The first task was the most common one. Cross cutting through nice and dry CLS timber. In this case it was 37 mm deep and 135 mm wide. The first cuts were straight across at 0° bevel, then the same at 45°.

A brushless electronic motor runs more efficiently than brushed types. This can help reduce the tool's energy consumption. Wow! It’s probably thanks to the fantastic Efficut blade and the tiny 1.4 mm kerf that means this saw leaves the most wonderfully clean cuts I’ve ever seen from a circular saw. So long as you let the blade over run the timber slightly, the finish is superb with just the tiniest tufts of wood fibre left on the end of the timber.The saw actually feels a bit too light when you’re making 45° bevel cuts. Doing them freehand takes a bit more practice as it doesn’t sit quite as firmly as the heavier saws I’ve tested out. This is where having a saw guide really helps. You’re also quite limited for depth as the blade only drops down to 41 mm at 45°. The handles are as comfortable as to be expected from Makita. I’ve always liked that they print the material type on the parts. I know for a fact that the lovely grip shape and feel comes from thermoplastic elastomer, a mixture of plastic and rubber that is ideal for these sorts of parts. And seeing as the motor is on the right, you can use a roofing square or other set square to chop a parallel crosscut in no time at all. If you’re ganging up work, it saves a noticeable amount of time. You can also get hold of a guide rail adapter, meaning you can upgrade this to a rail saw quite easily. If you’re planning on making lots of straight cuts, a rail is an incredibly useful tool. It will transform this handheld saw into a precision cutting instrument that’s especially good at cutting big sheet materials. The Ergonomic soft grip and overall compact & lightweight design gives the user full control and comfort

Indication lamp for ADT: High torque = green light on, High speed = lights out, Overload alert = blinks green To make a decent side by side comparison of all the circular saws I’ve tested out, I started with the simplest test and then worked up to something a bit more challenging.

Makita DHS660Z 18v LXT Brushless Circular Saw 165mm Body Only

The brushless motor delivers an impressive runtime compared to other cordless saws. The Automatic torque drive technology (ADT) within the machine automatically gives optimal rpm to torque ratio to produce the fastest cut in light or hard applications, meaning you are working as efficiently as possible. The combination of the blower function and twin LED job light means you always have the best possible visibility of the cut line even in low light environments. The CLS timber at 0° was cut incredibly clean, but what really wowed me was how it performed in the English oak. I expected good things, but this cordless saw left a finish to rival the corded Makita saw. It was superbly tidy with fine edges that you could slap some wax on, and call finished!