Milwaukee M18 FUEL 6-1/2 in. Circular Saw 2730-20: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-08

Summary

The 2730-20 is a brushless 18V 6-1/2 inch circular saw for Milwaukee’s M18 platform, sold tool-only, and the failure owners report most is the trigger switch: saws stop mid-cut or stop responding, and one warranty repair came back unrepaired because the switch was classed a wear part. It has no electric brake, no dust port and no bevel stops — all added on the 2833-20 successor — so it is most attractive used, at $65 to $159.97 on eBay, or discounted well under the $229 bare tool 2833-20 at Home Depot.

Common problems and fixes

Trigger switch failure — owners report the saw randomly stopping, with one owner identifying “an issue with the trigger switch”; the 5-year warranty excludes normal-wear parts, and the one documented repair came back unrepaired with the on-off switch marked a wearable part that exceeded its useful lifespan. The fix is service through Milwaukee’s parts list. [10][12][4][3]
Saw completely unresponsive — one owner reports no power at all, “not even the light,” after cutting cement sheets; the iFixit question had no answer as of May 2026. [16]
Blade will not spin after light use — an owner who used the saw once reports the blade not spinning, though the motor spins with the blade removed, pointing at the blade or its fastener. [10]
No electric brake — the blade coasts to a stop after the trigger is released; the 2833-20 adds a brake. The design, not a fault. [5][14]
No dust port or vacuum adapter — a feature the 2833-20 successor added. [14]
No bevel stops — the bevel scale is continuous, with no positive stops at common angles. [5]

Parts and consumables

Saw shoe and blade clamps — excluded from the warranty as normal-wear parts. [4]

Yearly running cost

Not enough data as a yearly total. Blades are the only consumable the research names, and it found no blade prices, no replacement intervals and no electricity figures. The saw is also bare, so an M18 battery and charger are a one-time extra when you do not own them. [1][2][3]

When it is a good buy

$314.98 at Codale Electric Supply and $392.31 at Grainger, likely outdated; used saws on eBay run $65 to $159.97. [19][18][15]
The 2833-20 successor is listed at $229 bare tool at Home Depot, so a new 2730-20 makes sense only discounted well below that; used at $65 to $159.97 is the value entry. [8][15]
Milwaukee 2833-20 ($229 bare at Home Depot) — the better choice when buying new: 6,000 RPM, an electric brake, a dust port and depth detents. [8][14]
Milwaukee 2730-21 kit (one battery and charger, listed at $399.99 at one retailer) — the better choice when you do not own M18 batteries. [20]
Pro Tool Reviews called the 2017 kit at $319 a good value, and measured the saw fastest in the 6-1/2 inch class with a 4-ft OSB crosscut in 9.1 seconds. [5]