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We took a look at some of the very best cordless circular saws on the market and bought 13 models for side-by-side testing, focusing on battery-powered direct-drive saws that range from 7 1/4" framing saws to 5 1/2" trim saws. Our team of experts subjected each of these saws to an identical series of tests, focusing on ease of use, cutting power, and, of course, battery life.
The saw that came out on top is the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2732-20, in part thanks to its powerful motor and saw depth capacity. The SKIL CR540601 is a more affordable saw with good battery life and enough power to handle most cuts.
The circular saw is a staple of any woodshop, but if you're not ready to cut the cord, see our circular saw review. If you aren't sure that a circular saw is the right style, our overview of the top-rated saws outlines our picks from multiple saw categories.
Editor's Note: We updated this review on November 24, 2024. We added more information on which models we recommend, and some alternative saws to consider.
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2732-20 is a high-powered cordless circular saw with incredible cutting performance. During testing, this saw cut through wood like butter, with deeper depth cuts than any other saw in our lineup. It also had the fastest cross-cut time of any previously tested saw. This saw had incredible performance across the board with exceptional cutting capabilities. It also had an attached rafter hook which will come in handy when working on a project. This saw receives the best overall award because of its incredible cutting capabilities and above-average ease of use and battery life.
The incredible cutting power of Milwaukee M18 Fuel doesn't come cheap. This saw is one of the most expensive saws we tested. While its overall performance is superior, the higher price is something to consider. This saw is also quite heavy. At 8.9 lbs, it can be a lot to push and lug around. If you prefer a lighter model that scored just a hair behind, check out the Milwaukee M18 2631-20, which is 3 pounds lighter but does not have quite the same cutting performance or ease of use as the Fuel 2732-20.
The Milwaukee M18 is a cordless circular saw for those who want high-end results. This saw impressed all as it makes full-depth cross-cuts without any sign of difficulty. The shoe and its components have clearly marked depth and degree indicators that make setting the saw up for a cut easy and accurate. The action of all the adjustments is smooth, and they are locked in place with levers — a much better option than knobs. The 90˚ and 45˚ sightlines at the front of the shoe are spot-on as well. Collectively, these features set you up to make precision cuts.
Despite all the praise we've heaped on the Milwaukee M18, there are a few absent features that we'd like to see on this saw. For one, the bevel lacks positive stops at common angle settings. Additionally, blade changes could be smoother. Specifically, the blade lock is a bit of a pain to catch and hold. Admittedly, these are minor complaints, and the fact remains that if you want a top-quality brushless circular saw, the M18 is the obvious choice. If you're not looking to spend an arm and a leg on a cordless circular saw, check the out Kobalt KCS 6524B-03, another award winner with a more affordable price and superior battery life.
The SKIL CR540601 has great features and surprisingly good performance for the price. It's certainly not a professional-level tool, but it will work well for most DIY tasks. It lacks a few convenience features, but its sightlines are quite accurate, making it an excellent choice for light woodworking and weekend work around the house. Moreover, the SKIL has a long battery life, so you can be confident that it will be ready to rip whenever you reach for it.
Given the affordable price tag, one might suspect the manufacturer cut some corners in the design, and you wouldn't be wrong. The SKIL CR540601 features a stamped sheet metal shoe with twist knobs to make adjustments. The knobs are not the easiest to use, and it is hard to see the markings. The blade changing process is a bit contrived, which is mainly because of an awkwardly placed blade lock button. Its motor isn't the most powerful, either. Despite these shortcomings, the SKIL CR540601 is quite a bit better than a hand saw and better than some of the other saws we tested. Yet, you can get your hands on one for a reasonable price. If you're willing to spend a little extra, but don't need the highest performer on the market, the Kobalt KCS 6524B-03 is our favorite mid-sized saw. It features stupendous battery life and excellent cutting quality.
We think the Kobalt KCS is one of the best of the mid-sized saws because it leaves little to be desired. This saw can cut both soft and hardwood across the grain at full depth with little difficulty. The shoe adjustment levers for depth and bevel are easy to operate. Even more impressive, Kobalt distinguishes itself with unrivaled battery life. No other saw we reviewed even came close.
While you're more likely to wear out before the battery of this saw dies, it is somewhat lacking regarding ease of use. The sightlines on the leading edge of the shoe are off, which can result in shorter cuts than desired. The bevel also lacks positive stops, which requires attention because the bevel extends all the way to 50˚. Drawbacks aside, this is still a super effective cordless circular saw. If battery life isn't your top priority and you need machine that's a little easier to use with superior cutting performance, the DeWalt 20V MAX DCS570 is one that shouldn't be missed.
With superior battery life and excellent performance on all types of wood, this is our favorite mid-sized machine.
Credit: Nicholas Miley
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Our testers perform hundreds of cuts with each saw to assess accuracy, ease of use, battery life, and more while evaluating these products.
Credit: Laura Casner
How We Test Cordless Circular Saws
Our test team ripped through more than 2,300 linear feet of 3/4" plywood to test battery life. We made countless full-depth cross-cuts on both soft and hardwood lumber, and we carefully inspected all of the features of the saws that contribute to ease of use, precision cuts, and maintenance. In total, we logged more than 150 hours of testing while analyzing and comparing these machines side-by-side.
These saws were ranked using three performance metrics:
Cutting (50% of overall score weighting)
Ease of Use (30% weighting)
Battery (20% weighting)
Why Trust GearLab
Senior research analyst Austin Palmer has been testing electronics — and cordless tools specifically — for several years. His experience installing and maintaining derricks in the Texas oil fields yields a callused-hands approach to tool testing. He's also a homeowner who always has a project to test a tool on. Complementing his expertise is Senior Review Editor Nick Miley, who has a background in custom finish carpentry. He has also built two wooden canoes and maintained countless more wooden boats. Both know their machines and appreciate the nuances of each product to provide expert level advice.
Note the lower blade guard pressing against the saw blade. On the opposite side, the arbor is also in contact with the blade. This makes the task of inserting/ removing the blade a pain.
Making a crosscut trim with a blade-left saw allows a clear view of the blade, but saw dust is discharged towards the user, the cutting arm crosses the cutting plane, and the shoe has limited contact with the board.
How to Choose a Cordless Circular Saw
Choosing the right cordless circular saw can feel overwhelming whether you are a first-time buyer or someone with complex carpentry needs. To help you with your search, we put together a list of important buying considerations, including size, features, and ergonomics, to narrow down your selection. And for those seeking even more advice, check out our full in-depth buying advice article.
Finding the Right Circular Saw
Whether you're a seasoned carpenter or a weekend DIY'er, identifying the type of cuts and intended work you have planned is the first step to finding the right saw for you. Factors such as cutting capacity and cutting depth are largely influenced by the blade size and size of the battery/motor. 7 ¼" saws are ideal for tasks such as framing, stacked cuts, cross and plunge cuts, and more demanding materials. 6 ½" saws are a great middle ground, offering a lightweight, compact saw for a variety of tasks. 5 ½" blades and below are best suited to tackle trim work such as crown moldings, baseboards, and mantels where a smaller blade is necessary.
Choosing the proper blade length will help effectively tackle all your carpentry needs.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Battery Considerations
While higher-voltage cordless circular saws help produce more power for demanding cuts, the battery also plays a large role in the effectiveness of your saw. Smaller batteries in the 1.5 to 2-Ah range are ideal for light-duty work and typically recharge the quickest. Higher Ah-rated packs upwards of 5-Ah will offer longer run times and more efficient cutting for demanding tasks since additional cells are dispersed under workload. If battery usage is a concern, there's always the option to carry multiple batteries or opt for larger Ah-rated packs to help increase run time. Brushless motors should also be taken into account for everyday use and heavy-duty jobs. They help eliminate friction and wear during use, translating to more efficient cutting and longer run time.
Important Features
Choosing a circular saw with the right features provides not only a smoother cutting experience (no pun intended) but a safer and more efficient cut. Electric brakes are an especially useful safety feature on modern-day saws that help avoid accidental cuts and injuries; they also allow for quicker cuts without having to wait for the blade to wind down after each cut. For those working on a variety of woods and different cuts, we also recommend looking for options with spindle locks to make blade swaps quick and easy. Other features like laser guides and preset bevel stops can be useful, but they shouldn't be the deciding factor when choosing the correct saw.
Ergonomics
It's wise to think about how a circular saw operates, feels, and functions while making your selection. Certain saws are significantly more balanced in the hand than others, which facilitates easier cutting and less fatigue after prolonged usage. In order to prevent strain and uncomfortable operation, it's also important to note how simple it is to engage the safety switch and trigger during use. Other factors that can significantly increase the accuracy and precision of your cuts are the cutline, angle markings, and cut depth markers; specifically how easy it is to track and see.
Different features like the handle, trigger, and cutlines can all help towards a comfortable and easy-to-use saw.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Analysis and Test Results
This review used a series of systematic tests to allow for direct comparison across a diverse class of cordless circular saws. To do this, we designed evaluations to isolate specific aspects of normal saw use into categories that we call metrics. These metrics are weighted by their impact on user experience and product performance. These metrics are ease of use, cutting, and battery performance. The following is a rundown on the observations in each of these metrics and what we felt made one saw better than another.
We tested the performance of several portable circular saws in this review.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
What's the Best Value?
For many people, value is subconsciously calculated before and after every purchase. Often value is simply the feeling people get when they are satisfied with a purchase. However, we try to estimate value through an analytical process wherein products that perform similarly are compared by their price, and products within a similar price range are compared by their performance.
For example, the Bosch CCS180 circular saw has slightly above-average cutting power on sheets of wood and a pretty decent performing battery. These stats place the Bosch in the middle of the pack overall, yet the product is priced significantly below average. With a price-to-performance ratio like that, the Bosch is perfect for those tackling weekend projects because it is affordable with adequate performance for light-duty tasks.
Conversely, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel is one of the more expensive machines in the product category. Its performance, however, is head and shoulders above the competition. For the professional user or woodworking enthusiast, this saw still provides great value because it can perform as needed for both frequent and demanding tasks.
Intended use is a key component of a value assessment. If you need a powerful saw, it's worth spending the money to get the right tool.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Cutting
It might seem curious that we gave cutting only 30% weight in the overall score when it's clearly the critical function of any saw. This weight, however, was used because our cutting tests are concise and focused on the saw's power when making three basic cuts. These cuts are full-blade depth cross cuts in hard and soft wood, as well as ripping a softwood plank. The saws that were able to make the three test cuts the fastest have the most powerful motors and thus received the highest scores.
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel performed the best overall in the cutting evaluation. This 7 1/4" saw can make full-depth cross-cuts on a 6x12" header in 4 seconds and can rip 10' off 2x12 in just 35 seconds. Hardwood cuts posed no problems either. The 7 ¼" DeWalt 20V is on the Milwaukee's heels making cross-cuts in 6 seconds and rips in 46 seconds. The Dewalt DCS391B made a notable showing here as well. This 6 ½" saw punched above its weight, throwing down softwood cross-cut times as good or better than the 7 1/4" saws and proving that you don't necessarily need a framing saw to cut dense LVL lumber.
Not surprisingly, the cut test results group by blade size. The best results come from the 7 1/4" models, the poorest from the mousy 5 1/2" Black+Decker BDCCS20B. The exception to this relationship is the Ridgid R8653B, which, despite its 7 1/4" blade, performed more like a 6 1/2" saw.
A hardy 6 1/2" saw making quick work of a 2x12" crosscut.
Credit: Ian Pearman
Ease of Use
The ease of use metric accounts for 50% of a product's final score and does so for good reasons. This metric is broad and incorporates all the aspects of saw use outside of cut and battery performance. This metric assesses how the user interacts with the saw and rates how easy it is to get the saw to perform the tasks for which it was designed.
Specifically, we make a close inspection of the saw shoe. How deep can the blade penetrate at full depth? What is the range of bevel angles? Is the bevel well marked so that it's easy to read when dusty? Does the bevel have positive stops that ensure accuracy on standard angles? We also measure the marked angles for accuracy as well as assess the accuracy of the sightlines. Finally, we weigh the saw and determine the difficulty in changing the blades. This is not a nitpicky survey of each model. Instead, this is an investigation into the aspects of saw use that will make a big difference in the user experience and the quality of work being done.
Given the long list of features that we take into account in this metric, it's no wonder that many saws fall into the middle rankings because most saws have a mix of good and bad characteristics. That said, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel outshines the rest of the class because it has an easy-to-change blade, spot-on sightlines, and positive stops at common bevel angles. The Ryobi P507, and DeWalt 20V are just a step behind.
The Ridgid's bevel design is among the best we've seen. Clearly marked degrees, positive stops, and a lever that can't be beat make this saw a standard-setter in the class.
Credit: Ian Pearman
The depth and angle adjustments on the Milwaukee M18 and DeWalt 20V are really easy to release, place, and secure, while the Ryobi P507's sightlines are on par with the Ridgid R8653B. The Makita XSS02 (though it didn't do so well overall in this metric) and the DeWalt both have no-fuss blade swapping systems. Their blade locks are easy to depress while providing a good grip on the saw to loosen the bolt clamp. The blade guards offer ample room for a blade to slide in and out. Additionally, both models have good storage for the wrench. The big difference here is that the DeWalt uses a more powerful box wrench rather than an Allen key, and the DeWalt's battery must be removed to access the wrench. This last feature provides an extra layer of safety while also preventing the tool from accidentally falling out of its storage slot.
Those models that did poorly in this evaluation have poor craftsmanship or lack attention to detail in the shoe. In such cases, adjustment knobs are hard to access, sightlines are inaccurate, and blades are hard to swap. The Porter-Cable PCC660 is an example of a saw that failed to impress in these evaluations because it has all these problems plus a flimsy shoe that's prone to bending. While the Dewalt DCS391B has good cutting performance, the narrow trigger area made this saw more difficult to use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Battery
Battery life is everything in the cordless power tool world. Without a quality battery, a tool's other characteristics go by the wayside because you'll constantly be fetching batteries from the charger to make your cuts. This scenario could potentially defeat the benefits of going cordless in the first place.
However, our battery test is fairly narrow in its scope, consisting of repeatedly making rips on an 8-foot sheet of 3/4 inch plywood until a fully charged battery has been completely drained. Although the battery life of a saw is of the utmost importance, its evaluation only accounts for the remaining 20% of the overall score.
The results of our battery tests: hundreds of rips of 3/4" plywood.
Credit: Austin Palmer
It should be noted that while we test all the saws in our review in precisely the same way, there are differences in amp-hours ratings that skew the results. That said, greater amp-hours don't always correlate with longer battery life. Such is the case with the Kobalt KCS, which was tested with a 4 amp-hour battery that significantly outperformed the 5 amp-hour models. The Kobalt nearly wore out our tester because it took 360 linear feet of plywood to drain its battery!
Other notable models are the SKIL CR540601, the Milwaukee M18, and the Milwaukee M18 Fuel (our favorite 7 ¼" saw). These models ran on 5 amp-hour batteries, but the former model ripped 324 linear feet of ¾ inch plywood and the latter 298. Not too bad. To put this into a broader context, the Black+Decker BDCCS20B ran on a 1.5 amp-hour battery and ripped a mere 52 linear feet. All of the models tested will continue to cut right up to the end of their battery life — a nice feature, to be sure.
After cutting 360 linear feet of sheeting on a charge, it was clear that the Kobalt can make more rips than the testers cared to execute.
Credit: Nicholas Miley
Conclusion
There is a lot to consider when shopping for a cordless circular saw. Whether you're in the market for a professional-grade saw or a price-point model for the occasional project around the house, our in-depth review offers expert recommendations based on value and performance. These honors were given based on each model's rankings in three test metrics: ease of use, cutting, and battery. Making up each of these metrics are tests that analyze the performance of the saw. These tests allow for direct comparisons of the most popular models on the market. We have made all the information from our testing available to you so that you can evaluate each saw for yourself and make an informed selection.
