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Best Makita circular saw

Updated: 21 October 2026

You already know you want a Makita. The best Makita circular saw in this set is a conditional fit among three genuine bare tools. On 19 October 2026 the [Makita circular saw comparison](/hub/power-saws/makita-circular-saw) held the DSS610Z at £119.00, the HS301DZ at £99.95, and the RS001GZ at £214.99. None includes a battery or a charger. If you already own 18 V LXT packs and the timber sits inside about 57 mm, the DSS610Z is the top pick. Peter F. compared the listings with Makita UK, with no lab score. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You already know you want a Makita. The best Makita circular saw in this set is a conditional fit among three genuine bare tools.

Our top picks

Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm

Best overall

Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm
9.6/10about £119.00
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Makita HS301DZ CXT 85 mm

Best value

Makita HS301DZ CXT 85 mm
9.0/10about £99.95
View offer
Makita RS001GZ XGT 185 mm

Rank 3

Makita RS001GZ XGT 185 mm
8.6/10about £214.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.How this page splits the three saws
  2. 2.DSS610Z if you already run LXT
  3. 3.HS301DZ if the board is thin and you own CXT
  4. 4.RS001GZ if you need the deeper cut and you own XGT

How this page splits the three saws

We scored each listing from its amazon.co.uk stars, at twenty points per star. That puts the DSS610Z at 96, the HS301DZ at 90, and the RS001GZ at 86. The top pick follows the highest score only when the platform also matches. Best value follows the HS301DZ when the cut is light and the 12 V packs are already in the van. The checks beside that split are on the Makita circular saw buying guide.

DSS610Z if you already run LXT

The DSS610Z is the 165 mm LXT bare body at £119.00. Makita UK states 57 mm at 90°. UK reviewers who already run LXT packs use it on sheet, decking, and door trims, and several describe a brake when the trigger is released. The box includes a rip fence. Reviewers say this depth will not clear a sleeper in one pass. Skip it if your only batteries are CXT or XGT.
Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm

Testsieger

Makita DSS610Z LXT 165 mm
9.6/10about £119.00
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HS301DZ if the board is thin and you own CXT

The HS301DZ is the 85 mm CXT bare body at £99.95. Makita UK states 25.5 mm at 90°. UK reviews describe one-handed trim under about 25 mm. The box has a dust nozzle and no rip fence. An 18 V LXT pack does not fit. The pack difference is on Makita LXT, CXT or XGT.

RS001GZ if you need the deeper cut and you own XGT

The RS001GZ is the 185 mm rear-handle body at £214.99. Bullets and Makita UK agree on 65 mm at 90° and on a brushless motor. UK lines, from 47 reviews, mention worktops. Makita UK declares 103 dB(A) sound power, the loudest in this set. Choose it when you already own 40 V max XGT packs and you need that square cut. £214.99 is the bare tool before an XGT pack. If you cannot see the far side of a fitted worktop, stop and use a joiner. Setup is on how to use a Makita circular saw.

Common questions

Which is the best Makita circular saw if I already own LXT packs?
In this comparison the DSS610Z is the top pick when you own 18 V LXT packs and the square cut sits inside about 57 mm. It is £119.00 as a bare body, 4.8 from 1,998 reviews, with a rip fence and a TCT blade in the box. It is the wrong saw if you need a brushless motor that Makita UK actually claims, or one pass through timber thicker than that 57 mm band. Sleepers are the example reviewers give.
Which saw is the best value for thin board?
The HS301DZ is the best value when you own 12 V CXT packs and you are trimming MDF, laminate, or floorboards under about 25 mm. The bare price on 19 October 2026 was £99.95, with 4.5 from 1,874 reviews. Makita UK states 25.5 mm at 90°. It is poor value if you then discover your LXT packs do not fit, or if the board is decking thickness and you needed the DSS610Z.
Is the RS001GZ the best because it cuts deepest?
It cuts deepest of the three, at 65 mm at 90° on both the bullets and Makita UK, and it is the brushless rear-handle body. That does not make it the top pick on this page. The amazon.co.uk file is 4.3 from 47 reviews, and the bare price is £214.99 before an XGT pack. It leads when you already own XGT and you need that depth. It does not lead on review weight.
Does the best Makita circular saw include a battery?
No. Whichever of the three fits you, the title excludes batteries and a charger. The DSS610Z needs LXT, the HS301DZ needs CXT, and the RS001GZ needs XGT. A bare price is not a ready-to-cut price unless those packs are already yours. Do not compare these figures with a kit that arrived with cells and call the kit the same purchase.
When is XGT worth it over LXT?
XGT is worth the jump when you already own 40 V max packs, or you have decided to buy that platform, and you need about 65 mm at 90°, a rear handle, and a brushless motor Makita UK states for the RS001G. It is not worth it merely to gain 8 mm over the DSS610’s 57 mm if you would be buying your first XGT pack for a decking board the LXT saw already reaches. The review file is also much shorter.
Why does the Amazon page say brushless on the cheaper saws?
The special-features row says brushless on the DSS610Z and the HS301DZ. Makita UK does not, and DSS610 reviews dispute it. Only the RS001GZ is brushless in both the listing and the Makita UK description. If brushless runtime is the reason you are paying extra, stay on the XGT body and read the thin review count before you treat that spec as a proven site tool.

Related pages

Makita circular saw depth of cut

Makita circular saw

Makita circular saw buying guide: platform and depth

How to use a Makita circular saw: depth, guard, blade

Makita LXT, CXT or XGT circular saws: pack lock-in

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 19 October 2026.

  1. Makita UK: DSS610 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Makita UK: HS301D (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Makita UK: RS001G / RS001GZ (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. HSE: Wood dust (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Which?: Dangerous items on online marketplaces (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk listings DSS610Z, HS301DZ and RS001GZ (retrieved 19 October 2026)