Table Saws Reviews
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Updated September 2008
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Fast Answers - Best Table Saws
| Top Rated |
What the Research Says |
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Bosch 4100DG-09
(*est. $820)
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Best portable table saw. Reviews give Bosch the lead among portable table saws, and say the newer Bosch 4100 saws are the best ever, with an improved blade guard system plus a riving knife to prevent kickback. This top-rated Bosch table saw adds a digital rip fence for extra precision. Reviews praise the Bosch table saws for accuracy, convenient scales, easy blade changes, onboard storage and dust control. The soft-start 15-amp motor has electronic torque control to regulate the output to match the workload. The wheeled stand snaps open or folds flat in a single lever-activated motion.
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Ryobi BTS21
(*est. $250)
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Budget portable saw. Reviews recommend Ryobi portable saws as the best budget brand. The Ryobi BTS21 portable table saw lacks a riving knife (to prevent kickback) and the blade guard is less convenient to use and hence, less safe. It's also noisier and less accurate than the more expensive Bosch portable saws. However, the Ryobi saw does have a dust port, plus a larger cutting and ripping capacity, a two-year warranty and conveniences like onboard tool storage. A folding stand is included.
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SawStop Contractor Saw CNS175-SFA30
(*est. $1,600)
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Best contractor saw. This long-awaited table saw incorporates the SawStop flesh-sensing blade brake that prevents losing a finger, plus a riving knife and excellent blade guard. These are the same safety features found on the top-ranked SawStop cabinet saw (*est. $3,470) but on a more affordable open-legged contractor saw. Reviews say it runs and cuts smoothly, with excellent dust collection through a 4-inch port. Cast iron wings (*est. $190) cost extra. A mobile base (*est. $160) or handled jobsite cart (*est. $200) are also available. The warranty is for two years.
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Ridgid TS3660
(*est. $550)
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Budget contractor saw. The Ridgid TS3660 lacks the safety features found on the SawStop saws, and the 2.5-inch dust port is smaller. However, the Ridgid contractor saw has accumulated good reviews, with high-end features for its price. It comes with cast iron wings and trunnions for stability, accuracy and low vibration. A Poly V-belt running on machined pulleys also reduces vibration. The three-year warranty converts to an outstanding lifetime warranty as soon as it's registered.
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Steel City 35900G
(*est. $1,350)
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Best hybrid saw. This is the first hybrid saw to incorporate a true riving knife plus a heavy granite table top that's more stable than cast iron. This new saw keeps all the features that reviews praise in earlier Steel City table saws, like a tool-free blade guard and excellent dust control. Reviews also praise it for ease in cutting sheet stock. This 1.75-hp saw could easily be the centerpiece of a workshop devoted to precision woodworking. The saw carries a five-year warranty, and ten years on the granite top. It's also available with a precision-machined top as the 35900 (*est. $1,250).
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SawStop Cabinet Saw CB31230
(*est. $3,470)
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Best cabinet saw. Cabinet saws provide more power and precision than other table saws, and this 3-hp table saw earns top ranking partly for its unusual safety features which include a 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 5-hp version, but reviews say a 3-hp cabinet saw is powerful enough for almost every user. The warranty is for two years.
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Comparison Chart
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Full Story
What the experts say, our analysis, and more...
We found the best reviews of table saws in Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking, Workbench magazine and Tools of the Trade Online. Consumer Reports tests a few portable table saws, but provides less detail and doesn't evaluate them for safety. Portable table saws do remain the most popular type, but attention is returning to hybrid table saws,....
... Continued
More in this report:
Consensus Report
| # Of Picks |
Model (With Retailer Links) |
| 9 |
SawStop Cabinet Saw CB31230 (*est. $3,470) |
| 5 |
Ridgid TS3660 (*est. $550) |
| 4 |
Grizzly G1023SL (*est. $995) |
| 4 |
Bosch 4000-09 (*est. $550) |
| 4 |
Ridgid TS2410LS (*est. $450) |
| 3 |
Craftsman Pro 22124 (*est. $1,100) |
| 3 |
DeWalt DW745 (*est. $370) |
| 3 |
Ryobi BTS21 (*est. $250) |
| 2 |
Powermatic Model 66 (*est. $2,880) |
| 2 |
Powermatic PM2000 (*est. $2,500) |
| 2 |
Grizzly G0478 (*est. $775) |
| 2 |
SawStop Contractor Saw CNS175-SFA30 (*est. $1,600) |
| 2 |
Craftsman 21829 (*est. $500) |
| 1 Each |
Bosch 4100-09, Bosch 4100DG-09, Craftsman 21806, Craftsman 21805, Hitachi C10RA3, Makita 2704, Craftsman OR35505, Delta 36-979, Grizzly G0444, Craftsman OR35505, DeWalt DW746X, Hitachi C10FL, Jet JWSS-10CSPF, Steel City 35601, Woodtek 148-271, JET Deluxe Xacta, Laguna TS |
The saws with the best
safety features take the lead - SawStop among cabinet saws, Bosch among
portable table saws. Powermatic also makes well-recommended cabinet
saws, with Grizzly the top budget pick. Ridgid's lead among contractor
saws is now challenged by the new SawStop. There's less consensus about
the best hybrid saw, but at the time of our report, Steel City
makes the only hybrid saws with riving knives.
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