What the battery changes
The CPSC notes the first battery table saw reached the market in 2016, and that these saws typically run on 18 to 60 V lithium-ion batteries with 8.25 in blades and thinner kerfs. In other words they are compact bench saws without the cord: the same small blade, the same reduced depth of cut, and the same questions about mounting and support as benchtop saws.
| Specification | DEWALT DCS7485 | Milwaukee 2736-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery platform | 60 V (FLEXVOLT) | M18 (18 V) |
| Blade | 8-1/4 in | 8-1/4 in |
| Depth of cut, 0° / 45° | 2-9/16 / 1-3/4 in | Not stated on the page reviewed |
| Rip capacity | 24 in | 24-1/2 in |
| No-load speed | 5,800 RPM | 5,800 RPM |
| Weight | 48 lb assembled (web page) | Not stated on the page reviewed |
| Dado sets | Not allowed (manual) | Not stated on the page reviewed |
From DEWALT's DCS7485 manual and product page and Milwaukee's 2736-20 product page. Both are sold as bare tools; batteries and chargers are separate.
Equipment notePaid link
60V 8-1/4-in table saw, tool only
DEWALT DCS7485B
DEWALT's DCS7485 from the table above, sold as a bare tool: 24 in of rip capacity and 48 lb assembled, by DEWALT's page; its manual rules out dado heads.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
The decisions
- Battery platform. A cordless saw runs only on its maker's batteries — DEWALT's on its 60 V packs, Milwaukee's on M18. If you already own one maker's batteries, that usually decides the platform; if not, you are choosing a battery system as well as a saw.
- Blade size. Both saws take 8-1/4 in blades, as the CPSC describes for the class. That limits depth of cut — 2-9/16 in at 0° on the DEWALT, less than the 3-1/8 in of the 10 in saws in the jobsite guide — and the range of blades; see saw blades.
- No dado work. DEWALT's manual says not to fit a dado or shaping head on the DCS7485. Milwaukee's page reviewed gives no dado figure; check the manual before assuming either way.
- Rip capacity. 24 and 24-1/2 in respectively — enough to halve a 4 × 8 sheet, which needs a little under 24 in, as choosing a table saw shows. A full sheet on a small saw still needs support all round.
- Runtime. How many cuts a battery gives depends on the battery, the blade and the stock. Makers' runtime figures are claims made under their own conditions, so they are not repeated here.
- Mounting. A light saw moves unless it is secured — see portable stands and workbenches and outfeed tables.
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 or lasts longer on a charge. Use them to rule saws in or out, then read the manual of any saw you are considering.
Before buying a cordless saw
- Which battery platform you already own, or are willing to buy into
- Depth of cut with an 8-1/4 in blade, against your thickest stock
- Rip capacity right of the blade for your widest parts
- Whether the manual allows any dado work — DEWALT's does not
- The riving knife's blade marking, for the blades you will use
- How you will mount the saw and support long work
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. Makers' runtime claims depend on battery, blade and material and are not repeated. No saw was tested and none is ranked.
- 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: Cordless bench saws as typically running on lithium-ion batteries of 18 to 60 V with 8.25 in blades and thinner kerfs; the first one on the market in 2016.
- 2.
DCS7485 60V MAX 8-1/4" (210 mm) Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The DCS7485's 60 V supply, 8-1/4 in blade, 2-9/16 and 1-3/4 in depths of cut and 5,800 RPM no-load speed; no dado or shaping heads on the saw.
- 3.
60V MAX* FLEXVOLT Brushless 8-1/4 in. Cordless Table Saw (Tool Only), DCS7485B. DEWALT.
Used for: The DCS7485's 24 in rip capacity and 48 lb assembled weight.
- 4.
M18 FUEL 8-1/4" Table Saw w/ ONE-KEY, 2736-20. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The 2736-20's 8-1/4 in blade, 24-1/2 in rip, 5,800 RPM and M18 (18 V) battery platform.
- 5.
DWE7485 8-1/4" (210 mm) Compact Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: DEWALT's corded compact saw of the same blade size, with 2-9/16 in depth and 5,800 RPM, for comparison.
- 6.
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, as an example of the thinner blades made for this size of saw.
About this buying guide
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