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Add to SafariWhen comparing SKIL 5180-01 vs Alpha AWS-125, 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 Alpha AWS-125 is ranked 8th. 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
Question Ranking
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 Perfect for cutting stone, tile, and concrete
Due to the powerful 12000 RPM motor and guide rail system, this tool can perform long and precise cuts while working with tough, concrete-like materials.
Pro Cutting disk is water-cooled
This circular saw has a decent water feed system, which comes in handy when you need for cutting tough materials, such as concrete, stone, and tile. Without the given system, such materials will simply ruin your cutting disks in a matter of minutes.
Pro Plenty of accessories
This circular saw comes with a toolset which has everything yon need to run this circular saw, including all the necessary handles and wrenches.
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 Not suitable for woodworking
It is not recommended to use this circular saw for woodworking, as the blade will damage your workpiece (due to the overly high speed).
Con Can't do bevel cuts
This circular saw is suitable only for doing right angle cuts.
