Rockwell4-1/2” Compact Circular Saw, 5 amps, 3500 rpm, with Dust Port and Starter Kit– RK3441K , Black

Great saw does cut well ... not to good for small hands to grip around trigger and on switch

I've used a larger 7 1/2 inch Dewalt circular saw for years. But now it's getting cobwebs because of this Rockwell RK3441K compact saw. This compacts saw is so darn handy, lays easily in my tool bag, is more convenient than my larger traditional circular saw to tot around that it's becoming my go-to saw for small to intermediate cuts in wood and metal.It has a nice /precise /quality rip fence and angle cut feature and the knobs are quick and secure to set any angle cut. I particularly love the blade being on the left side of the drive. This dramatically increased my vision over the cut so it's safer, more accurate, user friendly and better results.My hands are average size (size 8-9 glove size Large) and I find the grip size /surface & design easy to hold on to and user friendly. For small hands this might be a challenge. The trigger pull is less complicated that other saws this size with makes this model Rockwell easier to operate and control while cutting than all other saws this size...in my opinion.The blade turns as a slower RPM than my full size Dewalt, but if you slow down your feed this saw handles anything I throw it's way giving a clean crisp cut and does not bog down. For big tough jobs simply use a bigger saw. The blade I found Best for all around cuts in wood /metal /longevity was a Freud D0436X Diablo 4-3/8-Inch 36 Tooth ATB Cordless Trim Saw Blade that I've used with no issues at all.I am not easy to impress, but this compact medium duty Rockwell has earned its way into my inner circle of tools. I am Very pleased with the quality features, portability and durability of this handy saw. Recommend this without reservations and consider the hundred dollar cost a fair value.----UPDATE----Have used this Rockwell saw for several months now and and it's still rock solid. No issues at all. The adjustable guide fence is real handy,...quick and secure adjustment lever,...easy to make quick /secure fence adjustments.I've also used this saw in unconventional situations where I had to remove material from wood in such a way I was able to turn the saw over, expose the blade and carefully angle the wood into the blade to free-hand & create a router type effect. It was the only way to finish a particular cut and this saw has the flexibility to help. Never know what you'll run into during a project and glad this saw has extra flexibility to adapt. Continues to earn my unqualified recommendation!

Overall, a good saw that fits a particular purpose. I just used it to cut formica counter (from the backside) and it did very well. Yet, there are a few weaknesses. First, it is clearly a right handed device. To turn it on requires pressing a red safety switch and then engaging the trigger. This is relatively easy to do with the right hand (if your hand is big enough and in the optimal position) but very awkward to to with the left hand. I'm left handed and I've abandoned efforts to use this saw with my left hand. Also, the cutting guide is not accurate and I find I really need to look at the blade itself (reinforcing the need to hold the saw with the right hand). You can do plunge cuts, but it is a bit tricky because the device really isn't designed to made accurate plunge cuts. Last, I wish the front of the device was shorter in front of the blade so that cuts toward a wall other impediment could actually get closer to the wall. But, there are reasons they made the device the way they did, partly to accommodate an edge guide attachment, and partly to allow for compound (angled) cuts. So, probably can't have it all.I did notice that some people complained about the screw that holds the blade being easy to break. I think this is an issue derived from the fact that the screw has reverse threads (need to turn the opposite way from normal). This is to prevent the screw from loosening itself with sawing motion. If someone is not aware of the reverse threads and tries to use brute force to remove the screw then they could break it. But, if you know about the threads and use reasonable force I suspect there is little chance of actually breaking the screw. The screw does have symbols indicating the correct turning directions but people are not normally used to checking the screw for direction of turn; so, it would be very easy to think brute force is needed for a "stuck" screw.

I was trying to use my worm drive skill saw to cut siding on my house on a window replacement project. That saw proved to be too large and heavy to maneuver precisely overhead. I needed something smaller and lighter, but powerful and big enough to cut overlapping siding. I bought a popular brand (named for a Midwest city famous for beer) battery operated 3” mini saw. It proved to be light and maneuverable, but was pitifully lacking in power. I needed to move the saw DEAD slow, and even then it would stall almost constantly. It felt like I was using one of my grandson’s Fisher-Price toys. I will be returning that saw.As soon as I took this saw out of the box, I knew it was a serious tool. It is quite a bit heavier, but I know I will NOT need to hold it overhead for an hour because this saw does not need to be spoon fed! There is plenty of power. It also cuts deep enough to cut a 2x4 or overlapping siding in one pass. It was nice to see the angle and depth adjustments operated as expected right out of the box.It comes with a guide that I thought was a little wimpy. It was also not quite parallel to the blade so I will need to adjust (bend) it before I use that feature.There is a safety button that needs to be depressed before the on/off trigger can be actuated. I found this button to be a bit awkwardly positioned, but manageable.All told, I think this will be a fine tool for its intended purpose.Follow up: after reading some reviews that complained about the blade bolt breaking I decided to purchase a replacement bolt in case it broke in the middle of a project. I have done several projects since then without the bolt breaking, including building an 8-foot by 18-foot deck. No problem. I think some people are not keeping the blade saw strait and putting the blade in a bind.