Last Updated On February 10, 2023
Last week, I was cutting some heavy materials with my circular saw but got stuck when removing some pieces from a tight space. I took my compact circular saw with a sharp saw blade & removed these pieces. Doesn’t that sound interesting? Actually, both of these saws come with some benefits & limitations.
Should I buy a circular saw or a compact circular saw? It depends! If you want a power tool to handle all your cutting requirements for a large carpentry project, a circular saw is a perfect option for you.
But, If you get stuck like me while cutting materials in a tight space, only a compact regular circular saw can finish the job properly. For more clarification, scroll through our detailed guide right now.
Why Should I Buy a Circular Saw?
- Powerful Design: The powerful standard 12 to the 15-amp motor can easily go through thick materials and handle large carpentry projects.
- Large Blade: As the saw comes with circular saw blades, it can easily cut thicker wood pieces with maximum cutting depth, perfect for professional use.
- Long-lasting: With the high-quality material build-up, a circular saw can offer long-lasting durability to ensure years of top-notch services for cutting wood.
Some Good Things Of A Circular Saw
Due to its powerful design and right circular blade, a saw is an ideal cutting tool to handle large carpentry projects for woodworking. As it comes with both corded saw and cordless saw models, it offers a wide range of variety according to your needs.
Now, you may be confused about the performance of corded saws and cordless. Even the cordless circular saw comes with a standard 12 to 15-amp for high-cutting speed that can meet up all your heavy-duty cutting requirements. Besides, the built-in power brake of the circular saw helps to stop the blade quickly.
On top of that, a circular saw comes with large blades for depth of cut with a range of 6 1/2-inch to 8 1/4-inch saws. As a result, it can easily cut more than 3-inches thick wood pieces as rip cuts and becomes the perfect cutting tool for professional use.
Moreover, the circular saws include built-in work lights that illuminate the workpiece and increase visibility. Hence, you can make some straight cuts quickly. Further, the high-quality material build-up of a circular saw can offer long-lasting durability to ensure years of top-notch services with heavy-duty use.
Some Bad Things Of A Circular Saw
As the circular saws are a little heavy in design, it is quite difficult to transport these saws from one place to another. So, if the workpiece is extremely big, carrying these saws may increase the risk of physical injury.
Plus, handling a large circular saw is not everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, you need some professional skills to make some straight & quick cuts. Keeping these minor issues, a circular saw is the perfect cutting tool to handle large carpentry projects.
Why Should I Buy a Compact Circular Saw?
- Compact Size: As compact standard circular saws come with a small & lightweight design, it is easy to transport these saws from one place to another.
- Handy Design: Due to the compact & handy design, you can make some clean and quick cuts with a small circular saw in different materials even with a single hand.
- Compatibility In Tight Spaces: With the small & compact size, a compact circular saw is compatible with tight spaces compared to the circular saw.
Some Good Things Of A Compact Circular Saw
If you’re looking for a saw to make some clean cuts accurately in tight spaces even with a single hand by adding depth adjustment, a compact circular saw with smaller blades is the best option to go right now! As these saws offer quick and efficient cuts on different materials like metal, tile, and plastic, you don’t need to carry a bulky circular saw.
In addition, compact circular saws come with a small & lightweight design. As a result, it is easy to transport these saws from one place to another while handling projects in a large workspace. Besides, the compact size of the circular saw is more compatible with tight spaces than a circular one.
When it comes to a clear line of sight, circular saws are unable to provide clarity while cutting. But, a compact good circular saw includes a left-sided blade optimization. Due to such optimization, these saws offer a clear line of sight on the working materials while you’re making some cuts.
However, the right circular saw comes with a lightweight & handy design. So, it helps you to make some clean and quick cuts in different materials even with a single hand.
Some Bad Things Of A Compact Circular Saw
The issue you face with a compact circular saw, it can’t offer enough power to cut hard materials. Along with that, the 4.5 to 7-inch blade range can’t go through thick wood pieces. As a result, it becomes hard to handle large carpentry projects.
Should I Buy A Circular Saw Or A Compact Circular Saw
Between a circular saw & a compact circular saw, there are multiple similarities and differences in various factors like saw power, design, blade size, and portability. Let’s have a look at these factors in detail.
Saw Power
Both the circular saws come with corded circular and cordless saws models. Now, a circular saw comes with a standard 12 to 15-amp power range. As a result, it can meet up all your cutting requirements if the power source works perfectly.
On the other hand, mini circular saws include a standard 4 to 8-amp power range. Hence, it can’t offer enough power to cut hard materials. If you want to handle large carpentry projects, then a circular saw is the ideal option to go for.
Design & Weight
Design helps in cuts & portability of the circular saw. Now, a compact circular saw comes with a small & lightweight design. Due to such a compact design, it is easy to transport these saws from one place to another. So, while handling projects in a large workspace, you won’t have any risk of physical injury.
On the contrary, circular saws are a little heavy in design. Hence, it is quite difficult to transport these saws from one place to another. In fact, if the workpiece is extremely big, carrying a heavy saw may increase the risk of physical injury.
Blade Size
Due to the difference in blade size, the cutting maximum depth affects a lot with the cut line. As a circular saw comes with large blades with a range of 6 1/2-inch to 8 1/4-inch, it can easily cut more than 3-inches thick wood pieces. As a result, these saws are the perfect cutting tool for professional use.
But, the compact circular saw comes with a 4.5 to 7-inch blade range. With such a small blade diameter, they can’t go through thick wood pieces. As a result, it becomes hard to handle large carpentry projects with a compact saw.
Compactness
As a circular saw is large & heavy in design, it can’t fit in compact areas. That is why it becomes difficult to cut materials in tight spaces. But, a compact circular saw is compatible with tight spaces because of its small & compact size. So, you can cut materials even in a compact corner while handling small projects.
FAQs
Is a compact circular saw worth it?
Yes, as a compact circular saw offers quick and efficient cuts on different materials like metal, tile, and plastic, it is definitely worth the bucks.
What size of the circular saw is best?
It depends on the cutting power and depth you desire. But, a 7 1/4 inches circular saw is enough as it can go through 3-inches thick materials.
Can a compact saw replace a circular saw?
No, circular saws are more powerful than a compact ones. But, a compact saw is good for portability and cutting material in compact spaces.
Finishing Up
Finally, as I talked earlier about the comparison of these two types of saws, both of them come with benefits & limitations. If you want a powerful cutting tool with maximum accurate cutting depth to handle all your cutting requirements, a circular saw is the best option for you.
But, if you want a portable saw that can cut materials in tight spaces, I suggest you choose the compact circular saw right now! Pick any of these saws today to get some quick & clean cuts.
This is Ahmed Shuvo, an enthusiastic tool enthusiast with a passion for saws, especially circular saws and miter saws. I have written blog posts and conducted research on the proper use and maintenance of these tools. I am also a DIYer who enjoys making wooden projects and always striving to improve my skills. I am confident in my expertise and eager to contribute to the growth of this industry through my writing.