Best Portable Table Saw for Fine Woodworking

So, you’re looking to invest in a portable saw, fantastic. There are plenty of portable table saws available at the minute, making settling on one quite difficult. Not to worry, though.

We’ve compiled and reviewed a list of five of the very best portable table saws around, and to make absolutely sure you find the perfect one for you, we’ve put together an informative buyer’s guide too.

Comparison Chart

Best Portable Table Saw Reviews

1. DEWALT DWE7491RS Portable Pro Jobsite 10-Inch Table Saw

Despite the DWE7491RS’ lightweight and compact design, thanks to a telescopic rack and pinion fence system, you still get a whopping 32 ½” right-hand rip capacity, affording plenty of room to undertake large-scale projects and really hone your craft.

Portable TABLE SAW REVIEW

Featuring a mighty 10” 24 tooth carbide blade with amazing heat, impact-resistant qualities, and great edge retention, this saw reduces maintenance time and maximizes productivity.

One of the best things about the DWE7491RS is the fact it has wheels. You simply pull it along behind you as if it were your airport luggage. It even has onboard storage giving you quick access to some of the accessories that come with the saw such as the blade guard or blade wrenches.

To assemble this little monster, all you have to do is fold down the legs, clamp them in place, and voila!

This thing’s packing an incredibly powerful 15-amp motor which means you’ll be able to work with any hardwood you like. Come hickory, come oak, come pressure-treated lumber, and the carbide blade will pass through in a buttery smooth motion.

The DWE7491RS is everything you could want in a portable table saw, and that’s because it doesn’t really feel like a portable model at all. From onboard storage to the large rip capacity and fold-out fence, it packs a hell of a punch.

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2. Bosch 4100-10 Portable Pro Jobsite 10-Inch Table Saw 

Much like our number one pick, this fantastic portable Bosch table saw has a 15 amp motor making it powerful enough to tackle any onsite task you can think of, and thanks to its onboard storage, built-in carry handles, and single-hand release system, the job becomes easier than ever.

Portable TABLE SAW REVIEW

One standout feature of the 4100 is the large cast aluminum top. It is both lightweight, ensuring maximum portability, and strong, ready to take on any challenge a construction site has to offer.

It also provides an expansive 30” ripping capacity, which is perfect for working with sheet material.

Braced with heavy-gauge tubular steel and reinforced with an integrated sub-base, this saw can really roll with the punches, and considering the durable 8-inch rubber wheels, we mean that both metaphorically and a little bit literally as well. It’s by no means all brawn, though. 

With a hyper-true square-lock rip fence and intelligent constant response circuitry that keeps RPM consistent under load, this table saw facilitates measured and precise work. 

With anti-kickback pawls, a modular guard, and riving knives included with purchase, Bosch shows their dedication to consumer safety, which is admirable. It even has magnetic restart protection to prevent sudden fire-ups in the event of fluctuating power. Lovely stuff!

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3. SAWSTOP 10” Jobsite Saw Pro With Mobile Cart Assembly

SawStop has found fame for its revolutionary patented safety system that utilizes intelligent sensors to shut down the saw as soon as it touches the skin. It’s been a real game-changer, although it comes with a price.

Portable TABLE SAW REVIEW

The blade on this Jobsite Saw is imbued with a tiny electric signal that registers human contact due to our conductivity and triggers an aluminum brake, halting the blade.

The power to the motor is immediately cut off, stopping the blade before the blade dives below the desk. It accomplishes all this in 5 milliseconds. 

The smart sensor – as game-changing as it is – could be considered a little gimmicky, but it doesn’t matter because, gimmicks aside, SawStop’s Jobsite Saw Pro is an awesome, professional-level table saw.

The elevation wheel requires but a single turn to fully raise or depress the blade, and the tilt wheel has a micro-adjustment mechanism so you can fine-tune your angles.

SawStop’s innovation doesn’t begin and end with safety; they’ve applied the same fresh thinking to dust extraction as well with their active dust collection guard. It sucks up debris above the deep board with a 25 ½ right-hand rip capacity, so you always have clear visuals of your work.

If we’re being picky, though, This isn’t a perfect machine. The fence can shift ever so slightly as you’re locking it into place, which makes precision work a little fiddly and frustrating, the miter gauge isn’t of the highest quality, and the self-check function when it powers on could be a little faster if you ask us.

All things considered, this is an incredible design, saving limbs and lives every single day.

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4. SKILSAW SPT99-11 Portable 10-Inch Worm Drive Table Saw

The standout feature of the SPT99-11 is the worm-drive gearing. Worm drives have a lower RPM than direct-drive saws, but their torque is through the roof, making this machine a fantastic option for cutting stubborn materials.

Portable TABLE SAW REVIEW

Due to worm-drive blade orientation, this saw also offers left-handed craftspeople a clearer sightline.

Another eye-grabbing aspect of this portable table saw is the wheels…they’re massive, 16 inches to be precise. Along with the foldable feet and easy-load handles, these giant wheels allow you to navigate incredibly treacherous terrain without worrying about the saw tipping over.

With a 3 ⅝” cut depth and deceptively large 30 ½” rip capacity, you can get some serious projects going on this thing.

The rack and pinion rip fence system is smooth and highly accurate, and the 15 amp dual field motor has epic cooling facilities allowing you to knuckle down and finish the job quicker.

It may arrive a little misaligned out of the box, but this saw is highly customizable, so everything can be tweaked back into place without a fuss.

Some customers claim that their SkilSaw’s locking functions, whether the riving knife, the fence, or the tilt wheel, weren’t too reliable at times, but these are particularly isolated cases.

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5. SKIL TS6307-00  Portable 10-Inch Table Saw with Stand

The final saw on our list boasts a seriously powerful 15 amp motor capable of ripping out 5000 RPM, allowing the blade to cut through wood like butter. Match that with the 30” right-hand rip capacity and you’ve got one hell of a tool.

Portable TABLE SAW REVIEW

It has onboard storage for all the fantastic components that come with it including a push stick, miter gauge, and blade guard and it features a dust extraction port so you can keep your environment clean and the air clear. 

The rails and guide are well made and squared right out the box which is pretty impressive, and the rip fence moves nice and fluidly, facilitating fast and easy alterations, so you can work swiftly.

These aren’t the most popular saws on the market, mostly because SKIL’s previous models aren’t regarded too high compared to the top-of-the-line portable table saws. But the TS6307 is nothing short of spectacular, especially so considering the price.

Of all the saws on our list, the SKIL model definitely offers you the best bang for your buck, and that’s before it’s even discounted.

If you can snatch one up at a reduced rate, there are really no products in the same range that are anywhere near as competent or impressive as the TS6307. If that’s somehow not a sweet enough deal for you, Delta offers a 3-year warranty on the saw itself, including parts, batteries, and services.

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Best Portable Table Saw Buyer’s Guide

Saws can be quite complicated things at the best of times, and putting them on wheels and giving them fold-away sections doesn’t change that, so let’s discuss some of the key things you should consider when shopping for a portable table saw.

Type of Portable Saw

All the products on our list are Jobsite table saws, but there are actually three different types of portable table saws. If a portable table saw doesn’t meet your needs, you might want to consider a cabinet table saw for your workshop.

Benchtop

Benchtop table saws are precisely what they sound like. They’re small, lightweight saws without their own stands that you anchor to another surface for use.

They’re the most portable and are commonly used by DIY enthusiasts and hobbyists for everyday small-scale tasks.

They’re usually powered by a direct-drive motor, meaning the blade itself is attached to the motor. If this is the kind of portable table saw you’re looking for, you’ll need to pair it with a quality stand.

Compact Table Saw

Compact table saws are similar to stationary contractor table saws but a fraction of their size.

They’re also very similar to Jobsite table saws, except they don’t have protective frames, wheels, or adaptable stands to help them survive the rugged terrain of construction sites.

Jobsite Table Saw

These kinds of saws are designed to handle the rigors of challenging professional environments.

They tend to have some sort of protective frame, wheels, and sturdy foldable legs. As you can probably glean from the name, they’re designed for use by professionals on the job, but there’s no reason you can’t use one as a typical DIYer.

Motor/Drive

Table saw motors mostly come with one of two drive types known as belt-drive and direct-drive, but portable table saws are almost certain to have a direct-drive motor, so we’re going to focus solely on that.

As mentioned above, in direct-drive configurations, the saw blade is physically attached and turned by the universal motor via an arbor. This kind of drive provides enough cutting power for most professional applications and certainly enough for any DIYer.

Amps

To save you from the merciless black hole that is specialist electrical language, we’re just going to give you the very basics here. You can consider the amps of your motor an indication of its strength.

The stronger your motor is, the denser the material it can cut. Portable table saws can run anywhere between 6 and 16 amps. For more intensive or professional work, we’d recommend going no lower than 13 amps.

No Load Speed

The no-load speed of a table saw is the maximum RPM that your saw motor can output when completely unencumbered.

Cut Depth

Cut depth refers to how high above the desk the saw can rise. The further it protrudes from the table, the deeper it can cut with a single pass.

Ripping Capacity

The ripping capacity of a table saw is the maximum distance between the blade and the fence, although the distance from the other side of the blade to the edge with no fence may also be referred to and measured as ripping capacity.

One of the biggest downsides to portable table saws is their limited ripping capacity. With less room to work.

Many designs allow you to remove the fence to increase your ripping capacity, but without a fence, keeping things level can be difficult. The best solution is to look for a portable table saw with a telescopic fence. They extend ripping capacity far beyond the usual limits of the standard portable table saw.

Portable saws intended for Jobsite use should have a rip capacity of at least half the width of sheet material, which is 24”, but ideally, the rip capacity will be even larger than that.

Rip Fence

A rip fence helps with alignment and acts as a cutting guide, so a solid design is essential. Most table saws feature what’s known as a T-square fence, but how they’re mounted may differ from product to product.

As mentioned above, some tables will also feature fences that extend to give you a larger work area.

Miter Gauge

The miter gauge is an essential bit of gear for any table saw, portable or not. It’s a guiding and measuring device with a 45° to -45° protractor and screw holes. It helps you lock material or custom fences in place at the right angle. Miter gauges fit into a hole in your table saw called a miter slot. You can think of your miter gauge as your rip fence’s teammate.

As great as miter gauges are, in some instances, their protractors are to be ignored. It’s not uncommon for them to be upward of 2° off when aligning materials, so when precision is required, say, when cross-cutting, use a framing square or drafting triangle.

Some companies offer their own custom miter gauge designs, but it’s best to avoid these as they’re not compatible with general accessories.

Blade Type

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a blade is a blade. If it’s sharp, circular, and it moves really fast, it’ll cut through stuff, right? Well, yes and no.

There are a few categories of table saw blades defined by their tooth shape and grind, each with its own specialist application.

The four main blade types include:

FTG blades have chisel-like, flat-ended teeth leaning at least a 20° angle. These kinds of teeth may also be referred to as rakers, and they make what is usually referred to as a ripping blade for cutting along the grain of a piece of wood.

They cut extremely fast but don’t leave a particularly smooth edge.

Blades with ATB teeth are commonly known as all-purpose or cross-cutting saws. The top of the teeth are beveled, giving them a slicing motion through the wood. They dull quite quickly but cut a tidy edge.

ATBR combination blades are made up of sets of ATB teeth interspersed with the odd FTG tooth, giving them a cutting style that’s both efficient and moderately clean.

TCG blades are similar to ATBR blades, but instead of sets of ATB mixed with FTG teeth, they’re made up of sets of FTG teeth interspersed by what are known as chamfered teeth.

ATBR blades are still considered general-purpose saws, but TCG blades are for dense materials exclusively. The chamfered teeth are ground into what looks like half a hexagon. They eat through materials fast, while the FTG teeth tidy up in their wake.

Saw blades are also differentiated by the number of teeth they have and their size. Generally speaking, the more teeth a saw has, the slower it will cut and the neater it will be.

Most table saws are designed for use with a 10” blade, but some have the capacity to accommodate a 12” blade as well.

Blade Material

It’s not just blade types that define the material that can be cut and how it’s cut, but the blade material too. Saw blades are always made from steel, but carbon steel blades are stronger.

Saw blades are mostly made from tungsten carbide, but teeth made from other composites are available.

You may even find what are known as composite blades that use a mixture of diamond and powdered metal to make their teeth extra hard, but these are mostly only used for cutting ceramics and brittle stone such as slate.

Blade RPM

The very last thing to consider about table saw blades is their intended RPM. This is a measure of how fast a blade can safely spin.

Typically, the larger or heavier a blade is, the slower its maximum RPM will be. You should never ignore blade RPM because breaching it can damage your materials, your table, the blade itself, and most importantly of all, you.

Onboard Storage

All the best portable table saws feature onboard storage for at least the accessories that come with it, freeing up your hands and saving you from making two trips.

Tilt Wheels and Elevation Wheels

These little wheels are used to shift your blade into the position you need. The tilt wheel is normally situated on the side of the table. It can tilt the blade anywhere up to 45° which is handy for bevelling.

The elevation wheel is usually found on the front side of the table and can be used to raise or lower the blade so you can achieve cuts of varying depths.

Dust Collection Port

A dust collection port is essentially a space in which you can fit a vacuum for collecting, not all, but most of the particulate matter is tossed about as you use your table saw.

Throat Plate

A throat plate is simply a metal plate that surrounds the blade and prevents debris from clogging up the internal mechanisms of the saw. Sometimes referred to as table inserts, they’re removable to allow routine maintenance.

Accessories

Let’s briefly discuss some of the handiest accessories you can buy to use with your portable table saw.

Crosscut Sled – Crosscut table saw sleds are used to accurately and consistently hold materials at 90° angles from the blade, making cross-cutting an absolute breeze.

Dado Set

Dado sets are particular kinds of circular saws that can cut wide grooves quickly in a singular pass. Not all table saws can accommodate dado sets, so it’s important you find out if the arbor has the capacity to carry them before buying any.

Featherboard

A featherboard is a device used to apply pressure to your working materials to keep them firmly in place against your table or fence as you cut.

Riving Knife or Splitter

A lot of people get confused about the difference between a riving knife and a splitter, but they’re essentially the same thing with slightly different functionality.

They both sit behind the blade and prevent the material from pinching in and gaining traction on the blade, causing kickback.

The only difference between them is that a splitter is fixed, while a riving knife stays equidistant from the blade as you raise and lower it. We recommend a riving knife over a traditional splitter.

Spawls

Spawls are essentially teeth that attach to your riving knife or splitter. Once material passes under them, it can’t return, protecting you from kickback.

Blade Guard

A blade guard protects your fingers from the saw, prevents debris from shooting up into your face, and eliminates the chance of a material connecting with the blade accidentally.

Push Stick

Does exactly what it says on the tin. It pushes working material so you can keep at a safe distance from the blade.

Magnetic Switch

A magnetic switch automatically shuts the saw down in the event of a power outage so it doesn’t unexpectedly start spinning when power returns.

Best Portable Table Saw  FAQ.

What’s the Best Portable Table Saw?

Many things are subjective in this world, but the quality of table saws is not. If a saw is great, it’s objectively great, and we can say with confidence that the DEWALT DWE7491RS is the best portable table saw on the market at the minute.

What is the Best Compact Table Saw?

There are some amazing compact table saws about, but the best is undoubtedly the DEWALT DWE7485.

Can Table Saws Do Cross Cuts?

You can absolutely use a table saw for crosscutting. In fact, a lot of professional woodworkers favor a decent table saw, and miter gauge over a chop saw for their chop-cutting needs.

You do need to make sure you’re using the correct type of blade, though. Using a low tooth count rip-style blade will lead to an unacceptable amount of tear-out. It also helps to use a cross-cut sled.

Top Tip – Ditch the fence. They’ll cause kickbacks when cross-cutting.

What Table Saw Blade is Best for Ripping?

There are a few kinds of saws that are capable of ripping down-grain through wood, but the best blades for the job are quite particular. Multipurpose blades with lots of teeth, perhaps 40 or 50, can get the job done, but they’ll draw the task out a fair bit. The sweet spot for teeth is between 24 and 30.

A good ripping blade will also feature a flat top grind tooth pattern. This means that every tooth is ground completely flat with no bevelling whatsoever. Large gullets and a minimum tooth hook angle of 20° is preferable too.

This kind of blade will follow through the grain of a piece of wood with an incredibly high feed rate. They won’t provide the smoothest of cuts, but then again, you wouldn’t expect smooth from a blade known as a ripper.

FINAL VERDICT

There’s definitely some hot competition currently out there in the industry, but the DEWALT DWE7491RS is leagues beyond the rest.

It doesn’t have as many state-of-the-art features as some other portable table saws, but what it does offer is a performance refined to absolute perfection; no-nonsense, no fuss, just quality workmanship.

In Conclusion

There you have it, folks. These are five of the very best table saws you can buy for portability, each special in its own right, ready and waiting to make your working and DIY life easier. 

Table saws are indispensable to the modern construction industry. It’s no understatement that the portable products we’ve discussed here today are heavily responsible for building the world around you.

They can be tricky to shop for, but as long as you heed some of the advice and information in our buyer’s guide, you too can have a hand in acts as small as, say, making some shelves for your study, or as big as altering a landscape.