Do you use the table saw on regular basis? The table saw is widely used by carpenters and hobbyists to perform their wood cutting task effectively. The regular table saws are bigger and make you unable to move it around easily while if you’re performing job in various locations. So, to clear this issue, you have to choose portable table saws.
A portable table saw is small, compact, and lightweight that make it easy to take it around with you to have accurate and clean cutting of wood. You have to consider these 3 key factors while purchasing the best portable table saw.
- Rotation Speed: The saw’s blade will spin radially to cut any material / wood quickly and easily. One can find rotation speed rating that range from 3000 RPM – 5000 RPM, in which choosing a table saw with higher rotation speed will let you enjoy smooth, clear and faster cutting of any material.
- Blade: Used to cut all types of materials. One has to choose a table saw with larger blade size (for cutting large objects), carbide tipped teeth (for durable and long-lasting nature) and higher number of teeth in blade (for clean cutting).
- Cutting Capacity: The cutting capacity of a table size of saw will allow you to cut large objects on table saw easily. One has to choose the larger cutting capacity from the range of 20 – 25 inches.
Apart from these 3 key things, you have to consider various other factors like motor power, its types, cutting depth, rip fence capacity, drive types, accessories, etc. which are clearly mentioned in the below “Buying Guide”. Also, we are providing a list of some best-selling portable table saws to help you choose your best and most suited saw from various models and designs in the market.
Best Portable Table Saws
| Portable Table Saw | Capacity | Motor Power | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEWALT Portable Table Saw | 24 Inch | 15 Amp | 1 Year | Check On Amazon |
| Rockwell Portable Table Saw | 17 Inch | 5.5 Amp | 3 Year | Check On Amazon |
| WORX Portable Table Saw | 15 Inch | 5.5 Amp | 3 Year | Check On Amazon |
| Skil Portable Table Saw | 10 Inch | 15 Amp | 1 Year | Check On Amazon |
| Bosch Portable Table Saw | 10 Inch | 15 Amp | 1 Year | Check On Amazon |
| Metabo Jobsite Table Saw | 10 Inch | 15 Amp | 2 Year | Check On Amazon |
Top Portable Table Saws: Reviews
1. DEWALT Portable Table Saw
DEWALT Table Saw is a powerhouse, delivering performance and precise cuts for both professional contractors and DIYers. Its robust motor ensures it can effortlessly cut through tough materials, tackling challenging tasks with ease.
This table saw has a user-friendly design, allowing for accurate cuts through easy-to-use adjustments. It’s like having a tool that makes sure your work turns out just the way you planned.
Additionally, the large rip capacity stands out, accommodating sizable materials like 4X8 plywood or OSB sheets, making it a reliable choice for substantial jobs. With this tool at your disposal, you can tackle projects confidently, knowing you have the equipment to achieve good results.
Best Features
- Powerful Motor: Strong motor for efficient cutting.
- Precision Cuts: Rack and pinion rails for accurate cuts.
- Ample Rip Capacity: Handles large materials like 4X8 plywood.
- Durability: Built to last in demanding job site conditions.
Components
- Motor: Powers the cutting action.
- Telescoping Rails: Ensure precise cuts.
- Rip Fence: Aids in accurate cutting.
- Blade: Sharp for efficient cutting.
- Table Surface: Sturdy platform for workpieces.
2. Rockwell Portable Table Saw
Rockwell is a lesser-known brand of power tools when compared with other options out there. The best part about this saw is its powerful motor. It can easily cut through hard stuff, making it used for many kinds of cutting jobs.
What makes this saw special is how it helps you cut accurately. It has something called a guard and knife system that makes sure your cuts are just how you want them.
This saw is good because you can use different blades to cut many things like wood, tiles, plastic, metal, and more. This adaptability makes it a choice for a wide array of projects. Furthermore, its compact and portable design enhances usability by allowing for easy transportation and setup wherever it’s needed.
Best Features
- Powerful Motor: Cuts tough materials effectively.
- Precision Guard and Knife: Ensures accurate cuts.
- Versatile Blades: Suitable for various materials.
- Portability: Easy to move and set up.
- Accessory Storage: Convenient organization.
Key Components
- Motor: Provides cutting power.
- Guard and Knife: Enhances safety and accuracy.
- Blades: Enable versatile cutting.
- Design: Compact and portable.
- Storage: Convenient accessory organization
3. WORX Portable Table Saw
WORX WX572L BladeRunner x2 Portable Table Saw can easily cut through different stuff like wood, metal, tile, plastic, and aluminum. This is achieved through a powerful motor that ensures it can handle tough materials with ease.
A standout feature is its rack and pinion fence system, contributing to smooth and precise cuts. This table saw’s main features are portability and simplicity of usage. It’s a handy tool for both novice and expert users because it’s portable, lightweight, and simple to set up.
To enhance its versatility, it comes with a miter gauge, rip fence, and multiple blades, catering to different cutting needs. Additionally, the user-friendly assembly ensures you can start using it quickly, saving time and effort.
Best Features
- Versatility: Cuts wood, metal, tile, plastic, and aluminum.
- Ease of Use: Lightweight, compact, and easy to set up.
- Precision Cutting: Rack and pinion fence for accurate cuts.
- Safety Measures: Guard and riving knife for safety.
Key Components
- Motor: Powerful motor for efficient cutting.
- Accessories: Includes miter gauge, rip fence, and multiple blades.
4. Skil Portable Table Saw
Skil is a brand that manufactures and sells a wide range of saws, drills, drivers, benchtops, sanders, and screwdrivers. It’s comparable to having a durable tool that you can depend on for a long time.
This saw is all about getting things just right. It has a special fence system that ensures every cut is exactly where you want it. Ease of use is a standout feature, as the rugged rolling stand makes transportation and setup easy, adding to its overall mobility.
Moreover, the inclusion of a dust port elbow simplifies cleanup, enhancing user convenience. This tool has some helpful extras for handling big jobs.
Best Features
- Durability: Worm Drive Gearing ensures tool longevity.
- Precision Cuts: Rack an Pinion Fence for accurate results.
- Mobility: Rugged Rolling Stand for easy movement.
- Cutting: Motor that effortlessly handles tough materials.
Key Components
- Rolling Stand: Essential for mobility and stability.
- Motor: Powerhouse driving efficient cutting.
- Dust Port and Elbow: Aids in maintaining a clean workspace.
5. Bosch Portable Table Saw
Bosch is a leader in manufacturing and selling power tools, hand tools, and other hardware equipment. The saw has a strong motor that cuts through hard stuff easily, making your work fast and effective. Additionally, it has a big work area with support for materials. This means you have plenty of space to handle all sorts of projects easily.
Safety is a priority with the Smart Guard System, offering protection while you work. It comes with a stand on wheels that you can roll, so it fits wherever you need it. And, it has storage right there, so all the important parts are easy to find when you need them.
They have a neat feature that locks the blade area, so swapping blades is quick and easy. It makes using the saw powerful and precise, but also convenient and fast .
Best Features
- Motor: Tackles tough materials.
- System: Enhances safety.
- Portability: Easy movement with wheeled stand.
- Onboard Storage: Organizes components.
Key Components
- Work Surface: Ample workspace.
- Arbor Lock: Facilitates blade changes.
6. Metabo Portable Table Saw
Metabo HPT C10RJS 10-inch Table Saw gives you a mix of power and precision, making your cutting tasks easy. This table saw has a strong motor that easily cuts through tough stuff, making it a worthy tool for various cutting jobs.
What makes this table saw stand out is its large table, giving you plenty of room to support big pieces of material. This helps you work more safely and accurately with larger items. Additionally, the durable fold-and-roll stand simplifies setup and breakdown, making it a convenient choice for those on the move.
This table saw comes with a strong metal miter gauge, which helps cut precise angles. It’s also easy to adjust the blade height, angle, and fence position, giving you tons of options for your cuts.
Best Features
- Motor: Easily cuts through tough materials.
- Oversized Table: Provides ample support and enhances safety.
- Metal Miter Gauge: Ensures precise angled cuts.
- Easy Adjustments: Simple settings for blade and fence.
Key Components
- Table: Surface for material support.
- Fold-and-Roll Stand: Sturdy structure for mobility.
How To Select The Best Portable Table Saw?
A portable table saw is a versatile power tool that let you take it to any jobsite easily and help you to perform various home-based DIY projects with accurate results. However, there are a lot of things you have to consider while buying this portable table saw. Although, we have mentioned various products with their major features and options but in case, if you have any doubts regarding the portable and compact table saw’s selection. Then just go through this buying guide till end to choose the perfect saw for your job sites.
1. Types
In general, the portable table saws are small, compact and lightweight. They are designed to be placed on the table easily to perform your required task. One can find three main types of portable table saw – benchtop, compact, & jobsite portable table saws. Here is a quick overview on these types.
- Benchtop: One has to place this benchtop models on a workbench or table, why because they come without any support stand. They are lightweight, affordable, and powered by direct drive motor. It is mostly used by hobbyists, DIYers and home owners for completing their small home-based works.
- Compact: These are quite larger than benchtop models and driven by small toothed belts. Although, they look similar like contractor saws but comes with a smaller table size. It is used mostly by professionals and hobbyists.
- Jobsite: This type of table saw is larger than bench-top and can be mounted on a stand. Even though, they are designed with a light frame construction for easy portability but rugged/durable to withstand any abuse on work sites.
2. Motor Power
Almost all the portable table saws are powered by electric motors, which let you to operate silently. The saws get powered by a standard power socket / power outlet which makes you don’t run out of fuel. One has to check this essential factor to ensure that they won’t face any power issues while cutting soft or hard wood with this table saw.
Different portable saws come with different motors with various power ratings of 5.5 amps to 15 amps. One has to choose the motor with higher amps (15 amps) for better performance and heavy-duty applications. Whereas the 5.5 amps suits best for those users who don’t want a high-power table saw.
Also, prefer to choose the motor with maximum horsepower. In general, a motor with 1 – 2 hp used to cut through wood of about 2-inch thick. In case, if you want to cut wood with greater thickness, then simply opt for portable table saw with high horsepower. For instance, if you want to cut a 3-inch thicker wood then you have to choose a motor with 3 – 5 HP that runs on 240V.
3. Rotation Speed
The blade of the table saw will spin radially to cut through any material. So, the rotation speed of the blade is essential to check, as it gives an idea on the given table saw’s performance. Like any power tool, the rotation speed is measured in terms of revolutions per minute (RPM). One can find rotation speed rating that range from 3000 RPM – 5000 RPM, in which choosing a table saw with higher rotation speed will let you enjoy smooth, clear and faster cutting of any material.
4. Blade
Blade is responsible for cutting all kinds of materials. So, one has to check the blade size, construction material, and its number of teeth while purchasing the table saw.
- The larger blade size will offer deeper cuts, even for larger objects due to its higher cutting depth. So, different table saws have different blades sizes like 4-inch to 12-inch. Prefer to choose the larger 12-inch blade size, as it offers best cutting performance.
- While coming to construction material of the blade, most of the table saw blades are made with steel whereas for some other options, the blades are made with carbide, carbon or diamond tipped teeth, which are highly durable and long-lasting. Most people prefer to use table saw with carbide tipped blade for most of the household purpose.
- The number of teeth in the blade of table saw is also essential to consider, why because, they provide a quick and clean cutting. One can find the number of teeth range from 24 – 80 and its always suggested to choose the saw with higher number of teeth in your blade to have a clean cut.
5. Cutting Capacity
The cutting capacity of a table saw will depend on its table size. The larger cutting capacity should require larger table size for easy cutting of large objects on the given table saw. One can find cutting capacity options like up to 20 inches or up to 25 inches, in which you have to select a portable table saw with larger cutting capacity. This let you the maximum width of an object, you can fit in given saw for proper cutting.
6. Cutting Depth
The cutting depth or the height offered by a portable table saw will let you know the maximum supported thickness of an object, which you want to cut with this table saw. It depends directly on the blade size of a given table saw, as larger blade will result in higher cutting depth. One can find cutting depth options like 1 inch – 3 inches, in which you have to choose the saw with higher cutting depth to cut through thick pieces of wood or any other material quickly and easily.
7. Size & Weight
Since these table saws are meant for portable usage, you have to check its weight and size while purchasing. As one can carry the lightweight and compact table saw quite easily along with them to any job site to perform the operation. So, select a table saw that weighs 30 pounds when comparing the table saws with weights of 30 & 40 pounds.
Also, it is essential to check the dimensions of a given table saw. A small and compact table saw will occupy less space in your workplace. A few models come with foldable designs, in which you can fold them after usage and it take very less space for its storage.
8. RIP Fence Capacity
The rip fence will provide a cutting guide which runs from front of the table to its back. It is just parallel to cutting plane of blade. It locks down the material and make it not to move out of position and thereby ensures you to have a straight and clean cut. In general, T-square fence is a standard rip fence that fit the saw to provide accurate cutting. It is impossible to have any form of rip cut without this fence. All you need is to adjust the fence alignments where the blade is going to cut material.
Fence is not included in some high-end models, instead they allow you to customize your setup. The rip capacity is the distance that fence travels to right of the saw blade. One has to choose the rip capacity of 24-inches or more for a jobsite saw, why because it is half the width of sheet material.
9. Miter Gauge
Miter gauge is essential to make angled cuts and cross cuts, as it holds and guides the material at a specific angle to make precise cut. This locking mechanism will pivot from 0 – 90 degrees and slides into miter slot. Also, make sure that miter slot is standard to avoid any trouble in fitting accessories like sled. For clean compound or right-angled cut, you have to adjust the miter gauge, which contains two angles – miter & blade tilt / bevel.
10. Drive Types
Drive type will decide the efficiency and smoothness of portable table saw. Generally, they are two types of drives available – direct drive & blade drive.
- Direct Drive: The blade is directly connected to the motor, in which the motor will transfer all its power directly to the blade. It produces a lot of power (up to 2 HP) and operates with less vibration & thereby less noise than belt drive. It is safe, smaller, lightweight & cost affordable. It works on 120V and suits best for DIYer, hobbyists and professionals to work on small jobs.
- Belt Drive: The power gets transferred from V-belt & pulley system from motor to blade. With much higher power and torque, this type of drive suits best for heavy-duty sawing jobs, as they provide better efficiency while cutting thicker wood. Since, the motor is mounted far away from blade, this belt drive throws up less dust and they are less safe and costlier. Suits best for doing big jobs. The powerful motor will produce anywhere from 3 – 5 hp single phase or 5 – 7.5 HP three phase. They easily cut through dense material and operates quietly.
11. Other Features
Here are some additional features that let you use this portable table saw safely and comfortably.
- On/Off Switches: They are located at the front of the table saw. The on-switch is small and recessed whereas the off switch is larger and more prominent when emergency. For more safety and protect motor from overload, simply invest in magnetic switch to protect the user from serious injuries.
- AmpS: The amperes (amps) will refer to the output power of the table saw. The higher amps will make the saw more powerful to cut dense material.
- Arbor: Also called as shaft locks, it is a shaft where the motor and blade mounts to. The diameter hole of arbor is 5/8-inches.
- Throat Plate: It is a removable piece which is placed on flush around the blade. It restricts the material from lodge between the inside arbor and blade. It allows you to remove and get access to table saw blade for adjusting riving knife.
- Blade Elevation & Tilt Wheels: This elevation hand wheel on the front of saw, will allow you to control the blade’s height and thereby aids in variety of cutting depths. Simply turn the wheel to either lower or raise the blade’s height. The tilt / pivot wheel is located on the side of the saw that allow you for straight or bevel cuts by tilting the saw. One can lock this wheel at any angle from -45° to +45° while cutting the material.
12. Accessories
Here are some of the accessories that allow you to upgrade the table saw to make it perfect for all types of wood cutting works.
- Dust Chutes: A lot of dust is produced while operating any saw, including this table saw. This will make you work hard and may be dangerous if you breathe these nasty particles. So, hook this dust chute to vacuum to clear this dust and to make yourself work peacefully.
- Stand : If you’re using a jobsite table saw, then the rolling saw stand is essential to provide portability and they are specially designed for stability while working on it.
- Table Extensions: Not having enough table space for performing larger tasks/cutting wider stock, then you can prefer to choose a table saw with an extension table. This table extension provides stable workplace along with better rip capacity. They mount easily to the side of the table saw to give additional support for you to make proper cutting of material.
- Dado Capacity: Most of the portable table saws come with the capability to mount a dado blade set. This sets will let you cut wider slots in a single pass. Widely used in joinery business but one has to ensure the arbor should be quite longer to fit through dado stack. The diameters of these sets are available mostly in 6-inches, 8-inches and 12-inches.
- Crosscut Sled: It holds the wood/any material fixed at an angle of 90° to blade and thereby allows for repeatable and precision cuts. They are generally used by trade professionals like cabinet makers where the precision and clean cut required in their operation.
- Featherboard: This safety device is used for applying pressure opposed to the wood/material. It keeps the material flat to prevent the rip fence and clamps are used to attach saw for proper cutting of material.
13. Safety Features
Never ever overlook the safety features while purchasing the portable table saw, as the saw may be dangerous at certain times. So, have a look on some of these safety features.
- Anti-Kickback Pawls: It is used to reduce the kickback whenever a blade stuck while cutting a material. One has to attach these pawls on either side of splitter and the claws are used to grab the stray material. These are teeth which minimizes the kicking back of wood at saw user.
- Riving Knife: This knife stays on blade’s behind and used to travel down and up with the blade’s height to prevent kickback. One can detach and replace whenever it is required for safe cutting. Also, you have to remove the clunky guard around the saw’s table and rather you use overhead guard along this riving knife.
- Splitter: This splitter located near the saw’s back and remains at fixed height without moving the blade. They allow greater kickback often due to its distance from blade.
- Blade Guard: It protects you from all types of debris, as blade protects you from kickback and dust. Most of the woodworker’s resort to overhead guard and riving knife combination. It makes the cutting process easier.
- Magnetic Switch: Used, especially when the table saw has power outage. It protects the motor from overload by shifting the power to simply off position. This is required whenever the power is turned on back when the turn on the saw again.
- Sensors: Whenever the human skin come into any contact with the saw while operating, then the sensors will immediately stop the spinning blade to prevent any accidents. They sense your fingers on the blade and thereby instead of cutting your fingers, you will get minor cuts without going to emergency room.
- Push Stick: This stick will allow you to move the material towards the blade for safe and clean cutting. The spinning blade may cut your fingers. So, use push stick instead of your hands to maneuver the material while working to prevent any injuries.
- Left Blade Tilt: This helps to produce much less kickback rather than right blade tilt. This will make the entire operation much safer and effective.
14. Durability & Warranty
If you’re going to use this table saw for cutting hard material in different varieties then you have to consider its warranty and durability. To ensure the durability of a given table saw, you have to check the warranty duration offered by it.
In general, most of the portable table saws come with 1-year warranty but a few models offer a long warranty of 3 – 5 years on their product. Also, one has to check the build quality of a portable table saw, as well built and good constructed saw is considered to be durable than others
Portable Table Saw – FAQs
Ans: This great power tool is useful when you won’t have enough room for bigger saw. So, here are the step by step process that let you know how to use this portable table saw effectively.
To set up the saw, you have to unfold and unpack the portable table saw.
Plug in the saw and then set the miter gauge to the required angle you want to cut the material or wood.
Then you have to set up the accessories like fence, shroud and extending table, whatever you need to perform the operation safely and comfortably.
Now turn on the power and ensure that material which you want to cut at right angle and make sure that all your measurements are accurate before cutting.
Before cutting, you have to wear protections like goggles, earplugs and hand gloves to protect yourself when you come into contact with the saw.
After that, start pushing the material / wood into the saw. Also, you have to see that saw starts to cut through the material properly.
Repeat the same process until you completed your task of cutting material, as per your requirement.
Ans: Want to use the portable table saw on the stand? Then you can make it by yourself rather than buying it in the market. It not only costs less but also won’t take much time for stand making. Here are the step by step procedure that let you know to how to prepare a table stand for portable table saw.
Collect a large amount of wood and plan properly on which size of table you need to work on.
Make sure to start making the stand by taking proper measurements, so that you can work exactly without wasting your money and time.
Finally, collect all the required materials you need to make the stand.
Start the process by nailing the piece of wood together to make the stand suitable for your portable table saw.
Stick to a simple box-shaped stand rather than one, which is hard and difficult to make it.
Ans: Speed is crucial to consider while using a table saw in most of the jobsites. Also, easy adjustment of saw’s parts or accessories has to be considered while purchasing a table saw. Have a look on it.
One has to adjust the riving knife and blade assembly easily for its alignment purposes, which has to be done for setting it up first to the desired realignment.
The fence, blade’s height and bevel positions have to be adjusted quickly, whereas the levels and wheels has to be lubricated easily to work well.
The blade should be raised to a few inches or tilted to a few degrees (as required for your task) with possible speed to perform the work.
Also, look for dust control, where a table saw contains port at back and shroud over the blade. Both these should be hooked up to vacuum for easy cleaning of dust while operating the table saw.
Check for a better number of accessories like onboard storage, on/off paddle type switches and table extensions while purchasing the portable table saw.
Conclusion
Portable table saw offers almost all of the functionality of a full-size table saw while being quite compact and small. This makes them easy to travel with as well as store in your garage when not in use. As they are quite popular, we have mentioned some of the best portable table saws in this article. You can also find their major features and options, along with a detailed buying guide. But if you are still confused and cannot buy a table saw, then you can simply go with one of our following recommendations:
- For those of you who are on a budget, the Rockwell Portable Table Saw can be a great option. Even though it is the cheapest option present in this article, you get a 5.5 amp electric motor in it that powers its 4 inch t-shank jigsaw blade. This blade has a spinning speed of 3000 RPM that is quite good for the given price. Due to this, you can cut all kinds of materials, including wood, PVC, aluminum, steel, ceramic, and much more. Despite the affordable price tag of this table saw, you get a 3-year warranty with it.
- The Bosch Portable Table Saw is one of the most powerful yet highly reliable options present in this article. It comes with a highly powerful 15 amp electric motor that can reach a respectable rotation speed of up to 3650 RPM. Another great thing about this table saw is that it offers a large capacity of up to 10 inches that allows you to easily work on large wood pieces. Since Dewalt is a highly reputable brand of power tools, you get an excellent build quality with this table saw along with a 1-year long warranty.
- Although, if you want a large tabletop size or capacity in your table saw, then you can with the Skil Portable Table Saw. Even though this is a portable table saw, you get a large 10-inch table capacity in this saw that is quite high. It has a maximum cutting depth capacity of up to 3-5/8 inches that is more than enough for most users. You also get a powerful 15 amp motor in this saw that can be useful for easily cutting through hard materials if needed. While you only get a 1-year warranty with it, the build quality is decent for the given price.
Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also post any questions down there if you have any!
