DeWalt 60V MAX 7-1/4 in. Cordless Worm Drive Style Saw

The first time I squeezed the trigger on DeWalt’s 60V worm‑drive style saw, the blade stopped me before the cut did—figuratively. The left‑side blade and rear‑handle stance change how you line up and push through a cut, and once you settle into that posture, the saw rewards you with power that feels inexhaustible and tracking that inspires confidence.

Design and build quality

This is a worm‑drive style circular saw with the blade on the left and a rear handle, so your eyes naturally sit over the cut line. The magnesium shoe is flat, stiff, and holds square, which matters as much for framing as it does for sheet goods. I checked the base against a machinist’s square after a week of jobsite abuse and it hadn’t budged. The guards cycle smoothly without binding, and the rafter hook is the right size and strength to grab 2x material or the wide flange of engineered joists. The hook tucks away securely; it doesn’t clank around or snag in a bag.

DeWalt includes a carbide 7‑1/4 in. blade that’s a decent framing starter. Onboard blade wrench storage is simple but saves a trip to the toolbox when you’re swapping to a finish or demo blade. The saw is also Tag‑Ready, so you can add a DeWalt Tool Connect tag for inventory tracking—useful for crew tools.

At 10.9 lbs bare, it’s not pretending to be a sidewinder. Add a FLEXVOLT pack and you’re in the mid‑teens. That weight brings stability on long rips and bevels; it also means you’ll feel it when you’re working overhead or climbing a ladder with it. There’s no LED, which I didn’t miss outdoors, but it’s worth noting if you cut in dim interiors.

Power and cut quality

The brushless motor spins up to 5800 RPM and has the torque to match. In practice, that means it doesn’t bog in wet PT, it tracks calmly through OSB, and it chews LVL and PSL without complaint when paired with a more aggressive blade. The rear handle lets you lean into cuts with your shoulders rather than your wrist, and the saw stays planted. Kickback resistance is excellent for a cordless—when I pushed too fast into dense 2x material, the shoe and mass of the tool helped keep the nose down and the line intact.

Cut surfaces are clean for a framing saw with a 24‑tooth blade. Swap to a 40‑ to 50‑tooth blade and the saw delivers finish‑friendly edges in plywood. If you’re doing repeated fascia or stair stringer work, that ability to toggle between rough and clean cuts on the same platform is a time saver.

The electronic brake is quick. The blade stops in a beat after you release the trigger, which speeds up repositioning and adds a layer of safety when you’re working around others.

Ergonomics and handling

The left‑blade orientation lets me follow a chalk line without craning my neck—one of the big reasons to choose a worm‑drive format. Sight lines are excellent, helped by an integrated blower that actually clears dust from the kerf. The rear handle has a natural angle that encourages a two‑handed grip: dominate with the rear, steer with the front. Balance shifts slightly nose‑heavy with smaller batteries and evens out with a 9Ah FLEXVOLT. I prefer the 9Ah for the counterweight as much as the runtime.

The trade‑off is weight. If you’re used to a compact sidewinder, you’ll feel the heft each time you grab for a roof cut or trim an overhead joist tail. For ground‑level ripping, long bevels, and demolition, that same mass turns into an advantage, absorbing vibration and helping the shoe stay flat.

Bevels, depth, and adjustments

Depth of cut is 2‑7/16 in. at 90°, which clears 2x stock with room to spare. At 45°, you still get a full 2 in. of capacity, so single‑pass bevels on 2x are no problem. The bevel scale is clear and the detents at 22.5° and 45° are positive. I had no trouble dialing in a hair under 45° for tight miter joints; once the bevel lock is set, it doesn’t wander.

The depth adjustment lever is large enough to operate with gloves, and the shoe stays parallel through its travel. The shoe’s leading edge rides smoothly across sheet goods without catching, and I appreciate that the corners aren’t sharp—less likely to mar prefinished surfaces.

Dust management

Two features help here: a built‑in blower that keeps the cut line visible and a dust extraction port that pairs with a vac. The blower is effective in open air; I rarely had to brush dust aside on rips. Hooked to a dust extractor, collection is respectable for a circular saw—especially on plywood or MDF. On open framing cuts, plenty of chips still escape, but the port knocks down the mess appreciably when you need it to.

Battery platform and runtime

This saw lives on DeWalt’s FLEXVOLT 60V system, which means it shares packs with other high‑draw tools. With a 6Ah pack, I can frame through most of a morning on stick framing and sheet breakdown. Dense materials (LVL, wet treated lumber) drain packs faster, as you’d expect. A 9Ah pack stretches runtime and keeps the saw feeling planted; it’s my recommendation if you do a lot of engineered lumber or demo. The brushless motor maintains consistent speed as the pack depletes until the final few cuts, where you’ll feel a slight tail‑off. Battery and charger aren’t included, so budget accordingly if you’re not already on the platform.

Real‑world use cases

• Framing and decking: Fast, confident rips and crosscuts; on‑the‑fly 22.5° and 45° bevels land accurately.
• Engineered lumber: With a sharp 24T or 28T framing blade, it plows through LVL and PSL without chatter.
• Demo: The rear handle, torque, and mass make this a controlled sledgehammer; pair with a demolition blade and let it eat.
• Finish‑adjacent work: With a higher‑tooth blade and a square shoe, you can get clean edges on cabinet ply, though a track saw still wins for tear‑out control on laminates.

Quirks and things to consider

• Weight: It’s part of the package. Great on the sawhorses, fatiguing overhead.
• Orientation: If you’re coming from a right‑blade sidewinder, the left‑blade worm‑drive style takes a few cuts to retrain your muscle memory. Right‑handers generally benefit from the sight line, but there’s an adjustment curve.
• No LED: Not a deal‑breaker for me, but it’s absent.
• Bare tool: Factor in batteries and a charger if you’re new to FLEXVOLT.

Tips for getting the most from it

• Match the blade to the task: 24T for framing and demo, 40–50T for sheet goods, specialized blades for LVL.
• Use a 9Ah pack when cutting engineered lumber or doing long rips; it improves both runtime and balance.
• Set and check the bevel detents once out of the box; they held true for me, but it’s a good habit.
• Keep the shoe clean—pitch buildup can add drag and defeat the stability you’re paying for.
• Use the dust port with a vac when you’re indoors; the line blower handles outdoor work.

The bottom line

This saw is built for people who value line‑of‑sight control and unflinching torque in a cordless package. It’s not the lightest, and it doesn’t try to be. What it offers instead is a stable, predictable cut with the power to stay on pace through tough stock, plus jobsite‑smart touches like a stout rafter hook, electronic brake, onboard wrench storage, and a durable magnesium shoe.

Recommendation: I recommend this saw to framers, deck builders, remodelers, and anyone who wants a cordless workhorse that behaves like a corded worm‑drive. If you prioritize minimal weight or you’re deeply committed to right‑blade sidewinders, you may be happier elsewhere. But if you’re after sight‑line clarity, serious torque, and a platform that won’t hold you back on engineered lumber, this DeWalt worm‑drive style saw earns its place on the horses.