Cordless Saw Reviews & Buying Guides

Our cordless saw reviews cover cordless miter saws, cordless circular saws, and cordless reciprocating saws. Then you have the one-handed models, specialty saws, and other tools. We expect more and more of these high power cordless saws to hit the market over the next few years. With such a wide segment of tools, cordless saw reviews are a bit varied. The most popular category clearly includes our best cordless circular saw reviews followed by best miter saw reviews. While cordless circ saws have dominated job sites for years, the cordless miter saw breaks fresh ground. These powerful yet compact cross-cutting tools have literally changed the way Pro work on the jobsite. When you can pull a cordless miter saw off your truck and get right to work, that’s progress. As dust collection and vibration control improve, more and more of these products implement better safety and ergonomics. Look for that in our individual and head to head reviews.

DeWalt DCS373 20V MAX Metal Cutting Circular Saw Preview

DeWalt DCS373 20V MAX Metal Cutting Circular Saw Preview

The new DeWalt DCS373 20VMAX Lithium Ion Metal Cutting Circular Saw delivers speed and power to cleanly cut a variety of metallic construction materials. The motor in the DCS373 delivers 460 Max Watts Out (MWO) and 3,700 revolutions per minute (RPM), making this saw ideal for electricians, mechanical contractors and professional metal workers. Equipped with a 5-1/2 inch, 30 tooth carbide blade and maximum cutting depth of 1-11/16 inches; this saw is set up to make quick, clean cuts in ferrous materials such as uni-strut, threaded rod, conduit, cold rolled pipe, metal plate and pan decking, in one pass.

Masterforce 18V Cordless Band Saw 241-0440 Review

Masterforce 18V Cordless Band Saw 241-0440 Review

The Masterforce 18V cordless band saw was something that intrigued me. It looked light and portable and it was based on a decent platform that I was familiar with, so I knew there were batteries, chargers, and other tools that could work off the same system. That alone made it expandable and attractive and, besides that, I had been looking forward to trying out a cordless version of this type of tool for quite a while now. Not many DIY-types will have much use for a cordless band saw, but if you are an electrician or a plumber, it will almost undoubtedly be one of the greatest power tools in your bag. I happen to work for a local electrical company and so the ideas that were running through my head while pondering the use of this type of tool in my daily job, were beginning to overwhelm me. This was going to be a review I could really dive into.

Metabo STA 18 LTX 18V Cordless Jig Saw Preview

Metabo STA 18 LTX 18V Cordless Jig Saw Preview

Metabo Corporation is a company we’re at least familiar with, though we haven’t done too much hands-on with their tools to-date (something we hope to remedy soon). The German company has been around for decades and specializes in pro-grade electric and cordless power tools and abrasives for the industrial, construction and welding industries. This week, Metabo introduced the 18V STA 18 LTX Cordless Jig Saw which is part of the company’s PowerMaster Series of 18V lithium-ion cordless power tools. Metabo is focusing on power and run-time, stating that the new saw can cut more than 98 feet of chipboard with a single battery pack charge. The tool seems ideal for all the expected roles of a jig saw, like HVAC duct cutting, cabinet making and fitting, and just about any plywood application you can think of.

Milwaukee M12 Cordless Jig Saw Kit 2445-21 Preview

Milwaukee M12 Cordless Jig Saw Kit 2445-21 Preview

Jigsaws can be very inexpensive and occasional-use tools, or they can be the thing you reach for at all times to solve a whole suite of difficult cutting challenges. In our case, we find that the tool really determines which viewpoint you have. Take the new Milwaukee M12 Cordless High Performance Jig Saw (2445-21), for example. This new jigsaw was shown off to us at the 2011 Milwaukee Press Event and we really haven’t stopped thinking about it. The new jigsaw is incredibly simple in design – but in a good way. It has a “Hybrid Grip” design, which Milwaukee pitches as the best combination of features from a top handle and barrel grip jig saw. And really, the handle is unique and it provides ample grip, while giving you really good balance while making cuts. The tool is also very small and handles well. It weighs just 4.1 lbs and is only 8.75″ long from base to front. From our inventory of the market, this looks to be one of, if not the most, compact cordless jigsaw that targets professional users. While the Milwaukee 2645-22 M18 Jig Saw we reviewed earlier this year provides more power, this M12 model is infinitely more flexible and portable.

DeWalt DCS391L1 20V MAX Lithium-Ion Circular Saw Review

DeWalt DCS391L1 20V MAX Lithium-Ion Circular Saw Review

Portability, power, weight and depth of cut are all things to look for in a cordless circular saw and the DeWalt DCS391L1 20V MAX Lithium-Ion Circular Saw delivers on all these levels. Equipped with a thin kerf saw blade and a powerful 460 watt motor, this saw is able to power through most cuts much like a corded model. With a 6-1/2″ saw blade, cutting 2x material is not a problem, even when making 45 degree bevel cuts. The new 3.0Ah Lithium-Ion battery provides over 50 percent longer run time than the other DeWalt cordless models on the market, translatesing into less downtime and more productivity.

DeWalt 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw DWS780 Preview

DeWalt 12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw DWS780 Preview

We’re out at the DeWalt media event today, testing out various new products. One of them is the brand new 12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw (Model DWS780). DeWalt is positioning the DWS780 as the lightest dual bevel sliding miter saw on the market – and indeed it weighs in at just 56 lbs. The $599 DWS780 seems like a really great product for both the professional and serial DIY’er who wants to tear into serous home projects. DeWalt’s new 12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw has a new XPS LED light that throws a “laser-like” shadow on the work surface. This is designed to show where the blade will cut. DeWalt believes this system is more accurate than traditional laser systems and won’t drift out of alignment over time. While they are providing a neat new way to get an accurate cut, we were sad to still see them using the smoke-colored blade guard, which obscures the view of the blade.

Milwaukee 6519-31 Sawzall Reciprocating Saw Kit Review

Milwaukee 6519-31 Sawzall Reciprocating Saw Kit Review

There are a few select products that define entire market segments such as what Skillsaw is to circular saws, Xerox is to copiers and what the Milwaukee Sawzall is to reciprocating saws. Milwaukee’s new 6519-31 Reciprocating Sawzall stays true its original roots, yet boasts more power, longer stroke length, less vibration, and a bargain value price point.