Bosch CS5 120-Volt 7-1/4-Inch Circular Saw Review

The Bosch CS5 15 Amp 120 Volt 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw is a good saw, a solid saw. The left side mounting of the blade makes it so much better for right handers, and the base is sturdy and flat. While not as desirable to us as other manufacturers’ circular saws, this saw is nevertheless our preferred Bosch sidewinder saw.

Table of Contents
1. Motor Power
2. Blade and Bevel Capacity
3. Base Plate and Guard
4. Adjusters
5. Cut Line Visibility
6. Handle
7. Shortcomings
8. What Others Are Saying
9. Bottom Line
10. Price

Motor Power

Power is not an issue. The Bosch CS5 has a 15 Amp motor and a no load RPM of 6,200 RPM . Interestingly, this is a higher RPM than the other Bosch sidewinder saws. With the 15 Amp motor there should be no issues with getting bogged down cutting through most stock.

Blade and Bevel Capacity

This saw has a 7 1/4″ blade diameter.  Just like the other Bosch sidewinders, the included 24 tooth blade is adequate, but you’ll probably want to upgrade when using the saw for serious cutting (this seems to be a truism for all circular saw manufacturers; the included blade is okay for ripping plywood or cutting 2xs, but it will splinter most anything else). And again, we love Bosch for including a real blade wrench for changing the blade instead of a hex wrench. The wrench easily and securely fits over the hex nut that holds the blade to the shaft. The saw has a shaft lock for easier blade changing.

The saw will bevel to 56°, and cuts to a depth of 2 7/16″ at 90° and 1 7/8″ at 45°. Unlike the other Bosch sidewinders, this saw has no bevel stops.

Base Plate and Guard

The base plate/shoe is sturdy and thick. We have no problems with it. The upper and lower blade guards are made of alumimum. The lower blade guard retracts smoothly.

Adjusters

The depth control and bevel control are levers that are okay. The plastic levers lock down with minimal effort. The numeric indicators are stamped into the saw, so there’s no chance of them rubbing off.

Cut Line Visibility

Cut line visibility is outstanding for right handers. The blade is lined right up with your eye. You don’t have to look over a motor to see the blade and cut line. Additionally, this saw does an outstanding job of removing the sawdust from the line of sight on the base of the saw. Bosch has the best circular saws out there for clearing out the sawdust. The downside is that the sawdust is shot out like a laser beam. Being a left bladed saw, right handers will be standing directly in the path of the sawdust laser. Sawdust gets all over your pants and in any tool belt you are wearing. This is a small price to pay for the site lines on this saw.

Handle

The rubber coated and cushioned handle is comfortable and provides some grip even when your hand sweats. The handle is more than adequate.

Shortcomings

The Bosch CS5 lacks an electric brake and dual switches, but many circular saws of this class do.

What Others Are Saying

This saw gets enthusiastic reviews on Amazon and homedepot.com. One review remarked on its power in cutting through wet 2xs.

Bottom Line

The Bosch CS5 15 Amp 120 Volt 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw is a good saw and our preferred circular saw in the Bosch line. 4 out of 5.

Price

Amazon puts a lot of effort into keeping their pricing competitive. As of the date of this review, the price was very attractive and they offered free or discounted shipping. Click to check today’s price and see if that’s still the case: