Best Circular Saw UK –

Thanks for taking the time to read our information on the best circular saw UK. If you want a saw that can quickly rip through or cross cut some wood, then a good general purpose circular saw is just the ticket.

Circular saws are the most popular choice for this type of work and the biggest seller in the power saw market today. When these were first released, most people could simply not afford them at all. Today you can pick one up from about £25, though if you want something that will last, and have the important features, then allow a budget of about £50-100.

Circular Saws gain their popularity as they are inexpensive and versatile. These types of portable saw can be used for a wide range of tasks such as plunge cuts, ripping and cross cutting all of which can be done with great ease. All you need to figure out is the task you wish to accomplish and we will help you determine which saw suits your needs to accomplish it.

Below we have provided a circular saw buying guide that should help you out. We have also done individual reviews on some of the most popular choices for people which we have included right below. Circular saws are also referred to as “plunge saws” and “chop saws.”

How to Choose a Circular Saw?

Before you spend any money on a circular saw, then there is some information which we think is very important to fully understand. We have included that just below.

Circular Saw Options

There are three slightly different options when it comes to buying a circular saw, and we have explained those just below.

1. The most popular is the standard circular saw that has an electrical cord that you plug into a main’s electrical socket.
2. Growing in popularity is the cordless circular saw which need to be powered by a battery.
3. Finally there is a mini circular saw that can be easier to use for many buyers. We have shown these just below so as you get a full understanding of what is available.

The corded circular saw is the most powerful but you do need to be able to plug it into an electricity supply. These are also heavy saws and care is needed when using them. The cordless circular saw requires a battery (usually 18 Volts), so no trailing leads, but you don’t get quite the same power, and you will need a battery and a charger. Both types have a cutting depth of around 2.5″ (63-65 mm)

The mini circular saw is much easier to use. However the maximum cutting depth is around 1.5″ (40 mm) so will not be suitable for all jobs. It works for jobs such as cutting floor boards, picture framing, etc Some models can do bevel cuts.

Top 10 Best Circular UK Buyers 2023

We have listed just below the top 10 circular saws that are available on the UK market. If you click on any of the links just below you will be able to read a longer description of each saw.

1. Makita HS7601J 190 mm Circular Saw – Our recommendation
2. Hychika 1500W Circular Saw – Best Budget Corded Circular Saw
3. Bosch Professional GKS 190 Corded 240 V Circular Saw – Best Professional
4. Evolution Power Tools R165CCS-Li Cordless Circular Saw – Best budget cordless circular saw with battery and charger
5. Evolution Power Tools R185CCS Multi-Material Circular Saw – Best for Home Use
6. Bosch Home and Garden circular saw –  Best for beginners and best seller
7. Dewalt DCS570N Cordless XR Brushless Circular Saw – Best with a brushless motor
8. Evolution Power Tools R185CCSX – Best circular saw with track
9. HYCHIKA Circular Saw – Best mini circular saw
10. Einhell 4340490 Bench-type Circular Saw – Best circular saw with table

Circular Saw Buying Guide

So as you can see, circular saws come in various brands and models, as is always the case when buying any power saw or tool. We would recommend a circular saw that allows easy adjustment and blade visibility as seeing where you’re cutting is vital when making the most accurate of cuts. A circular saw with an accurate laser line can help a lot with that.

This is a feature that is often over looked, and yet it remains for us, an important consideration when you come to actually using the saw. It is also worth knowing that circular saws do get called by different names that include the chop saw and the plunge saw.

Circular Saw Uses

The best circular saws will have a high base alignment and kerf indicators that ensure a smooth operation when cutting on any type of job. There are a few things to consider when buying this type of saw, and it really depends on the user.

Some will want one for DIY home improvements, whereas someone else who works in the wood working/construction business and professionals will want something packed with features, robust and powerful.

We will cover below some aspects which make some circular saws stand out from the others. This saw is nothing more than a motor with a blade attached. The wheel then spins very quickly and takes all the manual effort out of sawing through different materials such as wood, plastic and various types of metal.

They can be a dangerous tool and you do need to be really careful when you are using one. We have seen some pretty horrific accidents as a result of not being careful when using one of these.

Circular saws come in many different sizes, power sizes and styles with multiple different features. Yes it can get confusing, but the good news is that there is guaranteed to be one, that will suit your own particular individual needs.

On a regular basis, manufacturers are adding features to these, to try and make their brand stand out and be different from the others.

Our advice here is to ignore the advertising and marketing hype and just focus on the important features that you will need to complete the jobs you need doing.

Corded or Cordless Circular Saw?

This just comes down to where you plan to be using your saw. If it is in different places then you need the saw to be portable so the choice has to be cordless. The disadvantage of this choice is that you will always need a charged up battery. If you plan on doing most of your work in a workshop or garage, then get a corded one and you never have to worry about having a saw ready to use.

If you opt for the corded version, then you will need an extension cord or lead almost always, as the leads that come with these are never long enough. We are lucky in that we have each type so the best of both worlds, but if we had to pick just one, it would be the cordless. Not only do you not have to worry about trailing power leads, but you can saw just about anywhere you like.

The cordless versions are however slightly more expensive, but for a few extra dollars, you get a whole lot more flexibility. Corded versions are better for heavier work like tiles, stone, masonry or if you plan on regularly cutting lots of wood. Hopefully this narrows down your choices even more for you.

Circular Saw Blade Choices

• Circular saws come in different blades sizes which are:
• 6.25″
• 6.5″
• 7.25″
• 8″
• 8.25″
• 8.5″
• 10″
• 12″
• 14″

The most popular is the 7.25 or better known as the 7 1/4″ blade. What difference does the blade size actually make anyway?  It comes down to the depth of cut that you will be able to get. The bigger the blade, the deeper the cut you will be able to make.

Now you will need different types of blades for different cuts, but the actual blade size is what will determine the depth that you can cut through.

 Saws with blades of 6″ or more can handle standard 2″ wood even at an angled cut. If you wanted to get through a 4″ piece of wood with an angle, you would need a bigger 12-14″ blade.

So the simplest way to decide which blade you need, is to think of the thickest piece of wood you will have to cut through. If this is going to be an angled cut, then don’t forget that the depth will be wider.

The vast majority of people buy a 7.25″ blade which can handle about 90% of all jobs.

Depth and Angle of the Blade – Cutting Depths

Now something you do need to put a bit more thought into is the ability to adjust the depth and angel of the blade as this is one of the most important elements of any power saw.

Most Circular saws we have ever come across either use a knob or levers to make adjustments.

We strongly recommend using levers as an alternative to saws with knobs as they are much quicker and easier to use.

Using a circular saw with adequate adjustments for the blade to make sure the base edge will remain parallel with the blade so that it won’t veer off when guided with a straight edge.

Versatility of Your Circular Saw

A key feature we like to consider as professional Carpenter is the versatility of the saw. The real capabilities of any circular saw most definitely boil down to versatility and the cutting style it allows.

The ability to make certain cuts really depends on the saw type for your specific needs.

When bevelling, this will call for a saw that has a tilting base to ensure angled cuts. If you don’t plan on doing bevel or angled cuts, then no need to worry, so just get a basic saw.

Circular Saw Shoe Styles

You will drop your saw – please remember we said that!!! No matter how protective we are of our tools, they will get dropped and these saws do not bounce. That usually means for a circular saw, that the shoe will get damaged.

Some shoes are made of cast iron and they are a lot harder to damage or bend, than a light aluminium shoe.

Cast iron shoes are also heavier, so yet again you have to balance the weight against the durability and decide which will suit you best.

We like the lighter shoe material, but then have some ribs built into them that offer a lot more strength to the shoe. For us that is a practical compromise.

Laser Guides on Circular Saws

We would never have considered this one to be that important, but Roy who uses a circular saw every single day, has told us this is a “must have” feature. 

The laser shines a beam of light on to the cutting line and makes sure you get an accurate cut. There is no way we are going to argue with Roy

Brakes – And Electric Braking

If you have used a circular saw without a brake, then you will know that when you release the trigger, it takes a few seconds for the blade to stop turning.

One with a brake feature does this in under 2 seconds. Is it necessary? No, but it is a nice to have, and as far as your own safety goes, it is an excellent feature.

Power and RPM

If you have opted for a cordless then Volts (V) is the measurement you should look for. With a corded version it is measure in Amperes (Amps).

As a basic rule of thumb the bigger these are the more power. This is however a crude measure as it is more about the torque that gets delivered to the blade, that determines the actual cutting power.

An important thing is power, the rating of the motor should be high for example a 1500 watt motor is fast and powerful, and this results in a high RPM.

You guessed it, the higher the RPM then the faster the blade will spin. That makes life a lot easier when making cuts in relation to the control of the saw.

More Power will in turn give you more control – this then gives you the ability to make cuts on more durable materials.

A more powerful motor in most cases will typically give you the option of running a bigger blade. So, pay particularly good attention when reviewing the speed that the blade will travel at.

Changing Blades on a Circular Saw

No matter which saw you buy, at some stage you will need to change the blade. If it has a spindle or shaft lock, then it makes this a great deal easier.

If it doesn’t have that then it will be a spanner change, and that will take time. If you will regularly be changing and using different blades, then make sure your circular saw has a spindle lock.

Adjustable Handles

Many of the saws come with adjustable handles and this is a nice feature to have. It is not an essential feature, but we have found it to be very useful in terms of comfort, and ease of use.

Making Plunge Cuts with a Circular Saw

As tradesmen we make plunge cuts day and daily, so please if you are the same do not even consider getting anything other than a plunge saw. However, if you only make the occasional plunge cut then certainly a circular is more than capable to perform this for you.

Bearing in mind that the saw you have does not have a riving knife or has a removable riving knife and please bear in mind a riving knife is there for your safety.

It is a specially designed feature to prevent your circular from kicking back. So, again we would recommend keeping a close out if you have plans on making the rare plunge cut.

Circular Saw Summary

This is a very long guide, but hopefully we have covered off the main and most important features to consider, when it comes to buying a circular saw.

There is certainly a lot to consider. For most people though, a basic good quality saw is probably all you will ever need.

For the lower end brands you can pick one of these up for around £50-60 and it will do about 90% of most jobs around the house, where this type of saw can be used.

Something in a higher brand like Maika or Bosch will cost more at around £75-100, but for that you get a professional saw. It will also last you a lot longer.