Jobsite, contractor, hybrid or cabinet table saw: what the makers' specs show

What are the four classes of table saw?

Makers and retailers sort table saws into a handful of names: benchtop or portable, jobsite, contractor, hybrid and cabinet. This guide walks through what each maker's own page says about each class, then lines up the catalogue's figures. Taikra doesn't rank or test tools; every figure here is from the maker's own page, linked.

WEN's table saw guide describes benchtop saws as the smallest, usually least-expensive saws, often with 8" to 8-1/2" blades, though many 10" models exist. (WEN Products)

WEN groups jobsite and contractor saws together as one class, calls them the workhorses of the table saw world, and says most of these models use 10" blades and come with, or offer, a folding or rolling stand. (WEN Products)

WEN describes cabinet saws as usually having fully enclosed heavy-duty metal cabinet stands, large cast iron tables with very large extensions, heavy-duty motors and high-quality accessories. (WEN Products)

What is a hybrid table saw?

WEN defines a hybrid as a table saw that combines some of the mobility of a jobsite saw with the robust durability and accuracy of a cabinet saw, and says most come with solid metal stands, long table and rail extensions, and cast iron tables. (WEN Products)

Harvey calls its ALPHA HW110LC-36Pro a floor-standing cabinet table saw and lists 2HP (1.65kW), 115V/230V and single phase, with blade elevating and tilting controlled by a worm gear trunnion system. (Harvey Woodworking)

Sellers may label saws in this middle ground differently; the listed figures are the part to compare.

Contractor table saw vs jobsite: how do they differ?

Delta's manual describes the 36-5000 T2 series 10-inch Contractor Table Saw as designed for portability and lists a sturdy tubular steel stand, a 15-amp induction motor and a cast iron table. (Delta Machinery)

Delta's product page calls the 36-5000T2 a belt-driven machine and lists a weight of 195 lbs. Net (88.45 kg) and a table of 20 in. x 27 in. (50 in. x 27 in. with wings). (Delta Machinery)

Bosch's GTS15-10 jobsite saw ships with a Gravity-Rise wheeled stand and lists a weight of 91 lb, 15 amps and 120V.

DEWALT's DWE7491RS jobsite saw comes with a rolling stand and lists a 15 amp motor, 120V and 32-1/2-in rip capacity.

The contractor label is not used the same way by every maker: Makita sells its 2705 as a 10" Contractor Table Saw, and its flyer lists a net weight of 61.7 lbs. for the saw and 114.7 lbs. for the 2705X1 with its portable stand. (Makita U.S.A.)

What makes a cabinet saw different?

Delta's 3-HP UNISAW (36-L336) lists 3 HP, 230V single phase, a single-cast trunnion system, a 31 in. x 40 in. cast iron top with wings, 4 in. and 5 in. chip exhaust openings and a weight of 624 lbs. (Delta Machinery)

WEN's guide puts cabinet saws at the large end of the range, with enclosed metal cabinet stands and heavy-duty motors. (WEN Products)

Setup, supply and operating instructions for any of these saws are in each maker's manual.

What size table saw do I need?

Size on a table saw usually means two things: blade diameter and rip capacity (how wide a piece fits between the blade and the fence). The figures below show the spread in the catalogue.

DEWALT's compact DWE7485 uses an 8-1/4 in. blade and lists 24.5-in of rip capacity, which DEWALT says is for ripping 4x8 plywood or OSB sheets.

Bosch lists 32.125 in of right rip on the GTS15-10, and DEWALT lists 32-1/2 in. on the DWE7491RS.

Delta's 36-5152T2 contractor saw lists 52 in. (1320.8 mm) of rip to the right of the blade and weighs 269 lbs. Net. (Delta Machinery)

By weight the catalogue runs from 61.7 lbs. for Makita's 2705 saw alone to 624 lbs. for Delta's 36-L336 UNISAW. (Makita U.S.A.; Delta Machinery)