Ridgid R32021
Price $130
This circular saw received a perfect score for its shoe and cord. In fact, the shoe was the favourite out of all the sidewinder saws. It features a finely graduated bevel scale for precise angle work and it has an easy-to-read depth-of-cut scale, which is embossed into the back of the shoe extension and painted white.
The cord is flexible and has a power-on light that illuminates whenever it’s plugged into a live outlet.
Testers also thought this tool did well with dust control and keeping the cut line clear.
Where the tool didn’t excel so spectacularly was the blade change: the arbor lock takes a whole half-turn to engage. As well, the rear handle is too far back for optimal balance. And while the front knob has a great shape, it is made from hard plastic and not as comfortable as those on other saws that had softer, overwrapped handles.
Ryobi CSB142LZK
Price $90
The Ryobi is an exceptional saw, especially considering its low price. It rated highly in all areas and provided good power and a smooth cut.
When changing blades, the saw features an excellent arbor lock that stops the blade shaft in 1⁄30 of a rotation. The angled wrench has on-board storage that is simple and works well.
The blade guard has excellent retraction action, with a large, extra-tall retraction lever that’s easy to hold while your hand is on the front handle.
The laser light has the unique feature of shining toward both the front and the back; this set-up helps the tool to stay aligned with a previously cut surface, making it easier to avoid binding the blade.
The pressed-steel shoe has a wing-nut locking system for both bevel control and depth of cut. The shoe moves smoothly in all directions, but locking levers would have been more convenient than wing nuts.
FOR OUR MONEY:
Any one of the saws tested would work fine, even for large jobs like framing a house. Our testers went in expecting to find some groaners, but there weren’t any.
The overall pick in the sidewinder category is the Bosch. The left-sided blade gives it the ease of use of a worm drive (for right-handers) without the heavy-duty price or weight. But a special mention goes to the Makita and DeWalt saws, as both stood out from the pack.
If you are on a budget, you can’t beat the price and performance of the Ryobi saw. At $90 and with great features, you can’t go wrong with this economic choice.
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