There are two major points that affect post-calibration table saws: fence quality and overall stability. A fence works by grabbing hold of the table edge and clamping into it. The best fences, like Biesemeyer, have three points of contact. They’re just not where you’d expect. All three are on the front, leaving none on the back. With a wide cast metal front clamping system, the front is pulled flush and self-aligns. It requires a solid locking mechanism to ensure the fence doesn’t move during cuts, but it is very possible.
You can’t talk about the best portable jobsite table saw without talking about portability. Portability boils down to a couple of important features. First and foremost, weight has a huge impact on how easily you can transport the saw, especially if it has to go into the bed of a truck rather than a trailer. If you’ve got a trailer, then a wheeled stand becomes your best friend. We looked at both.
The stand is collapsible and wheeled like others, but it’s not the gravity-rise style. You’ll have to use a foot to stabilize it while you pivot it up or lower it down. The lower locks are released with your feet and there’s some question about the long term durability of the releases. An open housing design has two major results – motor cooling should be more efficient but it trades off storage for an extra blade. There’s really way too much to talk about here, so check out our full review of this model.
Setup was nearly as simple as SawStop’s with just a narrow margin between them. We only needed to attach the handle and bolt the saw down to the stand. The stand is a gravity rise style, but requires you to bend down to ground level for collapsing and extending it. It’s a reasonably solid platform, though a lot of movement throughout the day will leave your back sore.
The DeWalt DWE7499GD table saw earns a third place finish in the safety category thanks to their GuardDetect technology. This doesn’t prevent you from using the saw without the pawls and blade guard in place, but it does require you to physically indicate you are aware they’re not in place. Ideally, this gives your mind one last opportunity to consciously note the additional care that needs to take place before cutting.
You can’t talk about the best portable jobsite table saw without talking about portability. Portability boils down to a couple of important features. First and foremost, weight has a huge impact on how easily you can transport the saw, especially if it has to go into the bed of a truck rather than a trailer. If you’ve got a trailer, then a wheeled stand becomes your best friend. We looked at both.
Ridgid seems to get mixed reviews from users, maybe due to its lower price point, but continues to impress us in head to head competitions. With this edition, Ridgid’s 15 amp motor powered through cuts better than any other saw we tested. Sure it was close, but it consistently beat out each competitor. That power does come with more vibration than some of the others though.
Let’s face it: guys get in each other's’ way at a job site. It’s not always easy to find room to work, so portability is a serious advantage when it comes to making the most out of your space. Luckily for the professionals out there — not to mention hobbyists who prefer to move around rather than work in the same spot everyday — RIDGID’s 15-amp table saw comes with a convenient mobile cart for stress-free transportation.
I do not which is the best table saw, but I can tell you which is the worst. The rigid portable saw is a piece of garbage. I have purchased two in the last 4 years and the motor has failed in both, only to find that they do not sell a replacement motor. The Rigid customer service will not respond to any questions associated with the saw or replacement parts. I will not buy another Rigid tool and currently planning to try the Bosch table saw.
When using the side extension, a tape moves along so you won’t have to remember what measurement to lock the fence on or read a double marked measurement guide. It’s an innovation we like, but there are questions as to the long term durability of the tape itself. Like Ryobi, Ridgid uses a magnetic throat plate to secure it while leaving access simple.
I recently brought the Ryobi RTS21G after my dwe745 got stolen and actually couldn’t believe the quality! You guys were definitely right about using the Diablo blade, makes a big difference as it’s not the most powerful table saw in the world, but really didn’t expect much for $200 but i was very surprised. Anyway just wanted to say thanks for the great review and recommendation!
There were really two major performance considerations we wanted to look at to help determine the best portable jobsite table saw: cutting power and dust collection. Power is an obvious choice. We want to make clean, straight cuts, but we don’t want to spend all day making them. Any saw can be calibrated to be straight and accurate, but some have to be babied more than others to get professional results.
None of your woodworking projects will go wrong if you have the best table saw for your individual needs. Hopefully, with the above table saw reviews, you now have enough info to find your right fit. Although a comparison between the DWE7480 vs DW745 shows almost the same great features, our top pick is the DW745. Although it is small for some people, it is durable, has good speeds, is powerful, and most importantly, it is budget-friendly.
If you’re looking for a machine with high capacity, the SKIL 3410-02 has a 3.5-inch cut height with the ability to cut through four times the material on each pass. The consensus among reviewers is that, for such a low price, you end up compromising on miter gauge and saw blade quality. Luckily both of those things can be replaced if you so choose.
It is safe to say that we live in a DIY era. Think about it. When was the last time you went on YouTube or anywhere else online and looked for something that tickled your fancy, a guide on how something is made or done, or maybe a tutorial. Indeed, we do it very often, so why should woodworking and home improvement be any different? With the prices of table saws constantly dipping and the insane number of choices on the market, you can get one for yourself and save thousands of dollars by doing things yourself instead of hiring contractors.
At a compact 45 pounds, the DEWALT DW745 Compact Jobsite Table Saw is the lightest table saw in our review. The saw's portability doesn't mean that ripping size is compromised, though. Thanks to extending fence guides, you've got 20 inches available. Depth of cut is on par with many bigger machines: at 90 degrees, it's 3 1/8 inches. At 45 degrees, it's 2 1/4 inches. Power comes from a 15-amp motor with a no-load speed of 3,850 RPM. This is ample enough for serious DIY projects and light-duty construction site work.
Choose table saws that come with complete accessories and not just purchase a bare tool. Although this is cheaper, it would cost you later because you need to purchase additional accessories and parts. Common accessories included in a table saw kits are blades, on and off switches, wrenches, wheels, onboard storage, and dust collection attachments.
My intention with this website is to provide you with everything you need to know about table saws. I have tried to remain as objective and as informative as possible, and I hope you will be able to tell that when reading the reviews. Hopefully, you will find them helpful when it comes time to choose a table saw for your workshop or home. Good luck and take care.
The stand is collapsible and wheeled like others, but it’s not the gravity-rise style. You’ll have to use a foot to stabilize it while you pivot it up or lower it down. The lower locks are released with your feet and there’s some question about the long term durability of the releases. An open housing design has two major results – motor cooling should be more efficient but it trades off storage for an extra blade. There’s really way too much to talk about here, so check out our full review of this model.
Porter-Cable comes in as the most expensive of the value group, but also with the best overall performance in it. Of the three saws in this class, it had the best cutting power and also came in the top spot overall for height and bevel adjustment thanks to independent wheels. This may seem like a small consideration, but when you actually need to cut accurately beveled pieces, the adjustment wheel is a huge benefit over sliding the front height adjustment around.
An avid endurance athlete, Kenny has competed in triathlons (he's an Ironman) and various other fitness activities. Still, his passions lie with his faith, family, friends, and his love for well-designed power tools. With a background in science, you'll often find Kenny chatting up engineers at media events to get caught up on the latest tool technology.
When you’re setting up your table saw fence, slide it into position by pressing the front of the fence forward against the table with both hands. This will allow the entire fence to slide square to the table. Hold your final position with one hand while locking it down with the other. This should help you avoid many of the accuracy issues that come from an off-square fence.
The latest DeWalt Table Saw is a compact 10-inch job site power saw with a number of great features. First of all, it has a rack and pinion telescoping fence which will let you make fence adjustments easily. This saw has a 24-inch rip capacity so you can use this for a variety of materials. It has an onboard storage system so you can carry tools with ease.
Professionals and DIY enthusiasts who value excellent woodworking know that a table saw is the most important investment they could ever make. The tool doesn’t just help you make precision cuts to make your work easier, but it also reduces woodworking expenses. Moreover, some of these tools can even be optimized to cut other materials, like plastic! The question we'll address today is: which are the best table saws out there?