Best Table Saws
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Beating heart of home woodshop – Note: item pictured at top of reviews shows a trolley stand which is not included with the saw. Being a hobbyist DIYer who likes to make things… Read more
about the house, I put off getting a table saw for a long timel they're just so expensive. Now I feel like an idiot for doing so. The DWE7491 has become the most used tool in the shop.
This thing isn't cheap. Weighing in at nearly $1300 it was a cause for anxiety when I pulled the trigger. But I am so glad I did.
Here are the things I love: - The fence is dreamy, with a wonderful rack and pinion adjustment. Keeps it true. - Rip capacity is well over 800mm - Powerful motor cuts everything with ease - Onboard storage of fence and other tooling (but not blade changing spanners) - Includes blade changing spanners that work
Here are the things I'm not so fond of: - It is LOUD! The motor is not built in to cabinetry so it is free to yell at you. Wear ear protection. - The motor sparks when stopping - The tracks are non-standard size - The arbor is 16mm, making it difficult to find suitable blades (use a reducer) - The fence is a little short for longer cuts. - Dust collection isn't perfect, but show me a saw that is
This tool opens up so many opportunities for new projects. It has been used to build shelves, shop tools (e.g. drill press table), cabinets, cutlery drawer inserts, ripped down panels and ply, and much more. I haven't touched my circular saws or mitre saw since I bought it several months ago.
I also received the DWE74912-XJ scissor stand as a bonus and the saw fitted on to it with no problems. The stand is stable and I've had no issues with balance or tipping. I also use roller stands from Bunnings for longer workpieces to ensure they remain level at the ends of the cuts.
It isn't a match for a cabinet saw, but it is more affordable, transportable and smaller, which is great for the hobbyist on a money and space budget.
Second replacement saw – First saw lasted 13 months. under warranty took 3 month then was replaced with a brand new saw. This one as a hobbyist has just failed after 17 months. Very poor saws Show details
DeWalt 745
Good value but understand it's limitations – This is not a tool designed for fine wood working. It has many shortcomings, but some can be overcome with a little bit of effort. Some very good… Read more
videos on youtube about mods and improvements.
I got mine for about 580 on clearance and it was pretty square right out of the box.
I made a cross cut sled and found that using two runners caused the sled to bind. The runners on their own slid smoothly, so I can only assume that the mitre slots are not 100% parallel which is a shame but not a huge deal. I just use one runner now. The blade is close enough to parallel with the slots that the cuts are good enough for my work.
It makes a ton of dust so use it outside or with dust collection.
Cuts well, plenty of power, the rack and pinion fence is easy to dial in accurate cuts. It does a good job for the price.
I do wish it was more precise but this tool is compact and portable which for me is more important.
The power switch makes perfect sense to me. Easy to turn off, hard to start. If you read the manual you'd know how it works.
Warranty repair – The saw itself is ok, until it broke, lucky for me it was still under warranty.that has now been over 10 weeks since I took it in for repairs. What a… Read more
joke, ever time I ring they say it should be done in a couple of days!! Let’s see if it back after 11 weeks. This has put me off buying Bosch in the future. Very poor service.
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Perfect work table and sawhorse, versatile, strong and value for money – Highly recommend this. Pros - strong and stable, can easily put a mitre saw on it as well - has 2 clamps embedded that can be used with the table… Read more
nicely as well - portable and very easy to fold - great value for money compared to other ones - versatile and can link up multiple worx benches
Cons - plastic but that does keep it light - clamping vertically against the side of table not as easy, I have to use a piece of wood underneath, that said compared to other ones, this is still way better especially for the price tag
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Ryobi table saw - not level! – Bought this last weekend. Had to fiddle with the various gauges to make the blade straight, but if you actually read the instructions - it’s not too… Read more
hard. Set up the stand, and the table is not level!?! Got a 15mm lean across, and 8mm lean front to back. Whilst theoretically it doesn’t affect the function of the table - it’s not in any way OK for the table to be out of square on the basic parameter of levelness. More than disappointed - I sent them a question on how to fix it, and they don’t monitor their queries inbox. Sent them a second - no response again. Tried to send Bunnings a complaint - the form doesn’t work! (Not an unusual tactic for big corporates.) I have stocked up on #Ryobi tools this year (30!). And overall they are good, but service matters. I will be returning this for a credit.
ozito creates surprisingly awesome mitre saw – I bought this combination mitre saw with extension stand 3 or 4 years ago now (2019/2020) from Bunnings. It’s a tough saw that I have put through a… Read more
slog of cross cut timber for many Reno projects. Still running smoothly as the day I bought it. WRT accuracy: plenty of fine adjustments available to assure true 90° calibrations.
The Red Laser light guide is handy although a constant fiddle to keep it accurate to the blade’s line of cut. The saw has a dust extraction outlet which is conveniently out of the way. It comes with an Allen Key for Blade changes that has its own clip in storage bracket. The saw’s dust cowling/funnel needs to be enlarged to be effective: a minor issue.
The horse stand with extension is good enough for occasional use as it’s flimsy. I built a mitre saw bench insert for it to bolt to.
The two adjustable height board support rollers are handy as I remove them from time to time and insert them into my own custom support stands.
5/5 value for money and overall quality build for the saw itself: would have liked it to be 2000 watts in future versions and with more reliable way to calibrate the laser light.
The stand for the saw needs to be a more robust design so I’d only give that 2/5.
Everything we wished for – Has already been used numerous times with great satisfaction and being used each day we attend, being 2 days per week. As older folk\s we appreciate the safety features and hope that it is not needed but they are there just in case. Show details
I am very happy with the Hikoki Table saw – I bought the saw for traditional woodworking. The saw was very easy to assemble and was accurate out of the box and the dust extraction sprays overy… Read more
out most particles except for very big slices. The fold out trolley is exceptionally well made and functional. I have a shop vac hooked up now and it works well.
You get what you pay for – After assembling strictly following instruction. The plastic body ensures it will always feel unsteady. As that is where the legs attach. Why Plastic? It feels cheap but for a sometime DIYer would suffice. Show details
Well Designed Little Table Saw but Poorly made – I had read many reviews on 4 inch below table saw, including the very helpful one from Graeme W, before committed to a 05/07 version of the Proxxon… Read more
FET. My experience on the saw includes: As mentioned by Graeme W, there are a few options when comes to models: * The MicroMark/Microlux 80463 which is a rebadged, 110VAC version of Proxxon FKS from the US. * The Proxxon current model FET. * The Brynes from the US. * There was a Microlux model 85870 with digital rip fence which appears to be a rebadged Austrian model. Both are hard to find now. * But there is also a Chinese model called Hyuda appeared like the Austrian model. All three models are functionally similar to Proxxon FKS but with a digital rip fence.
I picked Proxxon FET because it's the current model and I particularly like the feature that you can lift the table top and clean the internal. The only criticism is the vacumb design may not be right so the suction can't get rid of all the saw dust.
For the Brynes, I think it's the Roll Royce among the all, very precise but very expensive too. You need to buy a lot of accessories, one by one,... an angle cut would require you to purchase the tilt table which makes me think it's complicated to use. The good news is you can get the 230VAC version. The only thing stops me buying this beautiful saw is the price.
For Microlux 36587/Proxxon FKS, I like the fact that it has speed adjustment which is useful if you cut metals, hard woods, PCBs or ceramics, not so much for timbers, you always run the top speed especially for soft wood. The FKS is now superseded by FET and the Microlux has only 110VAC version. I saw comments that the FKS is made in Japan and the FET is made in Taiwan. I bought a faulty FKS to compare with my new FET, the difference is not too obvious, yes, the FKS is slightly more refined, just. FET is definitely a better design.
The Hyuda is half the price of a FET and is pretty good value for the price. It also has a digital fence and speed adjustment. However, I prefer something a bit more refined.
It's possible to modify FET to include a speed controller, but it is not straight forward.
I have also discovered there are many different types of blades can be used for the FET; you do not have to use the Proxxon blades. For example, you can get inexpensive, very thin Chinese made solid carbide blades which are very durable and making precise cuts.
The feature I like most for the FET is the fine adjustment of the rip fence, it saves you the need to buy a Microlux Accurizer II rip fence. After I used the saw afew times, I have discovered the adjustment is too rough of a make. There are too much play due to the gaps left in manufacturing. The fix is to shim the gaps with PTFE washers. This will make the adjustment smoother and at the same time eliminating the noise creating by the scratching spring.
I dislike most is my version of the FET coming with a cost-cutting version of the rip fence longitudinal stop. It's made of a extrusion aluminium angle rather than the original cast Aluminium bar. The angle can only be used on the right side of the saw blade but not the left side of the saw blade while the cast bar can be both. I wrote to Proxxon and was referred to a local dealer, a cast bar rip fence is still available for the cost of approx. $70. I also discovered the stop can be easily moved out of calibration due to the way of the screw holding the angle. I had to use a larger washer, a longer screw and super glue to hold it down firmly after calibrating it with a precision square.
Overall I now believe the saw may be a good design but let down by the quality control. If you are handy and able to fix issues here and there, and don't want to pay double the money for a premium model like Brynes, it's still a reasonable compromise.
Festool PRECISIO CS 50 Table Saw
It beats any other table saw / drop saw in one – Light easy to carry around one in two tools. Dropsaw and table saw as one. Looks professional and great in dust free with Vacume. I also got the cs70 for bigger jobs to Show details
This is perfect for me – I used it all day. A bit noisy, my wife says. I use ear protection. Having said that all cut timber was perfect. Extra time was put in to ensure square cuts, but worth the time. I love the Electric brake feature. Very happy so far. Purchased Aug2021
4 Stars In The Price Range – I wanted a table saw that I could various blades for and that could, at a once in every great while push, be transported to an easy to access place. … Read more
Being able to handle nails on some wood was preferred too. Mostly it will just sit around getting very occasional use.
Unless you want to spend way more the choices are limited.
This is a generic design and the two similar guises I came down to were a big chain offering for $100 less and this. The big chain offering came with 3 cheap wood blades versus this one with a good blade costing more overall. The big chain says for wood that I could see and I preferred the odd nail in wood being still OK, and I will take no chances taken with a table saw. The extra backplate on the big chain was a minus in my book as it would be taking up precious extra space, and seemed to serve more to strengthen things whereas this one had more robust leg attachment system off the bat.
Nothing against that big chain range at all. I often use them as usually do what I need for my specific occasional needs and at prices and easy returns I can't look past. On this occasion, the differences above were key enough to make the $100 saving look like a false economy quickly and always nice to do business with a local small business. I should say other differences existed but IMO very minor and nothing that I would care about.
Back to this one:
It went together OK. After some playing, it squares up OK - Maybe a bit of a knack holding and tightening when in place to do that but it did it. The fence stays in place and if it ever gets loose a clamp will be an easy fix. The mitre angle guage is IMO only useful where guaranteed exactness is not required as it's not an exact fit in the grooves even if it looked better than the other. The clamp-on it I took off and that solves any niggle with my Ozito mitre saw which only came with one - fitted that fine on the right side fence of that mitre saw to compliment the left............Generic stuff.....\. I might look at fixing a different T bar or just rely on sleds I have / will make (often go that route anyway)
Adjustments are easy.
The throat plate is flimsy but OK in practice for my use so far.
The blades I needed were easy enough to get BUT something to look into before buying.
IMO there is nothing out there at or remotely close to this price point that comes in excellent guise out of the box.
This one I can work with from its base to get good results having decided a table saw was the route I wanted to go for my needs.
Love dewalt – Dewalt, what more can I say the BEST. Dewalt never disappoints me, great reliable product that I have professionally and in my personal garage. Good… Read more
power, have never burnt it out even after some abuse. I buy dewalt as gifts for my siblings because I trust it.
Dewalt 8-1/4" Compact Table Saw DWE7485
Very said service purchased the table saw and I got a redemption for a scissor saw stand when contacting DeWALT they told me will be up to 60 day… Read more
before receiving the promo gift this is a very poor effort on Dewalts behalf 60 days till I can us it safely or go purchase a stand the trough DeWALTs in the bin not happy about it will go back to Milwaukee Tools
Reasonable – Seems good you do need a vacuum cleaner/dust extraction. the only issue with mine is that the machined aluminium seems to leave grey marks on the… Read more
wood. These can be sanded off. fitting the router was a bit of a fiddle. I put a trim router in mine because it made the height of the bit easy to adjust. It was not straight forward to fit the router and get the machine tuned. It was good once set up.
Not as useful as it should be – Don't buy this Hafco Woodmaster (ST254) saw or any Hafco woodworking equipment, it won't take most industry standard aftermarket accessories. The… Read more
arbour is an odd size, every saw blade has to be shimmed to fit the arbor, dado stacks won't fit on it because it's too short. The under table dust collection is poor, dust collects in the box under the blade requiring frequent cleaning. I had to shim the throat plate to get it flush with the tabletop. The riving knife which holds the above table dust collection and blade guard is too long requiring it to be removed to use a crosscut table sled and replaced when ripping down timber. I took the blade guard and above blade dust collection off because it was impractical, collected little or no dust and was bordering on unsafe. For a few dollars more you can get a much better saw that works with most "extra" bits which you will come to want and can buy off the shelf. It was fine when I knew very little, but as my skills have progressed I'm finding I'm hampered by this saw's inadequacies, things I didn't know to look for when I started, which I now wish I did when I purchased this saw. I bought a cheap saw and that's what I got. Do a bit more research, spend a few extra dollars and you'll enjoy your woodworking a lot more.
Ozito TSB-0810
They do not honour their phone quotes – The company quotes one price over the phone and we you double confirm the price and agree to it they issue an invoice for a much higher price. Not an honourable way to do business
Scheppach saw not worth the money – A right piece of rubbish the saw is chronically under powered. The plastic plate around the saw blade is 2mm lower than the table making the cutting… Read more
of smaller pieces unstable and dangerous. The lifting system for the blade is weak and unstable. The general stability of the whole saw poor. The bolts holding it together are soft and easily stripped. I had to brace the bottom of the legs to give a somewhat stable base. The cross slide is nearly impossible to set up so it works well. My credentials I am a toolmaker and I also have a Batchelor in Mechanical Engineering buy this saw at your own risk. There should be a way to give a negative star rating as this is what this saw deserves. This should not be allowed to be sold in Australia
Dangerous and not fit for purpose – I just bought it and two weeks later I am still putting it together. It came with an instruction book for a DIFFERENT model. The manual was vague… Read more
and didn't help much. I had to email the supplier who said no book had been written for the Hybrid saw yet. It came without the bolts needed to attach the front and back rails so I had to make a trip to the hardware store. It came WITHOUT A BLADE because the supplier said the [Content Removed] manufacturer provided a very cheap blade that did not meet their standards. There was no note or message on the website to say "no blade supplied". It has a 15.9mm arbor and you cannot buy 12" blades with this size bore. I had to special order a 12" blade with bore bushing rings and have to wait 2 more weeks for delivery. I am still trying to align the "blade" setup and the book just says "to align it". There are no video's on YouTube about assembling this saw as it is not a common brand in USA. I have just discovered the quick release mechanism for fitting the riving knife does not disengage because the handle cannot open as it hits another mechanism. The blade guard cannot be fitted unless it is fitted to a dust extractor. I do not recommend it until it has a comprehensive and accurate assembly booklet, an opportunity to purchase a blade when ordering the saw, a quality control check list to ensure all parts are supplied, and all parts are FIT for purpose. On just the second use, the blade started to rise on its own. I set it for a 3/4" half cut and the blade rose by 1/4" after the first cut and continued to rise until it cut all the way through the 2x4. This saw is a waste of money and is just plain dangerous.
I was super excited to pick the Metabo table saw from Bunnings only to be disappointed by the quality you would expect from Metabo. Upon removing the… Read more
machine from the box I first noticed that the plastic hinge of the blade storage cover was broken. I would have been ok with that as its just cosmetic, BUT, after setting up the mitre gauge, I noticed how misaligned the slot rails are on the table. There is way too much play on the mitre fence to make an accurate cut. When you adjust the pieces of plastic that would reduce play, the mitre fence would get stuck in one place and have lots of play in another area of the slot rails. VERY uneven. I thought it was perhaps a one off faulty machine, I took it back and ordered another one. SAME ISSUE! This time even the mitre guage's rail that is attached to the mitre fence had play in it. I checked that all the screws were correctly tightened which it was, so its just poor design or quality control. The biggest issue for me was the guide rail/fence, it had so much play/movent that its impossible to lock it straight without a huge amount of effort. Once again poor design and quality control. Such a let down product from Metabo. If it all worked it would be an amazing machine with all the features of the machine, but unfortunately it seems like they tried to cut costs by building an inferior product and rather made the "features" the selling point. Taking it back tomorrow for a refund.
Bad Tile Saw – The QEP 800W Electric Tile Bridge Saw bought from Bunnings, Brendale, had several faults including the following: 1. Mitre gauge missing 2. Tray… Read more
has hole but no plug; and there were other parts missing
3. Pump has a filter but will not operate/operate properly with the filter in
4. there was a serious choking kink in the plastic hose which would have required major dismantling to fix
5. Hard to push along the track
I was extremely disappointed with the saw and also at my time wasted in transporting it, assembling it and trying to get it to work. I returned it to Bunnings. There was also no advice available about the saw from anyone at Bunnings.
Universal vs. induction saws
| Universal motor | Induction motor | |
|---|---|---|
| Portability | ✔ | |
| Durability | ✔ | |
| Affordability | ✔ | |
| Speed | ✔ | |
| Energy rating | ✔ | |
| Reduced noise | ✔ | |
| Dual power source | ✔ |
There are two primary types of motors that are used to power your saws. They differ in performance and price tags.
Induction motors are heavier than universal motors, making them less portable but more ideal for stationary tools to reduce rattling and improve stability. They can only run on a mains power and need to be plugged in. Because they are more durable and made with copper or stainless steel, they are more expensive and can be found in the top of the range saws.
Saws with induction motors have a slower maximum speed and less torque at the start-up - meaning they may not be suitable for tasks that involve starting and stopping frequently. However, they have a longer life compared to universal motors, a higher energy efficiency rating and are much quieter than universal motors.
On the opposite end, universal motors are lightweight and suitable for use as portable saws - being able to run on both mains and battery power. They are affordable and have no limit on speeds and have great torque whilst starting up.
The downsides are that they may need replacing more often than induction motors, they tend to make much more noise and are less energy efficient.
You should invest in a motor type depending on how often you’ll be using your table saw and the type of projects you’ll be working on.
Types of table saws
There are many types of table saws on the market and the one you choose should be based on your budget, the space you have available, what you will be using it for and how adept you are at woodworking. With that in mind, here are the types of table saws available.
Portable
For those who value easy portability and storage - primarily those working in their garages or on various job sites, portable saws are the way to go. They are lightweight, can be stored away easily and are designed to be placed on tables or portable workbenches.
They come in three handy models: benchtop, compact, and jobsite table saws.
Benchtop table saws
These saws should be placed on a table or workbench as they don’t come with a support stand. They’re lightweight and a good choice for homeowner and casual DIYers.
Benchtop table saws are powered by a universal motor and are extremely portable. They can be moved and set to a different height to produce cuts with different depths.
These types of table saws are the most affordable, providing excellent value for money. They can, however, be noisier and less durable than bigger and more expensive models.
Compact table saws
Compact saws are larger than benchtop models but smaller than contractor saws. They sit on a stationary stand and are generally driven by small toothed belts with a universal motor. They are similar to, but smaller and made of lighter materials than a contractor saw.
Jobsite table saws
Jobsite table saws come mounted on a stand. They’re larger than benchtop models but still easily portable and used by trade professionals who commute to job sites. They’re also more robust in order to be able to withstand use on construction sites.
Stationary table saws
Stationary saws are generally used by serious woodworking enthusiasts and cabinet makers. They are larger, more robust and can provide more precise cuts than portable table saws. Models include contractor, hybrid, and cabinet table saws.
Contractor table saws
Also referred to as open-stand saws, they are larger and heavier than portable table saws and come with an attached stand (which is usually on wheels). They use an induction type motor for a steadier cut.
Many DIY hobbyists and homeowners can benefit from buying this type of saw if they wish to get a stationary one because standard electrical circuits provide adequate power to run them and they are fairly affordable when compared to other large saws.
A potential downside is that the motor hangs off the rear of the saw meaning dust collection may be difficult.
Cabinet table saws
Cabinet table saws are typically the most expensive and powerful. They are made of cast iron and steel to minimise vibration and increase accuracy. They’re built with an enclosed base for superior dust collection and feature an induction motor in the 3 to 5 horsepower range.
They’re most suitable for professional use and are a great investment for woodworking enthusiasts. Designed to be durable and robust, these models will last for many years.
However, because they are large, they will require a large amount of dedicated space and can not be stored away.
Hybrid table saws
Hybrid saws provide many features that are present in a high-end cabinet and contractor saws at a reduced cost.
They are, in essence, contractor saws mounted to a tabletop with a cabinet stand. Most come with an enclosed cabinet design, but some offer an open leg style of design to improve dust collection.
They are not as robust as cabinet saws but are still an upgrade from a contractor saw. They offer good value for money.
What to look for in a good table saw
Now that you’ve chosen which type of saw you want, you’ll want to choose your specific saw. Here are the things you should look out for:
Blade: One of the most important features of the table saw is the quality of the blade. Look out for the number of teeth, kerf and arbor size, diameter, application, speed and material of the blade.
For reference, the standard blade diameter is 10” which gives a 3-½” cut capacity at 90 degrees. Blades can be made out of carbide, carbon or diamond-tipped teeth.
Power: Many blades these days can cut through materials other than wood. Knowing which materials you want to work with in the future will guide your decision-making process in this category.
The amps (current) refer to the power output of the table saw. The higher the amps, the more power the saw has to cut dense material. Purchase a saw that is powerful enough for your required tasks.
Flat top: The most accurate cuts can only be made on flat tables. Check your saw’s flatness deviation (0.005” is typically acceptable for a cabinet saw).
Rip fence type: The fence, also known as a rip fence is a cutting guide that goes from the front of the table to the back. This should be perfectly parallel to the cutting plane of the blade and should lock down solidly.
It’s important to have a reliable fence that doesn’t move out of position to ensure a clean cut.
The rip capacity is also important to consider as it determines the maximum width of any material that you’d like to cut.
Miter gauge: A miter gauge is a device used for holding workpieces at a set angle while being cut on table saws - look for an accurate miter gauge with stops at 45 and 90 degrees.
Standard mitre slot: While Australian table saws will all use the standard 19 x 9.5mm mitre slot, suiting all standard accessories, European table saws will use different sized slots so be careful if purchasing a table saw from abroad.
Arbor locks: An arbor lock provides a simple and safer locking mechanism that prevents the blade from spinning while you lock it in place. Usually, the arbor hole is 5/8″ in diameter. Having ill-fitting arbor locks can making changing blades a tiresome process.
Storage: Some table saws can offer a storage compartment to place your tools and accessories such as safety glasses, rip fence and blades. This can be highly useful and provide a compact and tidy appearance.
Dust collection: If you’ll be using the saw inside and you want to keep things tidy, make sure the saw has a dust port available to connect a dust collector to it.
Bevel capability: When making angled cuts, most table saws allow you to tilt the blade to the left for angled cuts, some also tilt to the right - try to choose a saw that matches your personal preference and provides accurate, clean angled cuts.
Ease of use: Consider how easy the product is to understand and use as this could affect the quality of your work and your safety. Some portable table saws don’t come assembled so take into consideration the effort of setting up a table saw or buying one pre-installed. Take into account how easy it is to change the blade and make certain types of cuts such as grooved or angled cuts.
Safety: Table saws are very safe when used responsibly with all the guards in place, however, for extra safety, some saws come with an automatic brake that goes into effect when the blade touches the skin. It could also be worth investing in a safety on/off switch that you can turn off with your knees as your hands might be occupied while holding onto some wood.
You can read reviews on the top table saws on our website today!
Hi David, Thank you for taking the time to write us a… Read more