Sawstop Cabinet Saw CB31230

*Est. $3,470

Pros

Safest cabinet saw
Excellent performance
Easy adjustments
Good dust control

Cons

Price
Lacks castors
Warranty for only two years

Our Analysis

Big and heavy cabinet saws provide more power and precision than other table saws. The three-hp SawStop cabinet saw earns top ranking partly for its unusual safety – with the flesh-sensing blade brake to prevent cuts, plus an excellent blade guard and riving knife. But reviews also say its performance, ease of use and dust control are unsurpassed. The only drawback (besides its price) is that it lacks castors. It's also available in a five-hp version, but reviews say a three-hp cabinet saw is powerful enough for almost every user. The warranty is for two years. The same blade brake is now available on the less expensive SawStop Contractor Saw (*est. $1,600).

We found the best comparison tests of the SawStop cabinet saw in Taunton's 2008 Tool Guide, which includes results from the annual survey of readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding. Workbench, Popular Woodworking and Tools of the Trade Online also include the SawStop cabinet saw in excellent comparison tests. Detailed single-product reviews in Woodworker's Journal and Woodcraft magazine evaluate the SawStop saw not only for its unique safety features but for performance, ease of use and build quality as well.

Our Sources

1. Taunton's 2008 Tool Guide

The SawStop CB31230 shares top ranking for performance with the Powermatic PM2000, based on earlier tests of 11 cabinet saws at Fine Woodworking, but the SawStop has the best safety features, including the easiest blade guard to remove and replace. The annual survey of readers of Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking ranks the SawStop highest, for two years in a row.

Review: 10-in. Cabinet Saws, Roland Johnson and Taunton Press Editors, Sept. 2007

2. Workbench MagazineDetails/Subscribe

Here too, the SawStop shares top ranking with the Powermatic PM2000. Workbench also provides an online video of the SawStop blade brake in action.

Review: Table Saw Shootout!, Bill Link, June 2006

3. Popular WoodworkingDetails/Subscribe

This article praises both the SawStop CB3230 and Powermatic PM2000 for their riving knives, but favors the Powermatic saw overall.

Review: What's New in Table Saws, Editors of Popular Woodworking, Jan. 2007

4. Tools of the Trade

Six heavy-duty cabinet table saws are run through objective tests here, with the SawStop sharing top ratings with the Laguna TS for fit and finish, trunnions, smooth cutting, dust collection and safety – with riving knives and excellent blade guards.

Review: Tool Test: 3-HP Cabinet Saws, Bill Thomas, Nov. 2005

5. Woodworker's JournalDetails/Subscribe

This woodworking instructor tests the SawStop cabinet saw in his own school, and also interviews other SawStop owners about their experiences with the saw. The blade guard and riving knife get top ratings for safety and convenience, and the saw's dust collection is also excellent.

Review: SawStop in the Real World, George Vondriska, June 2008

6. Woodcraft MagazineDetails/Subscribe

Both amateur and professional woodworkers agree here that the SawStop safety features alone make it far superior to other table saws, but the saw also earns praise for low vibration, out-of-the-box alignment, table flatness, blade run-out and parallelism.

Review: Safety First, Jim Derby, Jan. 2007

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