Table Saws : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentFive benchtop table saws, all equipped with riving knives, are tested here and compared for accuracy, power and ease of use. Glen Huey gives top ranking to the Bosch 4100. The December 2009 issue includes a detailed review, also by Huey, of the new SawStop Professional Cabinet Saw, comparing it with the heavier and more expensive -- and smoother-cutting -- SawStop Industrial Cabinet Saw. Earlier single-product reviews praise the Ridgid R4511 and Steel City 35900G hybrid saws, the SawStop Contractor Saw and the redesigned Delta Unisaw cabinet saw. The November 2007 issue reports on comparison tests of six hybrid saws. A special issue on table saws compares the SawStop cabinet saw with the Powermatic PM2000.

Our AssessmentEditors name the SawStop Professional cabinet saw one of the best new tools in this review, though a detailed review in the September 2009 issue also praises the redesigned Delta Unisaw for having the best blade guard system. Several staff members test the Unisaw; the pointer on the miter gauge is the only drawback noted. A November 2009 review gives the Ridgid R4511 hybrid saw a perfect 5-star rating, but notes some minor drawbacks. A July 2009 review by Doug Hicks gives the SawStop contractor saw a perfect 5-star rating, with praise not only for its riving knife and blade brake, but also for its effective dust collection and heavy-duty cast-iron trunnions. After testing the saw in various configurations, he recommends the cast-iron rather than stamped steel extension wings. Both the aluminum and Biesemeyer-style rip fences perform well. An excellent November 2008 comparison test of 10 hybrid saws details the pros and cons of each saw, top-ranking the ShopFox W1748. In an October 2007 article, Editor-in-Chief Bill Krier says that moving up from a contractor saw to a cabinet saw was the best tool investment he ever made.

Our AssessmentThis review compares six portable table saws (by Bosch, Craftsman, DeWalt, Jet, Makita and Ridgid), reporting on objective tests of accuracy as well as evaluating safety and convenience factors. All six saws that earn praise here are equipped with riving knives. The Bosch 4100-09 earns top ranking, praised for its power, arbor lock, stand and accessories. It's also quieter than most. The DeWalt DW744X is named a runner-up, but the Ridgid R4510 wins the Best Value award, earning praise for its miter gauge as well as its bargain price. The July 2008 issue of Fine Woodworking includes tests of the SawStop contractor saw.

Our AssessmentThis review of 10 portable table saws is somewhat outdated, but is based on objective tests of accuracy and speed as well as ratings for ease of use. The portable table saw that rates highest for rip precision isn't the same model that scores highest for crosscut accuracy, and the only saw that gets the highest rating for both features loses points for edge finish on molding. In other words, none of these portable saws will perform with excellence on every task. A separate review in the June 2007 issue tests the SawStop cabinet saw to see if its safety features work as promised.

Our AssessmentThis review explains the changes in blade guard designs mandated by revised Underwriters Laboratories guidelines, but doesn't evaluate specific models. Separate reviews in the October 2009 issue cover two new cabinet saws: the redesigned Delta Unisaw and the SawStop Professional Cabinet Saw. Both reviews focus on features, with no testing documented, but highlight advantages well. Similarly, a brief review in the April 2009 issue covers the Ridgid R4511 Granite Top hybrid table saw.

Our AssessmentTests of eight contractor saws (including a preproduction SawStop) lead to the conclusion that all these saws are much better for woodworking than earlier contractor saw models. Only small differences distinguish the best from the worst, and all perform well overall. In the June 2008 issue, George Vondriska gives the SawStop cabinet saw a long, detailed review based on extensive tests plus interviews with users, and an online December 2007 review by Michael Dresdner covers the JET Deluxe Xacta cabinet saw. An earlier April 2005 review compares five benchtop table saws that come with rolling stands.

Our AssessmentThis review of the SawStop cabinet saw goes beyond detailed coverage of the safety features (riving knife, well-placed shut-off paddle switch, convenient blade guard and -- of course -- the unique sensor that stops the blade if it encounters flesh). Woodworker Ben Bishop also praises the SawStop's performance and ease of use. He finds cuts even with the stock blade to be "smoother than what I get from my surface planer," and he adds that all adjustments are easy to make and to repeat. Dust collection is also very good.

Our AssessmentOwner-written ratings of table saws are especially easy to browse here, since the list of models includes both the average rating and the number of reviews on which it's based. You can also sort the whole list to put the highest-rated models at the top, and there's a good mix of portable, contractor, hybrid and cabinet saws here.

Our AssessmentSears sells a few Bosch and DeWalt table saws, but its own Craftsman brand table saws earn the most positive reviews overall here. You can sort the list by average rating, another plus.

Our AssessmentWoodCentral.com lists a number of in-depth reviews of table saws by readers, including an early review of the SawStop cabinet saw, but there's no overall scoring or rating system. Still, if you have your choice narrowed down, these reviews are thorough and insightful, and often well illustrated with photos of details hard to find anywhere else. Table saw fences and other accessories are also well covered at this site.