Common Circular Saw sizes, everything you need to know.
I recently had to purchase a new circular saw as the motor on my old one finally burnt out after many years of loyal service.
I have been researching circular saws for a while to make sure I get the right saw for my needs and boy are there some great saws on the market, several different types, and sizes but I wanted to know which was the most common size circular saw, as this would mean that blades and accessories would be easy to find and offer the most choice.
I gathered the information I found and put together this post to help you, so here are my tips on circular saw sizes.
The most common sizes of circular saws are 190mm (7 1/4″) diameter and 165mm (6 1/2″) diameter. Circular saw sizes are determined by the blade diameter, and saws range from 85mm (3 11/64″) diameter up to 355mm (14″). 165mm circular saws can cut up to 61mm (2 13/32″) deep and 190mm saws cut up to 70mm (2 3/4″) deep.
Knowing the answer to my question which is the most common size circular saw, I had some of the information to help me choose a new saw to replace my old unit but as they say ‘size isn’t everything’ so read on for my tips on what to look for when buying a circular saw.
What are the most common sizes of circular saws?
Circular saws are available in different sizes and choosing the right size to fit your needs is important, if you don’t consider all the options and what you intend to use the saw for, you may end up with something that doesn’t work for you.
Circular saws are categorized by the size of the blade diameter. as this dictates how deep a cut they can produce or what size lumber they can cut through.
Circular saw blades range from 85mm (3 11/32″) diameter up to 355mm (14″) diameter.
Find out more information on Circular saw blades in our latest post with lots of detail to guide you through selecting the right blade for your DIY project, use the link to our Circular Saw Blades post
The smaller circular saws are used for small more detailed cuts in thin sheet materials and are good for cutting through thin plywood, hardboard or aluminium, whereas the large 355mm (14″) diameter saws are often used by pros when constructing roofing or large timer frames.
The most common size of circular saws are 190mm (7 1/4″) diameter and 165mm ( 6 1/2″) diameter, many big brands and manufacturers offer the widest range of saws, blades, and accessories for these two sizes, making them a great choice for general and DIY users and professionals alike.
The smaller 165mm (6 1/2″) blade size will allow you to make cuts up to 61.0mm (2 9/16″) deep, which means you can cut through a wide variety of lumber sizes or board thicknesses.
As you would expect a 190mm (7 1/4″) blade offers a wider range of cutting depths up to 70.0mm (2 3/4″) allowing for more jobs to be done using this size saw.
These maximum cutting depths are for cuts made at 90 degrees to the workpiece so you know what thickness of materials you cut right through in one go.
In addition, most common circular saws will also allow cuts to be made at angles up to 45 degrees, which whilst the cuts are not as deep as when the blade is set to 90 degrees, this option means you can cut miters, chamfers, and compound angles, which make circular saws even more versatile and useful.
I put together a comparison table of common Circular saws from all the top brands including DeWalt, Hikoki, Makita, and Milwaukee to make it easier to choose the right circular saw for your needs.
| Make | Model | Motor Style | Power | Max Speed (RPM) | Blade Dia | Arbor Dia | Max Cut Depth @ 90 Degrees | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metabo | KS 66 FS | Side winder | 1500W (12.5 amps) | 5000 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 30mm (1 3/16") | 66mm (2 19/32″) | 4.9 Kg (10lbs 12oz) |
| Metabo | KS 55 FS | Side winder | 1200W (10 amps) | 5600 | 160mm (6 1/2″) | 20mm (25/32") | 55mm (2 5/32″) | 4.0 kg (8lb 13oz) |
| Hikoki | C7U3 | Side winder | 1300W (10.8 amps) | 5800 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 30mm (1 3/16") | 66mm (2 19/32″) | 4.7 kg (10lbs 5oz) |
| Hikoki | C7ST | Side winder | 1700W (14.7 amps) | 6000 | 185mm (7 9/32") | 30mm (1 3/16") | 62mm (2 7/16″) | 4.3 kg (9lbs 7oz) |
| Rigid | R3205 | Side winder | 1800W (15 amps) | 5800 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 16mm (5/8") | 61mm (2 3/8″) | 4.9 kg (10lbs 12oz) |
| Rigid | R3204 | Side winder | 1800W (15 amps) | 5000 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 16mm (5/8") | 61mm (2 3/8″) | 6.9kg (15.4 lbs) |
| Rigid | R32104 | Worm Drive | 1440W (12 amps) | 6100 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 16mm (5/8") | 54mm (2 1/8″) | 3.6kg (8lbs) |
| Milwaukee | 6394-21 | Side winder | 1800w (15 amps) | 5800 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 16mm (5/8") | 62mm (2 7/16″) | 4.8 kg (10lbs 9oz) |
| Milwaukee | 6477-20 | Worm Drive | 1800w (15 amps) | 4400 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 16mm (5/8") | 62mm (2 7/16″) | 6.8kg (15lbs) |
| Worx | WX530 | Side winder | 20V | 4900 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 16mm (5/8") | 55mm (2 11/64″) | 3 kg (6lbs 9oz) |
| Kobalt | K15CS-06AC | Side winder | 1800W (15 amps) | 6200 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 16mm (5/8") | 60mm (2 3/8″) | 4.9 kgs (11lbs) |
| Kobalt | KCS 6524B-03 | Side winder | 24V | 5400 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 16mm (5/8") | 62mm (2 7/16″) | 3 kg (6lbs 9oz) |
| Makita | HS7611J | Side winder | 1600W (13.3 amps) | 5500 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 30mm (1 3/16") | 65mm (2 17/32″) | 3.9 kg (8lbs 9oz) |
| Makita | HS6601 | Side winder | 1050W (8.75 amps) | 5200 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 20mm (25/32") | 54.5mm (2 5/32″) | 3.4 kg (7lbs 8oz) |
| Einhell | TE-CS 190/1 | Side winder | 1500W (12.5 amps) | 6000 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | 30mm (1 3/16") | 66mm (2 3/8″) | 4.6 kg (10lbs 2oz) |
| Einhell | TE-CS165 | Side winder | 1200W (10 amps) | 5500 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 16mm (5/8") | 55mm (2 11/64″) | 3.8kg (8lbs 6oz) |
| Skil | SPT77W-01 | Worm Drive | 1800W (15 amps) | 5300 | 190mm (7 1/4″) | Diamond profile | 61mm (2 13/32″) | 6.4kg (14lbs 2oz) |
| Skil | SPT67WM-22 | Side winder | 1800W (15 amps) | 5300 | 190mm (7 1/4") | 16mm (5/8") | 2.438" | 3.9 kg (8.8lbs) |
| Porter Cable | PCE300 | Side Winder | 1800W (15amps) | 5500 | 190mm (7 1/4") | 16mm (5/8") | 63.5mm (2 1/2") | 4.3 kg (9.5lbs) |
| Porter Cable | PCC660B | SIde winder | 20V | 4000 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 16mm (5/8") | 54mm (2 1/8") | 2.9 Kg (6.5Lbs) |
| Ryobi | CSB144LZK | Side winder | 1800W (15 amps) | 5200 | 190mm 7 1/4") | 16mm (5/8") | 62mm (2 7/16") | 3.3 kg (7.35lbs) |
| Ryobi | P507 | Side winder | 18V | 4700 | 165mm (6 1/2") | 16mm (5/8") | 62mm (2 1/16") | 2.27kg (5.0lbs) |
| Bosch Pro | GKS 190 Pro | Side Winder | 1400W (11.6 amps) | 5500 | 190mm (7 1/4") | 30mm (1 3/16") | 70mm (2 3/4") | 4.2kg (9lbs 4oz) |
| Bosch Pro | GKS 165 Pro | SIde winder | 1100W (9.17 amps) | 4900 | 165mm (6 1/2″) | 20mm (25/32") | 66mm (2 19/32″) | 3.6kg (8.0lbs) |
| Erbauer | ECS1400 | Side winder | 1400W (11.67 amps) | 5000 | 165mm (6 1/2") | 16mm (5/8") | 64mm (2 33/64") | 5.5kg (12lbs 2oz) |
| Draper | 56791 | Side winder | 1300W (10.8 amps) | 4500 | 185mm (7 9/32") | 16mm (5/8") | 63mm (2 31/64") | 4.1kg (9.0lb) |
| Draper | 89451 | Side winder | 20V | 4200 | 165mm (6 1/2") | 20mm (25/32") | 55mm (2 5/32″) | 2.5kg (5lbs 8oz) |
| Black and Decker | CS1250L | Side winder | 1250W (10.42 amps) | 5300 | 190 (7 1/4") | 16mm (5/8") | 66mm (2 19/32″) | n/a |
| Black and Decker | CD602 | Side winder | 1150W (9.58 amps) | 5000 | 170mm (6 11/16") | 16mm (5/8") | 55mm (2 11/64″) | n/a |
| DeWalt | DWE576K | Side winder | 1600W (13.3 amps) | 5200 | 190 (7 1/4") | 30mm (1 3/16") | 57mm (2 1/4") | 4kg (8lbs 13oz) |
| DeWalt | DWE550 | Side WInder | 1200W (10 amps) | 5500 | 165mm (6 1/2") | 20mm (25/32") | 55mm (2 11/64″) | 3.6kg (8lbs) |
| Festool | HK55 | Side Winder | 1200W (10 amps) | 5400 | 160mm (6 19/64") | 20mm (25/32") | 55mm (2 11/64″) | 4.4kg (9lbs 11oz) |
Which is the most common power supply and which one should you choose?
To add to the range of choices most big brands offer both the 165mm (6 1/2″) and 190mm (7 1/4″) diameter circular saws in traditional plug-in corded versions and battery-powered cordless versions.
The most common power supply for circular saws is corded 120v or 230v for DIY or home use. This is closely followed by 18v for Cordless units. Circular saws used in industry are generally 110v or cordless for safety reasons.
With the recent advancement in battery technology, with the likes of Hikoki’s Multi-Volt 18v or 36V tools and DeWalt’s FLEXVOLT 20v – 60v power supplies, the gap between using corded tools for sustained heavy-duty use has been significantly reduced.
Going cordless is much less of an issue these days when choosing power tools they can provide the power you need to cut through the toughest materials and if you invest well you can avoid the age-old problem of running out of battery power.
With the added versatility of power anywhere you can use cordless power tools, at home, in the shop, or on the road.
My preference is to have a toolset that uses the same battery platform, as this makes charging and reusing batteries much easier, you don’t have to have several different chargers plugged in or hundreds of different batteries stored in your workshop or van.
In fact, when I interviewed Drew Fisher from ‘Fishers Shop’ on the ‘DIY HELP Desk Podcast’ he raised this very point, and he advocates using cordless tools from the same supplier’s range, to eliminate the need for multiple batteries and the problems this causes.
For which power supply you go for is up to you corded units make sense for really heavy-duty work, or when you need power for longer periods of time. sometimes it makes sense to have both …, if you can invest a bit more then buying both a corded and cordless circular saw will give you the ultimate flexibility.
What’s the most common power rating for a circular saw? and which one is best?
The two most common circular saw sizes which the top brands produce vary in the power rating for their motors, so which is the best choice?
The most common power rating for Corded Circular saws is 1800W or 15 AMP this is dictated by the size of the motor. Power is what gives the saw cutting ability, the higher the power, the better, when it comes to choosing a circular saw.
There are two figures used by manufacturers to rate the power of a circular saw in the UK and Europe Watts (W) is used and in the US amperes (AMPS) are used.
There are several calculations that will convert from one unit to another, and plenty of online tools to help you work out the differences.
I have used several sites for making comparisons and converting units and the one I like and use the most is ‘the Calculator site’ check it out for all sorts of really useful conversions.
However, in the comparison chart, I have already done this to make it easy to compare the leading brands.
I would recommend looking at circular saws with at least 1200W or 10 amps for general DIY use and over 1500W or 12.5 amps for heavy-duty or prolonged work otherwise, you will find the saw doesn’t live up to your expectations or have enough power to do the job needed.
For cordless circular saws as with other cordless power tools, the Volts (V) will determine how much power is available, the most common power supply or battery size for power tools is 18V.
As I said before many top brands like Hikoki, DeWalt and Makita have invested in new Lithium-ion technology and offer much higher voltage cordless options that give a great cutting performance.
When choosing a cordless power supply look for the ‘Ah’ rating on the battery, this will give you the Amp-Hours which tells you roughly how long the battery should last from fully charged.
The range of ratings for batteries is quite large so defining a common size is tricky, and they range from 2.0 Ah to 12.0Ah. but the higher the number, the longer the battery will last, the downside is that bigger batteries need longer to charge.
So it’s a compromise to find the best unit for your needs, I find that having a couple of 3.0Ah or 4.0Ah batteries gives a sufficient power source to cover most jobs and they can be fully charged from flat in around an hour.
So with having either 2 or 3 batteries in my toolbox I can keep cutting all day long.
Which is the most common Drive type for a circular saw?
Circular saws are available in two different drive types, these are Worm-drive and Side-winder.
The most common type of drive for a circular saw is the Side-winder, this style has the motor directly mounted to the blade spindle, usually mounted on the right-hand side, with the handle sitting over the blade in ‘D’ shape. This is the preferred standard motor type due to reduced cost and weight over larger, heavier Worm-drive units.
Typically side-winders are lighter and less expensive than the worm drive units, this is because there are fewer parts due to having a simple drive mechanism.
Worm drive units have the motor fitted to a small worm gear unit hence the name, this allows the motor to be mounted inline with the blade.
The worm-driven style of circular saws tends to be heavier than the side-winder style due to the extra geared parts used to transfer the power from the motor to the blade, they are also more expensive.
Both side-winder and worm drive styles have merits, side-winders are cheaper, lighter, and run faster than worm drives but lack the torque that the worm drive units can offer which makes them great for DIY users or light professional work.
Side-winders are also more widely available in the UK and Europe than Worm drive units.
In opposition, Worm drive circular saws are robust and offer heavy-duty performance for big projects and professional use, they provide high torque for cutting thick or hard materials and often the largest 355mm (14″ ) diameter saws are worm drive.
What’s the most common circular saw blade?
As I was looking at options for buying a new circular saw I found that most good quality circular saws are supplied with a general-purpose Tungsten Carbide tipped (TCT) blade.
The most common type of blade fitted to circular saws are tungsten Carbide tipped (TCT) with 24 Teeth per inch (TPI), This type of blade is for general purpose use and making quick, accurate ‘rip cuts’ through wood and sheet materials.
The saw blade is often the first item I upgrade or change when I use my circular saw, and I have a range of blade types that I use for different materials and cuts., and there are lots of aftermarket offerings.
Blades with lots of teeth per inch 40 TPI for example are called ‘fine cut’ blades and are used for making clean cuts with very little pullout, whereas low TPI circular saw blades are used for quick ‘ripping’ cuts where a clean cut is less of a concern.
So having a good quality blade that comes with a new saw is something to look out for but not at the end of the world you just need to consider the cost of a replacement.
For more details on Kerf width, blade diameter, and all the critical details you need to know about circular saw blades, read our in-depth post by following the link Circular Saw Blades
This article was written by: Richard Quinton – The DIY Help Desk Owner, Engineer & technical specialist.
Richard is one of the key partners in The DIY Help Desk team. He is a qualified Engineer, writer, and publisher, educated to Master’s level. He is a keen advocate of DIY and home improvements.
Richard enjoys helping others to learn new skills and reach their goals and believes that passing his knowledge and experience on through his writing is an effective way to positively impact the lifestyles and well-being of others on a larger scale.
