The 8 Best Table Saws for DIYers and Professionals

Table saws can be used for a wide range of professional tasks and DIY projects. Although they are commonly used to cut wood, most table saws can also be used for a variety of other materials, such as tile and plastic. No matter what you’re sawing through, be sure to use a blade designed for that particular material.

Best Table Saws

The Expert: I’ve been involved with construction, maintenance, and home renovation for more than 30 years. I owned a maintenance and construction business with my husband for nearly 20 years, and we’re also hardcore DIYers. I love much about my home—a fixer-upper built in the 1800s that’s located in a rural mountain region of Pennsylvania—but it involves a lot of maintenance and upkeep, so I’m always eager to find high-quality, reliable tools that can help make projects easier. Over the years, I’ve used an assortment of table saws for woodworking projects such as cabinet doors and shelving.

What to Consider

When shopping for table saws, there are a few things you will want to think about.

Model Type

The two broad categories of table saws—portable and stationary—are based on how easy (or not) they are to transport. There are further sub-categories within each of those two groups.

• Portable: Benchtop, compact, and jobsite
• Stationary: Cabinet, hybrid, contractor

Sometimes, the retailers use the jobsite and contractor labels interchangeably, so be sure to read the specs carefully to ensure that particular saw is the kind you want and will meet your needs.

Buying a table saw is one situation where bigger doesn’t always mean better; if you go overboard, you’ll get a more substantial machine than you need. A high-end cabinet saw is a major investment. They are expensive and also very heavy. These are for serious professionals—a casual DIYer wouldn’t need this type of power, nor would they likely have the space (or budget) to accommodate it.

Blade Size

The most common table saw blade size is 10 inches. A larger blade generally won’t make as precise of a cut as a smaller blade, but the larger option is able to cut through thicker materials.

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Rip Capacity

To “rip” means to cut a wooden board along the grain. In simple terms, rip capacity refers to the distance between the edge of the blade and the edge of the saw’s fence. This determines the maximum width you can cut with that saw. The type of projects you plan to do will determine the minimum rip capacity that would be best for you. Larger rip capacities generally correspond to a higher price tag, so choosing a saw with more rip capacity than you actually need might end up costing you money needlessly.

Safety Features

Table saws can be potentially very dangerous and should be operated with extreme caution. Any features that can help encourage safe operation or offer enhanced protection, such as blade barriers and auto-stop or anti-restart functions, are a big plus.

How We Evaluated

In evaluating a broad range of table saws, I started by drawing on my firsthand experience. As a hard-core DIYer, I have used many table saws of varying styles and sizes. I personally tend to prefer more compact models that are easier to store and transport, but professionals who handle big jobs involving large pieces of wood or thick materials would likely need a larger model like a cabinet style.

I obtained details like rip capacity and machine weight from manufacturer spec sheets and retailer listings. I also considered reviews submitted by hundreds of Amazon and Home Depot customers, along with reviews on manufacturer websites. After considering all of that information, these eight models earned my recommendations as the best table saws.