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I'm doing some small projects such as building a workbench, and I don't have a saw to cut plywood with. I've got a 12" compound miter saw, so I don't currently need a circular saw for anything other than cutting plywood.

I looked around and I think I found a good quality DeWalt saw as a candidate for ~$140. I also found some really cheap Harbor Freight saws for $25-$35. Is it worth paying 4x the price for a quality saw, if all I'll be using it for is the occasional plywood cut? (I'm also a little worried about safety issues with such a cheap saw. Do the blades have a higher chance of flying apart and sending shrapnel toward the user?)

Follow-Up:

I ended up going for a mid-range saw and buying a Ridgid. Several different factors weighed in on my decision:

  • I borrowed a friend's 25 year old Craftsman, and one of the features I wish it had the most was a front and rear kerf indicator for both sides of the blade. It got annoying fast not knowing exactly where the cut line would be. The Ridgid has this. The DeWalt mentioned above doesn't.
  • Tool weight and feel. I went to HD and held all the saws. I really liked how the Ridgid felt.
  • Degree and depth markings. I was looking for a saw that had a positive stop at 45° bevel. The depth indication also helps a ton.
  • Warranty: The Ridgid came with a 90 day money back guarantee, a 3 year warranty, and a limited lifetime service warranty.
  • Did I mention it's QUIET? I can barely tell a difference when it's cutting vs. no load.

The first cut I made with my new saw was at a 45° bevel through 1/2" plywood, and it didn't catch or bind at all. I'd recommend it - unless it ends up breaking in the near future, which I highly doubt.

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  • Keep in mind that the kerf guides will work perfectly until you install a new blade with different dimensions. Still better than nothing! My old Skil saw has an inside guide only.
    – Tim Nevins
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:06
  • Do think the way a tool feels in your hands needs to be an important factor in buying and using it.
    – crip659
    Aug 9, 2021 at 18:13

10 Answers 10

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I wouldn't worry so much about blades flying out, even when using a cheap harbor freight saw. What is more likely to happen is the motor will burn out quicker than a quality tool. I've bought many harbor freight tools for "time to time" use. I've got a drill press that's lasted quite a long while ... granted I only use it a few times a year so I got my money's worth.

I think you'd be fine with the cheap saw as long as you're not going to use it all that often. The blade won't come flying out but the motor will probably burn out and fail long before the DeWalt motor would.

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  • 3
    The question is, would 4 of them last longer than 1 DeWalt? :) In all seriousness though, I'll probably end up buying the cheapo HF saw for a few projects now, and upgrading later when I've got some extra money to spend.
    – Doresoom
    Nov 5, 2010 at 20:01
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    Agreed. If you're performing saw-related work on a daily basis, then DeWalt would be more appropriate. But personally, I've been happy enough with my Harbor Freight stuff. On a side note, I've heard positive reviews for Ryobi. That might be a good middle ground. homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgl/R-100634339/h_d2/…
    – Mike B
    Nov 5, 2010 at 20:30
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    One more vote for inexpensive Ryobi tools over HF - I remodeled my kitchen and had to purchase a bunch of tools for one-off or seldom use and the Ryobi stuff has been stellar.
    – kkeilman
    Nov 5, 2010 at 21:06
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    @Mike B @kkeilman: I'll definitely keep Ryobi in mind while deciding on a cheaper saw.
    – Doresoom
    Nov 5, 2010 at 21:09
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    @Doresoom One criticism I've heard about Ryobi is that their stock saw blade is poor. Consider getting a new one if you buy it. Still a good value though.
    – Mike B
    Nov 5, 2010 at 21:19
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If this is a one-off project it may be worth asking the ply merchant if they can do the cutting for you, which might work out even cheaper than a cheap saw. Other than that, I suspect that if you do buy a saw you will end up using it more than you thought you would and should give consideration to buying the dearer one, which in all likelihood will last you many decades. Also consider that a solid brand name saw like the DeWalt is likely to be maintainable over the long haul, whereas a cheapy is unlikely to even be worth maintaining.

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If it was just for a one time project, I'd go ahead with the Harbor Freight. Otherwise, for light occasional use, the DeWalt should be fine. If you think you might become a heavier user, then I'd recommend stepping up from the DeWalt.

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  • 3
    Stepping up to what?
    – myron-semack
    Nov 7, 2010 at 16:05
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    @msemack anything with a worm drive is a step up and always worth the money. homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100628958/h_d2/…
    – Tatton Chantry
    May 22, 2011 at 23:36
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    What makes a worm drive better?
    – myron-semack
    May 23, 2011 at 12:41
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    "Worm drives offer gear reduction (more torque transmitted) and a safety feature that direct drivers don't - worm drives cannot turn backward, so kickback is pretty much eliminated." – garagejournal.com
    – Mazura
    Aug 16, 2015 at 2:42
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For such little use, you might want to consider getting a cordless circular saw. If you don't already own a cordless drill (which is a must have), then you can buy a kit for less the the cost of the DeWalt that comes with a cordless drill, circular saw, and a few other pieces. I bought a cheap Ryobi kit at Home depot for $69 for a gift and it works great for small infrequent projects.

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    If you get a cordless circular saw, be sure to buy an extra battery you can have ready in the charger. It is quite annoying to run out of battery power when you're in the middle of cutting up a piece of ply. Some kits will come with two batteries. Batteries cost almost as much as a new tool, so just buying the matching drill, flashlight, etc. might make sense.
    – Bryce
    Jun 23, 2012 at 0:59
  • I would disagree with the cordless being a good choice. That adds considerably to the price, and the tool isn't expected to see much use. Cheaper to buy a good extension cord you might use.
    – poorplanning
    Jan 27, 2018 at 15:37
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I bought a cheap circular saw and had terrible trouble making 45 degree cuts on old hardwood, with the blade binding and smoking and blackening the wood. It went OK with 90 degree cuts, but I guess that when rotated the blade was not properly aligned. I replaced it with a Makita ($140) and it works beautifully. I wish I had done it sooner. I have cheap drills and a belt sander that work perfectly. I have a cheap mitre saw that is OK. I guess what you can get away with depends on the type of the tool.

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  • I find most inexperienced folks have trouble cutting. With a 45 the saw base needs to be kept tight to the wood and in a straight line or you will burn the wood. My neighbor just about burned up my decades old skill worm drive on plywood, he said the blade was dull, I showed him it was not dull and the sheet lengthwise for his project with no problem. I then showed him how to clamp a guide to the work so he could do it without killing my saw.
    – Ed Beal
    Sep 24, 2018 at 18:56
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$140 seems high. I would go with a Black and Decker or Skil for around $35 to $60. Check Amazon and Lowe's. I have had a Skil for over 15 years.

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    Of course the real question isn't how long you've owned a tool but how much work has it done in that time. I reckon I could easily kill a $35 anything in a weekend or two of real work.
    – John Gardeniers
    Jan 7, 2011 at 2:24
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For very occasional use, an option is to get a jigsaw instead of a circular saw. You can still get straight cuts out of it if you use a good straight guide. It will cut bevels the same as a circular saw.

It's easy to get a variety of blades for different materials. A jigsaw will cut tight curves, including cutting a circle in the middle of material - a circular saw can't do this.

A jigsaw is going to be a lot slower for many tasks. If you're not cutting often, that's OK.

A circular saw + a (battery powered) reciprocating saw is a better combination than a jigsaw, but for very occasional use, a jigsaw alone may be good enough.

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Always buy the best tools if you can afford them BUT remember that Harbor Freight has a no questions asked return policy. Just keep the receipt. An old boss of mine returned an $14 angle grinder 7 times in 2 months because we abused the hell out of it.

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Any saw now days would be fine, especially since it's not used alot. The main thing to do to make a cheaper saw last is treat it gently. Don't just drop it after a cut. Don't force it, especially if you're ripping. You can hear the bind. Slow down, or straiten it up or maybe it's a dull blade.save your$$ just take care of it!

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I had a water leak in my fridge ice maker line and the plumber wouldn't open the wall up. So I bought a Harbor Freight 7.25", set the depth to half an inch, and cut the plywood siding open. For light duty use (cutting a few boards here and there) it sufficed.

Not longer after, I got a Craftsman 10" Miter Saw for a flooring project. It cost roughly 3x as much. The miter saw, despite heavier use, is still going strong. The circular saw... I recently replaced it with a $100 Skil model that's lighter and more powerful. The motor in the old Harbor Freight is staring to go. I've also noticed that Harbor Freight has stopped using their old neon orange plastic that was their hallmark. I have one of their angle grinders and the plastic is sticky now. Same with the circular saw.

In short, you get what you pay for. If you can buy a nicer tool, it will last you a lot longer.

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