One size doesn't really fit all, not with houses, cars, clothes, so why should it with tools? A bulky 7-1/4-inch worm-drive circular saw at 20 pounds is okay for a framing contractor. But around the house it's a monster. Sometimes smaller saws are better, like these three alternatives.
Dewalt DC390K 6-1/2-Inch Cordless Circular Saw Kit. For DIY work around the house, this is a great example of less is more. It works like a standard 7-1/4-inch circ saw. But it's lighter, which makes it less fatiguing— 8.7 pounds instead of 10 or 12 for the standard size. And it's smaller, which makes it easier to handle— a 6-1/2-inch blade diameter instead of 7-1/4, but still big enough to cut through 2-by lumber even at 45 degrees.
The high trigger handle and forward, second-hand knob provide good control for guiding the cut instead of shoving the saw through it. The 3,700 rpm blade does the work, powered by an 18-volt ni-cad battery with enough run time to cut about 70 2-by-6s on one charge. Nice touches include a lightweight magnesium shoe and blade guard (not stamped metal), sizable knobs for adjusting the depth of cut and bevel, and a safety lockout close by the trigger. Sold as a kit in a hard case, the package includes the saw, a one-hour charger, an 18-volt ni-cad battery, a 16-tooth carbide-tipped general purpose blade and blade wrench.
Cost: about $200. More info: dewalt.com.
Dremel Saw-Max Tool Kit. his compact saw has a 3-inch blade and a 3/4-inch maximum depth of cut. Not to build a house with. But the powerful (6-amp) saw is handy for all kinds of small cuts. The hard-case kit comes with a general purpose carbide wheel for wood, an abrasive cut-off wheel for metal and a diamond-abrasive wheel for tile and grout. (Abrasive cutting wears the wheels and can require a few replacements on larger projects.) The winner is a carbide blade that's offset from the tool arbor so it runs flush with the edge of the tool. That means, for example, you can remove a damaged backsplash by slicing flush along the surface of a kitchen counter.
The cutters (many other types are available) have only a few, small teeth— all that's needed with the high torque of worm-drive gears tuning the wheels at 17,000 rpm. It's a lot of power in a compact tool weighing just under 4 pounds with a grip intended mainly for one-hand operation. You may want to clamp a guide onto your work until you get used to using it freehand.
Cost: about $130. More info: dremel.com.
Porter Cable PC250MTK Oscillating Multi-tool Kit. This type of saw oscillates blades instead of spinning them like a circular saw. Thin cutters extending from the tool head move side to side, but so fast and with such short strokes that the tool works in very tight spaces.
With variable speed control, the oscillation rate is 10,000-20,000 per minute over a 2.8-degree angle. That makes it ideal for jobs like trimming a door jamb in place so you can slide new flooring underneath. The hard-case kit contains a well-balanced 3.2-pound, 2.5 amp multi-tool with 35 accessories. They include several types and shapes of wood and metal cutting blades, a carbide grout cutter, two scrapers, and a triangular sanding base with 27 sheets in different grades.
Multi-tools are versatile, specially if it's easy to switch blade shapes and get just the cuts you want. That's a high point on this model, which features tool-free blade changing. On many tools, standard procedure is to find the allen wrench, loosen the holding bolt, switch blades, then retighten. On the Porter Cable you pull a spring-loaded trigger release, period.
Cost: about $110. More info: portercable.com.