5 Best Compact & Mini Circular Saws [Updated 2023]

Do you need a lightweight power tool that you can use for cutting plastic, stone, tiles, wood and other materials? You should get one of the best compact & mini circular saws.

Are mini circular saws any good? Most people ask this question. However, this tool is best used for the small cutting jobs at home or in a small workshop.

By design, the mini circular saws have a flat, circular blade. They also have a motor, power cable and a handle because you are going to hold it by hand.

They are perfect for use in small spaces such as basements and other small workstations.

 

Best Compact & Mini Circular Saws

Now that you know what these saws are used for, you need to buy the best one. This is where you might encounter a challenge because there are so many in the market. Some come at low prices, some at moderately high prices.

Here are five of the best of them based on features:

1. WORX WORXSAW Compact Circular Saw

This is a lightweight compact circular saw since it weighs just a little over 5 pounds. Among some of the things that you can expect include a powerful motor that can whip up an impressive 3500RPM. This can cut through anything, reasonably.

You can buy its cordless counterpart if you like but here, we are reviewing the corded one. It comes with a 4 Amp power cord and a 4.5-inch blade.

Another notable feature is the handle that has been designed with inline grip technology that is both comfortable and safe. You will feel the saw solidly inside your grip and you can concentrate better on the job at hand.

It also has a trigger switch, which makes controlling your cuts much easier.

On usability, you will find the saw easy to adjust on a few aspects. For example, you can adjust it for making bevel cuts of up to 45°.

Besides, you can also adjust the depth of the cut by up to 2 inches. In addition, this saw also has guides to help you make flush and straight cuts.

Pros

• Comes with a warranty of 36 months

• Light in weight

• Good cutting speeds

• Nice and safe grip

Cons

• It can be a bit complex to use for beginners

 

2. BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX

You know you can never go wrong with a power tool if it is a Black+Decker. This one makes cutting through wood, plastic and other things seem like fun.

First, this is a powerless saw, which makes it very versatile so you can use it in any space. With a blade diameter of 5.5 inches, this can cut through thicker materials.

It weighs 6 pounds, so it is not too heavy to handle or move around the workspace.

The build of this saw is quite solid. With good care, it is going to last you many years on end. In addition, the blade is secured and tightly fastened. Some people say it is hard to change it.

This saw comes with a high torque motor that makes it cut as fast and powerfully as the corded ones. However, it does not come with its battery so you have to buy that separately, but you will still love using it. It is best that you get 4-Amp batteries, so that you can prolong your cutting time.

You get to make a few bevel adjustments for angled cuts. You can also adjust it for cut depths and if you like, you can cut in freestyle. The blade has a bigger diameter, so it makes bigger cuts.

Pros

• It is cordless but powerful, so it is versatile for movement

• Bigger blade helps to make bigger cuts

• Safe for use

• User manual is easy to follow

• 2-year warranty

Cons

• You have to buy any accessory that you will need since it does not come with any

• You have to buy battery separately

 

3. 120V TACKLIFE Circular Saw

If you are looking for a compact & mini circular saw that is cheap and effective at the same time, get the TACKLIFE. It comes with all the accessories that you will need so you can get to cutting straight away.

One of the things that make this saw so powerful is a 5.8-Amp motor. The top speed is 3500RPM, which makes it simple for this saw to cut through anything that you put it to.

In addition, it comes with all of six blades so you can change them fast for different jobs. There is a blade for cutting tiles, wood, PVC pipes, plasterboards and others. Changing the blades is easy and fast too.

While many similar saws come with plastic handles, this one comes with a metal one. Fancy that! The benefit of this handle is that you get more clamping power, which helps you to make stable and cleaner cuts.

If you need to make bevel cuts, you can adjust the bevel by up to 45 degrees. You can also adjust the depth of the cuts easily by up to 2 inches.

Pros

• Ergonomic design and handle is easy on your hands

• Comes with enough cutting blades

• Price is affordable

• Safety switch prevents accidental starts

• Laser guide to help you make straight cuts

Cons

• Switch is a bit hard to work for a person with small hands

 

4. 12V Makita SH02R1 Mini Circular Saw

At the low weight of 3.5 pounds, this is the lightest mini circular saw that we are going to see here. However, it sacrifices a bit on the power, so you will mostly use it for the light cutting jobs. If you are a hobbyist, it will serve your needs just fine.

It can do a maximum speed of 1500RPM with its 12V motor. Again, this compact circular saw comes in a cordless design so you will find it versatile for working from different quarters.

Even the blade diameter is a bit small at 3.4 inches, so you can only use it for light cutting jobs of not more than 1 inch depth.

The grip is ergonomic and comfortable, so you can hold this saw fort a long time without feeling cramped. At the same time, the grip area is made of rubber, which is soft and friendly to your palm.

The saw comes with its storage case and accessories such as two batteries, blade, and charger. However, if you already have the batteries and blades, you can opt to buy the saw alone.

Changing blades is ever so easy, thanks to the supplied wrench. You can buy blades that you can use to cut tiles, wood, plastics and stone. However, remember, the cutting depth is 1 inch.

Pros

• Sold with a limited warranty of 3 years

• You can make bevel cuts and adjust the angle

• Handle with its rubber grip is very good

• Lightweight makes it easy to use even with one hand

Cons

• RPM/speed could be better

• Small cutting depth

 

5. Genesis GCS545C Compact Circular Saw

The powerful, 5.8 Amp, 3500RPM Genesis compact circular saw completes this small list for us. With 120V voltage, this powerful cutting tool will give you good value for the money. It is designed to use a triple-gear reduction to give it high torque for cutting through thick material easily.

This saw uses a 4.5-inch blade. The blade that it comes with is tipped with tungsten carbide to make it more resilient and durable. In addition, the saw is equipped with a dust port and a vacuum adapter and these help to keep your working area clean all the time.

The cutting depth is very important. With this saw, you can cut up to 2 inches at 90 degrees. However, at 45 degrees, you can only cut at 1 1/8 inches, which is also not too bad.

Lastly, this saw is covered with a 24-month warranty and all customers in the US can access customer support.

Pros

• Dust port is a good idea

• Easy to use

• Makes straight and clean cuts

• Lightweight at only 6 pounds

Cons

• Not good for left-handed users

• Blade gets into a bind and stops with heavier cutting

Buying guide for compact & mini circular saws

The best thing however is to find a balance between the price and the features of the compact circular saws.

Here are the most important things to consider when ordering mini circular saws.

Power

These saws are known for their ability to give clean and flush cuts. However, they cannot do this unless they pack enough power.

Without going into the mechanics of how these tools build up power, the higher it is the better. When you have more power in a cutting tool, the cuts are better and you can do a faster job.

Corded saws have more power than their cordless counterparts. Therefore, if you do a lot of cutting jobs, get the corded one. If you are just a casual hobbyist who cuts from time to time, get a cordless one.

Blade Size

The size of the blade matters a lot since it determines the size of the cut. Many of these saws come with 5 or 7-inch cutting blades.

If you want to do a serious job of the same, you should get bigger blade saws, but at the same time, you have to know that such will prevent you from working in tight spaces.

Mostly, it is recommended that you use a saw that has a blade of 5 inches or smaller.

Safety Features

Power cutting tools are dangerous if mishandled. Therefore, you want to ensure that yours comes with a few safety features especially if you will use it in tight spaces.

Some of these include blade guard, lock and blade tightness. Of course, every mini circular saw has this. There is also the safety lock, which can also keep the saw safe when it is not in use.

Lastly, you might want one with a safety key, just so you know it is safe around children and pets.

Usability and accuracy

A good saw should be easy to use, you know, just place it on the material that you are working on and then cut. However, there is more. For example, it should be easy to adjust a few things here and there.

You will be cutting different materials and therefore you might need to adjust the depth or the bevel. Most saws allow you to adjust the bevel angle up to 45 degrees.

Many things determine accuracy of these saws. One of them is the ease of use, which allows you to concentrate fully on the job at hand.

The second one is a dust management system, a laser guide and minimal vibrations. Of course, the more features it has the costlier it will be, but it will be worth it.

The price and warranty

It is better to pay more money for more features than otherwise. However, you can only spend what you can afford.

Check the warranty extended to the saw. It should be at least 12 months. Knowing that your tool has a warranty makes you feel more confident in it.

Avoid too cheap saws. They will not serve you. The price of a good saw should start at $70.

 

Conclusion

After reading these reviews and buying guide, getting the ideal compact & mini circular saws should be easy.

Your main concerns should be cutting depth, safety, price, power (corded or cordless) and the weight.

For your home cutting tasks, you need something that is light, versatile and adaptable to cutting different materials.

 

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