Ripped a blade guard right off my old one trying to cut wet lumber last spring, so I feel your pain. Is the $180 brushless worth it? Only if you like tools that don't die on you mid-project and make you look like a hero instead of a fool. I bought a cheap corded one after my last disaster, and it's fine for quick cuts, but it bogs down on anything thicker than a 2x4. If you're doing a whole deck, I'd say spend the extra money once and cry once. My neighbor swears by his brushless, and he's cut through treated lumber like butter for years without a hiccup.