Milwaukee has come out with a new M18 brushless circular saw, model 2631. It features a 7-1/4″ blade size, 5000 RPM motor, aluminum shoe, integrated rafter hook, magnesium guards, and LED light.
Milaukee says that their new brushless circular saw delivers up to 40% more power than brushed motor circular saws, and up to 30% more runtime.
The saw weighs 9 lbs when paired with an M18 XC 5.0Ah battery pack.
Price: $179 for the bare tool, $279 for the kit
ETA: July 2018
First Thoughts
Milwaukee’s M18 cordless circular saw lineup will soon consist of 4 offerings:
- M18 Fuel Brushless 7-1/4″ circular saw (2732)
- M18 Brushless 7-1/4″ circular saw (2631, this one)
- M18 Fuel Brushless 6-1/2″ circular saw (2730)
- M18 6-1/2″ circular saw (2630)
There’s also the 2731 M18 Fuel saw, which has been superseded by the new 2732, also launching in July.
The range of the lineup makes sense. You have the brushed 2630, the Fuel brushless 2730 for users that want the smaller left-facing blade. Then there’s this model, designed to give you a cut-capacity, runtime, and power boost compared to the brushed motor model. Finally, there’s the new Fuel model, which delivers faster cutting speeds and a more premium all-magnesium shoe.
Like the M18 Fuel 7-1/4″ saws, this new brushless, but not Fuel brushless, is a right-facing saw.
The new M18 Fuel saw kit, which will be bundled with one of the new 12.0Ah battery packs, will be priced at $399, compared to $279 for this kit. In addition to the difference in saw shoes, the Fuel model has a 5800 RPM motor speed.
The Fuel 6-1/2″ saw seems to be in a strange middle-ground, of being a premium but smaller saw. Ignoring that model for a moment, one could perhaps consider the 6-1/2″ brushed motor saw as a “good,” or standard model, this one as the “better” model, and the Fuel brushless model as the “best.”
There’s a sizable jump up, going from the 6-1/2″ brushed motor model, to this one.
I did not have a chance to try this new saw at NPS18, but look forward to seeing what it can do, and how it compares to the other brushless circular saws on the market. I especially look forward to seeing how it compares with the new flagship Fuel brushless saw.
I like the idea behind this saw – it’s an upgrade compared to the brushed motor saw, but not as pricey as either of the M18 Fuel saws.