DeWalt is a nearly 100-year-old tool company with a reputation for durability and quality. I tested one of its core offerings, the DWE7491RS 10-Inch Jobsite Table Saw (which comes with a rolling stand) while rebuilding the deck on my Colorado home. Read on to see if the saw’s compact size and portable package got the job done.
Performance: Stable and efficient
With a maximum cut depth of 3.125 inches and a 32.5-inch rip capacity, the 10-inch blade of this DeWalt table saw handled all the relatively light-duty board ripping I needed from it, but I also tested it against a variety of plywood and other board sizes to assess its capability. The 15-amp motor is fairly standard for this contractor or job site level of table saw, and none of the boards I threw at it caused it to bind—good news, as binding is at best annoying and at worst dangerous. Basic ripping of 5/4 deck boards—this saw’s primary task in my project—was a breeze, though I did have to employ a rolling stand (sold separately) to “catch” the long deck boards as I cut further through them.
Features: Built-in stand is a winner
The built-in stand sets this saw apart from competitors since it is actually quite stable out of the box and doesn’t require a custom stand or supports to combat vibration, which are often necessary with cheaper and lighter units. DeWalt sells a nearly identical saw with a less robust stand, and after viewing it in a big box store, I was glad to have this one. The built-in rack and pinion fence system, which acts as a guide for boards that runs parallel to the blade, adjusts by hand and is both easy to use and very accurate. I learned to trust the fence and its measurements once I got the saw set up, and it made my workflow faster knowing I didn’t have to measure everything four times to double-check the DeWalt. As with many table saws, the included plastic miter gauge isn’t nearly as precise as the fence and so I made angled cuts on a miter saw. If you are hoping to use this saw in lieu of a miter saw, you’ll probably want to invest in a higher-quality third party miter gauge. You can also attach a vacuum to this saw’s dust collection port for easy cleaning.
Portability: Easy to move and store
Upon unboxing, I wasn’t sure how much I cared that the built-in stand for this saw had wheels, but, boy, did I ever use them. If weather rolled in, the saw folded up and rolled to shelter in the garage. This was extremely convenient since I did my cutting in the driveway and stored the saw in the garage overnight. This maneuverability might be less useful to you if you plan to use the saw primarily in your garage where you could build or buy a semi-permanent stand rather than use the fold-up stand of this model. There is also on-board storage for the power cord and the loose parts such as the miter gauge and guards, making it completely self-contained. The legs fold easily with an intuitive mechanism that feels well thought out, and the safety attachments stow away within the unit, reducing its form factor and allowing it to be tucked away in a corner when not in use. However, the unit does weigh 90 pounds, so if you’re going to be loading it in and out of a truck bed several times a day or needing to haul it up and down the stairs where the wheels can’t help you, you may want to look at a lighter job site saw that dispenses with the stand.
Safety Features: Just the basics
It’s important to note that table saws are both essential tools and potentially very dangerous ones. Exposed high-speed blades cause thousands of injuries every year, so almost every new table saw sold these days has some basic safety features to minimize the potential for accidents. The DeWalt doesn’t go above and beyond here but has some standard safety equipment as part of its Site-Pro Guarding System. The Blade Guard Assembly is a standard clear plastic set of guards that allows the wood to be fed to the blade but shields you from putting hands on the exposed blade in a slip. The guards will lock in a raised position when you need to see the blade—for example, when adjusting the blade height—which lessens the temptation to remove this safety feature when it’s in your way. The shark fin-style riving knife behind the blade keeps cut pieces from binding and causing kickback. The included push stick is useful when using thinner workpieces that don’t allow your hand to be at least 4 inches from the blade. The power button’s flip cover ensures that you only turn the blade on when you mean to, which is a welcome layer of safety. Missing is an additional anti-kickback pawl that is included in some saws and essentially grabs your workpiece in a kickback situation and prevents the board from moving back toward you. More advanced safety features like the automatic “flesh-sensing” of brands such as SawStop just aren’t available in this price range.
Price: Expensive, but worth it
Typically sold for around $600, the DeWalt isn’t exactly cheap, and you can find similar portable table saws for less. DeWalt itself has several other jobsite table saws for lower prices, though they either lack a stand or feature a flimsier one. However, if you value a sturdy stand and the ability to wheel the collapsed unit around, it’s easy to justify the modest extra expense for this saw.
DeWalt DWE7491RS Table Saw vs. SKILSAW SPT70WT Table Saw
For a couple of hundred dollars less than the DeWalt, you can get the SKILSAW 10 In. Portable Worm Drive Table Saw, but you’ll lose the convenience of the built-in stand. I tested both saws and found their performance similar, though thanks to the rolling stand, I was more likely to reach for the DeWalt. If you don’t value the stand, the SKILSAW packs a lot of power in a small form and is the preferred job site saw of several local contractors I know. If you’re a weekend warrior like me, you may value the stand enough to spend the extra money on the DeWalt. Take a peek at some of the other best table saws you can buy. The DeWalt DWE7491RS 10" Jobsite Table Saw is a straightforward saw that delivers quality and performance in a portable package. I found it much more convenient than other stand-less table saws.
