Best Circular Saws · head-to-head

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw is cheaper at $169. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw or Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw is the cheaper at $169.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw
US price $249 $169
BrandMilwaukeeRidgid
Released2019
Power source cordless cordless
Blade size (in) 7-1/4 in 7-1/4 in
Voltage or amps 18 V 18 V
Max (rpm) 5800 5600
Bevel capacity (°) 50 deg 56 deg
Brushless Yes Yes
Weight (lb) 9.05 lb 9.5 lb
Release 2019

Sources — Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw: milwaukeetool.com (verified 2026-06-20). Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw: homedepot.com (verified 2026-06-20).

What's the difference between the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw and Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Max (rpm): Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw 5800 vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 5600
  • Bevel capacity (°): Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw 50 deg vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 56 deg
  • Weight (lb): Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw 9.05 lb vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 9.5 lb

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2732-20 7-1/4 in. Brushless Cordless Circular Saw

Only one whitelisted tester, Pro Tool Reviews, produced a hands-on review of this exact Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2732 saw. PTR scores it 9.4/10 and calls it one of the highest-performing cordless sidewinders available, winning a timed OSB rip test among more than a dozen competitors; heavy weight is the main tradeoff. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Top performer — won PTR's timed OSB rip test among more than a dozen cordless competitors; Natural, ergonomic handle with push-down trigger safety; Solid value with a full premium feature set (dust port, electric brake, magnesium shoe).

Flagged: One of the heaviest cordless options (12.6 lbs with the 12.0Ah battery); Upper blade guard obstructs the sightline on crosscuts and hangs slightly on bevels; Best full-depth cutting power only comes with the pricier XC6.0 Forge battery.

Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw

Only one whitelisted tester, Pro Tool Reviews, published a hands-on head-to-head review of the exact R8654B; no other whitelisted hands-on reviews were found. Their verdict: a solid brushless upgrade over Ridgid's Gen5X with excellent blade sightlines and shoe glide, but middling raw power (lowest of three power tiers in their test), a guard that hangs on thin cuts, and heavy weight. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Excellent, unobstructed blade sightline aided by LED; Magnesium shoe coating glides smoothly over material; Comfortable, well-offset handle with Hex Grip overmold; included vac/dust port.

Flagged: Lower guard hangs on thin shave, miter and compound cuts; Shoe notches off ~1/8 in at 0° and 45°, plus slight crosscut tracking wander; One of the heaviest cordless sidewinders (9.5 lb bare, 12.0 lb with 9.0Ah pack).

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