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
Top Portable Table Saws: Reviews
1. Skil SPT 99-11 Table Saw
Skil is a popular brand that manufactures and sells a wide range of saws, drills, drivers, benchtops, sanders, and screwdrivers. The brand specializes in developing lightweight yet powerful tools for the toughest jobs.
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Skil’s SPT 99-11 table saw is present on our list due to its powerful performance that can cut a wide range of materials with relative ease. The table saw is powered by a 15-amp dual field motor that dissipates heat and keeps the system cool even when operated for long hours. Using this table saw, you can make cuts up to 3-⅝ inches deep. Even if you are a fresher, you can achieve precise cuts by easily adjusting the fence using the rack and pinion system. The 16 inches wheels make it highly portable and easy to move the table saw to the workplace. It is easy to move the table saw on uneven surfaces as well as pushing it over stairs or into the back of a truck without removing the saw from the table. You don’t have to worry about the debris that is left after machining. The dust port will collect it and ensure the workplace is clean. With the outfeed and left support, you can make large cuts effortlessly. The table saw comes with a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase. Best Features
10-inch cutting blade 3-⅝-inch depth of cut 30-½-inch rip capacity 15-amp dual field motor 1800 watts electric motor Easy fence adjustment Durable steel construction 1-year warranty period 16-inch wheels for mobility Components Table saw User manual Warranty card
2. Rockwell Portable Tabletop Saw
Rockwell is a lesser-known brand of power tools when compared with other options out there. But even then, it is able to offer a high user rating to its users due to its value for money. This Rockwell BladeRunner X2 RK7323 portable table saw is present in the 2nd position in this article as it is the cheapest option present in this article. But unlike other options in this article, this one is made for smaller projects and not heavy duty applications. It comes with a 5.5 amp electric motor that is decently powerful when compared with other options in its class. Its motor is responsible for powering a 4-inch t-shank jigsaw blade that is quite sharp. You can use this blade to cut either 1 ½ inch wood, 1 ¼ inch PVC, ⅜ inch aluminum, ⅛ inch steel, or ⅜ inch ceramic pieces as per your need. This is possible as this lightweight 15-pound table saw offers a blade speed of 3000 RPM. Despite the affordable price tag of this table saw, you get a 3-year long warranty with it that is always great to have. Best Features:
4-inch cutting t-shank jigsaw blade Up to 17-inch capacity 5 amp electric motor Blade speed of up to 3000 RPM 3-year warranty Weighs just 15 pounds Cuts various kinds of objects
Components:
Table saw 5 piece starter blade set User manual Warranty card
3. WORX Portable Tabletop Saw
Worx is another brand of power tools that you should consider as it offers affordable options. This is also true for its portable table saw offering that is quite affordable. Worx’s WX572L BladeRunner x2 portable table saw is one of the cheapest options out there. This one is quite similar to the Rockwell portable table saw mentioned earlier in this article. You get a 5.5 amp electric motor in this portable table saw that powers a 4 inch t-shank jigsaw blade. Due to this, this table saw is mainly made for smaller projects and not industrial usage. Even though this is an affordable table saw option, Worx offers a great build quality along with a 3-year long warranty with it. This means that you can use it for a long time without any issues. You get a large bevel angle range of 0 degrees to 60 degrees in this table saw that makes it quite flexible. You also get a total of 5 blades with this table saw that are useful for cutting different kinds of materials, including wood, aluminum, steel, ceramic, PVC, etc. Best Features:
4 inch t-shank jigsaw cutting blade Up to 15-inch capacity 5 amp electric motor 3-year warranty High value for money Decent build quality 0 degrees to 60 degrees bevel range
Components:
Table saw 5 cutting blades User manual Warranty card
4. Bosch 4100XC – 10 Table Saw
We all are aware that Bosch is a global leader in manufacturing and selling power tools, hand tools, and other hardware equipment. The products from this brand are well-known for their durability and high performance. This 4100XC – 10 worksite table saw is powered by a 15-amp motor with 4.0 max HP that can deliver up to 3650 RPM. With this power, you can rip-cut and cross-cut a wide range of soft, fine, rough, and hard materials effortlessly. Its cast aluminum top will support the material and enhance the workspace with a ripping capacity of 30-inches. A lot of safety features are available in this table saw to ensure safe and efficient working, even for a longer time. The constant response circuitry and restart protection maintain speed under the load and prevent accidental startup. The soft-start circuitry will help to manage the motor’s intensity start and lessen the tripping possibility of a circuit breaker. It is designed ergonomically with a smart guard system to provide protection (via anti-kickback clicks and riving knife) and avert blade contact by offering a barrier. A square lock rip fence will engineer to enhance clamping and trueness. while it has an auxiliary fence to improve working on narrow workpieces. Using the gravity-rise wheeled stand (GTA47W) with 8-inch treaded rubber, you can move the portable table saw easily to wherever you want and work seamlessly. This saw offers a tabletop of 30 X 22.5 inches with a 30-inch rip capacity to rip 4 feet-wide sheets. Furthermore, Bosch provides a 1-year limited warranty on this table saw from the date of purchase. Best Features:
Delivers up to 3650 RPM Powerful 15-amp motor Offers a max power of 4 HP 1-year limited warranty 30 inches ripping capacity Various safety features Gravity-rise wheeled stand for mobility Comes with numerous accessories Onboard storage for easy access to various components. Easy to transport Tabletop with 30X22.5 inches
Components
Table saw User manual Warranty card
5. Metabo HPT – C10RJSM Jobsite Table Saw
Metabo HPT is the rebranded name of Koki Holdings America that develops and sells a wide range of power tools along with its relevant accessories. Metabo’s jobsite table saw runs on a powerful 15-amp motor that can deliver up to 4,500 RPM to suit toughest cutting applications. The saw comes with a large 10 inches 40-tooth blade. The tip of the blade is made of carbide that allows it to rip through even the hardest materials easily. Using this table saw, you can make 3-⅛ inches cut at 90 degrees and 2-¼ inches cut at 45 degrees. Besides, you can make cuts ranging from 3-⅛ inches to 2-¼ inches between angles of 0° to 45°. The stand is durable and stable without any wobbling that allows you to make cuts accurately. The table can be extended to support up to 35 inches of ripping capacity to the right and 22 inches to the left. The power switch is oversized and placed at knee level so you can immediately access and shut off the saw in case of any sudden failures. You can fold the table and transport it easily. The table saw is backed by a 2 years warranty from the date of purchase. Best Features
Powerful 15-amp motor Delivers up to 4,500 RPM Makes 3-⅛ inches cut at 90 degrees and 2-¼ inches cut at 45 degrees 40 teeth carbide blade 2 years warranty period Soft start and electric brake feature Telescoping table extension Durable and foldable rolling stand
Components
Table saw 10 inches blade User manual Warranty card
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
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 BladeRunner X2 RK7323 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 4100xc-10 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 SPT 99-11 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.
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