I’ve said a few times that I don’t think tool reviews are a good way to decide which particular brand you should buy, mainly because of the factors that can change from item to item within the same product line. And given that most of the tools in a price range have very similar performance and specs, I think it boils down to how the tool actually feels when you are using it – the ergonomics. And as you get more experience using tools, at least for me this becomes more and more important.

Back when I was working as a carpenter I was sent to a site that was just getting out of the ground. It was a new two story elementary school and the foundation was basically finished, and they were starting to prep the interior for the concrete floor slabs. That is the normal progression of work, except there was a big, rough hole near the centre of the building footprint that was still untouched. It was the excavation for the elevator pit and the original concrete forming contractor apparently did not include it in his estimate and had refused to do it. This is where I come in, to build the forms for the pit.

The site super had the lumber and other supplies on site and ready to go, but didn’t have a working circular saw to cut the lumber. At first he got a bit miffed because I didn’t have one with me, but then grudgingly went out to the closest place he could find to buy one. What he brought back was a new model of a worm drive saw, a DeWalt.
For those that don’t know, a worm drive saw is called that because the motor is inline with the blade and drives the blade with a helical gear. The most popular was the Skilsaw 77 model, and I’m pretty sure the original. This is the saw that I’d been used to using and, judging from what I’ve seen in my years working, is the standard for forming carpenters. These are heavy duty, high torque saws that are made for rough conditions.
The DeWalt differed from the Skil in that the motor was oriented almost straight up, making the saw top heavy and I found it awkward to use at first. I did eventually get used to using it, though, but I still preferred the way the Skil felt and handled. With that said, if it had been reversed and I was used to the DeWalt before using the Skil, it’s possible I would like the DeWalt more. But based on what my preference is for power tools in general – close to the work centre of gravity – the Skil would still win in the end.

To wrap this one up, my opinion on the best way to decide which tool you should buy is to actually visit the store where they sell them and take the time to hold it in your hand to judge how comfortable it will be to use. If it has sharp edges that will chaff or if the grip is shaped oddly. If possible, try it out in the store – some big box stores allow that (within reason). Better yet, if it passes the initial “feel” test, buy it and take it home and try it out. I mean really give it a thorough testing in all the situations you will use it, and if you don’t like it return it to the store. I ask beforehand if this will be a problem.