Power

In terms of power, the ultra saw is a clear winner. It runs with a more powerful 7.5 amp motor versus the 6 amp motor in the SawMax. They are both corded electric saws and offer the same 3/4 inch cut depth.  The Ultra Saw is the better choice if you need more power and faster cutting.

Durability

The design of both saws is similar, making both of them sturdy to everyday use.  They both use worm drive motors. However, there are differences due to the materials used to make each saw. While the ultra saw is made from primarily metal and is quite durable, the saw max has more plastic components, including the shoe and blade guard.

While the plastic is not a problem for shortcuts or softer material cuts, it can become a hindrance if you try to do anything more. When cutting metal or stone, or when cutting for a longer period of time, the saw can heat up excessively and melt the plastic pieces. The melting may not permanently ruin the piece, but it can bend it out of shape and reduce the usefulness.

The Ultra Saw has a metal wheel guard making it more resilient for long stretches of grinding and cutting. Both saws wear out their blades quickly, but the ultra saw is a much more durable model overall.

Features and Capabilities

Both saw are able to perform plunge cuts, straight cutting, and flush cutting. Although the blade of the ultra saw is 1 inch larger than that of the saw max, they both can only do plunge cuts to a depth of 3/4 of an inch.

Dremel’s ultra saw is a true 3-in-1 tool with one added capability that the saw max doesn’t have. It can be turned sideways and used for surface preparation. This is handy for when you need to fix up the substrate before laying a floor. The abrasive wheels work great for \ surface prep on metal (rust removal), tiles, masonry materials, concrete, and wood.

The Ultra Saw also seems to be a slightly more professional tool and built for heavy-duty use. There are fewer plastic parts and more metal parts on it.

Materials Cut

The saw max is said to be able to cut any construction material, from wood to concrete or tiles. However, it does present some issues when used to cut harder materials like metal or stone. It’s not necessarily a good choice for harder materials, but it does work well for softer things like wood, particleboard, drywall, plastic, or wallboard.

A Dremel Ultra Saw vs Saw Max face-off has the Ultra Saw doing everything and then some with a faster speed of cut, thanks to the larger motor. It can handle stone and other masonry materials more easily, sheet metal or hollow metal poles and pipes, fiberglass, ceramic, and mortar. With the right blade installed, it’s highly versatile.

If you’ve got a project using a material that’s a bit more difficult to work with, such as marble or metal pipe, you can still use a mini circular saw. The ultra saw is better at cutting hard stone like marble without damaging the stone itself, and it cuts metal easily with a cutting wheel. In both of those cases, you will need to take time to rest the saw between cuts to avoid overheating.

Ease Of Handling

Both saws are very easy to use. They can each be held in one hand, and the ultra saw can utilize an attachment to create a smaller two-handed saw handle for tough applications. Because of their small size, these saws are your go-to when you don’t want to set up a larger saw just for a small cutting job. If you’re not very experienced in using power tools, these are great starter tools that are simple to understand right out of the box.

When you’re making a long, straight cut, the ultra saw is better at cutting in a straight line than the saw max. Neither have any control devices to help you cut straighter, but the ultra saw’s more powerful cut prevents it from being thrown off by the material. Sometimes the saw max will get knocked off track if you’re cutting a harder wood or a grainy material.

The Saw Max requires you to guess where you are cutting, but the Ultra saw offers a mark on the cutting guide to show you where the blade is cutting. This provides excellent line of sight and can help make it easier to get those straight cuts.

The Dremel Sawmax weighs just under 3 pounds, while the Ultra Saw weighs around 4.6 pounds. Both are easy to carry around and use above your head, or while on a ladder. Cord length is the only real limitation for mobility, which is easy to overcome with an extension cable. The saw max is slightly shorter and easier to hold if you have a small hand.