The Best Cordless Circular Saw of 2022

If you’re looking for the best cordless circular saw of 2022, you’re in the right place!

Cordless Circular Saw Buying Guide

The portability of cordless circular saws is a great advantage. Thanks to battery technology improvement, you can now use a circular saw anywhere without depending on an electricity supply. The best part? You can work all day long with spare batteries. Plus, you won’t have to deal with cord snags or the loud noise of a generator.

Most trade professionals and serious DIYers consider circular saws essential, so how do you get a valuable cordless saw? Don’t sweat it. We’ve got you covered. Whether you need a professional grade saw or a quality saw for occasional DIY tasks at home, read on for our detailed guide on the best cordless circular saws you can buy in 2022. But you need to first understand the features to consider before shopping for a cordless circular saw.

Features to Consider When Choosing a Circular Saw in 2022

Sidewinder or Worm Drive

The main difference between a sidewinder and a worm drive saw is the location of their motor. A worm drive circular saw has a motor at the rear of the blade, while a sidewinder circular saw has a motor beside the blade.

Why does the location of the motor matter?
Worm drive circular saws have two gears that spin the blade—this design produces less rotation per minute (rpm) but more torque. The maximum speed of a worm drive saw is around 4500 rpm. Contrarily, sidewinder motors have a direct setup with the blades. As a result, the blades spin faster, and the torque is lower than worm drive saws. The maximum speed of sidewinder saws is around 6000 rpm.

The torque difference implies that you should buy a worm drive saw with high torque if you are cutting hard items. However, the design of sidewinder saws is more compact than worm drive saws. Sidewinder saws are easier to use in tight areas than worm drive saws. Sidewinder saws are recommended for beginners because of their compact size.

Blade size

The limited power of cordless circular saws affects the size of the blades they can handle. The usual blaze size for most cordless circular saws is 6 ½ -inches. Most cordless saws can’t handle 7 ¼ -inches blades like the corded saws. The cutting depth of the 6 ½ -inch blade is 2 ⅛ inches, which is enough for DIY cutting jobs.

Motor

The two types of motors in cordless saws are brushed and brushless motors. The main difference you should be worried about is the energy lost to friction in the motors. Brushed motors lose more energy to friction than brushless motors. The high energy requirement reduces the energy efficiency of brushed motors.

The energy efficiency of motors is important in cordless saws because of their batteries. Brushed motors will consume more energy due to the loss of energy to friction. Thus, the batteries of cordless saws with brushed motors will drain faster than the saws with brushless motors. Buying a brushless circular saw will save you more energy, but they are costlier than brushed circular saws.

Power

Although corded circular saws are more powerful than cordless saws, most cordless circular saws have enough power to do any cutting job at home and in workshops. Unless you are a professional that needs more cutting power, most cordless circular saws will cut the materials you have.

Battery

Cordless circular saws come with an 18-volt or 20-volt lithium-ion battery because of the significant power needed to rotate their blades. It would be best if you considered the ampere-hour (Ah) rating of the saw’s battery. The run time of batteries increases as the amp hours increase. It is advisable to buy a battery with a large capacity if you plan to do heavy-duty cutting jobs.

To save money, we usually recommend buying into one cordless system and using the batteries across many different tool bodies (skins). That’s why the tools in this article are all ‘skin-only’, which means that you’ll be buying the batteries separately if you don’t have them already. If you’re not sure what tool brand is best for you, check out: What is the Best Cordless Tool Brand?

Safety

Safety features you should look out for in cordless circular blades include—retracting blade guards, blade locks, and trigger safeties. These safety features stop the blade and prevent hazardous start-ups when the trigger switch is on. Regardless of the saw’s safety features, ensure you wear protective gear before operating a cordless circular saw.

The Best Cordless Circular Saw: Bosch Bare-Tool CCS180B 18-Volt Circular Saw

This Bosch circular saw stands out from other cordless circular saws with the battery protection system from the manufacturer. This protection system extends the battery life by limiting overloading. This innovation also protects the saw’s motor from overheating. The saw’s motor delivers 3900 rpm of power, which can cut through 2-inch thick items. It also has a 50% bevel angle, an anti-sang lower guard, and an electronic brake stop.

Bosch Cordless Circular Saw Key Specifications

Voltage: 18-volts
Motor: Brushed
Item Weight: 6.6 Pounds
Blade Length: 6.5 Inches
Type: Worm drive
Speed: 3900 rpm

Pros
-Outstanding battery protection system
-Built-in electronic brake stop
-It has a 50% bevel angle for versatile cutting

Cons
-Depth adjustment might be difficult

Best Makita Cordless Circular Saw: Makita XSS02Z 18V LXT Cordless 6-1/2″ Circular Saw

This Makita cordless circular saw has a brushless motor that delivers 5000 rpm. The manufacturer included cutting-edge technology that includes automatic speed technology that regulates the saw’s torque and rotation speed. This regulation optimizes the saw’s power based on the type of material being cut. The saw’s motor is protected from dust and water with layers of seals. You can work for hours on battery with the energy-efficient brushless motor of the saw. Another technology—Star Protection Computer Controls—extends the tool’s battery life by controlling the motor’s overloading and overheating.

Makita Cordless Circular Saw Key Specifications

Voltage: 18 volts
Motor: Brushed
Item Weight: 7.3 pounds
Blade Length: 6.5 inches
Type: Sidewinder
Speed: 5000 rpm

Pros
-Automatic speed technology for speed and torque control
-Charger has an in-built fan that cools the battery for efficient charging
-Overloading and overheating protection
-Rubberized handle design of the saw reduces fatigue during use.
-Ideal for heavy-duty jobs

Cons
-New package doesn’t include a battery and a charger

Best DeWalt Cordless Circular Saw: DeWalt DCS391B 6½″ Circular Saw

This lightweight tool is one of the valuable cordless power tools from DeWalt. You can easily cut your materials with its bevel cut up to 50 degrees. The motor produces an impressive 5150 rpm and has a comfortable grip. You can expect clean rips and crosscut with this saw. The DeWalt DCS391B 6½″ Circular Saw is a trade-quality tool at a fantastic price, which makes it a terrific option for both DIYers and trade professionals alike.

Just a word of caution, this option is skin-only. If you’re not already running DeWalt batteries, getting yourself sorted with this tool will be a costly exercise. To get a decent amount of work out of this tool, you’ll be needing a 4-5 ah battery.

DeWalt Cordless Circular Saw Key Specifications

Voltage: 20-volt
Motor: Brushless
Item Weight: 5 pounds
Blade Length: 6.5 inches
Type: Sidewinder
Speed: 5150 rpm

Pros
-Great durability
-Acceptable depth and bevel range
-Strong motor
-Good calibration
-Comfortable handle

Cons
-Expensive batteries

Best DIY Quality Circular Saw: PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX 6-1/2-Inch Cordless Circular Saw

This tool is affordable and powerful, with a standard 4000 rpm cutting power. But its plastic protection is not as durable as the other cordless saws with metal protection. The plastic design makes it one of the lightest cordless circular saws on the market. Also, the beveling shoe pivots are up to 50 degrees giving the tool impressive versatility for cutting. You can efficiently cut through 2-inch thick objects with this Porter-Cable saw. Like most cordless circular saws, this saw has a specially designed handle for a comfortable grip.

Porter-Cable Circular Saw Key Specifications

Voltage: 20 volts
Motor: Brushless
Item Weight: 1 pound
Blade Length: 6.5 inches
Type: Worm drive
Speed: 4000 rpm

Pros
-Cost-effective and powerful
-Portable for tight spaces
-Efficient cutting power

Cons
-It might not be durable as other cordless circular saws
-Not suitable for heavy-duty cutting jobs

Best Budget Cordless Circular Saw: BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX 5-1/2-Inch Cordless Circular Saw

This is another portable tool that offers excellent value. But it is not as powerful as other cordless circular saws in this category. The saw’s worm drive motor delivers 3700 rpm, and the blade is smaller than others. But the blade offers excellent torque. With the 5 ½ inch blade, the cordless saw can cut through different tough materials. The compatibility of this saw makes it unique—it is easy to use and can be moved around without stress. Additionally, you can easily adjust cutting depths with the tool’s bevel and tool-free adjustment. This Black and Decker cordless saw is fantastic for every DIYer and beginner.

Black+Decker Circular Saw Key Specifications

Voltage: 20 volts
Motor: Brushless
Item Weight: 6.3 pounds
Blade Length: 5.5 inches
Type: Worm drive
Speed: 3700 rpm

Pros
-Portable design for easy use and transportation
-High torque blade
-Bevel control with detents at 90 and 45 degrees
-Tool-free depth control
-Affordable and durable

Cons
-It doesn’t come with a battery and a charger

Cordless circular saws are great power tools that ease the stress of cutting materials. Finding the right saw for your projects can be challenging with the various options on the market. But you can’t go wrong if you choose any of the recommended cordless circular saws above. The saws have suitable cutting power, blade size, battery, and safety for most home and workshop projects.

Still not sure which cordless circular saw is best for you? Get in touch to access our free, personalized tool-buying advice.