Milwaukee cordless circular saws have earned themselves a spot atop many a contractor’s tool bench. In fact, their newest model, the M18, has some of the industry’s most outstanding performance ratings. Read along to learn more about the company and its most favored products.
History
The Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp is an American company with an inspirational history. While its namesake was purchased at auction in 1924, most will agree that Milwaukee’s first tools were created by a young manufacturer, A.H. Petersen, in 1918. Upon a special request, Petersen developed a compact Hole-Shooter for Henry Ford.
Not long after, Petersen’s team opened up a tool repair shop while hiring extra employees to pull hard research on the tool market.
Their hard work paid off when they started manufacturing their own compact equipment. After that, World War II brought an abundance of new business and technological advancements for the company.
In 1948, Milwaukee added a spring clutch to their angle grinders, sanders, and circular saws. Then, in 1951, they introduced the first portable hacksaw with a reciprocating mechanism. Fast forward to the 1990s and the company was still looking to improve the versatility of their tools.
They eventually added gear-protecting clutches and built-in counterbalances in an effort to reduce vibrations and increase power. By 1995, their ever-expanding cordless tools could all be powered by the same battery.
In 2000, Milwaukee became the first tool company to use lithium-ion batteries. Over two decades later, this is still the industry standard.
Today, Milwaukee manufacturers several variations of the Milwaukee cordless circular saw, including the beloved Milwaukee M18 cordless circular saw.
Their newest creations have an established baseline. They all feature brushless motors, rafter hooks, blade brakes, and LED lights.
Quality
MILWAUKEE’S Circular Saw
Today, Milwaukee Tools is owned by TTI (Tech Tronic Industries). They still produce several Milwaukee cordless circular saws, including their beloved 7 1.4-inch Milwaukee M18 cordless circular saw.
Milwaukee has improved several aspects of this tool in order to boost its quality. For one, it boasts a POWERSTATE™ brushless motor for faster revolutions and more cuts. It also features an M18 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT™ HD12.0 battery for extended runtimes without a cord.
According to Milwaukee, this battery enables more cuts per charge than any other professional power tool. In fact, they claim that the saw boasts 750 cuts per charge, making it a good fit for professional job sites.
Milwaukee’s nod to safety is highly appreciated by its customers. In fact, the newer saws even have electronic brakes and LED guide lights. While their blade guards have a tendency to snag, they boast an overall smooth and fast cutting performance at varying depths and lengths.
Benefits
Milwaukee Tools is a beloved American tool company with an ever-expanding line of cordless tools. Their tools all come with a 5-year warranty, while their lithium-ion batteries carry an additional 3-year warranty. They boast DIY-appropriate 6 1/2-inch circular saws in addition to the more contractor-friendly 7 1/4-inch cutters.
It’s worth noting that the Milwaukee circular saws are only available blade-right, which is more of an advantage for left-handers. Still, all the controls, including the brake switch, are ambidextrous.
Design aside, the Milwaukee M18 Red Lithium charges fast and performs for extensive periods of time. We’re confident saying that the Milwaukee saw would last through any workday without putting out prematurely. The battery also has four battery life indicator lights that let you know when it’s time to reign in the horses.
Drawbacks
There are no glaring issues with the Milwaukee cordless circular saws. They have an impressive power supply, generous cutting depths, and plenty of warranty years to pad a purchase. With a potential for 5,800 RPM, these soldiers are ready for full-time cutting gigs.
Price Range
The Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 7 1/4-inch Circular Saw sells for around $199 as a bare tool. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless 6 1/2-inch Circular Saws costs around $119 as a bare tool.
Add on a 12.0-aH lithium-ion battery, charger and tool bag and you’re talking $399 for the 7 1/4-inch version. The Rapid Charge Charger, which costs around $79, charges Milwaukee nearly twice as fast as their M18 charger, but it comes at a steep price.
Leader in Sales
When Milwaukee released their second-generation 7 1/4-inch M18 circular saw in July of 2018, tool-enthusiasts embraced it with fervor. While the new release weighs a whopping 12 pounds (4 1/2 pounds more than the first-generation cordless circular saw), it has more power and more advanced features.
In fact, this saw churns out cuts at 5,800 RPM. It also has an electrical power brake and dust collection port. ‘s more, it boasts a super durable plate made of cast magnesium. Like the first-generation M18, the new Milwaukee has a 0- to 50-degree bevel gauge.
Still, some users seem to unanimously prefer the ergonomics of the first-generation Milwaukee M18.
Final Thoughts
Milwaukee cordless circular saws are definitely something to write home about, but how well did they do in our cordless circular saw roundup?
Head on over to our buying guide to see!