20 Best Saw For Home Projects (2023 Updated)

I have used Dewalt tools for over 45 years and have always loved them. I am sorry to say that I cannot say the same about my 575SB Circular saw. I have owned 3 other saws with poorer reputations, and although they were under-powered or heavy they always cut straight.

The Dewalt will not cut a straight line out of the box because the blade is mis-aligned with the shoe. In addition, there is not adjustment provided as with other saws. I had cut very thin plywood when I first bought this saw and thought it was difficult to get through the material.

I wrote that up to perhaps trying to cut too quickly with the provided blade, but never thought it was the saw’s fault. It has not been abused or dropped. I only discovered the problem as I was attempting to cut some a counter top.

This is obviously a factory defect, but as I have had the darn thing for over a year now and have trashed the paperwork that came with it (after all, it was a Dewalt – what could go wrong?) I doubt that Dewalt will do anything about it.

I could never recommend this saw at all.

This product is a down grade from the previous saw made by Dewalt. The previous saw had a slightly larger foot, providing better stability. It was only marginally heavier. The hand grip was a knarled cylinder that turned to open and lock the foot with ease from the front.

With the merger of Stanley and Dewalt, this model was brought out to combine the high end hobby user with the professional user models. This model no doubt has suffered from the law of diminishing returns that set in causing featchers and improvements in quality to be cut back for cost savings in manufacturing and to be competitive.

Too bad. The price is relatively the same, but the previous product was superior. If i found a used earlier model in a pawn shop, I would buy it at half price rather than spend extra for this new model.

I’m a carpenter by trade and I take a lot of pride in my work. At the moment I frame for a living. My craftsmanship and attention to detail is important to me as it makes it easier for the other trades moving forward.

I like dewalt tools even though we turn to Milwaukee for cordless tools. This particular saw negatively affected my work as the blade seemed to spin out of control, almost acting like a propeller pulling the saw to the side before I dipped it into the wood.

Once in the wood the seemed to wobble making a wider cut than the width of the blade itself. I managed to get my money back and go buy another dewalt corded saw with the electric brake, which is what I wanted in the first place.

Canadian Tire doesn’t sell this version of the saw but I highly recommend it.

It’s a decent saw but I was VERY disappointed that the Laser guide NEVER worked, right out of the box. Tried contacting and got no response. The motor seems strong enough but with the laser being dead right out of the box I don’t expect it to last long.

Hopefully I’m wrong.

Heavy duty for a small electric tool. Seems easy to change blades. However, have to get use to suppressing switch to get the blade to the material I’m cutting). I’m use to the older saws where you can just slide the blade guard to the material as needed.

Something to get accustomed to with lots of practice. Have a lot of scrap wood on hand!.

I don’t know what planet the other reviewer is on, but the blade location is the same as all the other circular saws I have including the PC 5 – 1/2 in saw This is a really robust saw I got for building a deck and I tested it out, no problems cutting 2x 4 or 4×4 and seems like a beast so far.

Get the 4 AH battery you wont be sorry. Also, it has the same motor as the Dewalt 6. 5 in saw and you can swap batteries with Dewalts but frankly if you are a homeowner put the cash you saved over big yellow to good use somewhere else.

Since Stanley black and decker owns Dewalt, Porter and Craftsman, you will probably see PC at a good discount so load up on their tools cheap. All my PC tools are still going strong after about 7 years.

I will not tell anyone to buy this saw, because you may take it home and it won’t even work, all I can tell you is about MY experience with it. I have used this saw for 3 years and got perfect performance from it.

I have used it far beyond what it may have been recommended for (ex. commercial use), and it has never failed. Over the last three years I have used it to build a large barn and a small apartment. I have used it also, almost weekly, for other odd jobs.

The saw will work a lot better when you learn how to use it, in other words let IT do the work as opposed to “Forcing it. I think it is a very good saw.

Absolutely great product. Have made well over 100 cuts now and no problems at all. Cuts are square and very minimal filling if any.

Dont reduce your 2 year warranty down to a 30 day guarantee, shop at a reputable store with easy returns if you need it. The saw is coming from a country that uses a very different power supply. It will burn out after I use the 240 volts in Australia will kill it.

Lease this item for the Americans.

This saw just made my day. It cuts through steel like butter without the flying sparks and dust. Very quick and clean, square cuts that are cool to the touch after the cut. I used a small square against the blade to set zero.

I just purchased the DEWALT DW872 14-inch Multi-Cutter Saw, took it out of the box and tried it out. It did not cut square in the horizontal or vertical plane. The horizontal direction is easy to set by adjusting the fence, however the vertical plane needed the saw to be shimmed with.

005 shim stock to get it cutting anywhere near square. The vise is so poorly designed it needed a total rebuild to make it at least safe. The designer of this very expensive saw decided to tilt the locking jaw 3/16 out of square, I suppose, to put more pressure on the top of the material.

With that brilliant plan the saw will not hold many different sizes of stock securely. The “designer” also left so much play in the vise jaw to table connection that the jaw rides up a 1/4 inch when tightened.

To overcome these dangerous features I first made a new, thicker, spacer that has much less play in it so the vise jaw does not ride up when tightened. The next fix was the tilted movable vise jaw. After machining a tapered piece of 3/8 inch steel to match the taper of the jaw, securing it to the existing jaw, the vise now holds a variety of material sizes securely.

The next job is to try to contain or direct the shower of sharp shrapnel that fires out the back side of this tool. In closing, if you want 90 degree cuts and own a nice size machine shop and have 50 years experience making and fixing things, this saw can be made to work.

I would not recommend it for a professional.

Still the gold standard in circular saws. It’s definitely lighter. At first it didn’t seem lighter but as I used it more my muscle memory was expecting a heavier saw when I picked it up. It feels and performs like a Skil saw.

It’s my 4th Skil saw in 35 years and I’d never buy another brand. Bought this to replace my demo concrete cutting old school 20+ year old Skil saw. I promoted my first gen magnesium saw to demo status and the light weight is my go to framer and trim saw.

Love the built in joist hook and new easy to read bevel scales. Only minor complaints are the blade tool is to small and bad angle so it’s hard to use. No big deal just use the old one. The trigger has really square edges and is a little annoying on the finger.

Ease those edges Skil and it would be better.

I really like the saw except for a couple things. 1) the metal handle which you hold with your left hand (if right handed) should a little bigger around. It is too small in circumference 2) The saw should come with an electric brake built into the switch.

I was working in an odd position in a safety harness, 40 feet above the ground cutting vertically and 3 times the saw was being removed from the cutting area after the cut the coasting blade hit the rafters and kicked back.

I admit it was mostly operator error but holding that saw in the position I was in was very hard. An electric brake would have fixed it. After using a circular saw (B&D) with an electric brake it is the only way to go.

very glad I trusted all the old time carpenters who say this is the one and only real deal saw. The saw that built America, they say. My dad had an old craftsman version of this that was about twice as heavy and all steel.

This magnesium model is still heavy, but not too heavy. It took just a little bit of time to become comfortable with. Take your time, watch as many YouTube videos as you can on how to use this and use it safely, and you won’t be disappointment.

Really a steal of deal at this price for a workhorse.

The general quality of this saw is ok, but the laser guide kind of irks me. It reflects carelessness in design and likely was a checkbox for a marketer that said, hey our saw needs a laser guide, can we make that happen? Obviously nobody cared about how a proper laser guide should work.

Most grievously, if you actually cut toward the laser mark you would be way off — the laser is not a guide, it’s a misguided suggestion, much like your woke asthmatic aunt giving vegan diet advice. Next the laser requires two AAA batteries — why forever for — this tool is powered off line voltage.

Apparently the designers could not be bothered to come up with standard AC to 3V DC LED circuitry. Finally, there is no place on the frame to fit the saw blade wrench. This guarantees that you will lose it, because the wrench gets chucked into a junk draw somewhere.

More frustratingly, the wrench just about fits into the just about fits into the guide attachment slot, but is just a bit too wide. I just cut out an inevitable step and threw the wrench AND the guide out into my metal pile — because that’s where they would end up anyway.

Please, designers, give half a rat’s buttock to thinking through a design, and stand up to your marketing team for once — they don’t know crap anyway.

I was not certain how the laser would align with the desired cut. I’m still not quite comfortable with it, I can’t say if it’s on one side of the blade or in the middle. I eyeball the blade touching the wood then the laser “helps” but I still use the traditional methods of cutting that I’m accustomed to and the laser is just an added bonus.

The quality though is perfectly fine. The angle adjustment foot is not extreme accurate, so I measure with other tools. It’s not particularly tight either with the thumb release. (The adjustable base of the saw, with angles and depth adjustment isn’t accurate enough for my taste) otherwise, I can’t tell the difference between it and another more expensive one outside of the mentioned shortfalls.

A good woodworker will be able to use this no problem.

It does the job for a decent price. Compared to a Skil saw you save $20. Or comparing other cheap saws, at least you get 90 days if you need to return. One tip is that, the laser needs to be adjusted.

And for mine, it cannot be really accurate even after adjustment. Another is that, the bevel angle readings are definitely wrong. 0 degrees is not 0. I can only trust my speed square. Another unmitigated issue is the blade guard spring.

Pushing against it feels stiff when I start the cut. But overall, if you need a saw for rare use or fault tolerant jobs, this is still a great starter saw.

I have owned and used my Versacut for a little under a year and a half and it along with my BladeRunner X2 saw has proven to be one of the most important tools I own. I know some say it cannot replace a 7-1/4 inch circular saw because it cannot cut 2 x 4s, but try safely plunge cutting into a shed roof with a standard 7-1/4 inch circular saw without damaging the rafters and studs and without kickback.

The ability to easily make plunge cuts even in the middle of stock is great. Also, it will cut sheets of plywood, trim boards, etc. which make up the typical stock sizes I deal with. The assortment of blades it comes with is also very handy.

I was finishing a tile countertop when my tile saw stopped working. Fortunately I had my Versacut with me which allowed me to finish the job by using the dry cut tile blade that came with it. Also, I really like the fact that it weighs less than half the weight of my 7 1/4 inch circular saw.

This, along with my cordless drill, hammer, level and BladeRunner X2 is a tool I always carry with me.

This is a useful tool as it pertains to lighter jobs. Some full-sized circulars wont cut precisely straight lines and theyre typically heavier and more durable. That said, it took me some practice to get this to cut straight.

You have to view where the blade actually hits your material before starting your cut, then take note of where your guides are at that point. Once youve done that a few times, you can become pretty consistent with your cuts and get what youd expect.

Otherwise, the saw seemed to cut a bit to the left of the line when I just trusted the guide. The laser seemed slightly off, which becomes a problem for longer cuts. I turned it off because I couldnt see drawn lines with it on.

with adequate power, longer cuts through thicker materials meant I was more likely to burn the blade. Carefully backing out or lifting out of the cut and resuming did help, but the lighter, smaller blades made long cuts more difficult than Id have liked.

Overall, a good tool for lighter work and short straight cuts.

I finally got my order delivered yesterday. Since this saw has received a lot of positive reviews, plus holiday offer, so I have it as one of my collections for future use. Did an very brief test cut this morning, everything looks great and works great! Wood blade brought very clean cut.

Have not tested yet the tile and metal cut as i don’t have any scraps on hand. Well, these are the features and good reasons i bought it as for some small works you know for household some time, you don’t have to look around finding different saws anyway.

Tried the laser guide, well, it’s good than nothing, but if you use it under enough light, then it shows not strong enough though. there is just a little defect, however, there are some rusty spots found on the cutting guide front and back, turned the increments into fussy and uncleared.

If the design includes a rubber power cord clip may top up the satisfaction, i’d suggest. Otherwise, this is a good and worth buy, and more important is a good toy for myself to play around, haha 🙂 cheers!.

After a bunch of debate and skepticism about a 25 dollar power saw from walmart, I pulled the trigger after reading reviews and spent the 25 bucks on it (plus another 8 bucks for a set of extra saw blades).

I needed to trim a few thick branches away from the house and figured if it lasts for the 1 job, ill get my moneys worth. I’m amazed at how good this tool did and continues to do! It cut down what turned out to be 4 long and thick branches, and then chopped each one into several smaller pieces (and im STILL on the original blade!).

It does get a little hot from continous use, so I recommend giving it a few seconds rest every now and again. I can’t imagine it being very usefull for daily use of multiple hours per day as its more of a home “small project” power-saw, for which its amazing and worth the cash.

I also installed sliding glass doors for the bathroom tub/shower and it cut the frame to size without issues. Another tip (although you’ll quickly figure out when you start cutting) is to move it back and forth slowly if its cutting something thick to assist it.

I prefer tools with a cord over cordless so that wasn’t an issue for me BUT the cord isn’t very long so make sure to have an extension cord ready. I hope this review helps.

This is a GREAT saw at a GREAT price! I didn’t even know that it came with a metal carrying case! Normally I toss the case when I get a power tool; not this one. It’s well-designed to put in and out.

Now the saw—> You know INSTANTLY that you have a VERY POWERFULL saw the moment you pull the trigger. It’s equally scary when you let go! The brake reminds me of when you slam on the brakes and your tires squeal! I’ll be looking forward to passing this saw to my children, and perhaps their children as well.

Nice!.

I purchased this tool about one week ago. It was like Christmas when my Acme salesman pulled up with this saw. My old 10″ beam saw was approx. 35 to 40 years old and the bearings were starting to go and the base plate was out of square.

What I like about this saw, the steel case, which helps protect the tool and keeps blades organized and safe. Next the ten foot cord is nice and is of good quality. The saw comes with a rip guide which should be included with every new saw.

The electric brake is great. The notches in the shoe are nice and help keep the saw on target, in particular is a notch right in front of the blade on the blade side of the shoe. The motor has plenty of power for cross cutting and ripping.

The trigger hole is big enough to use with gloves. The standard blade is adequate. The ability to bevel to 60 degrees is a plus for gang cutting birds mouths on rafters. The fact that it cuts 1/4″ deeper than my old saw is nice also for precutting studs in volume or 4 x header stock.

If I could add anything to this saw it would be a light. We are working inside on this project and a light would definately help. The only change I would make would be to make the bevel gauge markings on the traditional side of the protractor, that would be for easier visibility.

I would recommend this saw to anyone purchasing a beam saw.

Took the 10-1/4” to the real test. I cut down five 2”x13”x15′ sapele wood continuously to finish, as it is known, sapele is a very hard wood, and this machine was cutting as if it had just started.

When I finished, I check the temperature on the machine and it was just warm. I could not be more please with this choice of purchase.

I have used this 4 times. Anytime I try and cut wood using the guide, (like you would with a table saw), I cannot cut the wood to the same dimension. I am cutting mdf and kick board that is 1/4 of an inch.

The issue appears to be when sliding the wood along the fence, i put horizontal pressure (a little) to keep the wood against the fence. This deflects the blade and you end up cutting a piece that is smaller in width that you had intended.

If you have the metal arm up you will find that the cut does not pass by the metal arm guide. I have not found a way to cut (i. e. rip a piece of wood, like kick board, small sheet of mdf) straight. Even cutting large pieces of wood or plastic pipe and not using the guide, you still need to be careful that you do not push against the blade as you will deform it and not cut straight.

I own many many Worx products, and this is the first one I’m truly disappointed with. I had high hopes based on the size and features, but I was very let down by the performance. I used it for the first time today to rip some 1/2″ planks and 3/8″ strips as part of a project to add jambs to my pocket door, and the rip cuts were all over the place.

The blade wobbles (the board pushes it around too easily), so it was impossible to get a clean, straight cut. I had the blade cover well clamped, and used the guide per the instructions, I even took it real slow – but no help.

I had to run the board through a few times just to get a useable edge, but the board still looks horrible (I’ll have to use a healthy dose of putty to fix the finished product. Unfortunately, I’m out of the return period (I should have tested it out sooner), or I’d get rid of this tool.

I can see how this saw would be good for jigsaw cuts, but not as a table saw alternative or for ripping boards.

I saw this online and the reviews were pretty good overall for performance and versatility, but I don’t get it. I picked one up, unpacked it, took a look, turned it on to listen to it, then returned it to the store.

It’s very flimsy. This may be fine for light weight applications such as a hobbyist building bird houses, but nothing heavier than that. It says it can cut wood up to 1 1/2″ but you’d be there all day for each cut and after listening to it run, I suspect the motor would burn out pretty quickly.

Using it to cut metal pipe? You’d be better off with a handheld hacksaw. It’s a jigsaw mounted upside down to a plastic table. That’s it. Before buying this saw, seriously consider the applications you have in mind.

I purchased this track saw about a year and a half ago. It has quickly become my favorite tool. I use it for almost everything from straightening crooked boards to ripping full sheets of plywood. The saw leaves perfect glue ready joints.

Since I have got this saw I hardly ever even bother cut sheet goods on a table saw. My only complaint is the cost I feel it’s a little high for what you get. That being said I would buy another one tomorrow.

I’ve owned this saw for a year now. Let me start out by saying I love the power of the saw. As far as portable table saws go, it can’t be beaten. It’ll take a damp 2×6 cedar and rip it without bogging down at all.

Can’t complain about that. However, and this is a BIG however, the “Stay-true” fence is an awful design. It is NOT true. I have to check both sides and adjust accordingly before clamping it in place, it’s really no better than me putting a straight edge with two clamps across the table.

That kind of a thing wastes a lot of time on a project and is very frustrating. I like that it’s removable and stores under the saw. Another bother with it though is that if you are doing angled cuts on both sides of a board, the fence sticks up off the table just enough that there is a tendency for the board to slide under the fence and ruin your cut.

I did that twice before I realized what was happening. The guard and pawls that come with the saw are adequate and they do what they’re supposed to do. They are a little hard to get on and off but once you figure out how they work, it’s not so bad.

The height and angle adjustments are nice and quick to use. I do find that the saw makes an almost mild grinding sound when running in an angled position, does not hurt performance though. All in all my real complaints with this saw are all to do with the fence.

Rack and pinion is the way to go. If you were to buy an aftermarket fence system then this saw is a real performer. It works hard just like the wormdrive circular saws.

Was somewhat unsure about the “abrasive technology” but the blades seem to last fairly long, although they are expensive. Haven’t had any problems with use of this saw and have used it a lot, on siding, tile, metal, flooring, wood, etc.

If you need a perfectly straight line cut, this saw is easy to guide, etc. Wish the depth of cut was a little deeper, etc. When I cut I follow Dremel’s suggestion and don’t force the saw through the material, just let the saw perform at it’s own speed, etc.

I’ve got accessories like the blade guide fence, the miter square, etc. The case the entire set comes with is very handy for storing blades and accessories, but wish it was a little larger. Haven’t experienced many of the problems other users have reported, i.

e. , melting, etc. ; this is a “light duty” saw and should be used accordingly. It’s sensational when used for the right type of cutting. Like my other Dremel equipment which I absolutely could not do without, this little light duty specialty saw is a winner.

purchase without hesitation.

For what I need it for, woodworking and home improvement projects, it’s perfect. I would however like to see some blades with teeth instead of the coated ones. I would also hope that they could design a retro fitted fence/guide that would allow deeper cuts.

I could do so much more with it. All in all though, this is a quality built saw with very good power compared to all the other mini circular saws on the market. BTW bought it reconditioned for half the price and the thing is like new.

Not disappointed.

WHEN USING MOST DREMEL PRODUCTS, YOU FEEL THE EASE IN YOUR HANDS. MOST PROFECTS ARE ACCOMPLISHED EASILY WITH OUT ANY STRAIN AS LONG AS USE CHOSE YOUR TOOL WISELY. NOW ALONG COMES THE SAW MAX. BE AWARE THAT THIS ISN’T YOUR DREMEL FROM THE PAST.

THIS ONE HAS A LOT OF PUNCH AND IF NOT CAREFUL, CAN CAUSE AN INJURY AND DAMAGE. PRACTISE USING IT ON SCRAP MATERIAL FIRST. THIS WAY YOU CAN GET A NACK FOR HOW IT PERFORMS. PERSONALLY, I THINK THE EXTRA POWER LIKE ANY OTHER CIRCULAR SAW IS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE JOB AT HAND CORRECTLY.

SOMEONE AT DREMEL USED THEIR HEADS WHEN DESIGNING THE SAW BLADES. IF THEY EVER OFFER A CROSS CUT OPEN TOOTH BLADE, BE VERY CAREFUL, YOUR FINGERS MIGHT BE AT RISK.

Nice solid aluminium base plate. Lots of power. The only weak point is the guide which is weak and flimsy – the same as on the cheaper DIY model.

I’m using the flooring saw in place of a table saw. It’s perfect for making straight and miter cuts for small heirloom items I make. I can make bevel and detail cuts on a Nobex Champion saw I have. The overall design is well thought out and it shows in the different ways you use the saw.

Material quality and workmanship is excellent. Out of the box the table was dead flat in every direction. The blade and riving knife were straight and in perfect alignment. Moving the saw along the guide rails feels safer than moving wood across the blade and makes it is easy to make straight cuts.

The throat plate is a zero clearance one and the clearance with the blade is minimal which helps alignment and accuracy. From a safety standpoint you’d have to intentionally put your finger under the saw to get hurt.

Reviews I read said the saw was loud but I think it’s quieter than a circular or small table saw. Best of all the vacuum port works if you use a vacuum. Saw dust is all but eliminated. Any that might be created sits on the table instead of flying around the room.

It’s a good value. I’m glad I bought it because no matter what kind of woodworking I do it will always be usable and safer than other exposed blade saws.

I gave this saw only 3 stars because of some of its design. First the blade lock button is located between the inside saw body and the slide rails. This makes it difficult to hold the button “in” while trying to use the allen wrench to loosen the attaching screw.

Also the blade has to be removed from the bottom of the plate. 2nd the dust shoot is an odd size and is difficult to adapt to a shop vac, but you do it works great. 3rd, the blade guard makes it hard to get to the blade if you need to use a tape measure on long cuts, a LED to light up the blade area would be a hugh help.

Last, but not a saw issue, is the blade will dull pretty quick if cutting a high quality floor since these will have a really hard finish. So make sure you have at least 3 blades to do your project. What I really like about this saw is its lite weight and mounting feet that make it stable when using the saw.

Also the handle mounted on/off switch is really great and the slide rail lock is mounted in front of the switch. All in all the saw is to me worth while to buy if you are doing a lot of flooring and you don’t have access to a table saw and chop box.

I must also state that I don’t know how well it will rip a flooring plank since I have a table saw, but after using the saw I would say that it would do that just as well.

This saw rides on rail to keep the daw running straight. But somehow the blade is not parallel to the rails so it cannot cut without burning the material, since the saw is out of square. I purchased this saw to do a small flooring project.

Whether I tried a crosscut or rip cut, the results are the same. I wish I had spent my money on a better tool.

I contacted customer support regarding use of the power handsaw (PHS550B) for cutting stainless steel versus mild steel. The metal cutting blade is only rated for thin metal sheets or mild steel. The lack of a slower speed also makes it run to fast and heat-up too much for thicker and harder metals.

Please consider offering more flexible use of your otherwise very useful power handsaw by upgrading it to variable speed brushless motor and offering bi-metal and carbide coated cutting blades as accessories.

The tool is nice for older folks and artists like me who don’t have (or don’t want to have) a garage full of power tools. I use this tool for rough cuts only, be it thicker bush limbs or common lumber boards and the metal blade does work to make flush small nail or screw heads.

But, on the other hand, the tools is no match for newer brushless cordless compact reciprocating saws like Bosch, Milwaukee, or Ryobi offer.

small saw for household projects. did great job! and will make my life easier (and my creativity) being able cut things to size, etc. However, the directions are absolutely awful. I used the youtube video mentioned in one review but that was not helpful as the mechanism (oval shaped pin) on my saw was positioned vertically, not horizontally as in video.

all set to take it back as I figured I had a defective item. then I googled “how to” myself and read FIXYA which immediately showed how to change the position of the the pin with a screwdriver as this is a common occurence.

VERY EASY FIX and from there on out, a great product! would give product a 5 star but directions are a pretty important part of the product so only 4.

We moved into a house with huge bushes that attracted tons of bees, we needed the bushes gone ASAP. We went to Home Depot and purchased this handsaw to help us do the manual work. Let me say, I’m a woman and my husband was impressed how I handled it.

Of course he helped but this handsaw is easy to use, it’s small but mighty and not too loud either. Oh and the price was affordable too!.