Shop tested worm-drive circular saws

Ridgid R3210

Price $220

The Ridgid is the top-rated worm-drive saw in our test.As with the other worm drives, this saw has great cutting power with lower blade revolutions than sidewinder saws translating into more torque. And this saw also provides a bevy of well-designed features to boot.

When changing blades, the Ridgid has a long, on-board Allen key and front-located arbor lock that is easy to push and it locks in 1?4 of a rotation.

Testers found the blade guard has good retraction action in most cutting situations.

When following a line, this saw has excellent visibility. Also, a large, dark mark across the entire nose of the shoe makes it easy to align the saw with a pencil mark.

The shoe plate swivels well and has fine bevel-angle graduations. Also, the depth of cut is easy to adjust. Large, plastic-covered metal locking levers offer a lot of surface area.

The Ridgid is comfortable and lightweight compared with other worm drives, with excellent balance.

The only drawback of this saw, as with the other worm-drive saws, is the absence of a directional dust port. Sawdust flies all over the place.

FOR OUR MONEY

If you are in the market for a jobsite saw that can stand up to a great deal of use and abuse, it may be worth investing more in a worm drive. The clear winner out of our small test group was the Ridgid R3210, which had high marks in every category, including performance and comfort.