When comparing SKIL 5180-01 vs Festool TS 55 EQ, the Slant community recommends SKIL 5180-01 for most people. In the question“What are the best circular saws?” SKIL 5180-01 is ranked 1st while Festool TS 55 EQ is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose SKIL 5180-01 is:
At just $50, this tool is capable of doing about 90% of the work more expensive circular saws can do. It has a small and lightweight body packed with all the essential features, such as top and lower guards, a dust blower, and a trigger lock.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Very good performance for the price
At just $50, this tool is capable of doing about 90% of the work more expensive circular saws can do. It has a small and lightweight body packed with all the essential features, such as top and lower guards, a dust blower, and a trigger lock.
Pro Perfect for deep and inclined cuts
This tool has an impressive maximum cutting depth of 2-3/8", which makes it perfect for deep cuts. It can also handle the bevel angles between 0 and 51 degrees. Thus, it's suitable for wide angle cutting.
Pro Well constructed
The body of this circular saw is made from rugged and tough plastics. The handles are coated with a soft rubber, and metals are used for the guard and base plate design. The tool is decently constructed and does not feel cheap.
Pro Power-on indicator
Once you connect this saw to the mains, the power-on indicator LED will alert you. A lot of expensive tools lack this feature.
Pro Beginner friendly
Even without any prior experience, it's easy to learn how to use this power tool.
Pro Easy and comfortable to work with
Due to its lightweight design (7.2 lbs), the tool is quite handy, even for working overheads. The handles are coated in rubber which adds to the comfort and minimizes the chances of accidental slips. Furthermore, the blade has an unobstructed line of sight, so you won't have to lean over to see the workpiece.
Pro Great for plunge cuts
Plunge cuts are significant in carpentry. While regular circular saws struggle to make a decent plunge cut, this power tool does the job well.
Pro Excellent for near perfect finishing cuts
This tool is great for making accurate finishing cuts. The combination of high-build quality, advanced MMC electronics, and state-of-the-art guide rail system ensures near-perfect results.
Pro Capable of doing several types of cuts
This tool is very flexible due to it's cutting depth and bevel angle adjustments. You can cut up to 2-1/8" deep, at the angle range of -1 to 47 degrees. Additionally, there are stops at 22.5 and 45 degree angles.
Pro Safe handle placement
The handles are placed in a way that you don’t have to lean over the tool to see the workpiece.
Pro Decent build quality
The body of this circular saw is made from high-quality over-molded plastics and rubber. The rubber is molded on top of the plastics. As a result, the handles will not tear from extensive use. The base plate is made from magnesium-alloy, which is stronger and lighter than cast steel.
Pro Decent safety features
This circular saw has useful safety features.
First, the blade is safely hidden underneath the top guard and will pop out only when you apply pressure to the handle. If the handle is accidentally released, the spring-loaded blade will instantaneously travel back underneath the top guard.
Second, the tool has an electric stop feature. It can halt the blade from being activated. Moreover, the risk of kickback is minimized due to the riving knife which keeps cut material away from the blade.
Cons
Con Unsafe trigger lock
The trigger lock is designed very poorly. It works much like a trigger lock on a gun. Once it’s released, there is nothing to stop the trigger from accidentally activating. After you finish a cut, you must disable the trigger manually.
Con Lacks electric brake
As this circular saw does not have an electric brake, the blade will keep spinning even after you release the trigger. The blade will continue turning until all its inertia is gone.
Con Useless without the rails
This circular saw is designed to be used specifically as a track saw. Due to its large weight and specific base plate design, it would be extremely complicated to use it without the guide rails.
Con Expensive accessories
The add-ons for this product are ridiculously expensive. A single guide rail clamp will cost you $40. A guide rail extension is priced at $133. Additionally, you'll need the separate rail connector which costs $19. Finally, a dust extraction unit costs between $380 to $800, which is almost the price of the tool itself.