Metabo HPT 36V 7-1/4 in. Blade-Right Circular Saw Review: The Stud

Introduction

Metabo HPT has a new 36V 7-1/4 in. blade-right circular saw out, nicknamed The Stud, and its headline feature is torque boost. The best way to judge a framing saw is to get right into cutting, so this review focuses on how the saw behaves across different lumber and cutting angles rather than just quoting spec numbers.

How the Two Cutting Modes Work

This saw has two modes: an automatic mode and a torque boost mode. In automatic mode, it runs between 6,000 RPM and 4,500 RPM depending on whether it wants speed or senses it needs torque. In torque boost mode, it limits itself to 4,500 RPM. The saw also remembers whatever mode it was last in, so you can power it on and start cutting right away without fiddling with settings.

Pushed through cuts in 2x lumber, the saw stayed fast and smooth. When it hit denser sections like knots, it dipped into the high-torque mode rather than cutting out, and it held that 4,500 RPM pace through the rest of the cut. Unlike saws where you feel lag or a cutout when the load increases, this one simply adjusts power and keeps going.

Torque boost mode is also available manually, which makes sense when you know you are heading into hardwood rather than softer construction lumber. At 4,500 RPM it still cuts pretty quick, and because it holds that speed under load you avoid the lag you get from saws that only deliver 6,000 RPM under no load.

Design and Handling Details

The saw has a 56-degree bevel capability and stops at 45 degrees, which is easy to set up. The shoe on the bottom is either magnesium or aluminum and feels solid, with a place for a fence that screws in and optional dust collection that has to be purchased separately.

Other practical touches include a rafter hook, an ambidextrous switch lock-off, a simple arbor lock with a standard tool for blade changes, a straightforward depth control at the back, and an LED light at the front. The switch lock-off works from either hand, which is thoughtful, though the blade-right layout will feel more natural to some users than others.

Battery Performance and Runtime

As a 36V saw, it can also run off an AC adapter, which is a nice flexibility bonus. The MultiVolt batteries work between the 18V and 36V platforms, so the pack you buy here can power other tools in the lineup.

After pushing the saw hard through multiple cuts, the battery only got slightly warm, never hot, and three of the four charge bars were still showing. That translates to a long day of cutting on the jobsite or in a DIY setting.

Who Should Buy This Saw

This is a framing saw through and through, built to move between fast cuts, high-torque cuts, different wood species, and materials like LVL. The two-mode system sounds like a gimmick at first, but being able to either let the saw do its thing or lock in high torque is genuinely useful, and it is controlled by a button rather than an app, which keeps it simple.

One caveat to know up front: most of Metabo HPT’s 36V lineup has to be bought online, as it is not currently available in stores the way the brand’s 18V tools are. And as a blade-right saw, handedness is a personal call. Fans of the brand’s rear-handle saw, which is lightweight, easy to use, and fast cutting, would love to see a similar mode system carried over there.

Conclusion

The Metabo HPT 36V 7-1/4 in. blade-right circular saw earns its nickname. Fast cuts, no cutouts, and a torque boost mode that keeps the blade spinning through knots and dense lumber make it a compelling framing saw. If you prefer blade-left, you will want to weigh that carefully, but for framing work on 36V power, this saw is really where it is at.