If you’ve been longing for a track saw to land on Hilti’s Nuron platform, the wait is over! The Hilti Nuron 22V cordless plunge cut track saw is now available. We were able to get our hands on one and see how it compares to other cordless models we’ve reviewed.
Reasons to Buy
- Highest speed among premium cordless track saws
- Excellent cutting power
- Excellent dust collection
- Easy blade depth adjustment
- Powder coated shoe glides easily over materials and guide rails
- 20-year warranty
Consider Another Model if You…
- Are on a budget
- Need to cut close to clamps
Hilti Nuron 22V Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw Performance
As part of the Nuron system, Hilti leans on its brushless motor design to get optimal performance, runtime, and service life from their track saw.
The saw lines up well against other professional cordless track saws with a 6000 RPM top speed. Compared to Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel 2831, Hilti has 400 more RPM. Makita’s 40V XGT GPS01 is 1100 RPM lower, and DeWalt’s 60V Max FlexVolt DCS520 is 2000 RPM lower on the top end. Not even Festool’s TSC 55 KEB matches Hilti’s speed. With that extra speed backed by excellent cutting torque, the saw is capable of making faster cuts. More importantly, its cuts are super-clean and promote even better dust collection.
As we expect on a premium model, there’s a variable speed dial and you can drop it all the way down to 2400 RPM (based on our tachometer readings). The dial has numbered indicators 1 – 6, but with micro stops in between, it’s essentially infinitely variable within the full speed range.
Using the parallel guide or cutting free hand, the max cutting depth is 2 1/4 inches. On a rail, it’s 2 1/8 inches. At a 45° bevel, the max depth is 1 5/8 inches.
Hilti’s stock blade is its thin kerf Ultimate 24T carbide wood blade. Going with such a thin kerf blade can be a risk on a track saw, but I didn’t experience any wobble or deflection during our testing.
Hilti Nuron 22V Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw Design Notes
Power Source
As part of Hilti’s Nuron system, you can use any 22V Nuron battery to power this saw. I like the B 22-170 battery for its balance of performance and runtime.
One downside of the battery’s orientation is that it extends the side of the saw. On most cuts, it’s no problem. If you’re not using a guide rail and stick with standard bar clamps, it can limit how close you can cut to them.
Plunge Action
Hilti designed the plunge release and trigger safety into one mechanism. Just above the trigger, you use your thumb to push the safety/release forward, which then allows you to engage the trigger and plunge into your cut.
Powder Coated Shoe
Normally, a circular saw’s or track saw’s shoe isn’t much of a talking point. However, Hilti powder coated theirs, and it glides super-smooth over material. After using it, I had Josh give a shot. Without telling him what to expect, his first comments were about how smooth the saw glides. Yeah, it really is that good.
Depth Adjustment
The depth adjustment is very easy to use. On the lower section of the depth indicator, pinch the button and slide it to the depth you’re aiming for.
The indicator design has two ledges. The lower one marks the cutting depth without a rail and the higher one is the depth with it.
One interesting decision was installing the measurement plate with the numbers upside down. By doing that, you can easily read the numbers looking from behind the saw instead of from the front of it.
Bevel Adjustment
The bevel adjustment is straightforward, but there are a couple little quirks to be aware of. First, there are two thumbscrews to lock down the angle—one on the front and the other on the rear.
That’s not too unusual for a track saw, but the second element is. When you want to go beyond a 45° bevel to the maximum 47° or to get the -1° bevel, you need to press in the override on the rear of the saw. It’s next to the thumbscrew and might be tough to find if you’re used to a front-mounted override.
Blade Changes
To change the blade, you need to follow a series of steps, but it makes the process easier.
- Remove the battery for safety
- Lift the lever in front of the plunge release (this also exposes the spindle lock button)
- Plunge the saw down—it will lock into place
- Lift the door on the side of the blade guard to expose the arbor
- Press the spindle lock button down and spin the blade by hand until it slips into place
- Hold the spindle lock button down and use the blade wrench to remove the arbor bolt (turn counterclockwise to loosen)
- Slide the old blade out and insert the new blade
- Reverse the process to secure the new blade
Additional Highlights
- Dust shield window lowers to improve dust collection
- 360° swiveling vacuum port
- Front and rear blade position indicators
- 7.3-pound bare tool weight
Hilti Nuron 22V Cordless Plunge Cut Track Saw Price
There are two preconfigured ways to get this saw, and as always, you can add any other batteries, chargers, and accessories a la carte to get exactly what you need. The bare tool comes with a 24T carbide wood cutting blade and hard case for $550. A starter set adds two additional blades for fine finish wood and fiber cement cutting, a dust bag, and a parallel guide for $790.
Hilti has all the accessories you need as well, including rails, rail connectors, blades, and clamps. Considering how well Hilti serves its customers on site, it’s no surprise that they won’t leave you looking to other manufacturers for accessories.
- 55-inch guide rail: $160
- Guide rail connector: $21
- Parallel guide: $43
- Clamp 2-pack: $38.50
- Dust bag: $64
- Fiber cement blade: $99
- Fin finish wood blade: $60
- Wood blade: $170 (5-pack)
The Bottom Line
Hilti’s first-generation cordless plunge cut track saw is a big success. It has the features Pros demand, some beneficial upgrades compared to entry-level models, and outstanding performance. Unlike many track saws that are hyper-focused on guide rail use, Hilti’s design team understood the importance of free hand and fence use on jobsite productivity and delivered a plunge cut saw that excels across all those disciplines.
