Ryobi Saw - Cordless Ryobi One 18v Lithium 4 Pc Combo Tool Kit P843

I have an old, beat up craftsman circular saw in my basement that my dad gave me. It never has felt very good in my hands, kind of like it was made for someone else - someone who works outside all day framing houses and building decks. So I never use it much.

To be honest, it kind of scares me. It's heavy, loud, and tears through wood with what seems to be enough force to slice concrete. Do I really need that much bulk and power just to cut up 2x4s in the garage? I often ask myself that question, but I keep on trying to make the best of the tool I got for free. Maybe I just didn't know any better.

Until now. On my most recent tool-gazing trip to Home Depot, I finally gave in and plopped down the cash for Ryobi One 18v Lithium 4 Pc Cordless Combo Tool Kit P843, which includes the circular saw you see in the photo above. Oh my gosh...what a dreamy shop tool this thing has turned out to be. My poor Craftsman may never see the light of day again.

For starters, let's just talk about the mere size of the Ryobi. Like I mentioned, I've always thought a typical 7-1/4" circular saw is overkill for most projects around the house. The smaller Ryobi has proved my point very well. With the saw set at maximum depth, the 5-1/2" blade cuts though any 2x dimensional lumber you can find on the shelf.

With the smaller, 5 - 1/2" blade, sometimes a 45-degree bevel puts the blade just a hair shy of cutting completely though some 2x boards, probably because construction lumber can vary in thickness. All that means is that I sometimes have a little cleaning up to do on the cut line..

But with the smaller size comes less weight. This might be the most profound difference I noticed between the Ryobi and my old Craftsman workhorse. In stark contrast, the Ryobi is compact, lightweight, much quieter, and just plain better looking.

Unlike my Craftsman, I probably can't leave the Ryobi outside in the rain and expect it to work the next morning. Also, I don't expect the Ryobi could survive a hard fall from my bench or sawhorse without something breaking. Most of the outer casing is made of plastic, and it looks like the blade guard would be the first to go. That's okay with me though. I like to be careful with my tools. I don't let things fall from my bench.