6 Best Cold Saws – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide 2022

Chilly saws are created to lower via metallic. It’s what they dwell for. They are an substitute to abrasive chop saws, and we uncover them a good deal far more nice to use.

What is the big difference? Abrasive chop saws reduce by implies of a sharpened disc spinning at higher speeds relatively than making use of a toothed blade. If you have ever used an abrasive noticed, you will know they develop a lot more sparks than a welding torch – and whilst that is a entertaining adrenaline rush the 1st couple of times, you conclude up craving a instrument that’ll do the task with less fuss.

Enter the chilly noticed. You are almost certainly listed here since you like the concept of a toothed metal-reducing saw, which avoids sparks and helps make cleaner cuts by implementing a steady stream of coolant.

If you want to get a chilly reduce noticed but you’re daunted by the variety, our critiques are listed here to help you out: we have examined six of the very best-identified models to make a decision which we like ideal, and which could be the one particular for you. Right after the listing, study on to see our Buyer’s Information for cold observed first-timers.

A Quick Comparison (updated in 2022)

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		DeWalt DW872 Cold Saw	High-quality blade Faster than a chop saw Lasts for years	CHECK PRICE
		Makita LC1230 Cold Saw	Blade is calibrated well Extra safety features Fast clean cuts	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Baileigh Manual Circular Cold Saw	Manual lever Cuts are fast and precise Stays cool	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Grizzly Industrial 10″ Cold Saw	Excellent cuts Well-constructed Powerful motor	CHECK PRICE
		Evolution EVOSAW380 Cold Saw	Fast cuts Handles all materials easily Burr-free	CHECK PRICE

The 6 Best Cold Saws:

1. DeWalt DW872 Cold Saw – Best Overall

Amazed to see DeWalt at the best of but one more listing? We are not. Their saws leading our rankings so usually it’s turn out to be a working joke below at the workshop.

The DW872 14-inch chilly saw is a functional metallic-cutter that slices through any materials rapidly and precisely. It is all set to go appropriate out of the box, with a 14-inch, 70-toothed, carbide-tipped blade that is one of the couple of manufacturing facility blades you’ll in no way want to substitute. It cuts up to 4 instances faster than a chop noticed, however cuts will still be amazing when concluded.

It’s also solidly built: a heavy, trustworthy noticed that can final for several years with appropriate upkeep. Our favourite thing about the DW872, however, is how cleanly it cuts, not only leaving a flat plane on the metallic each time but requiring small burr clean up afterward.

The only issues we have relate to the base, where DeWalt created some questionable design alternatives. It can be difficult to get more compact workpieces to relaxation easily on the corrugated base, and the clamp, while rapidly and consumer-pleasant, is relatively weak. You may well want an further clamp to maintain scaled-down pipes more steady.

All in all, we think that this is the ideal cold saw on the market right now.

2. Makita LC1230 Cold Saw

Makita’s LC1230 cold noticed is our runner-up. With a 12-inch depth, it is not quite as versatile as the DeWalt DW872, but it is just as fast. On a lark, we experienced it cut through some ¼-inch box tubing whilst someone else used a miter observed to reduce by way of a 2×4 – the miter noticed received, but it was a whole lot nearer than we predicted.

In addition to being rapidly, the LC1230 helps make cuts so thoroughly clean you’ll practically never ever discover by yourself getting to grind them down afterward. The blade never wanders, and the fence can make it straightforward to alter the blade angle for bevel cuts.

Other nitty-gritty particulars: the Makita LC1230 rocks a 15-amp, one hundred twenty-volt motor able of 1700 RPM, and its large-top quality carbide blade has a highest depth of 4½ inches. Some other features we adore include the fast-release vise and basic safety-centered D-shaped deal with.

Apart from the smaller sized slicing depth, the other thing maintaining Makita in the #2 location is mess: not on your metallic, thankfully, but on the workshop ground. Its dust collector is only partly successful, so anticipate burrs to get all over the place even though you operate.

3. Baileigh Manual Circular Cold Saw – Best Value

We get that cost is a major concern for a good deal of hobbyists and pros, so we needed to spotlight the Baileigh CS-315EU, the greatest chilly saw for the income we’ve reviewed this year.

In scenario you have never heard of a “manual” cold or chop observed before, really do not fret – it does not indicate you have to supply the electricity on your personal. “Manual” signifies you manually management the speed of the chop observed by depressing or releasing a lever, alternatively of by squeezing a cause. This is a tiny a lot more awkward physically but presents you a lot a lot more power over how the saw operates.

On prime of that good-tuned handle and its astonishingly reasonably priced value, the Baileigh CS-315EU hits all the other large notes we look for in a chilly observed, creating quick, thoroughly clean cuts that are cool to the touch.

A couple of issues are keeping us from providing the fullest attainable suggestion. The coolant tank is positioned in an uncomfortable place on the back of the saw, creating it a problem to refill. Also, the manufacturing facility blade is not produced to the maximum expectations — you may possibly want to change it, producing this observed less spending budget-friendly.

4. Grizzly Industrial 10″ Cold Saw – Premium Choice

Now we come to our premium-priced alternative. Typically, with chop saws and cold saws, there is a respectable correlation amongst price tag and top quality, since a higher cost signifies far better-quality parts ended up utilised in the saw’s construction.

With the Grizzly T28366 chilly noticed, which is surely true. This saw’s human body is hefty and steady, and it cuts straight and true without rattling. Real, a ten-inch blade makes it only ideal for more compact employment, but it is even now more than ready to manage 90 % of the workpieces a hobbyist will operate into. It also manages to wring an astonishing amount of blade pace out of its one HP, 115V, 3360 RPM motor.

It is low on the record for two reasons. One is the price, which goes far over and above “premium” – it’s nearly a few moments the regular of our other picks. For that much, you should be obtaining a noticed that can chew via any steel and very last a lifetime.

2nd, there’s a evident flaw in the coolant method. The hose that delivers oil to the saw is not appropriately hooked up to the pump. Slights jolts are liable to dislodge it entirely, interrupting your job and throwing away a lot of very good oil.

5. Evolution EVOSAW380 Cold Saw

Evolution instruments are hit-or-miss in our workshop. This a single hits a lot more than it misses, provided that you are inclined to set in the perform to make it steady and secure. If you try out to use the EVOSAW380 without clamping and supporting every thing correctly, you will have a a lot worse time.

Let’s start with the lower by itself. No complaints here. The EVOSAW380’s fifteen-amp motor and 14-inch blade depth make it a breeze to chew through rebar and 2×2 tubing. It is able of chopping equally ferrous and non-ferrous supplies — in our tests, it did effectively with iron, metal, and copper of varying thicknesses.

Our concerns begin and stop with the design. Evolution plainly lower a great deal of corners in their quest to make this observed much more inexpensive. Their shortcuts result in the table and vise not getting perfectly sq. with the blade, the miter gauge is off by up to 5 levels, and the table shaking in the course of cuts.

Which is why we desire to phone the EVOSAW380 an expert observed. If you’re comfy with altering bolts, implementing your possess clamps, and using a shim, you can straighten out the blade and enjoy excellent cuts for considerably less cash. If not, go higher up the listing.

6. Evolution RAGE2 Cold Saw

This is an extraordinary observed, especially taking into consideration the reduced price. It goes by way of angle iron, sq. tubing, and similar stock – much more like chopping 2×4’s than metal. It cuts oak wooden entire of nails and then turns all around and cuts metal fence posts with no problem.

Location up to make miter cuts is straightforward and the saw retains the angles quite properly. It leaves a thoroughly clean, chilly cut and has great longevity on the blade tooth. The blade that ships with it, nonetheless, is a general-purpose one. You will have to get other blades for certain materials.

On the downside, this saw is extremely loud even ahead of it starts cutting. So, get some earplugs. The foundation and clamp are stamped steel instead of solid. For that reason, there is flex that should not be there.  You will want to strengthen it when chopping at an angle. Additionally, the clamp does not have a quick release for making fast adjustments. You’ll have to use an Allen wrench to get the task accomplished.

This is a very good, low-cost noticed with just enough problems to preserve it out of the prime five.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Cold Cut Saw

Here at HealthyHandyman, we get how terrifying it can be to fall $400 on a power instrument with out becoming absolutely specific it will do the job. While no fight plan is completely secure from the enemy, we set with each other this buyer’s information to assist you reduce the uncertainty down as much as achievable.

What Makes a Good Cold Saw?

It’s right there in the name – cuts developed by a chilly saw are immediately awesome to the touch. Abrasive saws create remarkable quantities of heat, which leaves steel sizzling sufficient to give you 3rd-diploma burns. That kind of heat can also deform the metallic.

If a chilly observed generates a good deal of sparks and heat, then there is not much “cold” about it. A handful of sparks listed here and there are to be anticipated whenever you’ve got metal-on-metal, but a steady shower of them is indicative of a poor noticed. A very good noticed should also be stable, totally free of vibrations, and strong.

Smooth, fast cuts are a necessity in a very good observed. If you’re in the industry for a chilly noticed you’re almost certainly going to be cutting far more than just a handful of pipes. A gradual noticed can stretch a number of hour’s perform into an all-working day marathon, whilst a quick 1 can preserve you relocating right together.

How to Choose the Right Saw for Your Needs

Step 1: Define Your Project

Your first purchase of organization with any tool acquire is to figure out what you program to use it for. There’s a globe of distinction in between chopping a little bit of pipe to accent a woodworking project, and reducing yards of 2×2 ¼-inch tubing to weld into a two-tale body.

Don’t even established out to shop for a cold saw till you can answer these queries:

• Where is your worksite? Most cold saws aren’t portable. You can lug these to job sites, but it’s not easy. They’re best for tasks you can do in your own workshop.
• What metals are you cutting? The key distinction here is ferrous (contains iron) vs. non-ferrous (doesn’t contain iron). Ferrous materials are a lot harder than non-ferrous, so to cut them, look for more powerful motors and a diamond or carbide blade.
• What size are the materials you’re cutting? This determines what blade depth you need. Bigger workpieces require a larger blade. 10 to 14 inches is the average range.
• Do you need to cut at an angle? Many cold saws are able to miter or bevel up to 45 degrees in either direction; some can miter as high as 90. Know what sorts of angled cuts you need before you buy.

Step 2: Rule Out Abrasive Chop Saws

Although nothing is totally aim in woodwork or metalwork, it is not really controversial to say that cold saws are superior to abrasive saws in nearly each and every way.

Abrasive saws are loud. They dress in out quickly. They fling dust and sparks just about everywhere. In fact, they’ve only obtained two positive aspects: they’re low cost, and they are quickly (Ok, 3 rewards, if you take into account the spark-throwing a optimistic).

If you’re searching for a noticed to chop a whole lot of metallic in a short time, an abrasive observed may possibly appear appealing. Nonetheless, because abrasive chop saws go away steel edges uneven, you may squander a lot of the time you conserve.

When going through significant cash or time constraints, abrasive saws are a good option. In all other situations, choose a cold saw.

Step 3: Check Out The Parts

We recommend a element-by-portion strategy to comparing chilly saws. In this segment, we’ll checklist the components you ought to assess.

• Like we said above, this will vary based on the type and thickness of metal you’re cutting. As a rule, the harder the workpiece, the more teeth you want. If you like everything about a certain cold saw except the blade, you can replace it — but nothing’s better than when the pre-installed blade works.
• The motor drives the blade. More power equals more RPM equals a faster cut with less bouncing. Use 15 amps as a soft minimum for engine power.
• Bevel/miter angle. If you need to cut at an angle, buy a saw that can do that. This isn’t something you want to jury-rig.
• Coolant system. This is a common point of failure on cold saws. Make sure whatever you’re buying has a tank, pump, and hose that won’t come apart under stress.
• Cast iron is the gold standard. Be suspicious of anything softer than that. Why would you use a base that your saw can cut through?
• Chip collector. A perfect cold saw wouldn’t leave any debris whatsoever, but no tool is perfect. Look for a cold saw with a tray where burrs and other solid residues can gather for easy cleanup.

Step Four: Buy Extras

Outside the house of the saw alone, you’ll need to have a number of factors to make your chilly noticed comprehensive.

• Safety gear. Goes without saying, but we’re saying it anyway. At the bare minimum, wear gloves and eye protection at all times. We strongly recommend earmuffs and a dust mask too.
• Some cold saws, like the EVOSAW 380, do not require coolant, but they still need to be lubricated. Apply oil regularly to the hinges and gearbox.
• Cleaning brush and pan. This can help clean up any burrs that escape from the chip collector. We don’t advise blowing on metal chips to clear them away — that just increases the risk that they’ll stick in someone’s eye.
• Portable clamps. You won’t always find that the vise on your cold saw’s stand is working the way you like it too. It’s good to have a few of your own clamps on hand to be certain the workpiece stays stable.
• The worst thing a cold saw can do (outside of serious injury) is start wandering, forcing you to suffer imprecise cuts. A carpenter’s square is a quick way to check that the blade is steady at 90 degrees.

Step Five: See If There’s A Warranty

Most trustworthy brands will provide some type of guarantee ensure alongside with their saws. If the one you buy has a warranty, read through it cautiously –  there’s a very good opportunity you can accidentally void it in all sorts of esoteric approaches.

Step Six: Decide How To Buy

You have two choices – go to your nearby hardware store, or get online. Every has its pros and negatives.

At the components retailer, you can see and decide the noticed in individual, and probably even check it out. You can also have it out right after you acquire it. But you’re stuck with whatever offer they offer you you, and you’re on your very own for acquiring the saw home.

On-line, you can not see the saw. You have to believe in the phrases of other folks who have purchased it. However, you’re far far more likely to locate a very good cost, even with delivery charges extra furthermore, some nice individuals will supply it immediately to your workshop. All you will have to do is get it within.

Conclusion

We place each of these cold saws by means of a demo by hearth to publish these evaluations, but at very last, the DeWalt DW872 arrived out on prime. If you like the notion of acquiring thoroughly clean cuts for many years on conclude without having having to continually substitute the blade, this is the instrument for you.

Our very best-worth chilly saw select for your money is the Baileigh CS-315EU. If you can get employed to a European-design overhead lever, you can get pleasure from fantastically great and cleanse cuts for exceptional financial savings.

If you’ve in no way bought a chilly saw before, we hope our reviews have inspired you to ditch abrasive chop saws for very good and appear more than to the awesome aspect.

We truly hope that our overview assists you uncover the very best cold observed for your wants.

Thank you for looking through, and we’ll see you at the workshop!