Black & Decker CS1015 review

The Black & Decker CS1015 is a decent circular saw that is lightweight and allows you to make some versatile cuts.

Black & Decker CS1015 review
(Image: © Amazon)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The Black & Decker CS1015 is ideal for smaller cuts, however, it is no longer widely available.

Pros

  • +

    Light

Cons

  • -

    There isn't a spindle lock

  • -

    Not widely available anymore

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The Black & Decker CS1015 is a decent circular saw that is lightweight and allows you to make some versatile cuts, it's now no longer widely available in a new condition. 

The Black & Decker CS1015 does also have some serious design oversights such as the lack of a spindle lock and bevel stops. The tool is awkward to handle on larger materials but cutting smaller 2x material is straightforward.

To find a new model from this brand, head to our Black & Decker BDECS300C Circular Saw review, or read our full guide to the best circular saws around. 

Black & Decker CS1015: Features

As with most sidewinder saws, the Black & Decker CS1015’s blade rests on the right-hand side of the tool, so you sacrifice blade visibility for a more balanced design. Because the saw only weighs 8.6 pounds, it is easy to handle for short, quick cuts. During testing, the blade started to feel bogged down as we ripped through larger materials, which affected the tool’s overall performance.

One of the saw’s biggest drawbacks is that it doesn’t have a spindle lock, which holds the drive shaft in place, so you can remove the blade with one hex key. The CS1015 is the only circular saw we reviewed that doesn’t have this feature, and its absence is very noticeable. To remove the blade, you have to balance the tool on a flat surface or your lap and use a proprietary, pronged tool and hex key in tandem. Although it only took a few extra moments to remove the blade compared to the other products we reviewed, it was a frustrating, tedious process. Fortunately, both blade removal tools store on the saw itself.

With this circular saw, you can make cuts up to 2 7/16 inches deep at 90 degrees or 1 13/16 inches deep at 45 degrees. This is deep enough to cut through 2x material without any issues. You can only cut up to 45-degree bevels with this tool. The CS1015 also lacks bevel stops, which are convenient when you need to make multiple uniform cuts. This tool can reach up to 5500 RPM, which is pretty fast, but not the best speed we saw. For a faster model, read our Milwaukee 6390-21 Circular Saw review - that model has a RPM of 5800.

If you run into any problems with the tool, you can contact Black & Decker through email or live chat. The two-year warranty protects against any manufacturer defects, and you can download an online manual if you misplace the one that comes with the tool. You can also peruse the online FAQs section to see if any of your questions or concerns have already been addressed.

Should you buy the Black & Decker CS1015?

Since the Black & Decker CS1015 is rarely available in a new condition anymore, you might want to consider a newer model. However, if you want to buy it second-hand, the Black & Decker CS1015 can make hassle-free cuts on smaller materials, but longer, more intensive rips tend to be tedious and work the tool rather hard. This circular saw is missing features found on the best models in our review, such as a spindle lock and positive bevel stops, but it is powerful enough to perform adequately.

J.D. Chadwick
Contributor

J.D. Chadwick started writing articles for Top Ten Reviews 2008 and, after filling the role of Multimedia Editor, the keen video creator and expert in software was one of the most prolific members of the TTR team, authoring articles on things like antivirus software, video editing apps, and more.