DeWalt DWE560-GB, 240V 184mm 65mm Compact Circular Saw, Yellow

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When working at heights, never leave tools lying out in the areas where they could present a hazard to the people below. At least some of this excellent performance must come down to the 165 mm DT1209 blade. There are 24 TCT teeth that make short work of both soft and hard woods. The finish isn’t the best of all the circular saws I tested out, but it was probably the most effortless to push through the cut. There is a long list of brands that excel in specific tools, but don’t do so well with others. One company that is fantastic across the board is Screwfix. Of all 35 products there were a total of 17 that were more expensive and 16 that were cheaper than DeWalt DWE560-GB 1350W 184mm Electric Circular Saw 240V.

Make sure you maintain your tools by performing regular maintenance tasks like grinding or sharpening. Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions while you’re doing this. Even though the only saw on my list to come in a “proper” hard case is the Makita HS7601, the sturdy carboard boxes that some saws were shipped in were good enough for a temporary home. This isn’t the heaviest duty circular saw I’ve used, so it would need its own case before long. DeWalt have gone down the premium route when it comes to the baseplate. It’s made from cast magnesium, which is light as well as incredibly tough. Magnesium shoes are usually the most expensive option on a circular saw, as it’s lighter than steel and more durable than aluminium. I’ve got a love/hate relationship going with the bevel adjustment on this saw. I’m a huge fan of the fact that it marks out each degree from 0 – 50°. That’s brilliant for when you need to make an odd bevel cut. It’sSeeing as this is a blade designed to cut through timber only, I didn’t try it out on any other material. You could probably use it to cut plastics or even soft metals, but it wouldn’t be a fair test of a wood cutting blade. The rip cuts I made into some softwood board were surprisingly easy. I didn’t expect this performance from a lightweight battery operated saw. The guide rail is marked with measurements and feels solid enough when clamped down as well. It leaves a nice thin kerf and was easy to push through the timber.

The next challenge was on much harder wood. Some English oak timbers I milled up several years ago had dried nicely and proved ideal for pushing this cordless saw a bit harder. I tried out the same test: cuts at 0° free hand and with a roofing square, then set to 45° to force the saw to work a lot harder. Do not use electric tools in wet conditions unless they are approved for that use. If you must work in wet conditions, always ensure you have good balance and are unlikely to slip. The problems with the dust extractor placement don’t stop there unfortunately. When plugged into a dust extractor hose, there’s barely enough room left for your hand on the handle! I’m surprised at this design decision as it’s not very user friendly or well thought out. And if you’re a left handed user, it’s virtually impossible.Cheaper brands, such as those you would find in high street bargain stores, will have been mass-produced with lower grade materials which allow the low price tag. Though that may sound good for your bank account, you will soon discover you have a tape measure that slices your fingers, screwdrivers that don’t fit in the cross slot of a screw and a hammer grip that is slipping from the handle. They certainly know a thing or two about making a comfortable handle. The rubberised overmoulded grip stretches from the bottom of the trigger grip and envelops the entire “T-shaped” front grip as well. It’s a cinch to hang on to, even without my trusty nitrile coated work gloves on. I honestly can’t understand why DeWalt would put the dust extractor where they did. If you’re planning on working indoors with this saw, it’s going to make a mess whether you’re using a dust extractor or not. Having tools with excellent durability is extremely important. Not only will it mean you will not have to spend out on replacement tools when they break prematurely, but because tougher tools will do a better job. Sometimes cheaper ones can appear to work great until wear and damage suddenly make them unusable, and you are left unable to complete your task. This will lead to an extended work period as you will have to go out and buy a replacement. If you use that tool as part of your profession, it could mean the difference between hitting your deadline or not. No matter what kind of job you have or how you’re using the equipment, make sure your tools can stand up to the task in the first place. Many bargain footwear suppliers offer work boots for a fantastic price. But these are often not steel toe capped, do not have anti-fatigue soles and won’t protect your feet against liquids or extreme heat. In fact, some boots that look the part may as well be a pair of sandals if a hammer or power tool was to drop on your foot.

But what I really don’t like that when you loosen off the fastener, it drops all the way to 50° rather than 45°. It’s good that you can get up to 50°, but you’re much more likely to need a 45° bevel. You need to stop and line it up each time, there isn’t a detent that helps you catch the common bevel angles you might need like 22.5°either. If DeWalt were to fix this dust port issue and upgrade the motor to a brushless one, I’d probably rate it higher than the brilliant Makita DHS680Z. It cuts through timber so easily and confidently, that if you already own DeWalt batteries, this is a no-brainer to get hold of. Nowadays, top brands offer work boots in a whole array of colours and designs to give more options to the buyer, as well as doing a fantastic job at keeping your feet safe while you are working. Cheap / Off brand Power Tools Unboxing this DeWalt DCS391 Circular Saw was quite underwhelming. In comparison with the bright and informative boxes that the Makita or Bosch saws came in, this was a bit disappointing. I know this is sold as a “bare” tool, but a plain cardboard box is as bare as they come! Screwfix has an excellent reputation and is arguably the best brand for trade tools in the UK. This is down to them supplying only top-quality tools at extremely reasonable prices. It’s obvious that the team at Screwfix are passionate about what they do – having friendly and helpful staff that range from online assistants to instore staff. If you are unsure or need any advice on your DIY or trade job, they are more than happy to answer your questions.Circular saws are wonderfully versatile tools, especially when you cut the cables and go cordless. The ideal job for any circular saw is making cross cuts in constructional timber, so I started testing with CLS that measured 37 x 135 mm. After several weeks of testing the DeWalt DCS391 Circular Saw out against regular construction timber, hard oak and even a bit of super tough Iroko, I’m almost a DeWalt convert. It’s hard to fault the grip, power and handling you get from this cordless saw. It’s a premium product with just a few problems.