Cuts like butter

My first circular saw and I like it a lot. Easy to use. I replaced the blade with a diamond edge masnory blade to cut 2 inch think flagstones, it cuts like butter. Great saw.

Outstanding quality and performance at a great price.

I am obsessive about researching my purchases, especially with tools. Not wanting (or needing) a heavy worm-drive saw, I narrowed my search to the Hitachi (well-rated), Milwaukee 6391 (top-rated by many magazines), Bosch CS20 (also top-rated), and Porter-Cable MAG (again, top-rated). However, I also take most magazine reviews with a grain of salt - always get actual consumer reviews and get your hands on the item.^M
^M
While the Milwaukee is a great saw with a great reputation, the Tilt-lok seems like a nice "bonus" feature but I usually believe "The simpler the better" principle (less stuff to break down or cause issues) and wanted something a bit lighter. I didn't like the "composite plastic" Bosch plate and have seen other durability issues (see reviews on Amazon). The Porter-Cable was a front-runner (I love PC tools), but again there seemed to be some durability issues in some reviews, wondered about the fancy plastic dust port clogging, and the price was $50 more (is it worth 50% more money??). So, after handling all of these saws at the store, I really liked the Hitachi best - plus a perfect 5 star rating here at Amazon (until the guy who posted incorrectly about the warranty). I couln't find any faults - it is very light, powerful and accurate (dead-on 90 degrees and 45 degrees out of the box). The blade brake isn't as fast as I hoped, but still several seconds faster than without (and those several seconds could make the difference between "Ouch!" and "Take me to the emergency room!"). The stock blade is better-than-average, the plate is rock-solid and nicely designed, nice dust control and it has great visibility. Some people might not like that the plate tilt does not have any markings to tell what depth it is set at - however, I usually "eye-ball" the blade depth for a cut anyway, and if I really needed to be accurate I would actually measure the depth instead of relying on the rough measures on the tool (plus, the bar used to raise/lower the plate is enclosed - so it won't collect sawdust and dirt). To top it off, it does carry a 5-year warranty (unlike a previous poster stated), plus the brushes are replaceable for extended life.^M
I'm sure all the saws I mentioned would be a great choice, but for the money I betting on the Hitachi!

NOT a five-year guarantee

This Hitachi tool is guaranteed for only one year, according to other sellers' sites and the technical data section for this saw here on Amazon, NOT five years as Amazon has claimed on this page for months. Maybe Amazon will update this page sometime. Until then, beware: Hitachi repair parts are among the highest-priced of all brands.