This really depends on what you are doing. There really is no "one saw to rule them all". If I had to choose only one power saw though, it would be either an 8" plug-in circular saw, or a 6.5" cordless (I like DeWalt, they are a good balance of quality and affordability). On a small scale, everything that saw does not do well can be handled by hand saws pretty easily.

I am at the very begging of my DIY carrier, so I didn't want to spend too much on my saw. I decided to go with a Home Depot's Ryobi 18V starter set and got it as X-mas present for myself in 2008. After a year and a bit I think it was a good choice - I use it rarely, but it's there when you need it.

Set has a circular saw and a drill in it -not sure it's much cheaper than buying them separately, but they had a promo adding one extra tool, and I Picked jigsaw. So for $99 I got a pretty versatile set with 2 batteries and a tool bag. They are pretty easy to use, change blades, etc.

So far I used it to:
1.) Cut molding in first project. (circular saw)
2.) Cut shelves for a custom closet storage. (circular saw)
3.) Repair a couple of chairs with broken sits. (jigsaw)
4.) Put laminate flooring down - biggest project so far and both tools were needed for faster progress - tho only jigsaw would do the job, too. (circular saw/jigsaw)

I used both for some minor cut-the-shelf projects, and used the drill a lot, tho, it's on the heavy side.

The only cons of this set is the battery life. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but they don't seem to last reasonably long. It's neat not to have a cord dragging behind you, but I wonder if I really need cordless set.

I would focus more on hand tools than power. But if you are ready, the very first power tool that I would buy is a drill. It is by far one of the most versatile tool in a toolbox. But as for saws, it is really difficult to rate the importance of one tool over the other. When choosing a saw for a particular cut, it shouldn't be one of price or savings but of safety. You should use the saw for what it was designed for.

Circular saws are made for roughing out large pieces of wood into manageable sizes. They are not meant to make accurate cuts of any sort.

Jigsaws are made to cut curves and S shapes. Although it is possible to make straight cuts with this using a straightedge, you are not going to get a very good cut out of it. Jigsaws have different blades and the quality of cut depends on what kind of blade you use.

Miter Saws are made to cut across the grain of the wood to make specific angles. This will give you a finished accurate cut. (great for making bookshelves and picture frames)

Table Saws are made to rip wood or cut along the grain of the wood. This will give you a finished accurate cut. They can also be used for making cross grain cuts using a miter jig, but a miter saw would be safer for this.

It depends what you want to use it for. I bought the cheapest circular saw at my local Ace Hardware and it has been fine, but the best purchase I have made is my chop saw, or mitre saw, an Ace 10" Compound Miter Saw. What that baby can't do! Strength really counts with sawing, so for a woman good power saws are important (after a good cordless drill).

The other thing which has been incredibly useful is a compressor nail gun and staple gun. I boarded my vaulted living room ceiling and I doubt I could have done it without my Senco FinishPro 18 - about $200.

I tend to buy special offers, and so far so good!

Clueless newbie high powered circular saw = disaster.

For most small-scale home DIY jobs, the only power tools you need are a good drill and a jigsaw.

Get a cordless drill for ease of use, and also make sure it has a "hammer" function for drilling into masonry.

Jigsaws are useful because of their delicacy, their maneouverability, their ability to cut curves, and the fact that they can be used one handed (while the other hand holds the wood).

You'll also need a good handsaw, a hammer, a screwdriver set, an adjustable spanner and some files. A chisel is useful too but you can always fudge with a blade screwdriver :)

I'm with Blandwagon: if you're new to ...saw-ownership... and you're looking to finish DIY projects, go with the jigsaw. Circular saws are great for cutting really straight lines, but that's about it. Jigsaws are a little more versatile when it comes to home projects - sure, it's difficult to get a really great straight edge with them, but it's possible, and for the smaller home projects, "possible" works.

Jigsaws are useful but limited -- some claim to cut 3/4" plywood, but that's not really its best use. The blade is thin and the motor's usually decent but with a jigsaw there's obviously a trade-off between motor-power and weight. When you get into cutting more and thicker, then you might as well get a bandsaw.

The real question is: what exactly are you intending to do? I see a lot of comments about how 'circular saws are only good for straight lines', but the simple fact is that the vast majority of what you cut is probably going to be... straight lines. Circular saws have a variety of blades, so you can do a very clean line per the material cut; just make sure you have a cutting guide, because it's really the only way to get a perfectly straight line. (The blade's motion will pull it slightly off-true, thanks to weight and rotation of blade.)

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18547&filter=cutting%20guide

(There are different kinds and lengths. Get at least 2' long if you're working with cross-cuts like cutting specific lengths of dimensional lumber like for shelves; you'll want at least 4' if you're going to be cutting 4x8 plywood.)

I've done shelves for three different rooms, done kitchen cabinetry, and renovated my dining and living rooms -- and all with a circular saw. I've only used the jigsaw at rare points that I either a) was using thinner plywood or b) had a smallish/short cut I could do freehand without having to look neat.

I find my DeWalt circular saw to be the most useful & versatile thing in my shop, especially since it has variable height adjustment as well as variable angle adjustment, and it's much easier to trade out blades than my old Craftsman. Got the DeWalt on sale for about $75, but I think it's regularly about $120, and it is worth every penny.

If you're worried about high power newbie = disaster, then look for used power tools that are 15 years old (check ebay and craigslist). Even at that age, they'll still be in pretty good shape, but their age means they're not as powerful, so less likely to jerk your arms out of their sockets trying to control while you learn.

I've been involved in woodworking for most of my life regularly designing and building furniture pieces. One never simply goes out and buys a tool, seeking a project for it instead, beyond the purchase of a drill, tools are acquired as one needs them. As for purchasing a tool, since your woodworking knowledge is limited, purchase a NEW tool with current safety features, not a used one.

As for purchasing a saw, let's not ignore the fact that power tools, especially saws, are dangerous pieces of equipment which can instantaneously dispatch with their users body parts. You need to learn how to use these saws and their appropriate applications. For instance, it is inappropriate to use a handheld circular saw for the cutting of mouldings (a miter saw should be used). If you have limited or no experience with power saws, I strongly suggest you team up with an experienced woodworker or seek out a woodworking course at a local community college, high school, YM-YWCA, or other institution.

I looked like a knight heading to his first crusade before operating circular saw the first time - gloves, glasses, apron, etc. Read the manual, read a lot of how to's, watched a few videos online and consulted someone with power tool experience - I did not cut any body parts off and was done cutting in less than 2 minutes (3 cuts to add a few shelves to a store-bought closet system).

I mean - if you are an idiot and stick your finger where the blade is, you'll get hurt. If you're careful, follow instructions, don't remove safety features from your saw and remember you are operating a machine that cuts through material much harder than your body, you'll be fine.

Not sure about buying used, simply because it may work for 3 days and then stop. Forever. (Happened to my dad a few times, and once or twice he was not able to get his money back).

I have a Bosch jigsaw, it cost about $150, and I use it for everything - I have cut down the width of my upper kitchen cabinets, made a desk, made shelves for my CDs, cut down metal shelves and brackets to fit, and made some funky side tables and lamp bases with it.

It cuts curves, cuts fast and straight, and cuts metal (all with the specified blade, of course). It is simple to change a blade. It is more compact to store than a circular saw would be, the speed can be adjusted (although I always use the fastest speed anyway), and it is fairly lightweight and never feels scary or out of control.

It is true that long straight cuts don't come out as perfect as they would using a circular saw, but they are pretty acceptable if I use a straight edge and focus on what I am doing.

When choosing a saw, I had to go with a jigsaw as the thought of never being able to cut a curve seemed terribly limiting to me. Between the jigsaw and the cordless drill, I can build just about anything I can imagine.

This is a great question! Based on the responses above, I'm leaning toward buying a jigsaw. It seems more versatile than a circular saw.