The best Makita circular saws, compared.
Top pick: DSS610Z LXT 165 mm – Highest score in this set, 4.8 from 1,998 reviews, for existing LXT packs within the 57 mm Makita UK depth. Best value: HS301DZ CXT 85 mm – Lower bare price at about £99.95, with 4.5 from 1,874 reviews, for CXT owners on cuts under about 25.5 mm. Updated October 2026.
A Makita circular saw is a genuine Makita bare body on amazon.co.uk, not a tool whose title only says the batteries are compatible with Makita. None includes a battery or a charger, and the packs do not swap. Amazon omits 90° depth on the two smaller saws and calls them brushless when Makita UK does not. Platform, depth and box contents are in the [Makita circular saw buying guide](/hub/power-saws/makita-circular-saw/sub/makita-circular-saw-buying-guide). Nine other captures in the batch were removed for that reason. The DSS610Z is an 18 V saw with a 165 mm blade. Makita UK states 57 mm at 90°, 40 mm at 45° and 36 mm at 50°, at 3,700 rpm, and 94 dB(A) sound power with an uncertainty K of 3. UK review language describes a left bevel to about 45°. The box lists a rip fence, a hex wrench and a TCT blade. Owners who already run packs use it for sheet, decking boards and door trims. It will not clear a sleeper in one pass at that depth. Buyers use it for one-handed trim on MDF, laminate and floorboards under about 25 mm. The bevel on this body is to the right, up to 45°.
A Makita circular saw is a genuine Makita bare body on amazon.co.uk, not a tool whose title only says the batteries are compatible with Makita. None includes a battery or a charger, and the packs do not swap.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Which Makita packs do you already own?
The Makita DSS610Z, listed at £119.00 on amazon.co.uk, is an 18 V LXT bare body with a 165 mm blade and a rip fence in the box. Across 1,998 UK reviews at 4.8, owners who already run LXT packs use it for sheet, decking boards and door trims, and several describe a brake when the trigger is released. Makita UK states 57 mm at 90°, 40 mm at 45° and 36 mm at 50°, at 3,700 rpm, though the Amazon specification rows in our extract omit depth at 90°. The title excludes a battery and a charger, and UK reviewers often mention the blower clearing the line rather than a bag in the box. The special-features row says brushless, which conflicts with Makita UK and with reviews that call the motor brushed. Complaints cluster on pack drain during long decking runs, depth that will not clear a sleeper in one pass, and no dust collection in the box. At about 2.8 kg for the body alone, it is heavier than the HS301DZ and lighter than the RS001GZ, and it bevels to the left up to 45° in UK review language.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own 18 V LXT batteries and you cut sheet, decking or studs within about 57 mm at 90°.
Less suitable: You need a 12 V CXT pack to fit, a brushless 165 mm body, or one pass through sleeper-thick timber.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Makita DSS610Z include a battery?
No. The title says batteries and a charger are not included. The listing says one battery is required. The shelf price is the bare body.
Is the DSS610Z brushless?
The Amazon special-features row says brushless. Makita UK does not describe the DSS610 as brushless, and UK reviews say the motor is not brushless. Do not buy it on that cell.
Is a rip fence included?
Yes. The included-components line lists a rip fence (guide rule), a hex wrench and one TCT saw blade. There is no battery, charger or dust bag in that line.
The Makita HS301DZ, at £99.95 on amazon.co.uk, is a 12 V CXT bare body with an 85 mm blade and a dust nozzle in the box, not a rip fence. Across 1,874 UK reviews at 4.5, buyers use it for one-handed trim on MDF, laminate and floorboards under about 25 mm, and Makita UK states 25.5 mm at 90° and 16.5 mm at 45°. The Amazon bullets print 16.5 mm at 45° but not depth at 90°, so you measure the board before you treat the listing as complete. The title excludes battery and charger, and UK reviews warn that an 18 V LXT pack does not fit this body. The special-features row again says brushless, which Makita UK does not claim for the HS301D. Complaints include a missing battery on delivery, short runtime on a small 2.0 Ah pack, and a depth-adjustment screw that snapped on a second tweak. At about 1.72 kg for the body, it is the lighter saw here, with a right-hand bevel to 45° and a blower that clears dust from the cut line rather than collecting it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own 12 V CXT packs and you trim boards, MDF or flooring under about 25 mm at 90°.
Less suitable: You only have LXT batteries, you need a 165 mm rip cut, or you expect brushless runtime on thick timber.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Makita HS301DZ include a battery?
No. The title says batteries and a charger are not included. The listing says one battery is required, and it has to be a 12 V CXT pack.
What depth does the listing state at 45°?
The bullets say bevel cuts up to 45 degrees and list 16.5 mm at 45°. The specification rows do not state a depth at 90°. Makita UK states 25.5 mm at 90° and 16.5 mm at 45°.
Is a rip fence in the box?
No. The included-components line lists the saw, a dust nozzle, a hex wrench and one TCT blade. There is no rip fence in that line.
The Makita RS001GZ, listed at £214.99 on amazon.co.uk, is a 40 V max XGT bare body with a 185 mm blade, a brushless motor, ADT, soft start and an electric brake. Bullets state 65 mm at 90°, 45 mm at 45° and 38 mm at 53°, with a rear handle and a magnesium die-cast base. The box lists a guide rule, an offset wrench and a TCT blade, not a battery or a charger. Amazon shows 4.3 from 47 reviews; UK lines mention worktops and 6x2 cuts and ask for a dust bag. Makita UK matches 6,400 rpm, the 65 / 45 / 38 mm depths, and 103 dB(A) sound power. LXT and CXT packs do not fit this platform.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own 40 V max XGT packs and you want a rear-handle 185 mm saw for deep cuts in sheet and timber.
Less suitable: You only own LXT or CXT packs, you want a compact 85 mm trim saw, or you need a long UK review file before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Makita RS001GZ include a battery?
No. The title says batteries and a charger are not included. You need a 40 V max XGT pack. LXT and CXT packs do not fit.
What depth do the bullets state at 90°?
65 mm at 90°, 45 mm at 45° and 38 mm at 53°, on a 185 mm blade. Makita UK states the same depth band. The listing bore is 30 mm.
Is this saw brushless on the listing?
Yes. The title and the special-features row say brushless, and the bullets list ADT and an electric brake. Makita UK also describes this XGT saw as brushless.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings for these three Makita bodies on 19 October 2026. Products Compared did not lab-test these saws. The display score is the amazon.co.uk star rating times 20. The highest score is the top pick, once: the DSS610Z at 96. Best value is the HS301DZ, named for existing CXT owners on light cuts, once. The RS001GZ stays unbadged: 47 reviews is a thin file, and £214.99 is a bare price before an XGT pack. HSE wood-dust limits apply at work; they are not a product score. Weights sum to 100.
Amazon stars and review count
40%The score is the amazon.co.uk star rating times 20. The DSS610Z is 4.8 from 1,998 reviews (96). The HS301DZ is 4.5 from 1,874 reviews (90). The RS001GZ is 4.3 from 47 reviews (86). A file of 47 reviews is not treated as the same evidence as a file near 2,000.
Genuine Makita and platform
25%Only a Makita body on LXT, CXT or XGT stays in the table. Nine other captures were compatible-with listings, Ryobi ONE+ or Evolution, and they were removed. Packs do not swap between the three platforms.
Depth and box contents
20%Depth at 90° comes from Makita UK when Amazon omits it: 57 mm, 25.5 mm and 65 mm. A brushless cell on the DSS610Z or HS301DZ is not scored as a feature, because Makita UK does not describe those models as brushless. None of the boxes includes a battery, a charger or a dust bag.
Value of a bare body
15%The shelf price is body only. Best value is the lower CXT price for light trim when you already own 12 V packs, not the cheapest lookalike outside this table. A £214.99 XGT body is not scored as a bargain before the pack and charger.
Buy the platform you already own, then the depth, before the lowest sticker. These three amazon.co.uk listings are genuine Makita bare bodies, captured on 19 October 2026. The DSS610Z is 18 V LXT at about £119.00. The HS301DZ is 12 V CXT at about £99.95. The RS001GZ is 40 V max XGT at about £214.99. None includes a battery or a charger. The top pick is the DSS610Z for existing LXT packs. Best value is the HS301DZ for existing CXT packs on light trim.
A Makita circular saw, in this comparison, is a genuine Makita bare body. The three amazon.co.uk listings captured on 19 October 2026 are the DSS610Z, the HS301DZ and the RS001GZ. A title that says compatible with Makita, or that names Ryobi or Evolution, is not this table. Nine other captures in the batch were removed for that reason. Their shelf prices sat roughly £40 to £80, and they are not Makita. The DSS610Z is an 18 V LXT saw with a 165 mm blade.
If the title says compatible with Makita 18V, or names Ryobi or Evolution, it is not one of these three bodies. Nine such captures were removed. Their prices sat roughly £40 to £80. A lower sticker outside this table is not a Makita circular saw.
An LXT pack does not fit the HS301DZ. LXT and CXT packs do not fit the RS001GZ. All three titles exclude the battery and the charger. Compare £99.95, £119.00 or £214.99 with another brand only after you add the correct pack and charger.
Amazon says brushless on the DSS610Z and the HS301DZ. Makita UK does not, and UK reviews dispute it. Only the RS001GZ is brushless in both places. None of the three boxes includes a dust bag. A blower or a dust nozzle clears the line. It is not a vacuum.
Genuine Makita comes before any depth figure. If the title says compatible with Makita 18V, or names another brand, it is not this comparison. Nine raw captures in the same batch were third-party tools, Ryobi ONE+ or Evolution, and they were removed. Only the DSS610Z, the HS301DZ and the RS001GZ stay. The DSS610Z is 18 V LXT, the HS301DZ is 12 V CXT, and the RS001GZ is 40 V max XGT. Packs do not swap. An LXT pack does not fit the HS301DZ, and neither LXT nor CXT fits the RS001GZ.
Depth at 90°, then at 45°, is the cut you can actually make. Measure the timber. Makita UK states 57 mm, 40 mm and 36 mm for the DSS610 at 90°, 45° and 50°. It states 25.5 mm and 16.5 mm for the HS301D at 90° and 45°. Bullets and Makita UK agree on 65 mm, 45 mm and 38 mm for the RS001G family at 90°, 45° and 53°. Amazon omits depth at 90° on the two smaller saws. The HS301DZ bullets print 16.5 mm at 45° only. A bevel reduces depth, and the DSS610Z will not cut a sleeper in one pass.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already own 18 V LXT batteries and you cut sheet, decking or studs within about 57 mm at 90°. The DSS610Z at about £119.00 is the bare body for that job, with a rip fence and a TCT blade in the box, and 4.8 from 1,998 reviews. The battery and charger are not included. An LXT pack does not fit the HS301DZ.
You already own 12 V CXT packs and you trim boards, MDF or flooring under about 25 mm. The HS301DZ at about £99.95 is the compact 85 mm body, with 4.5 from 1,874 reviews. Makita UK states 25.5 mm at 90°. It is best value for that light cut, not a saw for decking in one pass.
You already own 40 V max XGT packs and you want a rear-handle 185 mm saw for worktops and deeper timber. The RS001GZ at about £214.99 states 65 mm at 90°, and Makita UK matches that band. It is brushless, with ADT and an electric brake on the listing. Only 47 reviews are on the amazon.co.uk line, and the pack is extra.
The top pick is the Makita DSS610Z, an 18 V LXT bare body at about £119.00 with 4.8 from 1,998 amazon.co.uk reviews. Makita UK states 57 mm at 90° on the 165 mm blade. Best value is the HS301DZ at about £99.95 if you already own 12 V CXT packs and you stay under about 25.5 mm. The RS001GZ is the brushless 185 mm XGT body at about £214.99, with 65 mm at 90° and only 47 reviews. All three prices exclude the battery and the charger.
DSS610Z LXT 165 mm
Highest score in this set, 4.8 from 1,998 reviews, for existing LXT packs within the 57 mm Makita UK depth.
HS301DZ CXT 85 mm
Lower bare price at about £99.95, with 4.5 from 1,874 reviews, for CXT owners on cuts under about 25.5 mm.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 19 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
