Bare-Tool Makita BSS610Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw (Tool Only, No Battery)

Reviews of Bare-Tool Makita BSS610Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw (Tool Only, No Battery)

1.) Fast Powerful Cuts
Reviewed by: Josh Brubaker Grand Rapids, MI United States
Rating:
I was surprised at how easy this cordless cuts through materials. There is no cord to get tangled and hooked on corners, and the power-brake makes it much safer than other circular saws I have used. It's lightweight and very comfortable, which is typical of the newer Makita tools. This saw has a nice LED light that illuminates the cutting path. I would much rather use this over my table saw, especially on larger sheets of plywood. The included blade cuts smoothly and accurately. Take note that the smaller 1.5AH batteries will not fit on this saw, it requires the 3.0AH.
I am completely satisfied and would highly recommend the purchase of this saw.

2.) Deck #4
Reviewed by: BenAndrew Masonville, CO
Rating:
Four decks in the past year, from 300 to 800 sq feet and this is the only saw I have had to use. My Makita Hypoid saw is out of order, but this little saw does every thing but rip long boards. Being light, cordless, and powerful enough is saving me time. I did jam the blade once, took out the very hot battery and, per the instruction manual, put it strait into the charger. This ruined the battery. The warranty dept. got me a new battery a few days latter. Much better saw than the old DeWalt 18v (my old cordless.) Best part is that the LXT is more accurate than a framing saw. So I trust cutting expensive synthetic decking with it.


3.) Upgrading from a DeWalt - This Makita is well made!
Reviewed by: Leebo USA
Rating:
Smooth operator. I love this Makita saw. It has served me well. I use it for many different things from cutting 2x material to cutting trim and hardwoods. The stock blade is ok and will last a little while. I have freud blades in mine and love the silky smooth operation and consistent power.

The blade guard rarely gets in the way and is easy to to raise. The bevel and depth adjustments are easy to reach and operate and hold well. The sole plate is sturdy and maintains its position well. The LED light is a nice touch. It only comes on while the trigger is depressed unlike Makita's cordless drills which have a slow ramping off feature that slowly dims the LED after the trigger is released which makes for a nice flashlight. I guess you shouldn't be expecting to use your cordless saw as a light source anyway.

The battery last a long while on a full charge. You can saw thru a good amount of wood with a thin kerf blade. I've cut over 50 2x6's on a single charge.

I've had mine for over 2 years now and it's been a dream to use. I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

4.) Makita 18V Cordless LXT Lithium-Ion 6-1/2" Circular Saw
Reviewed by: Charles R. Sampley Berkley, MI
Rating:
I am very pleased with quality feel, and compact size of this saw. I no longer reach for my hand saw to cut 1 or 2 boards, as before, to avoid pulling out the extension cord.

5.) very nice
Reviewed by: Joseph M. Cone thibodaux, louisiana United States
Rating:
this cordless saw outperforms my rigid and hitachi cordless saws. lots of power and very well balanced. this is one of my favorite tools...i abuse it and i cut thru some big nasty material.

6.) Great saw for most jobs
Reviewed by: Michael Whitt
Rating:
I buy the LXT tools alone since I have 2 batteries and a charger. Some say the 1.5 batteries dont fit. That is the battery size I have and it works fine for me. Plenty enough charge for me, since one is always on the charger. Great tool, very well built with left view for right handed people.

7.) Great saw!
Reviewed by: ALarmist San Fran
Rating:
I was skeptical about buying a battery powered circ saw, even though it was 18v.

I thought it might drag and eat batteries. Not a worry here as this thing really hums, helped by the thin kerf blade no doubt. I'm a carpenter and altho wouldnt use it for heavy all day framing it's great for jobsite use, light weight, easy to handle and adjust.

The best thing is the auto brake which is the main reason I bought it.

the light is kinda cool too!!



8.) Quality built, a sweet little tool.
Reviewed by: S. Brooks San Francisco
Rating:
1st cordless circular saw and lovin' it. Super lightweight, thin saw kerf, powerful for what it's intended for. A great addition to the toolbox so you don't have to lug out the corded 15A wormdrive all the time.

9.) Makita BSS610Z Review
Reviewed by: H. Moskowitz California
Rating:
Good tool. Nice weight. Plenty of power. I've been cutting 3/4 inch shop maple plywood with it and have very little splintering cross grain. I'm still on my first battery charge (3 AH lithium ion).

10.) Great Cordless Saw
Reviewed by: Power Tool Guide Illinois
Rating:
We just finished our review of this Makita Saw and the bottom line, this is a great saw. We cut through some 4x4 with no problem. We took the saw and pushed it very hard through a piece of 3/4" plywood and the saw barely bogged down and we pushed it with a lot of force to get this tool to stop, but couldn't. This saw is extremely light and very easy to work with. We like the fact that this uses the 3.0 A battery. Blade is very easy to change. Bevel is easy to adjust and very accurate for a cordless tool. Overall this is a great saw.


11.) arsome
Reviewed by: Richard B. Noyes nevada city
Rating:
what a great saw for the money....many nice features, and the light is wonderful. nice thin kerf.

12.) Excellent Saw
Reviewed by: Dragonwort Castle
Rating:
Excellent, well balanced, takes the 1.5 amp battery, safe guard and brake, great light, very smooth and fast cutter. I can't say enough good about this saw and other LXT tools. I do not recommend the packages as they do not include the high end tools e.g. the 611 saw with no brake or light.

UPDATE: Still excellent! A note about the 1.5 amp (smaller) battery: it fits with a little force, and takes a little force to remove if the unit is unaltered. However, if you like the tool and will be keeping it, turn the tool over and note the small plastic bump on the left side of where the battery is inserted; inside the start of the slide. It blocks/resists the use of the 1.5 battery; just cut part or all of it off with a sharp knife and the battery fits and removes with ease. If you have a drill that takes the smaller battery you will notice no little bump where the battery slides in. Simple modification, just don't expect the 1.5 to last as long as the 3.0, in usage time or lifetime of the battery.

13.) genesidol
Reviewed by: Richard J. Rollins huntington, new york
Rating:
great saw with lots of balls, battery a little difficult to slide in and out otherwise very good.

14.) Makita saw
Reviewed by: tin painter New York
Rating:
Transaction was simple and worked well--delivery on time. Thought it would be in a box but not really a problem.

15.) The Bomber
Reviewed by: tool time Cedar Rapids , Ia.
Rating:
Came as a left handed saw. Was not described as that. However , after I recieved the tool I looked back at the advertisment and it was a picture of a left handed saw . Otherwise , great tool !!~

16.) Makita 18V Li-Ion 6 1/2" Circular Saw
Reviewed by: Geowhiziker North Texas
Rating:
Excellent product. Works very well. Vendor was prompt. Couldn't ask for more.

17.) Be sure you have the right battery
Reviewed by: Doctor.Generosity Western Massachusetts
Rating:
This saw works very nicely, precision made and well designed. Battery charge does not last too long, you will have to recharge frequently - but this is due to the laws of physics and the amount of power required to saw, rather than a design fault.

Speaking of the battery however - Makita makes two versions of the 18V lithium batteries, 3 AH and a smaller 1.5 AH version which goes well with light drills and impact wrenches. My previous Makita tools all came with the smaller battery - but turns out the 1.5 will NOT fit this saw, which accepts only the 3 AH version. I didn't know that and neither the Makita website nor manual say anything about it, which is annoying. So I had to buy a new battery for this, which added $65 to the price.

18.) Professional Carpenter
Reviewed by: G. Olson
Rating:
My 35 year old skill, as were ALL worm drive saws used by true carpenters has the blade on the left. We used to call the saws with the blade on the right home owner 'side winders'. I still don't like leaning over to see the cut. With the blade on the left you can see the cut directly in front of you and your center of gravity is directly behind the cut. Thanks Makita for another great tool.

19.) Makita BSS610Z 18VoltLXT
Reviewed by: Michael J. Hannegraf Beldenville, WI United States
Rating:
I find the use of this tool very easy and handy without the assistance of an electrical cord limiting me in the area in which I need to work.

20.) Works well but feels cheap
Reviewed by: ohoen
Rating:
I've only had the saw for a few days but it's already gotten a lot of use on the jobsite.

Out of the box it felt pretty cheap. The shoe on mine always has a little bit of play and the levers for it are cheesy plastic with snap-rings.

So far it has worked very well, though. Like other Makita Li-Ion tools it is very light. The stock blade is good. Battery life seems to be about the same as the DeWalt.

I have both 1.5 Ah and 3 Ah batteries. My 1.5s do NOT fit. They wouldn't last long enough to be useful anyway.

This saw IS different than the BSS611 (I believe the 611 is a stripped down version they dump into the combo sets). The differences have been noted elsewhere but the major one, for me, is the blade brake which the 611 does not have.

At this point I wouldn't recommend this saw to people who aren't already using Makita Li-Ion batteries. This is based on the tool's flimsy appearance. If it holds up I will update.

Update: After a few months of everyday use I feel pretty comfortable recommending this little saw. I've had no problems at all. Just make sure it's always got a sharp blade.

21.) Warning - This is a LEFT HANDED tool.
Reviewed by: Systems_Consultant Eden Prairie, Mn United States
Rating:
This is a very nice portable saw, for a left-handed person! For that user, I would rate it at 4-5 stars.

Maybe I should be more generous than a 1-star rating since the picture clearly depicts a left-handed saw if you think about how you are going to use it. But come on... we're used to disclaimers on left-handed tools and I don't remember seeing any of the customery warnings on either the website or in the instructions for this saw. What's worse is that Makita doesn't seem to make a right-handed version of a 6 1/2" cordless saw! What is Makita thinking?

My AC powered Makita circular saw is the mirror image of this one, with the blade on the right hand side of the handle. Typically, when I use a circular saw, I place the piece being cut on a surface or set of sawhorses in front of me with the section to be cut off hanging off the right hand side. Then I can hold the workpiece steady with my left hand or knee while the large part of the sole plate of the saw stays on the work that is held to the table. The cut off piece falls away to the right. If you try to use this saw that way, with the saw blade on the left hand side of the handle, only the small sliver of the soleplate to the left of the blade is resting on the stable part of the workpiece. The large portion of the soleplate under the motor is resting on the part of the workpiece that will drop away when the cut is finished. This makes it very hard to control the saw as you finish the cut. In addition to ruining the cut, this useage could be considered dangerous.

Make sure you really want a left-handed saw before buying this one.

Features of Bare-Tool Makita BSS610Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw (Tool Only, No Battery)

The Makita BSS610Z is an 18V 6-1/2 inch LXT Lithium-Ion Circular Saw Tool Only. The Makita BSS610Z features a Makita built, D35 high torque motor which delivers maximum power for cutting 2x material at 45° with 50° maximum capacity. The Makita BSS610Z features an ergonomic shape that fits like a glove with even pressure and easy control. The LXT Lithium-Ion provides longer run time, 5x lower self-discharge (for use any time) and 16 firm holding contact terminals (for constant high power).   Features: Makita-built motor delivers 3,700 RPM for faster cutting and ripping through wood Compact, ergonomic design at only 7.1 lbs. for reduced operator fatigue Includes features such as a built-in L.E.D. light to illuminate the work area, and a built-in dust blower to keep the line of cut free of debris Makita LXT Lithium-Ion battery and Energy Star rated 30-Minute Rapid Optimum Charger produces 430% total lifetime work with 2.5X more cycles What's In the Box: Makita BSS610Z 6-1/2-Inch LXT Lithium-Ion Bare Circular Saw

The Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw delivers cordless cutting power to the jobsite. The BSS610Z has a Makita-built high-torque motor and a compact design for a range of cutting applications, and will cut 2X material at 45 degrees.

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BSS610Z Features PERFORMANCE - LXT Li-Ion batteries charge in 30 minutes, run longer and deliver 2.5X more cycles SPEED - 3,700 RPM for faster cutting and ripping CONTROL - Built-in dust blower and L.E.D. light for accurate cuts COMFORT - Only 7.1 lbs. with ergonomic grip Battery and charger not included

Tool Specifications Blade diameter 6-1/2" Arbor 5/8" Max. cutting depth 90° (2-1/4"), 45° (1-9/16") No load speed 3,700 RPM Battery 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Overall length 13-5/8" Net weight 7.1 lbs. (w/battery)

Makita-Built Motor Engineered for Versatile Power
The BSS610Z features a Makita-built high-torque motor that produces 3,700 RPM for faster cutting. The saw has a 50 degree maximum bevel cutting capacity and is engineered with a heavy gauge, precision machined base for smooth, accurate cutting and added durability.

Ergonomic Design in a Compact Size
The BSS610Z weighs just 7.1 pounds (with battery, sold separately) with a more compact design at 13-5/8 inches long and an ergonomic shape that fits like a glove for reduced operator fatigue. The BSS610Z is also equipped with two built-in L.E.D. lights that illuminate the work area for more efficient work, as well as a built-in dust blower to keep the line of cut free of debris.

Versatile Design for a Range of Applications
The BSS610Z is engineered for a range of cutting tasks, and is perfect for roofing, carpentry, remodeling, woodworking, and for any pro contractor who requires a best-in-class engineered cordless circular saw. The BSS610Z is just another example of Makita's commitment to innovative technology and best-in-class engineering.

About Makita's 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Tool Series
As one of the pioneers driving the cordless tool revolution, Makita changed the game with its breakthrough 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Series. Three years after its debut, Makita's LXT Series has grown from seven to over 35 tools, providing a wide range of cordless solutions for professional tradesmen. Makita also added 18V Compact Lithium-Ion for cordless power in a more compact size.

About Makita
Makita is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial quality power tools, and offers a wide range of industrial accessories. Makita applies leading-edge innovation to produce tools that are stronger, lighter, more powerful and easier to use. Makita USA, Inc. is located in La Mirada, California, and operates an extensive distribution network located throughout the U.S. For more information, please call 800/4-MAKITA (800/462-5482) or visit the website at makitatools.com. Makita is Best in Class Engineering.

Warranty
Every Makita Lithium-Ion tool is backed by Makita's 3-Year Warranty that covers repair due to defects in materials or workmanship up to three years from the date of original purchase. Makita Lithium-Ion batteries and chargers have a limited 1-year warranty. Please see makitatools.com for complete details.

What's in the Box
Makita BSS610Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw (tool only).

Other Makita Lithium-Ion Series

More 18V Lithium-Ion Tools from Makita See the entire 18V Lithium-Ion Lineup

Driver-Drills Impact Drivers Impact Wrenches BHP454 BDF451 BDF452 BDA350 BTD144 BTW450 BTW251 BTL063

Concrete Metalworking Combo Kits BHR240 BCS550 BPB180 LXT1500 15-Tool Kit LXT1200 12-Tool Kit LXT902 9-Tool Kit

1.) Makita-built motor delivers 3,700 RPM for faster cutting and ripping through wood;
2.) Compact, ergonomic design at only 7.1 lbs. for reduced operator fatigue;
3.) Includes features such as a built-in L.E.D. light to illuminate the work area, and a built-in dust blower to keep the line of cut free of debris;
4.) Makita LXT Lithium-Ion battery and Energy Star rated 30-Minute Rapid Optimum Charger produces 430% total lifetime work with 2.5X more cycles;
5.) 3-year warranty on tool;

Package Height x Length x Width: 14 in. x 14 in. x 10.9 in.
Package Weight: 7.8 lbs.

Accessories for Bare-Tool Makita BSS610Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-1/2-Inch Circular Saw (Tool Only, No Battery)