In this article, I’ve reviewed three products from the DeWalt stable of table saws. Every table saw suits different user requirements, but my mission was to find the all-around best DeWalt table saw for the money. I believe I’ve found it in the DeWalt DWE7485 8-1/4 Inch Job Site Table saw.
Over the years, I’ve owned many table saws, depending on whether I was starting in woodwork, renovating houses, or requiring accuracy for cabinetwork. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all,’ but if you have a limited budget, there are saws that do one thing very well and meet your other needs to a greater or lesser degree. I aim to help you identify those saws.
The DeWalt DWE7485 may only be 8-1/4 inches, but with DeWalt’s standard 15 amp motor on board, it packs considerable power. It’s also genuinely portable at 54 pounds, unlike the larger 10-inch table saws that weigh close to twice that and need a foldable stand to move them around.
If you need complete portability in that you often do work off-grid, then the cordless DeWalt DCS7485T1 Flexvolt may be more to your liking, and if you’re cutting serious-sized timber, the DWE7491RS 10-inch model might suffice. Yet, these options come at a price.
Keep reading our DeWalt table saw comparison for the next couple of minutes to understand the pros and cons of each saw to assist you in making the best selection for your needs.
Quick Comparison
Best DeWalt Table Saws
1. Best Overall – DeWalt DWE7485 8-1/4 inch Job Site Saw
- 24.5 in. of rip capacity for ripping 4x8 plywood or OSB sheets
- Compact size for easy transportation and storage
- Rack & pinion telescoping fence rails make fence adjustments fast, smooth, and accurate
Looking at the specifications above, you can see the areas where these three saws differ, and all the differences relate to specific mission profiles. At a base level, choose any of these three saws, and you get a class product from a known brand with a good reputation and the after-sales service you’d expect of such a company. All three have the rack & pinion fence mechanism, which is essential for accurate and parallel cuts, and all have the powerful 15 amp motor.
Ignoring the 10-inch saw for a second, if you’re in the market for an 8-1/4 inch table saw, the DWE7485 is the cheapest of the three by a good margin, with a slightly wider rip fence cut capability and a slightly deeper cut at 90 degrees of blade angle. In all other ways, apart from the power source, you get the same features.
The flip-over auxiliary fence appears to now be standard on the DeWalt saws, and it’s a great feature, allowing cuts close to the fence and supporting the edge of a sheet beyond the tabletop. The only drawback with this saw is its inability to take dado blades, which will limit you if you are a home woodworker doing cabinet-making. However, the cordless model doesn’t take them either, so between the two saws, this remains my pick.
I’ve chosen the DeWalt DWE7485 8-1/4 inch job site saw as the best overall because unless you need a deeper cut, dado capability, or are working away from a power source, it’s the cheapest saw offering the same power and features as the others. Owners of the saw speak highly of its power and build quality, with none disappointed with their purchase.
2. Best Portable – DeWalt DCS7485T1 Flexvolt 60V MAX 8-1/4-Inch
- Flexible - power of corded. Freedom of cordless. The world's first battery that automatically changes voltage when you change tools
- 24" of Rip capacity for ripping 4x8 plywood or osb sheets
- Rack and pinion telescoping fence rails make fence adjustments smooth and accurate
To a great extent, the DCS7485T1 is the same saw as the cheaper DWE7485, but for your extra money, you receive a cordless table saw using DeWalt’s proprietary Flexvolt system of batteries. Owners can use this new battery system in any of DeWalt’s cordless tools, with the battery automatically modifying its output to the voltage required by the tool.
One concern many have with battery-powered tools is the length of operation you get from one battery charge. Professional owners speak highly of the DeWalts system, suggesting you need two batteries and one charger. It seems that the charging battery will reach full charge before the battery you are using runs out. With that said, many have said they easily get through a day of intermittent use on one battery.
If there are any downsides to this saw, they’re not deal-breakers but are worthy of note. Let’s start with the battery pack. If you’re buying this saw, you’re paying a premium of about $70 to go cordless; otherwise, you’d buy the cheaper corded DWE7485. With that said, unless you’re going to use the saw intermittently, you’ll need to buy another battery, and that costs around $150 extra. If you need cordless, I guess that’s the price you pay.
Otherwise, the DCS7485T1 has a slightly narrower rip fence cut width capability than its corded sibling of 1/2 an inch and a 90-degree cut depth penalty of 1/16-inch. Neither of these issues would tip the balance for me if I needed cordless power. The last point is more of a DeWalt product issue. Other manufacturers offer a fitting allowing you to use power or battery depending on your situation, while DeWalt doesn’t. If someone in DeWalt is reading this, that’s a nice option to offer.
On balance, if you need cordless power and you’re looking at DeWalt, this is the saw to buy. A powerful and capable saw in a compact and portable footprint.
3. Most Capable – DeWalt DWE7491RS 10-Inch Table Saw
- Rack & Pinion Telescoping Fence System Make fence adjustments fast, smooth and accurate
- Patented material support, can be used for narrow rip cuts.
- 32-1/2" rip capacity easily cuts a variety of larger shelving and trim materials
Admittedly, the most expensive of the three table saws are those extra dollars, which provide you with considerable capability and will more than meet the needs of home woodworkers and job site workers alike.
The 10-inch blade gives you a great cut depth of 3-1/8 inches, and the rip fence cut width is a whopping 32-1/2 inches. Given the size and weight of this table saw, it comes with a foldable rolling stand that makes the saw portable and able to operate anywhere there is power. For those who wish to use the saw for woodworking and cabinet-making, the DeWalt DWE7491RS is also capable of using dado blades.
There’s a lot to like about this saw. It’s big, powerful, and has everything a job site worker or home woodworker needs. Unless you need cordless, if you can afford the almost 50% premium over the more compact DWE7485 8-1/4 inch, this is the saw to buy for pure capability.
DWE7485 Vs DWE7491rs Vs DCS7485T1
Alternatives To Consider
DWE7491RS Alternative – SKILSAW SPT99-11 Heavy Duty Worm Drive
- Legendary worm drive gearing with 3-5/8 inch depth of cut and 30-1/2 inch rip capacity
- Precision rack and pinion fence system makes fence adjustments quickly and smoothly for accurate cuts
- Rugged rolling stand with 16 inch Wheels and easy-load handles delivers unsurpassed mobility
If you’re in the market for a 10-inch table saw, the SPT99-11 costs slightly more than the DeWalt DWE7491RS, although the benefits you receive are not huge. For the extra few dollars of the SKILSAW, you’ll receive an extra 1/2 inch cut depth at 90 degrees. You also have the option to purchase rear outfeed support if you regularly do larger sheets or planks and require them to be supported to the end of the cut.
Finally, the SKILSAW uses a worm drive gearbox to drive the blade, providing considerably more torque, or rotational force, to the blade, allowing you to cut harder timbers.
The Dewalt has it over the SKILSAW with a wider rip fence cut capability, with the DeWalt providing 32-1/2 inches to the SKILSAW’s 30-1/2 inches.
If increased torque and depth of cut are important to you, then the SKILSAW SPT99-11 wins the race; otherwise, save some money and go for the DeWalt DWE7491RS.
Detailed Comparison: DWE7491RS vs SPT99-12 Table Saw Comparison
DWE7485 Alternative – SKILSAW SPT99T-01
- Legendary worm drive gearing offers maximum torque for ripping applications
- Precision rack and pinion system makes fence adjustments quickly and smoothly for accurate cuts
- Light weight and compact footprint make it easy to move around the jobsite
While marginally more expensive than the DWE7485, you do get a little more for your money with the SKILSAW SPT99T-01. There are three benefits I feel may justify the cost.
First, the SKILSAW uses a worm drive gearbox to drive the blade. As with the SPT99-1 above, this feature results in considerably more torque to the cutting tips.
Second, the SKILSAW is dado capable, whereas the DeWalt is not. If you’re a woodworker for whom this is important, there is no need to pay the extra for the larger 10-inch DeWalt; you can get it from SKILSAW at a lower price margin.
Third, and probably least important, it has a marginally deeper cut at 90 degrees of 1/16 inch.
DCS7485T1 FLEXVOLT Alternative – Milwaukee 2736-21HD
- Product is manufactured in China
- This product meets customer requirement
- 5 year warranty on material and workmanship
Marginally cheaper than the DeWalt FLEXVOLT, the Milwaukee product has two features that the DeWalt lacks. The first is its ability to accept Dado blades, so for home woodworkers, if you need that capability in a cordless table saw, the Milwaukee 276-21HD is the one to consider.
The second feature is the inclusion of a blade brake. This feature is useful if you have a full day ahead of you and you need to use it efficiently. The ability to stop the blade quickly rather than let it run down adds up to substantial time savings at the end of the day. If this adds no value to you, then the DeWalt FLEXVOLT may be a better choice.
Conclusion
On balance, I’ve chosen the 8-1/4 inch DeWalt DWE7485 as the best overall. It offers a competitive price for a powerful, compact, and portable table saw. You get good rip fence cut width capability, a rack and pinion fence mechanism, a good cut depth at 90 degrees, and a wide bevel capacity.
The only reason you might look at the DCS7485T1 FLEXVOLT is if you require cordless capability or the 10-inch DWE7491RS for greater cut depth and dado ability.
The DeWalt DWE7485 8-1/4 inch job site saw is a high-quality saw, offering a great footprint and considerable power. If you’re looking for a good table saw to get you started, this is the one to buy. Alternatively, read this table saw review to find more reliable options.
