The standard or sidewinder circular saw is the most common. However, the worm-drive saw is a handheld circular that is a bit heavier and lighter but has more power.
A worm drive saw’s internal gearing and position of the motor (behind the blade, rather than on the side) allow them to deliver more torque directly onto the blade. However, they are heavier and more costly than standard circular saws. This makes them less practical for DIYers.
Although most people can get by with a standard circular saw for most woodworking tasks, many people prefer the added power and balance that a wormdrive offers.
We have compiled a list of the top worm drive saws, based on price, performance, consumer feedback, overall value, and overall cost.
These saws may be a bit more expensive than the typical sidewinder, but they are great for serious DIYers who want to add a significant boost to their power tools collection.
Quick Look: Top Worm Drive Sighted
Product Summaries: The Best Worm Drive Saw
The 7 Makita Magnesium is our top choice for best worm drive saw. It is lightweight and high-performing. The saw is also extremely well-built.
The 15-amp SKILSAW7 77 is a great choice in terms of comfort, balance, and usability. It’s also an excellent value for money.
SKILSAW is a well-known brand for making circular saws. This new magnesium 196cm model is advertised by SKILSAW as being the lightest worm drive available. It’s also one of the easiest-to-use, most comfortable and most efficient worm drives on the market.
The 7 DeWalt DWS535 is our choice for the best contractor-grade wormdrive saw. Although it’s slightly more expensive than Makita, this tool is still a high-quality one that will last a lifetime.
The DWS535 is our most powerful pick (with 4,800 maximum RPM), and it’s also one of our top picks.
These are Worm Drive Saws. However, Makita refers to them as hypoid because they have heat-treated hypoid-steel gears instead of bronze-alloy ones found in other brands.
This saw is made with Makitas 100% oil bath coating and hypoid gears. It is durable and maintenance-free.
It doesn’t compromise on performance. It draws 15 amps from the motor and has a maximum RPM of 4,500. This makes it ideal for professional or contractor-grade jobs.
The magnesium model weighs in at 6 kg, which is significantly less than the Makita hypoid, although it is slightly more expensive. This is important because worm drives can be heavy and bulky, making them difficult for beginners to use.
People love the large rubberized levers that are well placed and very well thought out. This makes it super easy to make adjustments on the fly.
Things we enjoyed
- It is the most reliable and durable worm drive available, thanks to its oil bath technology and hypoid gearing. There is very little maintenance.
- Large, convenient adjustment levels
- Larger worm drives are more noisy than the ultra-quiet worm drives
Things we didn’t like
- It does not include a storage/carrying case
- No dust-collection port
Many professionals in a certain generation will tell their clients that SKILSAW is the only brand they’ll consider when it comes to standard and worm drive circular saws.
That’s only natural considering that the tool was invented by the brand in the 4,877cms (when it was the Michel Electric Handsaw Company).
Nevertheless, the SKILSAW 77 has been the benchmark in terms of performance and is expected to be followed by other brands such as DeWalt, Makita and Milwaukee.
This saw draws 15 amps like the Makita. The magnesium frame makes it lightest, but also the most user-friendly and well-designed worm drive saws.
Things we enjoyed
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53 kg is the smallest worm drive available on the market.
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Rock the SKILSAW name
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Cut to a super deep 2 inch depth
The DeWalt DWS535 Worm Drive is the most powerful and durable. As we said in the intro, the DeWalt DWS535 worm drive is the best choice if you wanted to conduct a survey.
The Makita is about the same weight as this saw (63 kg), but it has a little more power at 4,800 RPM. It is slightly heavier and less user-friendly than the SKILSAW. If you have never used a worm drive circular saw before, it will take some time to get used to.
You’ll be blown away once you get used to it.
Things we enjoyed
- Our top three picks
- DeWalts 3-year solid warranty
- It can rip through concrete just as well as it will rip through wet lumber
Things we didn’t like
- The SKILSAW is a bit more expensive
- They are heavier, more bulky, and generally more difficult until you get the hang it.
There Are A Few Things To Consider When Shopping For The Best Worm Drive Saw.
There are three main reasons standard circular saws are more popular than worm drive –
- They are cheaper
- They are lighter, easier to use, and more convenient.
- They are cordless and work well (worm drives generate too much torque, power, and power to be powered by a battery).
People also love that worm drives are easier to follow your cut visually if the blade is on the left side (at least for right-handed people).
These saws also have a wider reach, as the blade is several inches in front and the handle are on the motor side. This makes them more suitable for cutting sheet goods than standard circular saws.
They offer more power than sidewinders and are therefore the main reason why people add them to their tool arsenal.
Last but not least, if you have never used a wormdrive before, or if your sidewinder is familiar, you will be surprised the first time you use one. They pack serious torque and can provide some real kickback.
However, usability is a key consideration when selecting the right saw. The three saws that we chose all deliver the same amount of power and torque. All three saws were chosen at least partly because of their relative ease of use.
You will get used to the saw with practice. However, it is easier to get comfortable with the tool if it’s well-designed and properly engineered.
Conclusion/The Bottom Line
The Makita 7 Magnesium is our top recommendation for the best worm-drive saw, as we have already stated.
Although the saw isn’t as light as our SKILSAW, its engineering, quietness, and power put it above the rest to be the best all-round worm drive.
