8 Best Circular Saws for Today’s Building Boom

A circular saw is the only practical tool to cut large quantities of lumber and plywood and to break down big pieces of hardwood so that you can feed pieces through the table saw or other machines. Sure, there are alternatives. You can use a handsaw for some of this, but it doesn’t work well on plywood. And you can use a jigsaw for all of it. But it’s slow.

The circular saw is the best tool for fast and accurate cutting.

That’s why we constantly test circular saws and use them in our own projects. Below, you’ll find a selection ranging from budget-priced circular saws to tools any contractor could use to frame a house. Also included here is a new category of saw known as rear-handle types. These are pro-duty cordless saws with their blade to the left of the motor and their handle to the rear of it.

And regardless of the product that we’re testing and advising about, our advice is always the same. Your goal isn’t to buy the most powerful tool or the least expensive, but the tool that’s the right fit for you. Using our data, look at the circular saw’s performance, its price, and its physical characteristics, such as its weight and whether it’s corded or cordless. From there, consider how you like to work, and make an informed selection.

BEST OVERALL

Bosch GKS18V-25GCB14

Volts: 18 | Weight: 11.6 lb

We’ve tested many circular saws, and this one comes as close to perfection of the form as is possible. Equipped with a standard 7.25-inch blade and an 8-Ah battery and weighing 11.6 pounds, it’s a nimble cutter by itself. But the good news gets better: It has an aluminum accessory track—no special shoe or mounting hardware required. Lay the track 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, the GKS18V-25GC14 has 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.

Several other features position this saw firmly as a tool for this digital age. An “Eco” setting reduces power for light cutting while conserving battery life. The GKS18V-25GC14 has six speed settings to suit the material: Select a low one to make cut after cut in thin plywood, or go full bore (and maximum blade depth) to cut construction lumber. A battery life readout tells you how much charge you have left.

MOST POWERFUL CORDLESS

DeWalt DCS573B

Volts: 20 | Weight: 9.2 lb

DeWalt took its 20-volt cordless circular saw and sent it to the gym. Now it can run on a standard 20-volt Max battery or the hulking dual-voltage 20/60 Flex Volt power pack. The latter enables a ridiculous amount of cuts on one charge or repeated cuts at its depth of 2-9⁄16 inches. It made so many buzzes through 2 x 4 in our test that we didn’t even bother counting them; we ran out of wood before the battery showed any signs of fading. Suffice it to say that the more amp hours in the power pack you put in this thing, the more cuts you can expect, up to a day’s work or close to it. The DCS573B is a powerful, smooth-cutting saw with outstanding accuracy. If you’re thinking of going cordless but you want pro performance, get this one.