5 Best Portable Table Saws In 2023 (Buying Guide & Review)


If you don’t want to read the entire post but just want to know our pick for the best portable table saws, we chose the Bosch 4100-09 as our #1 choice.

If you’re reading this article, then you are probably like me – an avid woodworker with a deep passion for building new projects with only my hands and my equipment.

The woodworking world is huge, and for good reason; it is an ancient hobby that has stood the test of time and shown no sign of ever diminshing in popularity.

If you are a woodworker, you are probably familiar with table saws… they are one of the most popular – if not the most popular – electrics saws, and rightfully so. They are versatile, precise, accurate, and efficient – anyone who is serious about their woodworking should have one in their arsenal of tools.

More specifically, a portable table saw is a great investment – if it’s good quality, it can be used in-shop or anywhere you need to take it out to, such as a job site, the woods, or a friend’s house.

In this article, we are going to review the following portable table saws:

Best Portable Table Saws

5 Best Portable Table Saws Reviewed

Based on all the ‘qualifications’ and important aspects we’ve discussed, here are the top five best portable table saws; we will go over all the essential info you need in order to make a conscious buying decision, as well as the pros and cons of each table saw model.

1. Bosch 4100-09

Our #1 overall pick for best portable table saw, this model is very portable – it has wheels, which means it can be rolled around instead of carried and is also collapsable.

In addition, this table saw’s height can also be adjusted.

This table saw is as precise as you need it to be – anti-kickback pawls and a riving knife offer you all the protection you need for an efficient woodcutting experience. Also, the motor is as powerful as you would expect for a portable table saw.

The ‘Bosch’ brand name is reuptable and you can expect this saw to last you a very long time.

It is worth mentioning that this model is pricier than other similar portable table saws – we chose it as our first choice because of its quality overall, but if the price is too much for you then the other models we’ve featured are great as well.

Pros

  • very accurate and precise
  • very portable
  • durable
  • stable
  • accepts dado stack

Cons

  • too expensive for some
  • not as many safety features as other table saws

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

2. Dewalt DWE7491RS

This portable table saw is not only powerful for its size but very versatile as well – it cuts precisely and is an overall great piece of woodworking equipment.

The ‘Dewalt’ brand has a lot of recognition in the table saw world; you can trust that this saw will last you a good amount of time and can handle all the wood you throw at it.

A major benefit of this model is the safety features it comes with, including blade guards, push stick, and dust protection.

This saw is also very light in weight as well and has a rolling stand that allows it to be transported and moved around easily, which means it scores a 10 on the ‘portability’ scale.

Pros

  • reputable brand
  • lightweight and portable
  • stable
  • built-in dust protection
  • safety features

Cons

  • needs an additional product to accept dado blades
  • more expensive than similar models

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

3. Makita 2705X1

This table saw is on this list because of its power – although it doesn’t score as well in many other categories, it can handle more lumber than any other saw on this list.

If you need a table saw that can be classified as ‘portable’ but you won’t be bringing it to job sites every day, then you should consider this one.

This saw comes with all the safety features you need to cut wood safely, including anti-kickback pawls, blade guards, and riving knife.

Pros

  • motor is very powerful
  • can take dado stack (up to a certain size)

Cons

  • not as portable as other models

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

4. Hitachi C10RJ

This is another stable and powerful portable table saw that cuts accurately as well.

The motor on this saw combined with the portability is why it appears on this list; the legs are collapsable and the handles and wheels make it incredibly easy to bring this saw wherever you please.

Although the legs are collapsable, they are still as stable as you need for a great woodcutting experience; the riving knife, push stick, blade guards, and anti-kickback pawls make it as safe as need be, not to mention the built-in dust protection is a major benefit as well.

This saw is a great option for anyone on a budget as well; in fact, we will go as far as saying that compared to all the saws featured in this post, this portable table saw has the best value for what you pay.

Pros

  • built-in dust port
  • stable
  • collapsable legs & wheels (portable)
  • great value

Cons

  • needs accessory to take dado blades

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

5. Bosch GTS1031

Another portable table saw from ‘Bosch’, this is a lightweight option that can be carried from jobsite to jobsite rather easily.

It is compact and has enough handles so that tossing it in a vehicle is no task at all; it is also very sturdy and as stable as you could hope for.

Cutting wood with this saw is accurate and the motor is surprisingly powerful for such a small saw.

The only caveat to this otherwise great saw is that it can only cut up to 18 inches; for this reason, it is our fifth choice on our list of best portable table saws.

Pros

  • lightweight
  • very portable
  • good motor
  • comes with a dado insert

Cons

  • meant for smaller home-based projects

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

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Things To Consider

There are a very wide range of table saws available for purchase, ranging anywhere from $200 to $2000+.

The quality of effectiveness of these table saws vary greatly – this is why it is so important to do your research and make a wise decision before you purchase. A table saw is an investment… this is a piece of equipment that can last you years, and the better quality it is, the longer it will last you.

The table saws we are going to look at in this post are for those like me; we aren’t professional, full-time woodworkers looking to make a living from this. Instead, we are the ‘weekend warrior’ types, with a budding passion for the craft and always looking to improve.

So, for the average woodworker like me, there are certain aspects of the table saw that you will want to consider before you purchase.

These include:

  • materials
  • performance
  • accuracy
  • cost
  • portability
  • functionality

Our reviews were based off of these key measure points.

Let’s dive into these before we get into the actual reviews.

Materials

The materials used to build a table saw are a major sign of whether a saw is ‘worth it’ or not.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to analyze whether a saw is durable or not – oftentimes, equipment like this will last years (up to ten years or more!) so it’s hard to determine how different table saws stack up against one another.

That said, the materials that make up a table saw are a big teller of how long it will last and how much abuse it can handle before breaking.

So, for every table saw featured in this review, we’ve considered the materials used to build every table saw as well as combed through reviews to get an idea for how durable each table saw is.

Performance

The performance of a table saw is the main reason you are buying it in the first place.

Table saws are meant to cut wood – if one table saw is better at doing this than another, this is almost automatically a ‘better’ table saw.

For the portable table saws we’ve reviewed in this article, we took into account the two following indicators of performance:

  • saw blade RPM
  • saw motor AMP draw

These two factors are the main signifier of how efficient and how powerful any specific table saw will be; so, for every saw mentioned in this article, we’ve taken into account not only the listed figures for these two factors but the reviews as well, noting any differences between what the manufacturer was saying from what the reviewers said.

Accuracy

No matter how experienced or in-experienced you are as a woodworker, accuracy matters – there is simply no reason to buy a table saw that is not capable of making precise, accurate cuts.

The accuracy of a table saw depends on factors such as:

  • the accuracy of vertical 90 degrees stop
  • accuracy of 45 degrees stop
  • how flat the table is
  • how parallel the blade is to the miter slot
  • how parallel the saw fence is to the miter slot
  • the ‘runout’ of the saw blade (how much the saw blade wobbles)

All of these factors were considered when choosing the best portable table saws featured in this article.

Cost

Cost is a major factor in choosing our top portable table saws and should also be a key decision maker for you as well.

Budget is everything – there is no reason to go in debt just to buy a piece of woodworking equipment, so do not feel pressured to purchase a table saw that is too expensive for you.

Cost was a big factor in our choices for best portable table saws as well – obviously, some equipment is too expensive than it should be, and that is a big downside in our eyes (is it should be for you).

So, all of the portable table saws featured in this article are low- to mid-range in price.

Functionality

The functionality of a table saw basically represents how it is built in order to better help the user reduce risk of injury, fatigue, and discomfort while using and transporting the table saw.

Since this post is all about portable table saws, the ‘functionality’ – how well it was built in order to make the woodworkers life easier – was a large factor in choosing the best table saws.

Features that help with functionality include:

  • handles
  • riving knife
  • safety switch
  • non-slip coating
  • guard
  • fence
  • stand leg adjustment

Height and weight also influence how ‘functional’ a table saw is.

We took all of these features (and more) into account when reviewing the best portable table saws.

Portability

This somewhat falls under ‘functionality’, but it is slightly different.

This review is all about portable table saws – so, there are factors that influenced the saws we chose to feature that wouldn’t be included in our ‘Best Table Saw’ review.

More specifically, portability is another key element we considered when choosing the best portable table saws.

Essentially, this just means how easy it is to transport for point A to point B; this goes further than just how heavy the saw is, but also includes how compact is it, whether it can be broken down or folded, etc.

Conclusion

All in all, the Bosch 4100-09 is our #1 overall pick for best portable table saw.

The Bosch brand is a strong one in the woodworking world, and for good reason – they make fantastic machinery that stands the test of time and performs above similar models of equipment.

This specific model of table saw – the Bosch 4100-09 – is as portable as you need it to be; the collapsibility and wheels make it simple to roll around or transport it to other job sites. Not only, that, but it is very stable as well, which is important if you are doing lots of woodcutting.

The only downsides of this table saw, as mentioned, is the price and lack of safety features – if either of these factors is important to you, then feel free to take a look at the other models we’ve featured.

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Paul Smith

Hi, I am Paul Smith. I am the man behind this blog. I am a passionate woodworker. I would like to share with you guys the experience of learning woodworking.

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