The best Plunge saws, compared.
Top pick: Einhell TP-PS 18/165 Li BL-Solo – Highest score at 75, from 4.7 stars, 193 reviews and finished sheet or cabinet cuts on a 165 mm body. Best value: Draper 57341 plunge saw – Highest value part that is not the top pick: a corded kit at £119.00 with rails named in the bullets. Updated October 2026.
A plunge saw keeps the blade in an upper guard until you press it into the work. People buy them for a straight cut in sheet material, including a cut that starts in the middle of a panel. BS EN 62841-2-5:2014 defines a plunge type saw as one with only an upper guard, so a circular saw that merely follows a rail is a different tool. Rail length and depth are in the [plunge saw buying guide](/hub/power-saws/plunge-saw/sub/plunge-saw-buying-guide). UK shops often call it a track saw once it runs on a guide rail. How that split works in practice is on the [plunge saw vs circular saw](/hub/power-saws/plunge-saw/sub/plunge-saw-vs-circular-saw) page. The blade has to retract into the housing. Eight files in the original capture failed that test and were not kept. Do not fit a 165 mm blade in a 160 mm body. Check the clamps, the link bar and the hex key, because those extras are often sold separately.
A plunge saw keeps the blade in an upper guard until you press it into the work. People buy them for a straight cut in sheet material, including a cut that starts in the middle of a panel.
14 products checked · 62 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you already own?
The Einhell TP-PS 18/165 Li BL-Solo is a bare 18 V brushless plunge saw at £168.98, with a 165 mm HW/TCT 24-tooth blade and a stated maximum depth of 56 mm. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.7 from 193 reviews, and the 14 United Kingdom texts in the file are mostly short praise for clean cuts in 18 mm marine ply, door trim, and a cabinet with the stock blade. The carton lists a parallel stop and an Allen key, not a guide rail, a battery, or a charger, so £168.98 is the body only. One tradesman calls it a bit side-heavy. The printed size of 10 x 10 x 10 mm is not a plausible saw, and the listing does not state no-load speed or a 45-degree depth. A GS mark on the page is not a UKCA mark. One UK reviewer fitted an Evolution track they already owned, which is one buyer rather than a compatibility chart. You buy it when you already have Power X-Change packs and a rail.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own 18 V Power X-Change packs and a rail, and you want the strongest star line in this set.
Less suitable: You need a rail, a battery, and a charger in the same carton for a first kitchen cut.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Einhell include a battery?
No. The listing says it is delivered without a Power X-Change battery or charger. Both are sold separately.
Is a guide rail in the box?
Included components are the saw, one HW/TCT wood blade, a parallel stop, and an Allen key. A guide rail is not listed.
What depth is printed?
56 mm maximum. A 45-degree depth and a with-rail depth are not in the bullets.
The Draper 57341 is a corded 1,200 W saw at £119.00 with a 165 mm 24-tooth blade, 5,200 rpm, and two 700 mm rails named in the bullets. Across 73 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.2, UK texts describe straight cuts in MDF and kitchen panels once the user is set up, often after a finer blade than the supplied 24-tooth one. The printed depth is 55 mm at 90 degrees and 42 mm at 45 degrees. The file does not print a with-rail figure, so a 38 mm top still needs a check on the scale. Several of the 24 United Kingdom texts say the dust port arrived shattered or split, and others say the connecting bar, clamps, hex key, or a fastener was missing. At least one track was not straight, so repeated cuts varied by a few millimetres, and the saw can stick at the rail joint. The two 700 mm pieces bolt together, which is short for a 2,440 mm sheet unless you accept a join. It is a usable occasional kit when the port survives and the extras are actually in the carton.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 230 V saw with short rails in the description for occasional sheet cuts near a socket.
Less suitable: You need one rail long enough for a full sheet, a carbide line in the specification, or a dust port you can trust on arrival.
Specifications
Common questions
Are clamps in the box?
The included-components line lists a 24-tooth blade. The bullets name two 700 mm rails, a dust fitting, and a 2 m cable. UK reviews say clamps were not supplied.
What cutting depth does the listing state?
55 mm at 90 degrees and 42 mm at 45 degrees. A with-rail depth is not printed.
Is the dust port reliable in the reviews?
Several United Kingdom reviews say the port is brittle, split, or arrived shattered. The saw itself is still described as usable.
The BlueMars BM-TC3001 is a corded 1,000 W saw at £67.99 with a 125 mm 24-tooth TCT blade, a diamond blade, three 400 mm rails, and two track clamps in the what-you-get bullet. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.7 from 29 reviews. The title prints 42 mm of depth and a bullet prints 0–45 mm, so you cannot quote one figure. A UK review says the saw clips under a narrow extrusion rather than riding a conventional track, and that the track has to be bolted down. Other texts say it would not cut a worktop, would not cut 12 mm ply, or burnt MDF with the supplied blade, while some buyers still report light sheet, tile, or plastic cuts. One review says the base plate keeps the blade covered until release. Another says the hex key did not fit and rounded the arbor lock. It is the cheap kit in this table for small offcuts or tile if you accept a non-standard short rail, and a weak match for a kitchen top.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a low-priced corded kit for light sheet, plastic, or tile and can live with 400 mm pieces.
Less suitable: You are cutting a kitchen worktop or 12 mm ply and expected a standard guide rail.
Specifications
Common questions
Will the reviews support a worktop cut?
One United Kingdom review says it was not powerful enough for a worktop. Another says it would not cut 12 mm ply. Other reviews describe light sheet or tile work.
Is this a conventional guide rail?
The box lists three 400 mm rails and two clamps. A UK review says the saw clips under narrow extrusions and that the pieces are bolted down, rather than riding a normal track.
Which depth figure is on the listing?
The title says 42 mm. A bullet says 0–45 mm. Both figures are in the raw file.
The Festool TSC 55 KSEB-Basic-FS is listed at £890.19 as an 18 V brushless body, model 578826, with 5,200 rpm, 55 mm at 90 degrees, and 43 mm at 45 degrees. The title says the saw comes with a guide rail, while the included-components line says bare tool and the bullets say rails are available separately. Compatible packs are named as 5.0 Ah and 8.0 Ah, and they are not on the included-components line. The raw file has no customer-review line and no blade diameter, so there is no UK star sample to quote. KickbackStop is a listed sensor, not a test that kickback cannot happen. The listing weight is 9 kg, and the bevel is printed from −1 to 47 degrees. You would treat this page as a Festool body only if you already own the rail and the packs and you confirm the carton before you pay £890.19.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already run Festool rails and 18 V packs and will confirm the carton against the bare-tool line.
Less suitable: You want UK reviews, a rail named on the included-components line, or a first saw under £200.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the box include a guide rail?
The title says with a guide rail. Included components say bare tool, and the bullets say rails are available separately. The file does not show which carton arrives.
Are batteries included?
The bullets name 18 V 5.0 Ah and 8.0 Ah packs as compatible. They are not on the included-components line.
What depth is printed?
55 mm at 90 degrees and 43 mm at 45 degrees, with a mitre range from −1 to 47 degrees. A with-rail depth is not printed. There is no review line in the file.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison on 20 October 2026. No timber was cut. The score is 0–100 from four parts. A missing star line scores 0 on stars and 0 on sample. It is not treated as a perfect score and it is not filled from another Festool ASIN. The highest total is the top pick, once. The highest value-part score that is not that top pick is best value, once. The Einhell scores 75 and is the top pick. The Draper scores 70, and its value part is 8, so it is best value. The BlueMars scores 50. The Festool scores 8.
Stars
40%Stars are (amazon.co.uk rating / 5) × 40, rounded. Draper 4.2 scores 34, Einhell 4.7 scores 38 and BlueMars 3.7 scores 30. No star line scores 0, which is the Festool row.
Review sample
25%1,000 or more reviews score 25, 200 or more score 20, 50–199 score 12, 10–49 score 6, 1–9 score 2, and none scores 0. Here that is 12 for 73 reviews, 12 for 193, 6 for 29, and 0 where there is no review line.
Fit for a plunge cut
25%20 points when UK texts describe finished sheet or cabinet cuts on a 165 mm body and the listing states plunge and a depth in the mid-50 mm class. A missing rail lowers the value part, not this band. 16 points for a corded kit with rails in the bullets and sheet or kitchen-panel cuts, alongside a brittle dust port, missing clamps and short rails. 10 points for short non-standard rails, some light cuts, and repeated failure on a worktop or 12 mm ply. 6 points for printed plunge depths, no UK review line, and a title that disagrees with the included-components line on the rail.
Value in this set
10%8 points for a corded saw under £130 with rails named in the bullets and 50 or more reviews that include finished sheet cuts. 5 points for a bare 18 V body under £200 with a strong star line when the rail, battery and charger are extra. 4 points for the cheapest kit, under £70, when reviews fail thicker sheet. 2 points for a body over £500 with no review line and a rail conflict.
You are choosing a saw that can start a cut in the middle of a panel, not a fence that only follows an edge. These four amazon.co.uk listings are the rows on this page. Prices run from £67.99 to £890.19. The score uses stars, the review sample, fit for a plunge cut, and value in this set. It is not a workshop test. Read the rail, the depth and the carton before you treat the star line as the decision.
A plunge saw is a hand-held circular saw whose blade stays in an upper guard until you press it into the work. UK shops often call it a track saw once it runs on a guide rail. People buy one for a straight cut in a sheet, and for a cut that starts in the middle of a panel, including a laminate worktop. BS EN 62841-2-5:2014 defines a plunge type saw as one with only an upper guard. A circular saw that merely follows a rail is a different tool.
The Einhell price is the body only. Battery, charger and guide rail are sold separately. The Festool title says a guide rail and the included-components line says bare tool. Draper reviews say clamps and the link bar were missing from some cartons.
Listings here print the 90-degree maximum on the timber. None prints a with-rail depth. BuildWiz’s rule of thumb is about 56–60 mm on the scale for a 38 mm top with the rail on it. Show face down, and do not trim the splinter strip on the finished top.
110 V centre-tapped earth is site practice, not the law for a home socket. HSE says domestic plugs are not for sites. Starting with the saw half off the rail, or using a short rail as if it were 2.7 m, is how a straight cut goes wrong.
A 2,440 mm sheet wants a rail near 2.7 m, or a join you will accept. BuildWiz’s rule of thumb is 1.4 m for a cut to about 1,200 mm, 1.9 m for a longer rip, and about 100 mm of run-off at each end. Festool-pattern, Bosch FSN and DeWalt rails are different profiles. The Draper bullets name two 700 mm rails that bolt together, which is short for a full sheet. The BlueMars lists three 400 mm pieces, and a UK review says the saw clips under a narrow extrusion that is bolted down.
Corded 230 V with a BS 1363 plug is the domestic default. The Draper is 1,200 W at 230 V with a 2 m cable, and the plug is not stated. The BlueMars is 1,000 W and corded, and the plug standard is not stated. The Einhell and the Festool are bare 18 V bodies. Cordless pays when you already own the packs. HSE says domestic plugs are not for sites, and the IET FAQ says 110 V is not compulsory. Full-size blades here sit around 160–165 mm. The Einhell states a 165 mm carbide 24-tooth blade.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a 230 V saw for occasional sheet or kitchen-panel cuts and you can live with short rails. The Draper 57341 is best value at £119.00, with two 700 mm rails in the bullets and 55 mm at 90 degrees. UK reviews repeat a brittle dust port and missing clamps, and a with-rail depth is not printed.
You already have Einhell Power X-Change batteries and a rail of your own. The Einhell TP-PS 18/165 Li BL-Solo is the top pick at £168.98, with 4.7 from 193 reviews and 56 mm stated. The price is the body only. Battery, charger and guide rail are not in the carton.
You want the lowest price in this set for light sheet, plastic or tile, and you can live with 400 mm pieces. The BlueMars BM-TC3001 is £67.99 with two clamps listed. Reviews do not support a worktop or 12 mm ply, and the rail is not a conventional track.
The top pick is the Einhell TP-PS 18/165 Li BL-Solo at £168.98. It has the highest score in this set, 75, from 4.7 stars and 193 reviews, with UK texts on finished sheet and cabinet cuts, a 165 mm carbide blade and 56 mm stated. The carton has no rail, battery or charger. Best value is the Draper 57341 at £119.00. It scores 70, and its value part is 8, for a corded kit under £130 with two 700 mm rails in the bullets. UK reviews also describe a brittle dust port, missing clamps and rails that are short for a full sheet.
Einhell TP-PS 18/165 Li BL-Solo
Highest score at 75, from 4.7 stars, 193 reviews and finished sheet or cabinet cuts on a 165 mm body.
Draper 57341 plunge saw
Highest value part that is not the top pick: a corded kit at £119.00 with rails named in the bullets.
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 first, then the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Prices and stars were taken on 20 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 already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
