Garden Last updated · owner ratings verified July 2026
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Side by side
| Our pick DEWALT DWE575SB 7-1/4 in. Corded Best overall $130–170 Check price | DEWALT DCS570B 20V MAX Brushless (bare) $160–200 Check price | DEWALT DCS570P1 20V MAX Kit $260–320 Check price | Makita 5007MG Magnesium 7-1/4 in. Smoothest cut $190–230 Check price | Makita XSH04ZB 18V Sub-Compact 6-1/2 in. Lightest full-capacity $140–180 Check price | Makita SH02R1 12V max CXT 3-3/8 in. Kit Best value kit $130–170 Check price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What owners rate it | ||||||
| Owner rating | 4.8 / 5 (5,189) | 4.7 / 5 (5,573) | 4.8 / 5 (737) | 4.8 / 5 (2,190) | 4.7 / 5 (630) | 4.7 / 5 (1,546) |
| Specifications | ||||||
| Blade size | 7-1/4 in. | 7-1/4 in. | 7-1/4 in. | 7-1/4 in. | 6-1/2 in. | 3-3/8 in. |
| Power source | Corded, 15 amp | 20V MAX brushless | 20V MAX brushless | Corded, 15 amp | 18V LXT brushless | 12V max CXT |
| Cut depth at 90° | 2-9/16 in. at 90° | 2-9/16 in. at 90° | 2-9/16 in. at 90° | 2-1/2 in. at 90° | 2-1/4 in. at 90° | 1 in. at 90° |
| Bevel range | 0–57° | 0–57° | 0–57° | 0–45° with stops | 0–50° | 0–45° |
| Weight | 8.8 lbs | ~8.8 lbs with battery | ~8.8 lbs with battery | 10.6 lbs | ~7.3 lbs with 5.0Ah | 3.5 lbs |
| Electric brake | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| What is in the box | Saw, blade and wrench | Bare tool only | Saw, 5.0Ah battery, charger | Saw, blade and wrench | Bare tool only | Saw, 2 batteries, charger |
| Warranty | 3-year limited | 3-year limited | 3-year limited | 1-year limited | 3-year limited | 3-year limited |
| Who it suits | ||||||
| Best for | the one corded saw most homeowners and remodelers should own | anyone already invested in DEWALT 20V batteries | going cordless from scratch without buying pieces | trim carpenters and anyone cutting all day | ladder work, remodels and cutting overhead | plywood, paneling, laminate and one-handed trim cuts |
Ratings are aggregated Amazon owner ratings, not our own testing. Figures verified July 2026.
Pros and cons
DWE575SB 7-1/4 in. Corded
- Electric brake stops the blade in roughly two seconds, which changes how confidently you set the saw down
- Bevels to 57°, so compound roof and stair cuts do not need a second tool
- At 8.8 lbs it is the lightest full-size 15-amp sidewinder in this group
- Owners repeatedly note the shoe stays flat and square out of the box
- The stock blade is mediocre — most owners replace it in the first week
- Dust ejection blows toward the operator on rip cuts
- Depth lever needs a firm hand and can creep if you under-tighten it
DCS570B 20V MAX Brushless (bare)
- Full 7-1/4 in. blade, so it takes standard framing blades and cuts a 2x in one pass
- Brushless motor holds speed in wet pressure-treated lumber where brushed saws bog
- Same 57° bevel and brake as the corded DWE575SB
- Electronic brake plus a rafter hook that owners actually use
- Heavy in the hand once a 5.0Ah pack is fitted
- Sold bare — a battery and charger add real cost if you are starting fresh
- Runtime on a 2.0Ah compact pack disappoints anyone cutting sheet goods
DCS570P1 20V MAX Kit
- Ships with a 5.0Ah pack and charger, which is the pairing this saw actually needs
- Identical cutting performance to the bare DCS570B with none of the sourcing hassle
- The 5.0Ah battery carries over to drills, drivers and lights on the same platform
- The most expensive way into this comparison by a wide margin
- Only one battery, so heavy days still mean waiting on the charger
- No case in some listings — check what the seller is shipping
5007MG Magnesium 7-1/4 in.
- Magnesium base and guards resist the dents that put a stamped-steel shoe out of true
- Owners consistently describe it as the smoothest, least-vibrating sidewinder they have used
- Two built-in LED lights make the cut line readable in a dim basement or crawl space
- Large 2-1/2 in. depth capacity clears a 2x plus a layer of sheathing
- No electric brake — the blade coasts, which matters if you work fast
- At 10.6 lbs it is the heaviest saw here and you feel it overhead
- Costs meaningfully more than the DEWALT it competes with
XSH04ZB 18V Sub-Compact 6-1/2 in.
- Sub-compact body is dramatically easier to control one-handed than any 7-1/4 in. cordless
- Still cuts a 2x in a single pass at 90°, which most 6-1/2 in. saws only just manage
- Bevels to 50°, a genuinely useful five degrees past the usual 45
- Brushless motor and electric brake in a saw that weighs about the same as a drill
- 6-1/2 in. blades are less common and slightly pricier at big-box stores
- Bare tool only — no battery, no charger
- Depth capacity drops sharply at full bevel, so deep 45° cuts need the bigger saw
SH02R1 12V max CXT 3-3/8 in. Kit
- A complete kit — two 2.0Ah batteries and a charger — for less than most bare 7-1/4 in. saws
- At 3.5 lbs it goes places a full-size saw physically cannot
- Owners repeatedly mention clean, chip-free cuts in plywood and melamine
- Cuts up to 1 in. deep, enough for every sheet good and most trim stock
- Cannot cut a 2x in one pass — it is not a framing saw and does not pretend to be
- 3-3/8 in. blades are a specialty size you will order rather than grab
- 12V platform will not power the rest of a serious tool collection
Decision factors
What you actually pay
Corded, the gap is real and it goes DEWALT’s way. The DWE575SB usually lands in the $130–170 band; the Makita 5007MG sits at $190–230. You are paying roughly $60 more for magnesium castings, a smoother motor and two work lights — and giving up an electric brake and about two pounds. If you cut for a living, that trade makes sense. If you build a deck every other summer, it does not.
Cordless flips the math. Makita’s sub-compact XSH04ZB is a bare tool at $140–180 with the same performance class as DEWALT’s $160–200 DCS570B, and it is noticeably lighter. But the honest number is the platform cost, not the tool cost: a 5.0Ah 20V MAX or 18V LXT pack runs $70–110 on its own, and a charger another $40–60. That is why the DCS570P1 kit at $260–320 is not the rip-off it looks like on the shelf, and why the Makita SH02R1 — a saw, two batteries and a charger for $130–170 — is the genuine value buy for anyone not already on a battery platform.
Running costs are mostly blades. A quality 24-tooth framing blade is $12–20 and a 60-tooth finish blade $25–40, in 7-1/4 in. — the most common and cheapest size in America. The 6-1/2 in. and 3-3/8 in. sizes cost about the same but you will order them rather than pick them up, so keep a spare. Both brands are well served for parts: brushes, shoes, guards and cords are stocked by every major service center, and DEWALT’s three-year warranty covers a year longer than Makita’s one year on corded tools. Makita evens that up on cordless, where LXT tools carry three years.
Which one fits you
- Homeowner buying one saw, ever DEWALT DWE575SB Lightest full-size corded saw here, has the brake, bevels to 57°, and costs the least of the 7-1/4 in. options.
- Trim carpenter or daily framer Makita 5007MG The vibration and balance advantage compounds over an eight-hour day, and magnesium survives being dropped off a wall plate.
- Already owns DEWALT 20V batteries DEWALT DCS570B Full 7-1/4 in. capacity for the price of a bare tool, using packs you already charge every night.
- Remodeler working on ladders and in tight bays Makita XSH04ZB Roughly three pounds lighter than a full-size cordless saw and still cuts a 2x in one pass.
- Occasional DIY cuts in plywood and trim Makita SH02R1 A complete kit under most bare-tool prices, light enough to use one-handed, and plenty for sheet goods.
If neither is right
- SKIL 5280-01 15 Amp 7-1/4 in. with Laser Guide The budget answer, and rated 4.7 across a very large owner base. Heavier and cruder than either brand here, but it cuts straight and costs roughly half a Makita.
- CRAFTSMAN CMES510 7-1/4 in. Corded A well-liked middle option if you want a familiar brand with a lower price and do not need the brake or the 57° bevel.
- Makita XCV11Z 18V Dust Extractor Not a saw — but if the reason you are shopping is indoor cutting, pairing any of these with HEPA dust extraction matters more than the brand on the saw.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the DEWALT DWE575SB if you want one corded saw that does everything well — it is lighter than the Makita, has an electric brake, bevels five degrees further, carries a three-year warranty and costs roughly $60 less. Buy the Makita 5007MG if you cut for a living and value a smoother, better-damped saw with magnesium castings that survive abuse. On the cordless side, Makita’s sub-compact XSH04ZB is the lighter tool, DEWALT’s DCS570 the more conventional full-size one. Both brands are 4.7–4.8 in the owner record, so nobody here is buying a bad saw.
How do the two brands actually differ?
Makita and DEWALT approach the same tool from opposite ends. Makita designs around the person holding it for eight hours: magnesium instead of steel or aluminum, a motor tuned for low vibration, tighter tolerances on the shoe. Owners of the 5007MG repeatedly describe the same thing in reviews — that it feels calmer in the cut than saws costing the same or more. That is not a spec you can put in a table, but it shows up in comments across thousands of ratings.
DEWALT designs around the jobsite feature list. The DWE575SB is two pounds lighter than the Makita, adds an electric brake, bevels to 57° for compound roof and stair work, and includes a cord protection system that addresses the single most common corded-saw failure. DEWALT also priced it aggressively, and the owner-rating volume reflects that: it is one of the most-reviewed circular saws on the American market and still sits at 4.8.
The two also diverge on where their line-ups are strong. Makita’s best work in the last few years has been at the compact end — sub-compact 18V tools and the 12V max CXT range — and the XSH04ZB and SH02R1 in this comparison are genuinely class-leading for weight. DEWALT’s strength is breadth and battery ubiquity: the 20V MAX platform is the most widely stocked cordless system in the country, which matters when you need a replacement pack on a Saturday.
Which brand is easier to live with over ten years?
Parts and service are close to a wash, and both are far better than the value brands. Brushes, shoes, guards, blade wrenches and cords for either brand are stocked by national service centers and by a long list of independent repair shops. Where they separate is warranty terms. DEWALT covers most corded and 20V MAX tools for three years, plus a year of free service and a 90-day money-back window. Makita covers corded tools for one year but matches the three-year term on 18V LXT cordless tools and batteries. If your saw will be corded, DEWALT’s paperwork is simply better.
Repairability favors Makita slightly on the physical side. A magnesium shoe holds its geometry through drops that leave a stamped shoe visibly bowed, and a bowed shoe is the most common reason a saw quits cutting square — a fault most owners never diagnose, blaming the blade instead. If your saw will spend its life in a truck bed, that is worth real money.
Cordless or corded — does the brand choice change?
Yes, and this is where the comparison flips. Corded, DEWALT is the better buy for most people. Cordless, the decision is really about which battery platform you already own, because a saw is a poor reason to start a new one. If you own 20V MAX packs, the DCS570B is the obvious answer. If you own 18V LXT packs, the XSH04ZB is a better saw for ladder and remodel work than anything DEWALT sells at that weight.
Starting from zero, the honest numbers are these: a 5.0Ah pack is $70–110 and a charger $40–60, which means a bare tool is never really a bare-tool price. That is what makes the Makita SH02R1 — a complete kit with two batteries and a charger, often under $170 — the sleeper value in this whole group for anyone whose cutting is plywood, paneling and trim rather than framing lumber. For the full field beyond these two brands, our best cordless circular saw roundup covers the rest.
What do owners complain about?
The gripes are remarkably consistent and mostly brand-agnostic. Stock blades lead the list: both companies ship a serviceable but unremarkable blade, and a $15 upgrade transforms cut quality on either saw. Reviewers who rate a saw three stars for “rough cuts” are usually reviewing the blade.
Dust in the line of sight is the second theme. Neither brand’s ejection port keeps sawdust out of your view on a long rip, and both benefit from a shop vac hooked to the port — which is also the only responsible way to cut indoors. Depth-lever creep shows up on the DEWALT saws when the lever is not firmly clamped, and weight is the single most-repeated Makita 5007MG complaint: at 10.6 lbs it is a genuinely heavy saw to hold above your head.
The last recurring one is squareness out of the box. On any brand, check the 90° stop against a framing square before your first cut and adjust it if needed. It takes two minutes and it is the difference between clean joints and a season of blaming your technique. Our guide on how to cut a straight line with a circular saw covers the setup that fixes most of it.
The bottom line
DEWALT is the better default. The DWE575SB gives most buyers more usable saw — lighter, braked, wider bevel, longer warranty — for less money, and the 20V MAX platform is the easiest one to live with in America. Makita is the better tool for the person whose hands are on it all day, and the clear winner at the compact end where its sub-compact and 12V max saws have no real DEWALT equivalent. Rankings here come from aggregated owner ratings and expert consensus rather than first-hand testing; the method is spelled out on how we rank.
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