Best Table Saw for Woodworking

To say that Best Table Saw for Woodworking is the beating heart of a woodshop would not be an overstatement. All woodworkers who aspire to work with large sheets of wood and dimensional lumber will find their craft greatly hindered without one.

Coming here as a novice carpenter, you’re probably not sure where to start looking—or what to even look for, for that matter!

Enter the DeWalt DWE7491RS; a beginner-friendly table saw that is built well, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive. It has more bells and whistles than you could possibly need in your first year of woodworking.

It would be improper to suggest that the DWE7491RS is the only table saw you will ever need. However, you would be hard-pressed to find anything like it at this price point.

Why Buy the DWE7491RS?

• Easy to set up

• Powerful Motor

• Beginner-friendly controls

• Solid construction

• Largest rip capacity available

Shortcomings

• No storage for extra blades

• The stand is attached with nuts and bolts

Specifications

• 15-Amp motor (4,800 RPM)

• 32 ½ -inch ripping capacity (right of the blade)

• 22-inch ripping capacity (left of the blade)

• Depth of cut: 3 1/8 inches at 90 degrees; 2 ¼ inches at 45 degrees

• Table dimensions: 21 7/8 inches by 26 inches by 3/8 inches

• Built-in 2 ½-inch dust port

• Removable 1 ¼-inch dust port

• Weight: 90 pounds

 Key Features

Motor 

I expected the 15-amp motor to be a monster, and it truly is. With a no-load top speed of 4,800 RPM, the DWE7491RS can pretty much cut through anything.

I tested it against pine, walnut, and even Alderwood, and the motor responded well, even cutting through cubes of stacked hardwoods with relative ease.

This table saw has more than enough power for dealing with hardwoods, plywood, MDF, and dimensional lumber. It even glides through pressure-treated lumber like it’s softwood!

In a nutshell, the DWE7491RS has plenty of power for ripping thick wood stock. It’s unlikely that you’ll need anything more powerful to cut wood.

Fence 

The DWE7491RS has the largest rip capacity of any Jobsite table saw I have reviewed so far. Its fence can extend to 32 ½ inches to the right and 22 inches to the left of the blade.

Jobsite table saws rarely have more than 24 inches of ripping capacity. The closest runner-up to the DWE7491RS, at least in terms of cut capacity, is the DWE7490X, which has a maximum rip capacity of 28 ½ inches.

My favorite part of the fence is that it is always square. You probably understand how frustrating it is to have to reset the fence back to the square for each cut. This one comes accurately squared by default so that you can work pretty quickly with the DWE7491RS.

One more thing about the fence is its unique design. It features a smaller, swing-out fence for making impossibly thin cuts with relative ease.

I also found the swing-out fence to be handy when working with large timber cuts. It supports any dangling edges to keep the workpiece level and steady throughout.

Blade

By default, the DWE7491RS ships with a sturdy framing blade. It can cut up to 3 1/8 inches deep at 90 degrees and two ¼ inches at 45 degrees.

You adjust the blade’s height using a wheel on the side of the saw and switch angles by tinkering with the lever next to it. Both mechanisms lock in place once you get your desired height and angle.

Replacing the blade is pretty easy for two reasons: the throat plate is only held down by four screws, and the provided blade wrenches are very easy to use.

Durable roll cage

The roll cage is built entirely from metal tubing, which makes sense as it is natural to use the toughest materials to protect the saw from falls and impacts.

Nevertheless, it is still a big deal for a budget table saw to have a metallic roll cage. Most manufacturers (including DeWalt) keep the costs down by using high-grade plastic.

The DWE7491RS table saw’s cage is not invincible, but when you compare it to roll cages made out of plastic, it may well be.

Large wheels

I didn’t think much about wheels when I was shopping for a table saw, but boy am I glad that the DWE7491RS has some.

 If you’re like me, working from the driveway most days, you’ll be more than happy to have a decent pair of wheels under your table saw. They make it so portable!

They’re large enough to carry the saw over my unkempt lawn, so they should do fine on just about any rough job site. 

Seriously, being able to wheel the table saw back into the garage at the end of the day—especially without the reluctant help of my neighbor—is a luxury I never knew I needed.

Accessories

The standard accessories that come with the DWE7491RS include:

• Riving knife

• Blade guard

• Push stick

• Two blade wrenches

• Anti-kickback pawls

• Miter gauge

• Framing blade

Cost and Comparisons

The DWE7491RS retails for $600 – $700, depending on where you buy it. That sounds pretty expensive if you’re not ready to invest heavily in your woodworking hobby.

Craftsman 10” Table Saw with Steel Roll Cage

For about $200, you can get a lightweight; portable saw with a similar 15-amp motor though it is worlds apart from the DWE7491RS in terms of build quality and performance.

 I’m talking about the 10-inch Craftsman table saw, a budget table saw that’s as good an entry-level tool as any. Its motor generates 5,000 RPM and is built inside a relatively durable body encased in a roll cage.

Cut capacities are 12 inches and 10 inches to the left and right, respectively, and the blade can make 3 1/8 inch 90-degree cuts and 2 ¼ inch 45-degree cuts.

The Craftsman is a good choice if your budget is tight, but keep in mind that you may need an upgrade sooner than later.

Skilsaw 10” Table Saw with Rolling Stand

For about the same price as the DWE7491RS, you can obtain this 10-inch Skilsaw table saw. Powered by a 15-amp dual field worm drive motor, it has mountains of torque for ripping wood.

It is also equipped with a rolling stand like the DeWalt’s, but the difference is that its massive 16-inch wheels are way better and can even go up and downstairs.

You should certainly consider a worm drive saw if you take on time-consuming projects, as it runs a lot cooler for longer periods.

With a maximum capacity of 30.5 inches on its rack and pinion system, the Skilsaw comes close to the massive rip capacity of the DeWalt DWE7491RS.

Who Should Buy the DeWalt DWE7491RS?

You’ve just realized that you desperately need a table saw, and you’re keen on getting the best value for money. If that sounds like you, then the DWE7491RS is worth considering.

It is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s easy to see why it is worth every penny. It is powerful yet easy to use, durable, and easy to assemble.

More importantly, it allows you plenty of room to grow and advance your craft. I sincerely expect years of excellent performance from the DWE7491RS.

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