The Milwaukee 6394-21 Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw is very similar to the Milwaukee 6390-20 Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7-1/4-Inch circular saw, with the inclusion of:

• an electric brake
• a removable cord (Milwaukee calls it their QUIK-LOK feature)
• a carrying case

Like the Milwaukee 6390-20 Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw, the 6394-21 has the power extreme do-it-yourselfers and professionals need with enhanced comfort features on the handle. It cuts smoothly (even wet wood) and you have the feeling that the saw is doing all the work.

Table of Contents
1. Motor Power
2. Blade and Bevel Capacity
3. Base Plate and Guard
4. Adjusters
5. Cut Line
6. Handle
7. Electric Brake
8. Power Cord
9. Carrying Case
10. Shortcomings
11. What Others Are Saying
12. Bottom Line
13. Price

Motor Power

The Milwaukee 6394-21 has a 15 Amp , 3.25 horsepower motor, like the other Milwaukee saws in this family. The helical gears will turn the blade at up to 5,800 RPM . This is professional grade power.

Blade and Bevel Capacity

This saw has a 7 1/4″ blade diameter.  The included blade is fine and usable, but if you have a high quality blade available use that.  If you need a specific type of blade for what you’re cutting you will of course need to change the blade, but for basic ripping and cutting you can use the included blade.  While it’s any easy process to change the blade, we don’t like the allen wrench that you have to use to change the blade.  We prefer hex nut wrenches that slide into the back of the shoe.  On this saw, we feel the allen wrench doesn’t give as much leverage as a hex nut wrench.  Also, it’s difficult to know if you’ve placed the allen wrench all the way back into the holder, which is a plastic hole on the side of the motor.  Unless you’re doing frequent blade changing, the allen wrench isn’t enough of a hassle to discount this saw from your consideration.  The saw does have a shaft lock for easier blade changing.

The saw will bevel to 50°, and cuts to a depth of 2 7/16″ at 90° and 1 13/16″ at 45°.

Base Plate and Guard

The base plate/shoe is solid.  There’s little risk of damaging it through normal operation.  We bet you’d have to drop it on the concrete to damage it.  The blade guard works smoothly.  One minor complaint we have is that we expected a heavier duty feeling blade guard, but functionally we have no problems with it.

Adjusters

The depth control and bevel control are levers that are smooth to operate and lock down easily.  This saw has one of the best bevel control adjusters we’ve used.  Number indicators are stamped into the saw, so there’s no worry about them rubbing off..

Cut Line Visibility

This saw has great sight lines.  Even right-handers like us can easily see the cut line.

Handle

This saw has an adjustable ‘Tilt-Lok’ handle, so you can set it back to operate more like a worm-drive, or move it forward to get on top of what you’re cutting, or place it anywhere in between.  In practice, you’ll probably decide on an angle that’s the most comfortable for you and stick with that, but you do have the option to change the handle angle to make it easier to cut.

The handle is also slightly cushioned.  It’s not ’70s toilet seat cushioned, but it makes it more comfortable to hold without becoming slippery when your hand is sweaty.

Electric Brake

The electric brake engages and stops the saw blade very quickly after the switch is depressed. Compare that to a circular saw without an electric brake where the blade may keep turning for 15 to 20 seconds after you let go of the switch. It’s a good safety feature to have and worth the price premium over the other Milwaukee circular saws.

Power Cord

The power cord is 10 feet long and detachable/replaceable. We don’t recommend cutting or damaging a power cord, but if it happens the cord can be replaced without having to rewire or solder the power cord. The cord is long enough that for small bench jobs you won’t need to break out the extension cord.

Carrying Case

Milwaukee includes a carrying case with the 6394-21. It’s a sturdy plastic case that features a peg on the inside back of the case that will hold your saw blades so they can be easily transported with the saw.

Shortcomings

We’re being nit-picky here, but two-button motor operation would be one safety feature that we wouldn’t mind seeing added to the saw. That and the need for a better included allen wrench for blade changes are the only (extremely minor) problems we have with the saw.

What Others Are Saying

Reading some Amazon reviews it sounds like the durability of the electric brake is sometimes an issue. Some customers are very pleased with the electric brake while others don’t think it stops the blade any faster. It could be that there were a couple of bad parts in a batch. Milwaukee power tools typically come with a 5 year warranty, so if the brake does fail Milwaukee should fix it.

Bottom Line

The Milwaukee 6394-21 Tilt-Lok 15 Amp 7 And A Quarter Inch circular saw is an outstanding circular saw.  It has all the great features of this class of Milwaukee circular saws and includes an electric brake. You shouldn’t be disappointed with it. 5 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: