Circular saws.(Home & Yard: More Value for Less)(Buyers guide)

Circular saws are a mainstay for quickly cutting the two-by-fours and plywood used in many popular home-improvement projects.

Indeed, circular saws are the most common home power tool after drills. Battery-powered saws offer go-anywhere convenience, but plug-ins are far more capable.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Black & Decker, Bosch, Craftsman (Sears), DeWalt, Hitachi, Makita, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Ryobi, and Skil brands account for most of the circular saws sold.

Corded models. These offer up to seven times the speed and power of cordless saws and run on an electric motor that can range from 10 to 15 amps. The higher the amps, the more power you can expect. Most models have the motor perpendicular to the blade. Price range: $30 to $175.

High-torque worm/hypoid-geared models have the motor parallel to the blade. That provides more twisting power, or torque, making the blade less likely to bind in dense or thick wood. But sawing tends to be slower, since blade speed is reduced. They're also relatively heavy. Price: $150 to $175.

Cordless models. These range from 18 to 28 volts. The blade is usually smaller than corded models' and run time is limited by the battery. Price: $60 to $300.