Skil
Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser
$69.99Cheaper
Best Circular Saws · head-to-head
Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser is cheaper at $69.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Ridgid
Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw
$169
Released 2019
Which is better: the Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser or Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser is the cheaper at $69.99.
See Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser on Amazon See Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser | Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $69.99 Published MSRP per skil.com | $169 |
| Brand | Skil | Ridgid |
| Released | — | 2019 |
| Power source | corded | cordless |
| Blade size (in) | 7-1/4 in | 7-1/4 in |
| Voltage or amps | 15 A | 18 V |
| Max (rpm) | 5300 | 5600 |
| Bevel capacity (°) | 51 deg | 56 deg |
| Brushless | No | Yes |
| Weight (lb) | 8.7 lb | 9.5 lb |
| Release | — | 2019 |
Sources — Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser: skil.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 Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser and Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (6 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Power source: Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser corded vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw cordless
- Voltage or amps: Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser 15 A vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 18 V
- Max (rpm): Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser 5300 vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 5600
- Bevel capacity (°): Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser 51 deg vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw 56 deg
- Brushless: Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser false vs Ridgid R8654B 18V OCTANE Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw true
- Weight (lb): Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser 8.7 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.
Skil 5280-01 15-Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Circular Saw with Laser
Only one whitelisted tester, Pro Tool Reviews, covers this exact model, naming the Skil 5280-01 the best corded circular saw for homeowners and DIYers and praising it as a light 15-amp saw with a laser guide and dust blower. No lab-measured numbers were captured; the cited 6.95 lb weight is a spec reference, not an independent measurement. Coverage is roundup-level and thin. (1 sourced review.)
Praised: Lightweight for a 15-amp corded saw (cited 6.95 lbs), which drove the pick; Good feature set for the price: single-beam laser guide and dust blower.
Flagged: Reviewer said it would actually recommend the cheaper Metabo HPT C7SB3 when its low price holds, so the endorsement is qualified.
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).