A circular saw is a power tool that is used for woodworking. It uses a blade that can cut wood and other hard materials. The more powerful one can be used to cut plastic and cement as well. It is extensively used by DIYers and construction workers.
The modern circular saw comes in two variants, corded and cordless. If you’re a beginner, the debate of corded vs cordless circular saw can make you extremely confused about your purchase decision.
Here’s a detailed guide on the features, usability, and price of both variants. After reading the whole guide, you’ll be able to differentiate between both tools. That eventually will help you to choose the right saw that best fits your projects.
Corded Circular saw
A corded circular saw is powered by an electric power outlet through a cord. It is a high-performance saw that is used to perform heavy-duty tasks.
Features of Corded Circular Saw
The most highlighted features of a corded saw include it’s motor and blade. The motor offers a high speed of 52,000 RPM and 15-amps that allows it to pack a powerful punch.
Corded saws on average weigh between 7-12 pounds and possess some real grunt when it comes to cutting through even the toughest of materials. One of it’s considerable features is that you can set them to both right-handed and left-handed saws.
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The second high-rated features of the corded saw is it’s blade. The teeth are 32 to 8 in numbers on average. The blade size is typically 7¼” but you can go for up to 10 1/4″ extra capacity blades. The size of the blade is chosen as per the work requirement.
It is believed to be one of the most economical tools. You buy it once and can use it for years, with careful use of course.
Before buying you should consider whether to spend money on the saw with higher power ratings. 15 amps are the standard and are more versatile than one of 12 amps.
Pros
Consistent Power:
As it is directly connected to the power unit, so its energy remains intact through its use. The fact that it creates zero dips even while working on long and power-consuming projects, makes it durable and super usable.
No Tool Replacement:
The tools that come with replacement and assembling fatigue aren’t much appreciated by the craftsmen. Especially if you’re a beginner, you won’t like investing your time and efforts initially on the adjustment and replacement of your tool. The corded saw comes with all of its components adjusted and ready to use. It requires no tool replacement extra efforts. Just unpack it and you’re all set to go.
Incredible Cutting Capacity
The corded saw is linked directly to the main power source. Therefore, It can produce maximum power and torque through which it can cut materials seamlessly faster and smoother. The power remains stable throughout making the cuts.
The consistent power combined with ideal blades is perfect for professional projects. The high-capacity larger blades are perfect for carpentry and woodcutting tasks. You can smoothly and accurately cut the larger and hard pieces of planks without any hurdle.
Light in Weight
It requires no battery for power. In corded vs cordless circular saw debate, the corded saw wins when it come to portability and light weight. The cord is detachable that makes the cord portable and you can easily carry it wherever you want.
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Safety
Cordless circular saws have a blade cover. It keeps the blade in place during the performance. It also keeps your hands safe and you can work without fear of cutting your hand.
Cons
Mobility
In corded circular saw, portability is the main drawback. As it is powered by direct electricity, you’re restricted to work at the place where power supply is available. When drawing a comparison between the corded vs. cordless circular saw, portability is the thing that makes the cordless one win.
Limited Reach
Apart from its tremendous power features, the fact that it’s corded and has to be attached to the power station in your workspace, makes it a burden for its users sometimes. Though you can use an extension to increase the length of the cord, but still how far you can go from the power station?
Corded vs Cordless Circular Saw pros and cons Comparison Table
Corded Circular Saw
Cordless Circular Saw
Pros
- Great strength: since the tool is operating with direct electric power, it can generate more heavy-duty power
- Can accommodate larger blades for larger cutting tasks
- Can handle heavy duty materials
- Tends to have a lower initial purchase cost
- Highly convenient since you can work practically anywhere
- Lightweight tools, making them a little more user friendly
- Easier to operate since you don’t need to worry about a cord
- Time saving as you can simply push a button and get to work
Cons
- Limited reach so you need to be near a power outlet
- The cord can limit user movement and interfere with project efficiency
- You can’t work if there is no electricity
- Limited operating time as you are restricted to your battery life and impeded by the battery charging time
- Lacks the power of corded models as batteries cannot generate the same levels of power as a direct electrical connection
Cordless Circular Saw
A cordless circular saw is an after-invention of the corded saw. Unlike a corded circular saw, it is powered by a battery. Most people believe that the power and performance are compromised in cordless saws because of the power source. But that is not the case.
Features of Cordless Circular Saw
Cordless saw is powered by a battery and contains overcharging and overloading computer technology. This technology prolongs the life of the tool. It offers powerful great cuts.
Most of the cordless saws offer a speed of 52,000 RPM and weigh approx. 6.8 lbs. With aggressive motors and extended battery life, it offers great power. Some of the models of cordless saw contain some extra features like integrated dust blowers, laser sights, LED lights, which all collectively increase the precision of work.
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Pros
Portability
When drawing a comparison between cordless vs. corded circular saw, portability is the feature that makes the cordless win. It provides ease of mobility. Unlike corded saw, you don’t need to cover extra miles to find a power source to get your work started. You can take it along wherever you want because it carries its power within.
It provides the workers with job site convenience and they can work without the hassle of feeding it to get power.
Blades and Cuts
When working with a cordless saw, you can control the size and depth, and bezel of the saw to get the cuts of your choice. In a cordless saw, you get a blade of the same size and type as a corded saw. The performance of the blades isn’t compromised in it.
Its finely designed blades allow you to get incredible and flawless cuts of your choice.
Battery and time effectiveness
The extended battery life in a cordless saw offers usage of 8 hours straight. The fact that you don’t have to worry about electricity shutdowns makes it time-efficient. There’s no need to search out electricity supplies as well. So, whenever you have to work, just turn it on and get started. It’s not time and location-limited at all.
Safety
It offers great safety. One of the reasons for it is that there is no worrying about cutting the cords during work. As in corded saw, you need to be very vigilant that you don’t cut the cord unintentionally. But in cordless saw, there’s no cord and no taking care of it.
Cons
Power Shortage
Unlike a corded saw, the cordless saw is powered by a battery. There’s a high chance of cordless saws running out of power when dealing with harder materials. These materials need larger blades to be cut and larger blades require more power. The battery can be inefficient in providing enough power in this case.
The uninterrupted power supply in a corded saw makes stronger point in its favor in corded vs cordless circular saw discussion.
Working Hours
A corded saw is limited to its working hours. As the battery has a limit of providing power, it runs out of power after working for few hours. Though it provides some backup hours as well, still charging it over and over again after a while can be annoying and disrupt the workflow.
Weight
The cordless saw operates with a battery. The battery insertion adds some extra weight to the machinery. This makes it a bit heavier and affects the ease of carrying and can cause fatigue for the workers.
Corded vs Cordless Circular Saw Features Compared
| Features | Corded Circular Saw | Cordless Circular Saw |
| Power | Corded models can have a motor with up to 15 amps of power | Typically, cordless models have a lithium ion battery with up to 40 volts. Battery life can last up to 8 hours before recharging is necessary |
| Speed | Models can have a speed of up to 5,000 RPMs | Models can have speeds of up to 5,200 RPMs |
| Weight | Approximately 7 to 12 pounds | 7 pounds plus |
| Price | Approximately $50 to $100 | Higher initial cost and you may need to purchase replacement batteries |
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Reasons To Buy Corded vs Cordless Circular Saw
As we’ve demonstrated, there are subtle differences when you make a corded vs cordless circular saw comparison, but there are still several reasons why you may want to consider purchasing one over the other.
- You need consistent, heavy-duty power: If the projects you’re contemplating requires consistent heavy-duty power, you are likely to be better suited to a corded circular saw. In this scenario, the waning power of a cordless model may not be sufficient for your needs.
- You tend to work practically anywhere: If you don’t know from one day to the next whether you’ll be in your workshop or working outdoors, you won’t be able to rely on having access to a power outlet, so may be better with a cordless model, particularly if you carry a spare battery.
- You’re on a limited budget: If you’re setting up your new workshop on a more restricted budget, you may prefer a corded version. Corded circular saws tend to have a lower initial purchase price. Also, you can work straight out of the box and you won’t need to worry about purchasing replacement batteries.
- You have user fatigue concerns: If you’re planning on using your saw for extended periods, you should be aware that cordless circular saws do tend to be a little heavier. This may add to user fatigue if you’re using it for a prolonged period.
To make the ultimate decision about which one is best for you, you will need to think about your specific needs. If you’re planning on using your new circular saw a great deal and will be regularly pushing it to its limits, you are likely to be better suited to a corded model.
This will provide the consistent performance and power that you need to complete any projects.
On the other hand, if you tend to work in different spots and may not always have ready access to a power outlet, a cordless circular saw will provide you with the freedom to work anywhere you like.
Final Words – Corded vs Cordless Circular Saw
So, after diving deep into the features and pros and cons of both tools, we hope you now have a better and clear idea about the functionalities and performance of the corded and cordless circular saw. With the help of this guide, you can easily figure out which tool is best suited for your requirement, corded or cordless circular saw. And the corded vs cordless circular saw conflicts will no more bother you. Other factors like price, power, portability, and ease of use are the ones you’ll consider while going for your purchase.
And last but not the least, the nature of your project is your main considering. So, you’ll have to choose your tool accordingly.
FAQ’s Corded vs Cordless Circular Saw
1. Which is stronger a cordless or corded saw?
A corded saw is more preferred when it comes to power and strength. The fact that it is connected to a direct electric source allows it to perform heavy-duty tasks. It offers more stability in power while working on projects that require high-capacity tools. Its sharper and larger blades work smoothly without any power resistance.
2. Are cordless circular saws any good?
Yes, cordless circular saws are of great significance for projects in which portability is the requirement. It is safer to use as there is no fear of cutting the cord. Once it’s charged, you can use it for an average of 7 to 8 hours long. Unlike corded saw, it doesn’t restrict you to use it near a power station. You just need a powerful and fully charged battery for it and it is ready to go.
3. How to change the blade on a porter cable cordless circular saw?
Changing the blade of porter cable cordless circular saw isn’t a big deal if you follow some of the main instructions:
- Before starting the work, make sure that the power source is turned off. If it is not turned off properly, it might cause an injury.
- Then loosen the screws and bolts of the porter cable cordless saw. They are very easy to loosen. You can do it without any hurdle by using the user manual provided with the tool.
- Now remove the old blade and install the new one. Tight the screws again when the new blade is placed. Make sure that the bolts and screws are tightened properly.
- Turn the power off and you’re good to go.
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I’m Thomas Steven with more than 12 years of experience in woodworking. It has always been my passion to become a successful woodworker. I have completed hundreds of successful projects. This blog is a way of sharing my woodworking experiences and what tools get the best results. I write about woodworking while being an associate with Amazon and I earn a little commission from every qualifying purchase.