Makita DSS610Z 18V Li-Ion LXT 165mm Circular Saw - Batteries and Charger Not Included

Basic unit that does its job. Used on a variety of sheets, decking boards and framing without issues. With the right blades the cut is good, and the guide works well. I have several 5&6AH battery's, and it seems to last around 30+ mins of hard cutting while using them, which is pretty standard for a circular saw, but can't speak for using lower value battery's, but I doubt a 2AH would hold up for longer than 6–8 mins and still have the power to cut hard. In any case, if you're doing a fair bit of cutting, probably better to have a few charged batteries around. Feels pretty solid in the hand and easy to follow the line of cut. Changing blades is a breeze, and all adjustment toggles work without problem. The baseplate was pretty level on the one I received, and so far it has coped well with straight and angle cuts. Just don't expect it to last all day on one charge.

I bought this to replace my Makita 240v circular saw which died recently. I am a big Makita fan anyway and as I already had a spare 18v battery, it was a natural choice to choose a cordless saw. The saw was a little heavier than I expected but that's no bad thing in something so potentially lethal and the build quality is well up to the usual Makita standard, i.e. excellent. Every bit as good as a corded model. The handgrip is rubber backed as is the forward grip and they are very comfortable in the hand. The trigger is the usual two stage safety type, push down a spring loaded switch before the main trigger will engage. Interestingly, the LED will light as soon as you press the trigger. I thought the LED light would be a bit of a gimmick but this one is really very thoughtfully placed, it helps you see the cut line very easily indeed. I opted to buy this model over the DSS611z because it has the very handy dust blower and again like the LED, it really does work and very useful it is too. The other feature you get over the 611 is the little toggle which lets you tilt the saw beyond 45 degrees, not a lot of use to me but handy to have I suppose. Height adjustment and angle adjustment are easy with conveniently placed thumb screw in the case of the angle and a lever for height adjustment. Speaking of which, the blade guard is marked with various measurements for easy depth setting and that brings me to the only disappointment with this saw, the plastic blade guard. This is an industrial tool, it will get some abuse so why they decided that plastic was good enough, I cannot fathom. The saw was delivered on time and was well packed and I have to say I am delighted with it in every way other than the blade guard. I should have gone cordless a lot sooner and if I'd known they were this good, I would have.

This is an excellent circular saw, I much prefer it to my mains powered circular saw. The DSS610 has the electronic brake which is a great safety feature and stops the saw spinning almost instantly, unlike the cheaper DSS611, which despite being a later model number, is just a cut-down version of the DSS610. The DSS610 alo has the light and dust blower that the DSS611 lacks and these are very useful, especially in darker environments. As a right-handed person, having the blade to the left of the motor makes this so much easier to use as I can see exactly where the blade is cutting at all times. This saw is also pretty quiet for a circular saw, I've mainly used it for cutting sheet goods up to 18mm so far but it goes through like butter. It's also great that it's portable as I can cut wood down to fit in my car wherever I buy it from, It comes with a blade but no dust bag. Also remember the Z is the bare version with no battery which is great if you already own any Makita LXT tools. The acid test is; would I buy this again - definitely.

Great saw

I've been using this a fair bit recently, making compost bins and raised beds. I opted for this model because: A: I own other Makita tools, so had the batteries already. B: I think this style suits me as a left-hander, as it keeps the blade furthest away from my body. In use the saw cuts well and seems to last a long time on my 5Ah batteries. It's not hugely loud so sometimes, if it's just a quick job, I get lazy and don't stick my ear defenders on. But the sound is quite high pitched and does make my ears get a bit "ringy" if I'm using it for any length of time without ear defenders on. The blade brake is very good. The blade stops spinning almost as soon as you release the trigger. Height adjustment of the blade is a bit fiddly for me, as the locking lever is on the opposite side to the scale which shows the blade depth. I'm not sure if that's because I'm left-handed or not. I do wish the maximum cutting depth was a bit larger than the 5 or 6 cm it is. When I'm cutting square posts or thicker wood, I have to cut round each side and then sometimes cut through the wee bit left in the centre with a hand saw. But I think the cutting depth is limited by the blade size and I didn't want to lose the portability by going up to a bigger saw. All in all happy with my purchase.

It is great for light diy and very handy for quick cuts, however it has met its match slicing through some sleepers due to the blade size, I should have gone up a size which would have been more versatile for bigger jobs

Had this a few years now. Not a professional carpenter. But like working with wood. From hen houses to garden furniture to fences. This saw has been a gift in it's usefulness. Lots of great videos on youtube to learn how to use it right. They are a recommended watch as it's one tool that can be dangerous of not used the way it should be. I think too once you buy into a range like Makita then the expense of batteries and charger are some what mitigated. Tools I could make anything from wood with. My impact driver, Drill and this saw. Those three basics and your flying.

Once you go down the route of buying specific 18v battery tools forever will you be tied to the brand - or so it seems. I have had Makita for years so I thought that I'd give this saw a go. I love it tbh. Jobs that I would have done with a handsaw or a jigsaw before I now can do easily with this. For example I've been cutting shelving out of 18mm plywood boards. But the best and unexpected bonus was I had to replace some skirting board and it was 150mm deep so too deep for my mitre saw to cut at an angle ( another purchase that I can recommend ) but unbelievably I set this saw at a 45 and followed the line and it was close enough for DIY! I would buy this again in a heartbeat.