicate things further. Many are blade-left by default and are optimized for framing stances favored by right-handed users. Left-handed operators may find the balance and guard behavior less forgiving, especially in awkward or overhead cuts.
Ultimately, if you’re right-handed, either orientation works, but blade visibility and balance should guide your choice. If you’re left-handed, don’t assume the “standard” saw will feel right—seek out models that give you a clear view of the blade and predictable guard action. Comfort and visibility will improve accuracy long before extra torque will.
Aside from the saw, in order to use a circular saw to complete projects around your home, you likely need a couple of carpenter’s pencils (regular mechanical pencils are also perfectly fine) and a combination square to both mark the lumber and guide the saw for accurate crosscuts. For corded circular saws, you also need a heavy-duty extension cord. Regardless of the type of saw you use, always wear safety glasses and ear protection.
Paul Russell Smith is a former NYC ironworker turned screenwriter (Grace Point) and home renovation specialist. He lives in a crooked old farmhouse in Stockton, NJ, where he’s just as likely to be clearing a clogged pipe as rewriting a third act. When he’s not working, he enjoys hiking, pedestrian beer, and cooking over a live fire. His self-proclaimed spirit animal is the English Bulldog.
John Gilpatrick is a Senior Reviews Editor for Popular Mechanics, covering tools, home appliances, yard and garden accessories, and smart home tech. He previously worked for Men’s Health and has bylines on numerous other websites, covering topics as disparate as nutrition, tech, and pet care. He is also a former film critic who’s unusually fond of the Star Wars prequels, and he appeared on Pop Culture Jeopardy in 2025 while wearing jorts and a fanny pack. He is a member of the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS).
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