Last Updated on October 27, 2021
Becoming acquainted with your table saws is the first step to start your own contractor business or brush up on your woodworking hobby!
Table saws are an essential part of any woodshop, and knowing the difference between them can help you properly get the job done and even avoid a plethora of mishaps. Table saws can give you an assortment of cuts with very little elbow grease! This is why the perfect table saw can complete any woodshop.
Nevertheless, below, we are going to cover different types of table saws, so that you can pick your ideal machine for your project.
Let’s get started!
Contents
Different Types of Table Saws
There are two major categories of table saws that branches in other subcategories, which are portable and stationary table saws.
Portable Table Saws
Portable table saws are easy to carry and perfect for contractor businesses where you have to travel from one house to another for each project.
These saws are also suitable for a small household workshop for DIY purposes. Generally, portable table saws have three subcategories, which include bench-top, compact, and Jobsite.
1. Benchtop Table Saw
Key Features
- Speeds: 0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM
- Dimensions: 14 x 3.5 x 11 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year on tool, 2 years on battery
These are usually the most lightweight table saws in the market, and they’re created to be set on a bench, which comes with its fair share of downsides. As the name suggests, these table saws don’t come with a stand and always require a tabletop to function. And these are only used to cut softer woods such as pine or plywood.
And as mentioned before, the more portable a table saw is, the less precision and power it can offer. So, these saws don’t exactly instill confidence when it comes to the weight being put on the fences.
Although these saws can feel quite cheap, as they are generally made from aluminum or plastic, if you’re buying this for your home workshop, this is the best product you will find! To avoid any mishaps, make sure that the fence is set up correctly before starting your task, this will certainly get the job done without breaking the bank!
2. Compact Table Saws
Key Features
- Speeds: 0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM
- Dimensions: 14 x 3.5 x 11 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year on tool, 2 years on battery
These table saws are very similar to a bench-top, but it doesn’t take anything away from the precision.
Unlike a bench-top, these usually come with a cast iron stand, and they can often even look like a full-sized table saw with limited rip capacity. So, if you can pitch in a little more cash for a more robust table saw, we recommend getting a compact table saw!
3. Jobsite Table Saws
Key Features
- Speeds: 0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM
- Dimensions: 14 x 3.5 x 11 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year on tool, 2 years on battery
Jobsite table saws are perfect for contractor jobs, as it can offer a lot more in terms of functionality and robustness. As the rip capacity on these table saws are much higher than the ones we discussed so far, it takes a toll on its portability, but for projects on the job, this product is a perfect choice.
It often comes with a strong foldable stand and a 24” rip capacity, which usually helps produce very precise results, which are crucial for any contractor jobs. These saws come with built-in ports for dust collection and on-board storage space for a cleaner finish.
As stationary table saws can’t be used to travel to different sites. So, when it comes to portable table saws, this is certainly the most functional and efficient option available in the market!
Stationary Table Saws
Stationary table saws are generally used by professionals, as it can’t be moved and doesn’t compromise power and precision in the slightest.
They usually come with a cast iron table and depends on belt-drive motors for power, but these can be set on a portable base for transportation for special cases. Precision and power are the main strengths when it comes to stationary table saws, as professionals heavily depend on accuracy.
Usually, stationary table saws come in three subcategories, which include contractor, hybrid, and cabinet.
1. Contractor Table Saws
Key Features
- Speeds: 0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM
- Dimensions: 14 x 3.5 x 11 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year on tool, 2 years on battery
Job site table saws can be considered as a synonym for contractor table saws by most manufacturers, but they are significantly different in terms of power and portability.
Proper contractor table saws are considered as a rare collectible in the market, as it started to get replaced by portable table saws due to its increased vibration and subpar dust collection capacities.
With its powerful induction motors, the units can weigh around 200-300 pounds and works as an alternative to cabinet saws. However, most contractors would agree that buying a job site or cabinet table saw is a much better purchase, especially considering the ratio of price to functionality.
2. Hybrid Table Saws
Key Features
- Speeds: 0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM
- Dimensions: 14 x 3.5 x 11 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year on tool, 2 years on battery
Hybrid table saws can create confusion for any customer when differentiating them from contractor saws, as most of the differences aren’t present on the outside. The resemblances mostly stem from hybrid motors, also featuring outboard motors and similar rip capacity.
However, a hybrid table saw usually has an inboard belt drive induction motor, which is much more convenient than longer belts featured in contractor saws. Hybrid saws can also have full enclosures or open leg stands, which can lead them to be mixed up for cabinet saws.
Simply put, hybrid saws are a combination of contractor and cabinet table saws. By keeping these features in mind, anyone can separate a hybrid table saw from any other types of table saws.
3. Cabinet Table Saws
Key Features
- Speeds: 0-400 / 0-1,300 RPM
- Dimensions: 14 x 3.5 x 11 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year on tool, 2 years on battery
Cabinet table saws are possibly the best table saw you would find in the market! In terms of the three functionality features, cabinet saws can sometimes compromise portability to achieve the best precision and power.
Each individual component of the cabinet saw is far superior to any other type of table saw available. It can take any type of wood you can throw at it; it can still work flawlessly after decades of heavy usage.
These saws are built for factory shops and massive workshops for professional contractors. The motors are usually far more powerful than any other saws, running on 240V, which produces between 3-5hp with necessary feature adjustments.
The only downside of cabinet saws is its inability to take on small crafts and extremely precise cuts, which only portable table saws can handle. As portability can become an issue for extremely rare cases, they can also be mounted to a mobile base despite its weight often surpassing 500 pounds.
Needless to say, cabinet table saws are the strongest and effective type to be manufactured to date.
Portability, Precision, and Power
When it comes to categorizing the functionality of table saws, these three terms should always be considered, as these are the three crucial features that can differentiate a good table saw from a great one!
Precision is the most important aspect to consider when you’re working on a specific project, and power is a valuable feature for any large furniture project.
However, portable table saws usually come with less functionality to make up for its lightweight feature. So, the precision and power of a table saw mostly depends on its portability.
Final Words
Buying the right classification of table saw is confusing and often a risky task. With the help of this article, you can find the exact features to fit your woodworking habits.
It will also give you a hand in understanding the functionality of your table saw for a much cleaner and professional result!
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