One of my favorite features is the electric brake that automatically stops the blade from spinning as soon as you let go of the trigger. This is safer and keeps you moving along with your project. DIYers will also appreciate the power and versatility of the Makita cordless circular saw. It cuts so smoothly and quickly that it’s likely to be a favorite on any building project, and at just 10½ pounds, it shouldn’t cause undue wrist and arm fatigue. Find out more about the best circular saws and how they performed in our hands-on testing to determine the best choice for any shopper’s projects. The cutting depth on the Makita is also easy to adjust via a quick-change lever, so I didn’t spend a lot of time going from deep cuts to shallow cuts.
This limits scales accuracy but in my experience using a cutoff or bevel square as a “jig” is usually more effective than using the scale anyway. Home Depot is currently selling the Makita 18V LXT makita angle grinder 6-1/2 in. Is going for $99.00–meaning the Ryobi is a full $60 cheaper. You might find the Makita on sale through other retailers, but the Ryobi seems to be markedly more affordable at MSRP.
Makita’s 5007 series is incredibly popular and the 5007MGA is our favorite. The large cutting capacity—2 3/8 on a 90 and 1 ¾ at 45 degrees—means you can cut even true 2 by 4’s. The wrap around base made from heavy-duty aluminum provides extra durability and straighter cuts. Our list of what we like is so long that we can only take the top 3 or 4. The model 5007f has been one of their best sellers, but lately, they have hyped the Makita 5007mg circular saw. 3 of the saws on the list had Makita’s Automatic Speed Change technology™ (XSH03Z, XSC02Z, XSR01Z), which changes the speed of the saw blade as your cutting, or not cutting.
If the saw needs more power, it will adjust the torque and RPMs. When it doesn’t, it will lower the power and save makita angle grinder the battery. The battery features a four-light LED status to let you know how much charge is left on the battery.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC. It’s compact size and very light frame make it perfect for these types of projects and would be easy to use and way less likely to wear you out. This is on the expensive side, closer to the $200 mark but is more of a “specialty” type of saw and does not have any bevel capabilities. This is a downside to this saw but I wouldn’t say that it is a bad thing, just something to be aware of.