7 Best Compact And Mini Circular Saws In 2023

Nothing delights DIYers, woodworking enthusiasts, and professionals everywhere than a good, versatile, powerful tool. Among such tools, one of the more amazing ones is the compact circular saws.

The best compact circular saws are smaller saws that are easier to carry around and transport between your workshop and job site while still being extremely useful.

Despite being of a smaller size, they retain the functions seen in a regular saw and adequate power for all projects.

That’s why with a mini circular saw, you will be able to receive both the benefits of its compactness as well as the fantastic functionality required for your tasks.

But not just any mini circular saw is good. So we’ve provided you with a list of the seven best compact circular saws, including their main strengths and weaknesses so that you’re more able to make an educated purchasing decision.

Top Rated Compact Circular Saws Compared

How To Choose The Best Compact Circular Saws

Even with the provided list, it can still be difficult to discern which the best circular saw is, especially if you’re a newcomer.

They are very specialized woodworking tools that even the most subtle feature can be the difference between a good and bad working day.

That’s why you need to know beforehand what are some of the most important aspects to consider when it comes to the circular saw.

• Power

The power of the mini circular saw is intrinsically linked to how the saw’s blade operates.

The more power the saw has, the faster and easier that you complete your work tasks. This amount of power will apply the force that helps turn the blade and increase RPM.

With regards to compact circular saws, the amount of power it possesses is usually indicated clearly.

You can also translate it to watts, which is the unit of power by multiplying the operating voltage with the current.

• Corded or Cordless

As a big attraction of compact circular saws is that of their flexibility, this must be paid attention to.

Most classic saws are originally corded until battery-powered saws came into existence. They are more portable and easier to operate, but comes with that is also a higher price tag.

This is when you must also consider the cost and if it’s worth it for extra portability.

See more: Corded Vs Cordless Circular Saw – Which One Is Right For You?

• Structure

The design and structure are just as significant as any, but they tend to be underrated when people shop for a circular saw.

But the structure is in itself an important contribution to the overall functionality of the equipment.

Being a handheld tool, it should preferably be well designed so that you can employ it for repeated use with maximum comfort.

There are a few things you need to consider in this aspect, which is its handle position and design, as well its level of compactness and other relevant aspects.

With the right structure, the cutting sessions will seem almost effortless.

• Accuracy

It can’t be stated enough about the importance of accuracy regarding picking the right compact circular saw.

The saws are geared for portability, but that doesn’t mean you should have to give up anything else, namely accuracy. It’s a top priority for any serious woodworker.

To aid accuracy, the saw has guides such as traditional hardware ones or advanced laser guides. Both are quite effective in helping you make your desired cuts.

The durability and quality of these guides will, in turn, the consistency in the performance of the saws.

• Blade

The blade might be the most important part of a saw and must have serious consideration before purchasing.

You should have a clear idea of what type of blade you’re going for, as well as the budget you can spend to acquire it.

Other considerations include knowing if the blades are packaged and how replaceable it is if it becomes dull.

There are packages with more than one blade, enabling you to prolong the saw’s usage even more.

• Depth of Cut

The depth of cut refers to the measurement of how deep your saw can cut, and quite often also determines the consistency of the saw.

Usually mini circular saws have a depth of cut of around 1 inch, with the capability to go up to as high as 2 inches.

Some saws also come with bevel cutting ability for more versatility. So not only will you be able to do straight rip, miter or cross cuts, you can do angled cuts as well.

Keep in mind that the deeper the mini saw cut, the less accurate it can be. This also will depend on the torque that the motor is able to produce.

• Ease of Use

There are many things to talk about when you list out relevant factors to the saw’s ease of use.

These include its design, how ergonomic it is, how compact or lightweight it can be, and the controls’ positions.

Indeed, for a handheld tool, the controls can be quite messy as everything has to be packed into a smaller size.

A well-designed mini circular saw will make it so that the product naturally fits into your hand and turns away any kind of discomfort whatsoever.

• Safety

Both amateur and professional woodworkers know that safety is vital when considering any power tool, not just a compact circular saw.

That’s why customers need to look for one of the first things before deciding on something.

In terms of safety measures, different brands will have different features that make it safer to operate with the tools.

These can include a safety trigger lock, brakes, blade guards, or simply a higher level of visibility so that you always know the blade’s position when using it.

• Extra features

Different brands and manufacturers will offer different extra features in order to distinguish their products from others.

Some will be accompanied by laser guides, while others by bevel cutting system, dust port or waterproof capability. Usually, they will come with a higher price tag, so it’s best to consider what you need as well as your budget.

7 Best Compact & Mini Circular Saw 2021 – Reviews

1. Tacklife TCS115A Compact Circular Saw

If one must choose a mini circular saw, nothing’s better than this circular saw from TACKLIFE. Indeed it’s one of the best compact circular saws out there due to their functionality and versatility.

With a mini circular saw like this, you needn’t worry about anything and focus on the task at hand.

This mini circular saw has a unique, patented metal handle design to help reduce fatigue from one-hand working operation by offering stronger clamping force.

Using the saw to cut is extremely stable and safe and will guarantee that the straight cuts will go smooth and cleanly.

To add to the accuracy, there’s also a laser guide to ensure that you can conveniently make a cut that you want.

There are six blades for cutting a wide variety of materials and types of cuts, including woodcuts, soft metal, and tile cuts.

With one compact circular saw, you will be treated to a large number of applications with an affordable price tag.

This saw has an easy-set depth scaled gauge lever to allow the cutting depth at 90 to 45 degrees for many kinds of cuts, including straight cuts and angle cuts.

There is a left-sided blade design for great cut-line visibility, including a parallel guide attachment to ensure straight, precise cuts easily and quickly.

2. Worx Worxsaw WX429L Compact Circular Saw

This circular saw from Worx is specially designed for those who want the most compactness in combination with versatility in a package.

Though it might not be as powerful as some other saws, there are some other features that it excels in that make its position on this list justified.

The circular saw offers an excellent depth-of-cut up to 2 inches, optimal for ripping through 2×4 sheets, even metal, tile, and plastic.

The bevel cut is adjustable up to 45 degrees to offer you more ways to operate. There is also left-sided blade optimization to give you a clear line of sight on things you’re cutting.

Worx includes with the package a parallel guide to help you make straight cuts, with the full rubber covered grip including a safety trigger to provide better control and comfort for the user.

There will be no worries about the tool slipping accidentally when you handle it.

Additionally, there will also be more things to ensure that you have the utmost safety when using the saw.

For example, the saw will never start just via simply connecting it with a power source. There’s also a smartly designed, user-friendly safety switch offering an on and off trigger. It will only start when you directly press it.

3. DEWALT DCS571B Atomic 20V MAX Circular Saw

DEWALT is one of the most famous brands for producing quality woodworking tools, and this MAX compact circular saw is another apt representation from them.

It’s a powerful circular saw that’s easy to handle while also fulfilling in anything presented in a good, quality product.

The MAX circular saw has a brushless motor that allows you to cut up to 339 linear feet of ¾ inches. It uses a 20V max battery, which is more than the standard.

This battery is also compatible with other 20V max tools regardless of amp hour.

There’s an onboard blade key storage for hassle-free blade changes so that you can increase the speed at which you work effectively and safely.

The elongated handle is also optimized for handy rip cutting OSB and plywood materials. So if you work with this DEWALT compact circular saw, you won’t have to worry about it not up to par.

This saw has a bevel gear design to allow users to cut 2x material at 90 degrees and 1x material at 45 degrees, offering extra versatility and customizations when using it.

For more convenience, it also comes with one blade, rip fence, and a dust port adapter.

4. Rockwell RK3441K 4-1/2” Compact Circular Saw

This is a saw that you can count on to satisfy your need for more power if you intend to use a compact saw.

Especially, you can’t mention the compact circular saws without also mentioning its motor. The Rockwell RK3441K has a durable and powerful motor with 3500 RPM for extra capability and reliability.

Such a high RPM number means the thin blade will rotate for that amount of times per minute, which helps it cut through most materials quickly with one hand.

The lever is quite readily accessible to let you change the cut on the fly, enabling you to make a wide variety of cuts from 0 to 45 degrees. It will cut up to 1.7 inches deep in one go, which is functional for many woodworking tasks.

This Rockwell circular saw is designed to gear towards a left-handed blade, ensuring that users can maintain a great cut-line visibility for more precision.

Although generally, left-handed users might encounter some difficulties in operation as the start/stop button’s position might be a little awkward to reach for.

5. Makita SH02R1 Cordless Circular Saw

Makita’s SH02R1 is one of the lighter circular saws out there. This might be because it is cordless, which makes it ideal for men and women of all sizes and fitness levels because hand fatigue will be kept to a minimum.

This saw operates using CXT lithium-ion 2.0Ah batteries (attached), offering utmost and improved balance.

It’s also a much more ergonomic option than usual pod style batteries.

The batteries also indicate charge level through an onboard LED to increase convenience and improve the user experience.

What makes it also unique is that it’s also designed exceptionally well and clever, featuring a rubber hand grip and sideways motor to make it quite different from the rest.

There’s also a 3.4-inch blade for making 1-inch cuts, while also having the ability for bevel cuts.

You won’t feel limited when using this mini circular saw. It allows you access to a great versatility of cuts, rivaling that of heavier duty saws.

With it, you will be able to make a perfect bevel cut at any angle between 0 and degrees. Or if you choose to make only a straight cut, it will more than suffice as well.

6. Rockwell RK3440K Compact Circular Saw

This is also one of the lighter compact circular saws, but this is not the only thing that stands out about the circular saw.

For its relatively higher price tag, this saw offers many features that justify and more. If you’re willing to spend more on something that will accompany your woodworking for a long time, this might be the one.

It’s absolutely lightweight, but it takes its functionality as seriously as any heavier duty circular saw.

It comes with three blades, which enables it to move through many types of material like butter. This includes ceramic tiles, aluminum, sheet metal, and more. In terms of versatility, it does more than just enough.

Featured with the well is a comfortable slim grip handle to make it easier to control the saw for an extended period without suffering from hand fatigue.

With just one hand, you can finish all necessary woodworking tasks with unparalleled convenience and quickness.

The RK3440K features safety measures that are ergonomic as well as functional and useful.

It has a lock switch facility, a dust port system, and an easy-grip handle to ensure that your experience with this saw will be a comfortable, favorable one.

7. BLACK+DECKER 20V Cordless Circular Saw

This is the cheapest circular saw on the list, but it’s not cheap at all in quality. For those who are hesitant to shed out money for acquiring a mini circular saw and want to test things out first, this might be the perfect choice of products.

This BLACK+DECKER mini circular saw has a high torque motor, with a five and a half inches fast cutting blade for a wide variety of precise cuts.

The depth is easily adjustable and requires no additional tools at all to tweak. The saw offers a fantastic performance during operation.

The saw has a bevel adjustment-geared design with detents at 45 and 90 degrees for more versatility. Despite this, it’s also compact enough that using it is easy and takes no effort at all.

BLACK+DECKER also offers other tools and accessories designed to work extremely well with the saw, especially its interchangeable cordless battery, which is available for purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions About Compact Circular Saw

Why should I buy a compact circular saw?

This is quite self-explanatory. These saws are smaller in size and lighter in weight, which are very beneficial for a worker who needs to move a lot between job sites.

Its size also allows it to be stored with ease in any workshop. This superb convenience also, in turn, increases your performance.

At what depth a mini circular saw can cut?

Usually, it can churn out half the depth of cut featured in that of a standard-sized circular saw, but this might fluctuate depending on the brand.

What types of cuts can I use the mini circular saw for?

Any type of cuts, really. There are no limits to cutting materials when it comes to these circular saws.

No matter if they’re complex cuts such as rip cuts, miter cuts, or bevel cuts, these saws will meet the requirements.

Is it required for my saw to have a laser cutting guide?

It’s not required, but it’s necessary. A laser cutting guide will help tremendously in producing the most perfect straight cuts on your materials.

And accuracy of course is one of the most important factors when you are doing woodworking jobs.

There is also an alternative to laser guide which is LED light. It functions the same as the laser cutting guide.

Can I use the mini circular saw to replace a full-sized one?

It depends. These saws are quite useful for a lot of specific jobs, but if you require more power and efficiency to finish your tasks, then mini circular saws should be considered as supplements rather than full-on replacements for the full-sized saws.

Conclusion

In our considerations, we recommend the mini circular saw from TACKLIFE TCS115A and WORX WX429L as the #1 and #2 best saws on the list.

We love the TACKLIFE compact saw due to its powerful motor and blade versatility, including a flexibility for bevel cuts. It’s optimized for one-hand operation with a reliable, quality safety mechanism.

The mini circular saw from WORX also gains our favor in its functionality and efficiency at an attractive price.

It’s also very portable while retaining flexibility for bevel cuts and the great depth of cut of up to 2 inches. Using the WORX saw is also very safe as it includes all the safety mechanisms needed.

However, they might not be perfect for just anyone. That’s why we’ve also given an additional buying guide, with aspects and contexts to consider before purchasing.

With the reviews and the information provided, we hope that you reach a concerted and apt purchasing decision, thereby making your woodworking tasks more enjoyable and efficient.