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DeWalt 12V or 18V circular saw

Updated: October 2026

You have one size of DeWalt pack on the shelf, and the cheaper saw in the results is the one that will not take it. A DeWalt 12V or 18V circular saw choice, on amazon.co.uk, is the DCS512N against two 18 V bare bodies. The voltage field says 12 volts. A bullet says FlexVolt batteries only. United Kingdom reviews say 18 V packs do not fit. That is the split. The [DeWalt cordless circular saw comparison](/hub/power-saws/dewalt-cordless-circular-saw) holds the other fields. Products Compared checked the listings on 16 October 2026. No lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have one size of DeWalt pack on the shelf, and the cheaper saw in the results is the one that will not take it. A DeWalt 12V or 18V circular saw choice, on amazon.co.uk, is the DCS512N against two 18 V bare bodies.

Our top picks

DeWalt DeWalt DCS565NT-XJ 165 mm

Best overall

DeWalt DeWalt DCS565NT-XJ 165 mm
6.9/10about £176.89
View offer
DeWalt DeWalt DCS572N 184 mm

Alternative

DeWalt DeWalt DCS572N 184 mm
5.1/10about £211.99
View offer
DeWalt DeWalt DCS512N 12 V

Alternative

DeWalt DeWalt DCS512N 12 V
2.6/10about £139.95
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the DCS512 listing says, twice
  2. 2.What actually fits
  3. 3.When the cheaper saw is the right one
  4. 4.FlexVolt packs are not a 54 V saw

What the DCS512 listing says, twice

Read the DCS512N as two sentences that disagree. The voltage field says 12 volts, and the title says a 12 V bare unit. One bullet then says the saw is compatible with DeWalt FlexVolt batteries only. A third line says 1 AAAA battery is required. An AAAA cell is not the slide pack this saw uses. The rating is 3.1 from 14 reviews, and the file contains six texts. There is no battery and no case. The blade-length field says 12 inches. None of the other features repairs a pack that will not click on. The reviews do not confirm the FlexVolt bullet. Depth and the box live on the buying guide.

What actually fits

DeWalt’s DCS512 page says 12 V XR batteries. It does not say FlexVolt. DeWalt’s FlexVolt page says the pack runs 54 V tools and 18 V XR tools, not 12 V tools. Toolden’s account uses the same rule of thumb: 12 V tools take 12 V packs only, and 18 V tools take 18 V and FlexVolt packs. “20 V MAX” is the US name beside 18 V. United Kingdom buyers say 18 V batteries do not fit the DCS512. No review confirms the FlexVolt-only bullet. One review says 10.8 V packs moved up to 12 V still fit. That is not a reason to adapt an 18 V battery. The DCS565 item-type name says 18 V. One DCS572 review says the saw runs on 18 V XR packs and on FlexVolt packs. Both 18 V bodies are still sold without a battery.
DeWalt DeWalt DCS565NT-XJ 165 mm

Testsieger

DeWalt DeWalt DCS565NT-XJ 165 mm
6.9/10about £176.89
View offer

When the cheaper saw is the right one

£139.95 is the right price when you already own 12 V XR packs and the cut sits inside about 47 mm. That 47 mm, and the 140 mm blade, are DeWalt’s page, not the amazon blade-length field, which says 12 inches. One owner says the saw cut 4x2 and 18 mm plywood. You are not then buying an 18 V body you cannot power. It is the wrong saving in every other case. The 3.1 average is a thin file next to 4.7 from 81 and 4.6 from 62. The scores give the lowest price no extra credit on a 14-review file. The best of these three page keeps the DCS512 as a 12 V job and tells everyone else to leave it.

FlexVolt packs are not a 54 V saw

A FlexVolt pack on an 18 V tool is still an 18 V tool. Fitting it to the DCS565 or the DCS572 does not turn either saw into the DCS578, a 54 V, 190 mm saw on DeWalt UK that is not an ASIN in this table. The DCS573, with a deeper cut claim on DeWalt’s site, is the same kind of boundary. If you need a rail, the DCS572 guide rail page is the track, and those rail pages do not name the DCS512. Leave the FlexVolt bullet on the DCS512 as a clash.

Common questions

Will my 18 V DeWalt batteries fit the DCS512?
No, according to United Kingdom reviews, which say 18 V packs do not fit. DeWalt’s DCS512 page says 12 V XR batteries. DeWalt’s FlexVolt page does not put those packs on 12 V tools. Buying the cheaper body for an 18 V rack leaves you with a saw you cannot start.
Why does the listing say FlexVolt only?
One bullet says the DCS512 is compatible with FlexVolt batteries only. The voltage field, DeWalt’s product page, and the reviews say 12 V. No review in the file confirms the bullet. The batteries-required line says 1 AAAA, which is not a DeWalt slide pack. Treat the bullet as a clash.
Is 20 V MAX a different battery from 18 V?
On this system, 20 V MAX is the US label beside the 18 V packs sold in the UK. Toolden’s platform article treats it that way. It is not a separate voltage for the DCS565 or the DCS572, and it does not fit the DCS512.
Do FlexVolt packs run the DCS565 and the DCS572?
DeWalt’s FlexVolt page says those packs run 18 V XR tools. One DCS572 review says the saw ran on 18 V XR packs and on FlexVolt packs. That is one review, not a test of every pack size. The DCS565 states 18 V in the item-type name and makes no 12 V claim.
I only own 12 V packs. Which listing is the match?
The DCS512N is the 12 V body. DeWalt’s page limits it to 12 V XR batteries and a cut of up to 47 mm. One review says older 10.8 V packs that had moved to 12 V still fit. The rating is 3.1 from 14 reviews, and there is no battery in the box.
Is the DCS512 the right saw because it is £139.95?
Only if your packs are 12 V and the cut is inside DeWalt’s up to 47 mm. The price is the lowest of the three, and it is still a bare body. The scoring gives no extra credit to the lowest price on a 14-review file.

Related pages

How to use a DeWalt cordless circular saw

DeWalt cordless circular saw

Best DeWalt cordless circular saw for one named job

DeWalt cordless circular saw buying guide in order

DeWalt DCS572 guide rail: check which saw actually fits

Sources

Public UK sources and manufacturer pages used with the amazon.co.uk listings. Scores use the listings read for 16 October 2026.

  1. HSE, cutting and sanding wood (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  2. HSE, noise duties (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  3. HSE, circular saw bench (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  4. DeWalt DCS565N-XJ (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  5. DeWalt DCS572NT-XJ (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  6. DeWalt DCS512N-XJ (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  7. DeWalt DWS5021-XJ 1 m guide rail (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  8. DeWalt XR FlexVolt (retrieved 16.10.2026)