The Einhell is a sidewinder-style saw available only as a bare tool and is powered by an 18V battery. If you already own an Einhell power tool you can use that battery in this saw. If not, the company offers both 2.5Ah and 4Ah starter kits that include one battery and a charger. I’d opt for the 4Ah model. At $59.95 it’s only $20 more than the 2Ah kit, and you’ll get a much longer run­time. The saw has a brushless motor, which runs more efficiently with minimal power loss, is quieter and generates less heat than a brushed motor. It comes with a decent, if not superb, 24-tooth carbide-tipped blade.

With battery installed the Einhell zips through 2×4 dimensional lumber at both 90° and 45° in one pass. I like that the blade depth locking lever is at the back of the saw rather than on the side. In this location the lever is much less likely to get knocked and come loose when the saw is set down. As on most consumer-grade saws, the blade-depth scale is difficult to read except in perfect lighting conditions. Bevel adjustment is straightforward (from 0° to 45°) and there are three detents (though one is at 15° rather than the more useful 22.5°).

In order to cut a straight line, you need to see where the blade is going. Blade visibil­ity is very good on the Einhell. You have an unobstructed line of sight and the view isn’t blocked by the upper guard housing. Also, the cutline marker is directly in line with the kerf cut by the saw, which makes it easy to follow your cut line.

The spring-loaded lower blade guard retracts freely during a cut. However, it’s made of plastic, and I would have preferred aluminum. Thankfully, the shoe is made of aluminum and it’s perfectly perpendicular to the blade. There’s a rip fence that comes with the saw that you can mount on the right side of the blade.

Circ saws shoot out a lot of dust. The Einhell doesn’t come with a dust bag, but it does have a 1-1/2″ dust port that you can connect to a dust extractor.

A few other things I like about this saw are the spindle lock that simplifies chang­ing blades; a very bright work light that illuminates the area around the cutline marker; a trigger safety switch that’s easy to reach with your thumb without removing your finger from the on/off switch; and it’s lightweight, at just over 8-1/2 pounds with battery installed. If you register the saw you get an additional one-year tool warranty for a total of three years and a 10-year war­ranty on the brushless motor.

At $179.99 this is one of the lowest priced cordless circular saws on the market. For the features and performance it provides, the Einhell represents great value for the hobbyist woodworker and avid DIYer.