What a compact saw gives up
The CPSC counts bench saws as about 79% of table saws sold — small, light and portable, on universal motors and gear drives. A benchtop saw is the smallest of them, made to sit on a bench or a light stand. Its limits follow from its size, and they come down to the same few questions on every model.
| Specification | DEWALT DWE7485 | SawStop Compact Table Saw |
|---|---|---|
| Blade | 8-1/4 in | 10 in |
| Depth of cut, 0° / 45° | 2-9/16 / 1-3/4 in | 3-1/8 / 2-1/8 in |
| Rip, right / left of blade | Not stated in the manual reviewed | 24-1/2 / 9-1/2 in |
| No-load speed | 5,800 RPM | 4,000 RPM |
| Weight | Not stated in the manual reviewed | 68 lb |
| Dado sets | Not allowed | Not compatible |
| Dust port | Not stated in the manual reviewed | 2-1/2 in |
| Active injury mitigation | None described | SawStop brake |
From DEWALT's DWE7485 manual and SawStop's product page. Neither saw takes a dado set.
Equipment notePaid link
8-1/4-in compact jobsite table saw
DEWALT DWE7485
One of the two compact saws in the table above; DEWALT's manual for it forbids dado sets.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
The decisions
- Blade size. DEWALT's compact saw takes an 8-1/4 in blade, and its riving knife is marked for 8-1/4 in blades only; SawStop's compact saw takes a full 10 in blade. The smaller blade cuts less deep — 2-9/16 against 3-1/8 in at 90° here — and comes in a narrower range; Diablo's 8-1/4 in blades, for example, cut a 0.094 in kerf on a 0.063 in plate. See saw blades. Battery saws share the smaller blade; they are compared in choosing a cordless table saw.
- No dado work. DEWALT's manual forbids dado sets on the DWE7485 and SawStop lists its compact saw's blade as not compatible with dado blades. If you need to cut dadoes on the saw, look at jobsite saws, whose manuals allow 8 in sets.
- Rip capacity. SawStop gives 24-1/2 in to the right of the blade — just enough to halve a 4 × 8 sheet, which needs a little under 24 in — but a full sheet on a small table is a support problem first; see choosing a table saw.
- Mounting. DEWALT's manual says the saw must be secured. A light saw on a bench moves unless it is clamped or bolted down — see workbenches and outfeed tables.
- Safety system. SawStop's compact saw carries its brake, which SawStop calls a last measure behind the guard and safe practice.
Before buying
Note— Specifications, not a test
These are the makers' published figures, not BenchRoot measurements, and they do not say which saw cuts better. Use them to rule saws in or out for your work, then read the manual of any saw you are considering.
Before buying a benchtop saw
- Blade size, and whether the blades you need come in it
- Depth of cut for the thickest stock you will rip
- Rip capacity right of the blade for your widest parts
- Whether you need dado work — neither saw here allows it
- How you will clamp or mount it, and support long work
- Any active safety system, and what it asks of blades
Sources
Figures are each maker's own for the model named; where a figure is not in the documents reviewed, the table says so rather than estimate it. No saw was tested and none is ranked. Very small hobby saws with much smaller blades are a different class and are not covered.
- 1.
Safety Standard Addressing Blade-Contact Injuries on Table Saws (supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking), 88 FR 74909. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal Register, 2023.
Used for: Bench saws as small, light and transportable, with universal motors and gear drives, 34 to 133 lb, making up about 79% of table saws sold.
- 2.
DWE7485 8-1/4" (210 mm) Compact Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The DWE7485's 8-1/4 in blade, 2-9/16 and 1-3/4 in depths of cut, 5,800 RPM no-load speed and 0.087 in riving knife marked for 8-1/4 in blades; no dado sets, multiple blades or shaping cutters; the saw secured before use.
- 3.
Compact Table Saw. SawStop.
Used for: The Compact Table Saw's 15 A universal motor, 4,000 RPM, 10 in blade not compatible with dado blades, 3-1/8 and 2-1/8 in depths, 24-1/2 in right and 9-1/2 in left rip, 68 lb, 23 × 22-5/8 in table and 2-1/2 in dust port.
- 4.
Owner's Manual, 10" Professional Cabinet Saw, Model PCS31230. SawStop.
Used for: SawStop's brake as a last measure that does not replace the guard and safe practice.
- 5.
Circular saw blade specifications (D0660A, D0724A, D0740A, D0824X, D0840X, D1060X, D1280X). Diablo Tools (Freud America).
Used for: 8-1/4 in blades with a 0.094 in kerf and 0.063 in plate, as an example of blades made for this size of saw.
About this buying guide
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