This is an incredible saw for the money - more power, a brake, and cheaper than the old model. It is true that the brake is not as quick as a typical miter saw's. But it does stop in 2 seconds as advertised (manual says 3 sec. ). That's about 3 times faster than my old Hitachi without a brake. Other brands of circular saws with brakes advertise 2 seconds as well. Another thing I like about the Hitachi is the table is perfectly parallel to the blade. Many other brands I've used are way off. That makes it impossible to make precision cuts using a straight edge for a guide. pThe bare aluminum base is a step backward. The old model had a nickel plated base (discontinued in 7 1/4" but still available in 8 1/4"). This was a fantastic feature that set Hitachi apart from the crowd. Bare aluminum makes marks and drags on wood making straight cuts much more difficult. Steel glides better but its rarely used except on Skill worm drives and cheap saws. I really didn't need to buy another saw, but the brake is an important safety improvement and now I can save the old nickel plated saw for mark-free cutting of finished goods. I can't understand why Hitachi cut this corner when the saw is priced so far under the competition. I gave it 5 stars anyway because of the price. But I'd rather pay $20 more and get the better base.

I bought this to have a right handed sidewinder saw to compliment my Skill 77 wormdrive and the mini PC 6" Sawboss. In over 30 years of professional woodworking, a lot of it using a circular saw of some sort, this one is right up there with the best. It's powerful and has a great line of sight. The controls are in the right places ( tilts to 55 degrees, yea) and it's well balanced with just the right amount of heft. All this and an electric brake, a fitted plastic case and carbide blade for around $100! What's not to like? Plastic handles, ( just about all saws have them now) and made in China. Note to Hitachi CEO. I would have easily paid another $30-40 for a saw of this quality to see 'made in USA' on it! We need jobs too. I tried out the PC saw ( lousy line of sight), Milwaukee tilt-loc ( way under powered) and Dewalt ( flimsy build quality, nice power though, it was the second choice)before getting the Hitachi. It has just had the 'trial by fire' in building a large hip roof using 2 by 10 rafters, 4 by 12 double backed hips, 14" microlam beams and 5/8 ply. Never broke a sweat.

I am obsessive about researching my purchases, especially with tools. Not wanting (or needing) a heavy worm-drive saw, I narrowed my search to the Hitachi (well-rated), Milwaukee 6391 (top-rated by many magazines), Bosch CS20 (also top-rated), and Porter-Cable MAG (again, top-rated). However, I also take most magazine reviews with a grain of salt - always get actual consumer reviews and get your hands on the item.
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br /While the Milwaukee is a great saw with a great reputation, the Tilt-lok seems like a nice "bonus" feature but I usually believe "The simpler the better" principle (less stuff to break down or cause issues) and wanted something a bit lighter. I didn't like the "composite plastic" Bosch plate and have seen other durability issues (see reviews on Amazon). The Porter-Cable was a front-runner (I love PC tools), but again there seemed to be some durability issues in some reviews, wondered about the fancy plastic dust port clogging, and the price was $50 more (is it worth 50% more money??). So, after handling all of these saws at the store, I really liked the Hitachi best - plus a perfect 5 star rating here at Amazon (until the guy who posted incorrectly about the warranty). I couln't find any faults - it is very light, powerful and accurate (dead-on 90 degrees and 45 degrees out of the box). The blade brake isn't as fast as I hoped, but still several seconds faster than without (and those several seconds could make the difference between "Ouch!" and "Take me to the emergency room!"). The stock blade is better-than-average, the plate is rock-solid and nicely designed, nice dust control and it has great visibility. Some people might not like that the plate tilt does not have any markings to tell what depth it is set at - however, I usually "eye-ball" the blade depth for a cut anyway, and if I really needed to be accurate I would actually measure the depth instead of relying on the rough measures on the tool (plus, the bar used to raise/lower the plate is enclosed - so it won't collect sawdust and dirt). To top it off, it does carry a 5-year warranty (unlike a previous poster stated), plus the brushes are replaceable for extended life.
br /I'm sure all the saws I mentioned would be a great choice, but for the money I betting on the Hitachi!

After using many brands(skil, carftsman, makita,etc) I like this saw the best. It's got an electic brake which is pretty good but does not stop 2-3 seconds but still better than nothing. The base is sturdy and another great thing that has made me a Hitachi convert is that brushes on most tools are external and can easily be changed, That will keep the tool last longer and with the 5 year warranty you can't beat it. Great saw!

I first bought a Skil 5750-01, thinking that the laser guide would be great. I liked having the extended line of sight, but that was the only plus to that particular piece of equipment. I immediately returned it, and bought the Hitachi. Wow, was that a good idea. Perfect 90 degrees at catch, the other measurements for angle are off, though, and it doesn't tilt all the way to the 55 degree miter. The first thing I did was change the blade, a snap with the tool provided in the case from the factory (nice touch, Hitachi!), store the old one on the gripping spindle in the case (another thoughtful addition) and cut through a piece of 3/4" 7-layer birch plywood. Perfect performance, and the brake isn't too hard, so there's almost no kickback when you drop the trigger.

I bought the Hitachi C7BD2 15-Amp 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw with Brake to replace a really old, really heavy, Black Decker model. I chose the C7BD2 for three reasons--advertised light weight, reasonable price and reputation.
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br /My first experience with the saw on a deck project was very good. The Hitachi is powerful and easy to use with the 24 tooth carbide blade that comes with it. The job I was doing required cross cutting two by fours and was not exactly cabinet work, but I could tell the saw was accurate and likely to do well in fairly precise operation.
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br /Most circular saws have a cutting guideline stamped on the base plate, but these are ordinarily not very accurate and are quickly unusable when crosscutting narrow stock like a two by four. In order to make an accurate cut after the blade hits the board it is necessary to watch the blade progress along a penciled guide line. The Hitachi C7BD2 has a line of sight view of what the blade is doing. That is a plus for me.
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br /The electric brake is a plus, but does not stop the blade as rapidly as I thought it would. The feature is certainly an improvement over the old Black Decker I had been using. That old saw of mine took forever slowing to a stop. The Hitachi stops in a second or two, but I wouldn't want my fingers on the blade waiting for that to happen.
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br /I know the Hitachi is one of the lightest of the circular saws on the market, but probably not by more than a few ounces. Frankly, I still found the saw a bit heavy to use for any length of time. I accept the fact that using an electric circular saw beats the heck out of pushing around an old fashioned hand saw so I can live with the weight.
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br /It remains to be seen how the Hitachi C7BD2 performs over time, but as a "do-it-yourselfer" and reasonably skilled woodworker I am sure this saw will serve me well.
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I used this saw for a recent home improvement project and was pleased with it. I liked the quality of the construction and the feel of the saw. In my opinion, safety features are the most important consideration when purchasing a power tool. Therefore, I decided to spend the extra money for saw with a brake. The brake works, but takes 3-4 seconds to stop the blade. The guard on this saw seems to be sturdier and more user friendly than others circular saws I have used.

Saw is well balanced, light weight, and performs as expected. I like the sight line... it allows me to see the line for long rips from the left side. (I recently used my friend's Porter Cable saw and had to view the line from the right side where all the sawdust flew into my face.) I had never had a saw with a brake, so thought the extra safety feature would be good. However, the brake does not impress me and probably not worth the extra dollars it cost.

I liked everything about this saw, with the exception to the base. The base doesn't glide well it hangs up on treated woods, whereas, steel does much better. The scales on the base are a joke. I miss my Milwaukee (it was stolen), the scales were so easy to read.

I am a pro carpenter and had porter cable for 30 years.
br /I didn't like the new ones, so I shopped around.
br /After using it a couple times, I love it! it is just as good and
br /maybe better. cuts like butter. Haven't tried changing blade yet.
br /The guide is true, when you get used to it, you can cut straight lines
br /by it. I just ordered a rip guide for only $10.00 on this site.
br /Very happy, thanks to the reviews I read here, is why I bought it.
br /Wayne

This may be a good or great saw, but I didn't get to use it long enough to find out. I dropped it on hard dirt and the top handle burst like I dropped it on concrete and when I tried repairing it with locktite super glue it would not hold.I will fix it. I am not a novice with saws of any type. I puchased this one because of the price and amps. I own 2 other Circular saws, 1 maybe 12 years old, jig saws, sawsall and etc., but I have never had a new saw break like this one did in much harder drops. Just bad luck or a bad materials for the casing, I don't know.

This is my first professional-grade circular saw. I'm not a contractor but I was looking for a BEEFY sidewinder saw that would serve me many years of use. My budget was around $100. Bingo! This Hitachi has it all! The beefy 15 amp motor and the pro-grade built-quality for around $100. This saw feels solid and forceful. I love it. So far, I've cut wood and fiber cement sidings (with a special blade for it) for my weekend projects. It cuts everything effortlessly. It comes with a well-designed plastic carrying case which stores a wrench and several spare blades. A nice touch by Hitachi! It's reasonably light at 10.5 lbs but I do wish it was just a bit lighter like Dewalt DW 368 but that's purely my personal preference. Too bad Hitachi does not make left-blade model for this but if they ever do I will buy one for sure. All in all, I'm very satisfied with my Hitachi. If you're looking for a beefy professional-grade sidewinder saw on a budget, this Hitachi would make a strong candidate for your serious consideration.

So far this product has lived up to its expectations and I am very satisfied!

Short and sweet... Under $100. - Excellent quality with fast Electric brake (every circular saw should be required to have this!), up to 55 degree cutting angle, and a 5-year Hitachi Tool Warranty! Nothing else on the market can touch it... Now, I told it was Sweet... [wink]

Disclaimer: I bought this saw for my son-inlaw (so he wouldn't borrow mine). I haven't used it, my saw is a Porter Cable.
br /Review: I never purchase anything without doing research. I do have some Hitachi tools and love them. Power tools are a "fetish" with me. Dewalt (Black Decker) tools are fine. If you want to have something different than others and still very high quality. Hitachi is it. You may even pay less. Don't let the yellow Dewalt color mesmerize you. For a home owner this is the second to the last saw you'll ever own. The next one won't have a cord. However this is about 14 yrs away technology wize {even though rough ones exist now. Power tools are like stereo components no one company makes everything the best. If you don't do any research, Hitachi is as good a guess or better than any.

This is very much standard circular saw. No dust collection, and bulky. I should have bought Porter-Cable 325MAG with dust collection. Damn!

My first circular saw and I like it a lot. Easy to use. I replaced the blade with a diamond edge masnory blade to cut 2 inch think flagstones, it cuts like butter. Great saw.