About SKILSAW
SKILSAW traces back to 1924, when the Michel Electric Handsaw Co. opened in Chicago building six saws at a time. The company was renamed Skilsaw, Inc. in 1926, and in 1928 it released the Model E, widely credited as the world's first portable circular saw and the saw that introduced worm-drive gearing to the category. The worm-drive design that followed, the Model 77, set the industry standard for handheld worm-drive circular saws and is still referred to in the trades as "the saw that built America."
In November 2014, the parent brand split in two: SKIL became the consumer DIY line and SKILSAW became the dedicated professional-construction brand, carrying the SPT77 worm-drive lineage forward. Chervon completed its acquisition of the SKIL and SKILSAW businesses from Bosch in 2016 to 2017, and the brand has since extended worm-drive gearing beyond circular saws into table saws (SKILSAW's first worm-drive table saw shipped in 2016) and miter saws.
Brand website: skilsaw.com
What SKILSAW makes
SKILSAW's range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Worm Drive Circular Saws (SPT77 series)
The magnesium and aluminum SPT77 saws that carry the original worm-drive design forward, both shipping with a factory-installed Diablo blade — featured on DIYRated
Worm Drive Table Saws (SPT99 series)
Portable jobsite table saws built around the same worm-drive gear case as the circular saw line — featured on DIYRated
SawSquatch Worm Drive Saws
10-1/4-inch worm-drive saw line built for cutting thicker stock than the standard 7-1/4-inch saws
TRUEHVL Cordless Worm Drive Saws
Battery-powered worm-drive circular saw line for jobsites without ready power
Worm Drive Miter Saws
12-inch dual-bevel sliding miter saw built with worm-drive gearing
Why we recognized SKILSAW
The DIYRated Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our hands-on category reviews. SKILSAW earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: bought, put to work on real jobs, and judged on merit.
SKILSAW products we rated highly
SKILSAW SPT77WML-01 7-1/4-Inch Magnesium Worm Drive Circular Saw
The magnesium-bodied SPT77WML pairs true worm-drive torque with a factory-installed Diablo carbide blade, and its 11.5-pound build removes much of the weight penalty that worm-drive saws historically carried. In our testing it stood out for ripping wet pressure-treated stock and dense engineered lumber without the bog-down that can defeat a sidewinder saw.
Read the 7 Best Circular Saws of 2026 guide →
SKILSAW SPT77W-01 7-1/4-Inch Aluminum Worm Drive Circular Saw
The classic aluminum-bodied SPT77 shares the same worm-drive gear case, motor, and factory-installed Diablo blade as its magnesium sibling, continuing a worm-drive lineage that traces back nearly six decades. In our reviews, the added weight was noted as an asset for keeping the saw tracking through tough material on extended rip cuts.
Read the 7 Best Circular Saws of 2026 guide →
SKIL 10 Inch Heavy Duty Worm Drive Table Saw with Stand (SPT99-11)
The SPT99-11 brings SKILSAW's worm-drive gearing to a portable table saw, and in our reviews it posted the deepest depth of cut (3-5/8 inches) among the portable table saws we tested, along with a Dual-Field motor that runs cooler through extended use.
Read the 7 Best Table Saws of 2026 guide →What earned SKILSAW the recognition
- A worm-drive engineering lineage that traces back to the 1928 Model E, credited as the world's first portable circular saw
- The SPT77 worm-drive circular saws ship with a factory-installed Diablo carbide blade, a detail our reviews called out as unusual at this price point
- The magnesium-bodied SPT77WML delivers worm-drive torque at 11.5 pounds, addressing the weight complaint long associated with worm-drive saws
- The SPT99-11 worm-drive table saw posted the deepest cut depth among the portable table saws in our testing
- Nearly six decades of continuous worm-drive production behind the SPT77 platform, which our reviews noted keeps parts and service support strong