DeWalt DWE397-QS Review

Cutting through brick, block, and aerated concrete on a building site usually means reaching for an angle grinder with a diamond blade — effective, but also loud, dusty, and demanding of a steady hand to keep the cut straight. It is a method that works, but it fills the air with silica dust that lingers for hours and leaves everyone on site reaching for a mask. An alligator saw takes a fundamentally different approach to the same problem. Instead of a spinning disc, it uses a pair of counter-oscillating blades that move back and forth like an alligator's jaws, biting through masonry with far less dust and a cut that stays straight without effort. Originally developed for cutting soft building blocks like aerated concrete and perforated brick, these saws have evolved to handle a wider range of materials and are now a familiar sight on masonry sites across Europe. For bricklayers, builders, and landscapers who cut blocks day in and day out, an alligator saw is not just a cleaner alternative to a grinder — it is often the faster, more precise, and more considerate way to work.

Choosing an alligator saw means focusing on the specifications that matter for masonry cutting. Motor power dictates how aggressively the dual blades bite into dense materials — 1,700 watts is a substantial figure that provides plenty of cutting authority even in harder blocks. Cutting capacity, measured by the maximum diameter or depth the saw can handle, determines what size of block or brick you can cut in a single pass. Blade quality and type are critical: tungsten carbide-tipped blades designed for abrasive materials last far longer than standard steel blades and maintain a cleaner cut over their lifespan. The counter-oscillating mechanism is the defining feature — both blades move in opposite directions, which cancels out the recoil that makes standard reciprocating saws kick and bounce. This means the saw stays planted on the material during the cut and does not try to throw the workpiece or the operator around. DeWalt, with its distinctive yellow and black professional tool range, has been a dominant presence on building sites for decades and brings substantial engineering credibility to the alligator saw category.

This review examines the DeWalt DWE397-QS alligator saw — its 1,700-watt motor and 430-millimetre cutting capacity, how the dual-blade system performs on aerated concrete, perforated brick, and other masonry materials, what the low-recoil design brings to accuracy and operator comfort, and whether this specialised saw deserves a place in the toolkit of a bricklayer, builder, or serious landscaper.

The DeWalt DWE397-QS is a corded alligator saw powered by a 1,700-watt electric motor — a substantial power figure that places it firmly in professional territory. Rather than spinning a circular blade, the saw drives a pair of 430-millimetre-long blades in a counter-oscillating motion: one blade moves forward while the other moves back, creating a biting action that chews through masonry materials without the clouds of dust produced by an angle grinder. The blades are tungsten carbide-tipped — DeWalt's DT2974 set is included — and are specifically engineered for cutting low-density building materials including aerated concrete blocks, perforated clay bricks, and lightweight aggregate blocks. The cutting capacity is governed by the 430-millimetre blade length, which allows the saw to cut through materials up to approximately 200 millimetres thick in a single pass — covering the vast majority of standard building blocks used in European construction. The blades are replaceable and the saw uses a toolless blade change mechanism for quick swaps on site.

The alligator jaw design is what makes this tool fundamentally different from both angle grinders and reciprocating saws. Because the two blades move in opposite directions, the forces cancel out — there is virtually no kickback, no tendency for the saw to jump or bounce, and no need to clamp the workpiece down before cutting. You simply place the saw on the block, squeeze the trigger, and let the blades pull themselves through the material. The cut stays straight with minimal effort from the operator, which is a revelation if you have ever fought an angle grinder to keep a cut square across a wide aerated block. The saw body is built around a robust metal gear housing with a rubber-overmoulded main grip and a large front handle that gives secure two-handed control. A transparent guard at the front of the blades captures the majority of debris and directs it downwards rather than back at the operator. The trigger is a full-sized paddle switch that is comfortable to hold down during long cuts, and there is a lock-off button to prevent accidental starts when the saw is being carried or stored.

On the building site, the DWE397-QS reveals its strengths in the situations where it was designed to excel. Cutting aerated concrete blocks to length for wall construction is fast, clean, and precise — mark your line, place the saw, and the straight cut is done in seconds with no wandering. Perforated clay bricks, which can shatter or chip badly when cut with a grinder or bolster, come away with clean edges that stack neatly and require minimal touching up. The low-dust operation is a genuine health benefit — silica dust from cutting masonry is a serious respiratory hazard, and while the alligator saw still produces debris, it is coarse chips and granules rather than the fine airborne dust cloud that an angle grinder generates. For indoor renovation work where dust containment is critical, this alone can justify the tool. The saw weighs 5.5 kilograms, which is substantial but manageable for a tool designed to rest on the workpiece during cutting — the material supports most of the weight, and the operator's job is mainly guiding and controlling rather than lifting.

It is important to understand the DWE397-QS's sweet spot — and its limitations. The carbide-tipped blades are engineered for soft to medium-density masonry materials. In aerated concrete, lightweight blocks, and perforated bricks, they cut quickly and last well. In dense engineering bricks, hard concrete, and natural stone, cutting speed drops off and blade wear accelerates — these materials are better served by a diamond-bladed cut-off saw or angle grinder. The saw is not designed for metal, wood, or plastic — the blade geometry and oscillating action are masonry-specific. The 430-millimetre blade length means the saw can cross-cut blocks and bricks up to about 200 millimetres thick, but it cannot plunge-cut into the middle of a wall or make curved cuts. This is a straight-line, cross-cutting tool for masonry, and within that remit it excels. The included DT2974 carbide blade set and Allen key for blade changes get you started, and replacement blades are available through DeWalt's dealer network.

Physically, the DWE397-QS is a substantial tool at 5.5 kilograms with a blade length of 43 centimetres, built to survive the rough handling of a building site. The sound level is rated at 104 decibels — loud enough that hearing protection is essential, but comparable to an angle grinder and quieter than many petrol-powered cut-off saws. The saw carries a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars from 209 reviews and ranks #109 in the Reciprocating Saws category, though this categorisation is misleading — the alligator saw is a fundamentally different tool from a standard recip saw. It is backed by DeWalt's manufacturer warranty and benefits from the brand's extensive European service and spare parts network. For the bricklayer laying aerated concrete blocks, the builder doing loft conversions with lightweight block walls, or the landscaper working with decorative masonry, the DWE397-QS alligator saw replaces the dust, noise, and inaccuracy of an angle grinder with a cleaner, straighter, and more controlled cutting experience.

A specialist masonry alligator saw for bricklayers, builders, and landscapers who regularly cut aerated concrete blocks, perforated bricks, and lightweight aggregate blocks — delivers straight, low-dust cuts without the kickback or airborne silica of an angle grinder.