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.
jet table saw
The professional level saws saw a separation as well and all were well ahead of the cutting power we saw with the value group. A middle tier of cutting performance started with Makita and Bosch’s 4100 while DeWalt was significantly better. Entering the fray with the only worm drive system, we had high hopes for Skilsaw’s entry. It was solid and smooth—definitely at the Pro level— and close to what the 4100 delivered.
Often called benchtop, jobsite, or worksite saws, portable table saws are typically made of lightweight materials, such as an aluminum table top, so that they’re easy to move from place to place. Sometimes they’ll have wheels attached to make shifting them around even easier. The motors on portable saws are also much smaller than on other types of table saws, and are typically less powerful.
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.
Over the years there are a few popular table saw brands in the market and two of these are the DeWalt and the Ridgid table saws. The DeWalt compact job site table saw is the latest DeWalt table saw model. This has a 20-inch maximum rip capacity that will let you cut through a variety of materials. This table saw is lightweight, portable with a steel roll cage that will protect the tool against drops and impacts. It has a strong 1850 watt motor to give you pure power for almost all applications. This has a cast table top design to improve accuracy and precision.
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.
I know this is old, but this is a solid comparison not only in its sheer breadth of information, but also in its encompassing of many price ranges and for judging each model within its competitive set, not compared to something that costs 2-5x more. Too often I see table saw reviews that are all about the fence and nothing else. While a good, easily squared fence is essential, there are other features that some may find very important. I really appreciated your in depth look at the gear-based bevel adjustments on the Ridgid and Porter-Cable. I think this is… Read more »
ridgid table saw
While I appreciate this review, that Kobalt job site saw is the absolute worst. Uncontrollable blade wobble, terrible fence, trundle bolts that are nearly impossible to get to without tacking the back panel off (of course that doesn’t matter when the blade won’t stay in alignment for more than a day), miter slots that aren’t parallel to each other and also taper toward the backside of the table, and a riving knife without adequate adjustments to align it with the blade. Do not buy that piece of garbage.
Built on the 4100’s foundation, The Bosch REAXX exhibits similar performance with a few improvements. Despite what we’ve seen online, the REAXX did seem to have better cutting power than the 4100. (see Editor’s Note above) The narrow throat plate opening also gave it much better dust collection, allowing only the finest material to make its way out. It shares the top ranking gravity rise stand with the 4100.
Ridgid’s fence is outstanding for its design. Its large front plate helps stabilize it and the whole thing just feels solid. There’s very little play compared to some of the others and we were consistently able to lock it down perfectly square. We like the pinion style bevel adjustment. It’s not quite a good as a separate adjustment wheel, but a great improvement over simple sliding. We also like the independent locks for both height and bevel. It’s not often that a height lock would be required, but there’s an element of confidence that comes from knowing it won’t be going anywhere.
The blades are the primary factor to consider when shopping for a saw as they hugely determine the performance of your table saw. The blades will only be effective if they are set at a correct depth of cut. The table saw will also perform best if only the correct blade for the cut is fitted, as a proper blade will enable you to achieve a precise and smooth cut. When purchasing a blade, go for the one with a correct setting blade. Consider the cutting depth also as this will determine its suitability for the job. You should also ensure that the table saw is equipped with splinter guard as this will help in minimizing splintering of the board’s top surface. Splinter guard also enhances accuracy because when it is lined up at the start and finish mark the saw will cut with precision. A suitable table saw should also have a 20mm arbor as this guarantees the stability of the blade and hence, safety in the workplace.
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.
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.
A table saw is among the most dangerous power tools in your workshop. If not operated correctly, table saws can cause lots of harm. Different types come with varied safety measures and features like flesh sensors, auto-reset switches, anti-kickback pawls, among others. Finding one with all these features comes at a price, but what is cost compared to your safety?
DeWALT DWE7480 is an excellent table saw, especially if you consider its price. It’s a step up from the highly popular DW745 and slightly more expensive, but I think the larger rip capacity and higher RPM are well worth the extra money. The DWE7480 is still in the lower price region though, and unlike the DW745 you can also get this one with a stand: the DWE7480XA!
On the other end of the handyman spectrum, you’ve got the seasoned professional with years of experience under his belt. We all know the type: he’s the guy that expects only the best, and DEWALT more than delivers with their patented DWE7491RS. This wood-slicing machine is the cream of the crop when it comes to cutting through even the toughest materials. The DWE7491RS measures 26¼" x 22", so it’s a relatively large apparatus — you’re going to want to make sure that you have plenty of space in your garage for this table saw.
A strong motor is very important in all power tools. Regular-sized table saws usually have powerful motors which can give you of 3 to 5 HP at 240V. A benchtop saw have this kind of power and can cut materials like wooden flooring, logs, and lumber. Smaller and more compact table saws come with direct-drive motors that run on 120 V power at 2 HP. This is for lighter materials like wooden panels, vinyl, laminates and thin metal.
Not everyone needs to use the miter gauge on a table saw since there’s typically going to be a miter saw around. If you do, you’ll like the positive locking detents at common angles. This saw felt like it was the weakest when pushing our 2x PT material through. Despite the ranking, it doesn’t feel under-powered – you just need to take your time. You won’t find a lot of bells and whistles on this model, but for $279, we don’t have many complaints.
This Ridgid table saw is a heavy-duty table saw that comes with its own stand with wheels. It has a strong 115-amp motor at 4000 rpm. It is an updated table saw with onboard storage for your tools like miter gauge, extra blades, rip fence and other saw accessories. This is a durable table saw for different projects and can even take 4 x 4 inches in just one pass. This has a front and back clamping fence to keep your material safe and sturdy as you work.
This Ridgid table saw is a heavy-duty table saw that comes with its own stand with wheels. It has a strong 115-amp motor at 4000 rpm. It is an updated table saw with onboard storage for your tools like miter gauge, extra blades, rip fence and other saw accessories. This is a durable table saw for different projects and can even take 4 x 4 inches in just one pass. This has a front and back clamping fence to keep your material safe and sturdy as you work.
Pre-calibrated right out of the box, Kreg’s miter gauge is a blessing for the impatient among us. The folks at Kreg know their customers don’t want to waste time preparing their tools — they want to use them! That’s why the KMS7102 boasts positive stops at a variety of the most common angles: so you can begin using your brand new miter gauge straight away.
table saw table
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.
IMPORTANT REVIEW UPDATE (10/4/2016): After doing some additional testing with pressure-treated lumber and heavier stock, we [initially] found some issues with the Bosch REAXX saw that we couldn’t explain—except to say that it didn’t have the power we expected for cutting through denser wood. The blade exhibited a significant drop in speed during many common ripping cuts, and it even stalled out entirely at other times. We contacted Bosch and worked directly with them to determine the nature of the issue (which appeared to have to do with the saw’s electronic speed control). Here is the initial statement from Bosch on the matter:
If you want to have a quick and accurate cut of wood, look no further than a table saw. When buying a table saw the main thing you put into consideration is its power. A good table saw should have enough power to cut through wet timber as well as hardwood. However, there are certain features which help in foreseeing the overall performance of a table saw.
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.
This blade shares many features that come standard on other Diablo blades. The carbide teeth are cut from Diablo’s TiCo High Density Carbide. Perma-Shield non-stick coating helps the blade move through material with less friction, reducing heat that can lead to warping in addition to corrosion. Diablo’s Tri-Metal Shock brazing process ensures the teeth stay in place much longer than other blades and can withstand impacts that leave other blades in need of a dentist.
It accommodates a clean workspace with its dust port that you can link to the external accessories to keep that messy dust away. The face is great, easy to set up, and in its category, it is the best fence. You can adjust it with accuracy and quickly use the pinion fence rail and the rack. The only complaint is perhaps the miter gauge, otherwise, DeWalt DW745 is the best table saw you could ever have.
Motor type There are two types of motors used in table saws: universal motors and induction motors. With a universal motor, the power source is linked directly to the blade, providing a whole lot of power. The downside is that these models are generally quite loud. Induction motors, on the other hand, are connected to a belt that then transfers power to the blade. As a result, you get quieter operation and the ability to cut dense materials. The downside is that these models require more preventive maintenance, as you have to adjust the belt’s tension periodically.
Bosch 10” table saw has it all in terms of precision and accuracy. It has a riving knife system for high material controls and visibility in cutting. The blade is designed with anti-kickback pawls to ensure once you start cutting, you will get accurate results to the end. The entire unit is designed with heavy-duty material for durability. The square lock rip fence has adjustable style to guarantee continued accuracy and precision in all your work. Additionally, the table saw has an easy to transport design with additional tabletops handles for portability. You can also regulate the cutting speed of the table saw to the place you are comfortable.
