SKIL PWR CORE 20 Brushless 4-1/2 in. One-Hand Circular Saw Kit (CR5435B-10, 2.0Ah)

SKIL PWR CORE 20 Brushless 4-1/2 in. One-Hand Circular Saw Kit (CR5435B-10, 2.0Ah)

By SKIL · Circular Saws · Power Tools

  • PWR CORE 20 brushless one-hand compact circular saw kit with 2.0Ah battery and charger
  • Up to 6,000 RPM brushless motor
  • 4-1/2 in. blade, lightweight one-hand design
  • Includes 24T carbide blade and PWRJump charger
  • 5-year limited warranty

Lowest price seen
~$140.91 (approx.)
from $140.91 at Amazon

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A one-hand 20V brushless circular saw for overhead work and tight cuts, sold as a kit with a 2.0Ah battery and a fast charger. Check the depth before you buy: the 1-1/2-inch cut at 90° clears nominal 2x lumber but can stall on swollen or warped boards.

Strengths

  • The inline one-hand layout is easier to maneuver than compact 6-1/2 in. saws, per ProToolReviews.
  • The 24-tooth thin-kerf blade cuts 2x material confidently.
  • The high 6,000 RPM no-load speed keeps tooth speed up despite the small blade.
  • The LED light and cutline blower keep the cut line visible.
  • A 5-year limited warranty and a published parts list make it more repairable than most of its class.
  • The box includes a rip fence, vacuum adapter and battery jacket that seller listings often omit.

Weaknesses

  • The 1-1/2 in. depth at 90° barely clears nominal 2x stock; warped or swollen boards can stop a through-cut.
  • There is no front pommel, so two-hand use is not possible.
  • Bevel and depth adjustment use thumbscrew-style knobs, slower than clamping levers.
  • The small 2.0Ah battery limits runtime on heavier cuts.
  • The left-side blade can hurt cut-line visibility for right-handed users.
  • No exact-model owner thread or instrumented test was found, so durability is unproven.

Verified specifications

ModelCR5435B-10 is the kit; the bare tool is CR5435B-00.
Motordigital brushless, up to 6,000 RPM no-load.
Platform20V Max PWR CORE 20, accepts any PWR CORE 20 battery.
Blade4-1/2 in., 24-tooth ultra-thin carbide-tipped, on a 3/8 in. arbor.
Bevel45° maximum, marked at 15°, 30° and 45°.
Cut capacity1-1/2 in. at 90° and 1 in. at 45°; measured 1-9/16 in. at the tooth tip.
Weightabout 4 lb tool-only per SKIL; ProToolReviews measured 4.2 lb bare and 5.2 lb with the 2.0Ah battery.
Dimensions15 × 6 × 6.5 in on retailer spec sheets; measured 15.5 in tip-to-tail.
Blade sideleft.
ChargerAuto PWRJump takes the battery from 0 to 25% in about 5 minutes.
Battery2.0Ah PWR CORE 20 with a USB port for charging a phone, plus a battery jacket.
FeaturesLED light with after-glow, dust blower, vacuum port with adapter, spindle lock and electric brake.
In the boxsaw, hex key, vacuum adapter, 24T blade, rip fence, battery, jacket, charger and two adapter rings.
Warranty5-year limited.
Rafter hooknone.
Full research notes and sources

One-hand design and cut depth

ProToolReviews rated the saw 9.4/10 in its only hands-on review. The inline body lets you cut with one hand and reach overhead or into tight spaces where a 6-1/2 in. saw would not fit, and at the test’s 5.2 lb with battery it is far lighter than a traditional circular saw. The 6,000 RPM no-load speed is high on purpose: the small blade needs the extra tooth speed to cut cleanly.

Depth is the limit to plan around. Spec sheets claim 1-1/2 in. at 90°, but ProToolReviews measured 1-9/16 in. at the tooth tip, which is the practical maximum. On flat 2x lumber that is enough; on a swollen or warped board it can leave the last sliver uncut. There is no front pommel, so you cannot add a second hand for a stubborn cut, and the thumbscrew-style depth and bevel knobs are slower to set than clamping levers.

Runtime and battery

The kit ships with a 2.0Ah PWR CORE 20 battery and an Auto PWRJump charger that brings it from empty to a quarter charge in about 5 minutes. The battery’s PWR ASSIST USB port can also top up a phone. A small pack means limited runtime on heavy cutting, and no source has published a cuts-per-charge figure for this model, so treat runtime as a reason to buy a second battery if you cut a lot.

Anyone already on the PWR CORE 20 platform can skip the kit and buy the bare tool, which small retailers list for less.

Parts, upkeep and running costs

The main recurring cost is blades: this saw takes 4-1/2 in., 3/8 in. arbor, 24-tooth-class blades. SKIL sells replacement PWR CORE 20 batteries at $44.99 for 2.0Ah and $89.99 for 5.0Ah, and publishes a numbered parts list for CR5435B-10 covering the lower guard, base plate set, fences, flange assembly and height-adjust assembly, so repairs are not a full-tool replacement.

The 5-year limited warranty covers the tool. Count on wiping the lens, clearing the dust port and setting the rip fence; nothing here needs regular maintenance beyond a sharp blade.

Is it worth it?

At or below about $125 the kit is strong value: a brushless motor, one-hand weight, a 5-year warranty, the full accessory kit and a published parts list. From $126 to $150 it is fair, which is where SKIL’s own $149.99 direct price sits; spend that only if the one-hand format or the platform matters, because SKIL’s 6-1/2 in. kit is cheaper and cuts deeper.

Above $150 the value weakens. Acme Tools listed the kit at $140.91 in a clearance (was $149.00), McCoy’s lists it at $155.08 and Clatskanie Builder Supply at $169.99, prices that approach SKIL’s larger saws. Platform owners have the cheapest path: the bare tool CR5435B-00, listed at $98.99 at ToolNut and $79.00 at WaySource (was $99.00), paired with a battery you already own.

Which model this is

This page covers the CR5435B-10 kit, a 20V Max brushless one-hand saw with a 4-1/2 in. blade. The bare tool is CR5435B-00. Do not confuse it with the larger SKIL PWR CORE 20 6-1/2 in. (CR5413/CR6413) or 7-1/4 in. (CR5440B) circular saws; the SKIL brand is owned by Chervon (HK) Ltd. The listing carries ASIN B0BHQM2VSQ.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

  • No exact-model owner or forum thread was found in the research.

Parts and stores:

Buying guides for this category

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