6 Absolute BEST Contractor Table Saws (2024 Tested & Reviewed)

When it comes to table saws, there’s certainly no shortage of options. But picking the right saw for your needs is essential. At the end of the day, you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars only to find out your saw doesn’t work for your needs!

When it comes to contractor table saws, I’ve selected my 6 favorite options that you should consider. These have been tested based on numerous factors including the overall power, reliability, price, ease of use, and much more.

If you’re in a hurry, my overall best contractor table saw is the Delta 36-5100T2 Contractor Table Saw because of its power, rip capacity, and overall quality – and it’s reasonably priced compared to some others.

In a Hurry? Here are my Favorites! 👇

Best Contractor Table Saws

Delta 36-5100T2 Contractor Table Saw – Best Overall

If you want to best contractor table saw you can find, I highly recommend taking a look at the Delta 5100T2.

This table saw provides an exceptional mix of power, quality, and even portability.

Whereas some contractor table saws are extremely difficult to move, this saw has two fixed wheels for additional portability which is super convenient.

It boats a powerful motor that can produce 3,450 RPM so it won’t have any trouble cutting through even thick woods.

It has a great standard rip capacity of 30″ with the ability to upgrade it to over 50″ if desired. The cast iron wings add stability so you don’t have to worry about your saw wobbling as you cut.

It comes with all of the standard safety features you’d expect from a quality table saw including a blade guard and riving knife.

Another huge benefit for me is the 5-year warranty. Some table saws will come with a 1 to 4 year warranty, so the 5-year warranty is definitely respectable and speaks to the quality of this saw.

What I Liked:

• Solid rip capacity of 30″
• Extremely powerful and capable of cutting through both soft and hard woods.
• Cast iron components are durable and great quality
• Excellent 5-year warranty

What I Didn’t Like:

• More expensive than other options
• Fence system didn’t seem as high quality as the rest of the saw
• Setup instructions were somewhat difficult to read

DEWALT 10-Inch Table Saw – Best Value

If you want a great table saw without spending a fortune, the DeWalt 10-Inch Table Saw is the best table saw under $1000.

This is also one of the most portable table saws on my list – which can be super handy if you need to take it on the go. It has both a folding stand as well as wheels to maneuver it around your space – which is super convenient.

This saw won’t deliver the same power as the Delta saw above, but it’s still quite powerful and great for most jobs.

It can produce 4,800 RPM of speed thanks to the 15 amp motor and the fence system was super simple to adjust. The miter gauge was accurate and didn’t need much adjustment making it a great contractor table saw for many people.

It has a decent rip capacity of 32-1/2″ which is large enough for your everyday cuts.

It comes with the safety components you’d expect including a riving knife, blade guard, and large stop button to turn off the saw.

The blade size is a standard 10″ that’s great for most cuts. It’s precise, accurate, and a good table saw that I certainly would recommend.

What I Liked:

• Price, price, price
• Very portable thanks to the folding stand and wheels
• Decent 3-year warranty

What I Didn’t Like:

• Not as powerful as other saws
• Not as durable as other “true” contractor table saws

SawStop 10-Inch Contractor Saw – Highest Overall Quality

If you want one of the most powerful saws you can find at a fair price, this is the one for you. While this is the most expensive saw on my list, it’s for a good reason.

This is the most powerful saw you’ll find and it’s excellent for cutting any type of wood you need it to. With a 1.75 HP motor, you can cut both soft and hard woods with ease.

The aluminum fence system was extremely precise and easy to adjust, and it’s constructed with a high quality thick gauge steel.

If you want additional mobility, you can also purchase a mobile base for this saw which is a nice bonus.

One thing that stood out with this contractor table saw is the configuration options. While most table saws are somewhat limited in what you can add to them, this saw is different. You can purchase cast iron wings, a sliding crosscut attachment, or the mobile base mentioned above. This can help you personalize the saw to your needs, which I really like.

It comes standard with all of the proper safety features like a blade guard, riving knife, and push stick in addition to a patented shut off safety feature that can detect when a human finger is touching the saw blade while cutting and promptly stop the blade.

What I Liked:

• Top rated safety features
• Superb dust collection system and port
• Extremely powerful
• Decent rip capacity

What I Didn’t Like:

• More expensive than other table saws
• Only a 1-year warranty

JET JPS-10 ProShop II 10-Inch Table Saw

This is another really great quality table saw and I consider it one of the best contractor table saws you can get if you’re willing to shell out a decent amount of money.

When it comes to high end picks, this is number 2 on my list behind the SawStop table saw. This one is slightly more powerful than the SawStop, but it also comes with a larger price tag.

It features a powerful 1.75 amp motor with a massive 52 inch rip capacity which can make almost any cut imaginable.

It also comes with a 5-year warranty to back it up (yes, please!) which is one of the longest warranties I’ve found for any contractor table saw.

There’s one thing this table saw is lacking though – portability. This table saw doesn’t come with a mobile base or wheels, so don’t expect to be able to easily move the saw around after setup. This is more like a cabinet saw in that manner.

What I Liked:

• High quality cast iron table saw
• 5-year warranty
• Powerful 1.75 amp motor
• Large rip capacity

What I Didn’t Like:

• Price
• No wheels or portability

RIDGID R4512 10 in. 13-Amp Cast IronTable Saw

Ridgid is a decent brand that has been a reliable option when it comes to power tools and saws. They make a solid contractor table saw that’s worth considering, although I don’t think it’s quite as good as the Delta, DeWalt, or SawStop saws above.

The 13 amp motor can deliver blade speeds of 3,450 RPM – which is solid.

If you’re in the market for a contractor table saw, one thing you’re probably looking for is portability – and this saw delivers. It has three wheels on the mobile base so you can move it around easier than other saws.

One thing that’s worth mentioning is that despite claiming to have a 3-year warranty, there have been multiple claims that Ridgid won’t honor it.

What I Liked:

• Pretty high quality with cast iron components
• Portability

What I Didn’t Like:

• Doesn’t deliver a great value given the price
• Potential warranty issues

SKIL 15 AMP 10-Inch Table Saw

The SKIL 15 amp table saw is another budget pick that’s worth considering. While the quality isn’t quite as strong as the DeWalt – it’s still a decent choice if you need a saw and don’t want to spend a ton.

This table saw is built with a 15 amp battery powered motor, making it one of the more powerful compact table saws you can find. It can produce 4,600 RPM of blade speed – which is quite high for the price point.

This is an awesome saw that includes a folding stand with wheels so you can easily transport it wherever you need to go.

It includes a surprisingly good dust collection system so you don’t have to worry about dust getting in the way of your work.

What I Liked:

• Very affordable
• Extremely portable with wheels
• Decent 3-year warranty

What I Didn’t Like:

• Not as stable
• Doesn’t seem as durable as other table saws

Critical Factors When Buying a Contractor Table Saw

Power

Power is the name of the game when it comes to using any kind of saw, including contractor table saws.

In most cases, the best contractor table saws will provide more power and output than other models. This can make cutting wood and other materials easier and yield a more accurate cut.

In general, a contractor table saw will deliver more power than a portable table saw but not as much as cabinet saws.

There are a few different components of power – amps, horsepower, and RPM.

It’s worth noting that RPM can be a helpful metric, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the saw with the highest RPM is the most powerful.

Here’s how these saws stack up in terms of blade speed.

Rip Fence and Miter Gauge

When it comes to using your saw, you need to make accurate cuts. After all, if your cuts are precise, what’s the point in the first place? You could just go with another saw.

Two components that will allow you to make the most accurate and precise cuts are the rip fence and miter gauge.

I won’t go into significant detail about how each one of these works, but in simplest terms – a rip fence allows you to make accurate cuts by guiding the wood as you cut it.

A miter gauge is designed to help you make angled cuts. It will hold the wood at an angle while making your cuts and is a critical component to any table saw.

Both of these components should be easily adjusted so you can ensure the most accurate cuts possible. While it’s common to purchase aftermarket components to replace these, I don’t like spending extra money on something you’re already paying a large amount for!

Check out the video below for help making adjustments to your saw.

Rip Capacity

Rip capacity is all about the size of the projects you plan to work on. This will determine how big of an area you can work with.

Most table saws will offer a rip capacity of around 30 inches, but you can find some saws that offer more.

So when determining which table saw to purchase, think about the size of the projects you’ll be working on.

Warranty

The warranty that comes with your table saw is also important to take note of. Not only does it provide a guarantee that your table saw will function correctly, but it also speaks to the quality of the saw.

Table saws typically come with warranties ranging from 2 to 5 years.

While there are some decent saws that come with a 1 year warranty, this is something worth considering.

Durability and Overall Quality

This goes hand in hand with the warranty a saw offers, but it’s just as important. The overall quality of the saw should play a part in choosing which saw is right for you.

And when it comes to quality, the old saying “You get what you pay for” is often accurate. More expensive saws will feature higher quality components like a cast iron table

Maximum Cut Depth

The maximum cut depth is something you’ll want to consider when purchasing any size, including table saws. This will determine how thick of a piece of wood you can cut – which is essential for some projects.

Ultimately, the cut depth will depend on the size of the blade. Most table saws will come with a standard sized blade of 10 inches. You might find some that offer 12″ blades, which could be a deciding factor if you’re working on thicker pieces of wood.

There are also some table saws that come with a standard 8-1/4″ blade.

Ease of Use

Using a table saw shouldn’t require an advanced degree to figure out. Now, they also are the simplest tools to use either – so there might be a small learning curve when you’re just getting started with woodworking.

That said, how easy your saw is to adjust and use should be considered before making your purchase.

How easy is it to change the saw blade? Is it easy to make fence adjustments on your saw?

Blade

When it comes to the blade of your saw, there are a few things you’ll want to look at.

First is the size of the blade. This will make cutting your wood more efficient depending on the size.

The next factor is the material of the blade. There are different blade materials commonly used for table saws.

I don’t prioritize the type of blade quite as much because you can always purchase the blade you want and swap them out as needed.

Size & Weight

Some contractor table saws can be extremely heavy and more difficult to move around. Stationary table saws like hybrid table saws and cabinet table saws are often heavier than many contractor table saws, but this isn’t always the case.

All of these saws are going to be on the heavier side when compared to other types of saws, especially if they’re constructed with cast iron components.

Portability

A contractor table saw is meant to be somewhere in the middle in terms of portability. It’s more portable than a cabinet saw but less portable than a jobsite table saw.

How you plan to use your saw should have an impact on which you go with. If you’re planning to take your saw on the go, choose one that has wheels or a foldable stand so you can transport it.

If you don’t plan to move your saw much, I’d go with a more heavy duty saw like the Delta, JET, or SawStop.

Dust Collection

No matter what kind of woodworking or carpentry you’re doing – there’s likely to be sawdust involved at some point.

When it comes to a table saw, a dust collection port or system can be extremely helpful in keeping your area clean so you can make precise cuts.

Some saws will have better dust collection systems than others so keep this in mind.

Safety Features

When it comes to a saw of any kind, safety features are worth considering. Personally, these aren’t going to prevent me from buying a saw if it’s lacking a single feature, but it’s a nice benefit if your saw has some extra safety features.

At minimum, your table saw should have the following safety features:

• Riving knife
• Blade guard
• Anti kickback pawls

Some saws might also come with a push stick, but it’s not always the case.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to picking the best contractor table saw, there are a few great choices. Overall, I highly recommend the Delta 36-5100T2 Contractor Table Saw because of its mix of power, rip capacity, and overall quality. It’s a tremendous table saw that’s worth the money.

That said, if you’re looking for a more budget friendly contractor table saw, I recommend the DEWALT 10-Inch Table Saw. This is a decent table saw for the price – while it doesn’t offer the same quality and power as the Delta, you’ll find it’s much less expensive and can get the job done.