The new 5-3/8โณ Skil 18V Circular Saw model 5995 is aย homeownerโs dream toolโoffering professional quality at a price almost anyone can afford. With an excellent power-to-weight ratio, top-quality design, and the latest 18V lithium-ion battery technology, this saw is ideal for anyone who already has some compatible 18V SKIL tools and wants to add a portable saw to the mix. This is a great tool for those just starting out with theirย first home or the seasoned do-it-yourself type.
Skil 18V Circular Saw Features
As we were unpacking the SKIL 5995 tool, one of the first things we noticed was howย lightweight it felt in our hands. The saw hadย good balance, was easy to use, and appeared to be well-made. Theย main body is made of tough ABS plastic with blackย rubber overmold on both handles. Since this is a bare tool, there is no case and indeed no battery provided โ but at less than $65, itโs a veritable steal.
One of the other interesting features of this saw is its use of the PowerPlus battery system, which makes the tool both Lithium-ion and NiCd battery compatible. Unlike some other manufacturers that have introduced newย battery technology and new battery styles that are not compatible withย the older tools, the SKIL 18V tools are backward compatible with previousย SKIL 18V NiCd tools.
The new Lithium-ion batteries are supposed to hold a charge for up to 18 months (of course, we have not tested this, so for the time being, weโll have to trust the folks over at SKIL on this one). And to make all you โgreenโ people happy, the battery charger is Energy Star rated, which means it meets the governmentย standards for energy efficiency.
Using the Skil Circular Saw
We gave this saw a big workout.ย Our project was to put up some 3/8โณ thick b-board plywood on theย ceiling of a porch. We had ten new 4ร8 sheets to install, along withย cutting out sections of the old ceiling. To do all the cutting,ย we usedย only the 5995 Cordless Skilsaw. Now this saw comes with a super thinย kerf 5-3/8โณ 18 tooth Carbide-Tipped Blade, which we think really helpedย this saw shine. We hope to see these Skil blades on the shelf alongย with the tools in the stores. After adding up all the cuts that we did,ย it totaled nearly 100 linear feet. What was even more amazing was thatย we did it all on a single battery!
The saw was very easy to use withย great visibility. The patented anti-snag lower blade guard also workedย great and allowed us to start the saw with ease, never having toย manually lift the guard. As with most cordless circular saws, having aย sharp blade designed for cordless tool use will help guarantee betterย performance and cuts, so make sure to replace it with a new one as soonย as you begin to notice your sawโs performance going down.
Conclusion
Basically, if you are out shopping for the best bang for the buck,ย the SKIL 5-3/8โณ 5995 18V Lithium Ion Cordless Skilsaw delivers.ย We liked the many quality features that were packed into what is a very value-targeted saw. While many heavy-duty homeowners will like this tool, we think that budget-conscious contractors can also benefitย from the performance. For our Performance rating, we gave it an 8/10 because of all the quality features that brought the tool closer to what a professional might expect, and for our Value rating, we gave it an 8/10 because we think it will be hard to beat what you get with this saw for the money spent!
