DeWalt Table Saw
A capable table saw (jobsite / site saw, 4-inch blade) for straight, repeatable cutting.
Table Saw vs Track Saw: Which Do You Need?
Table saws and track (plunge) saws both make straight cuts, but they work differently and suit different jobs. Knowing which is which helps you buy the right tool - or realise you want both.
What a table saw does
A table saw has a fixed blade in a flat table; you feed material past it along a fence. That makes it superb at repeatable rip cuts - cutting many boards to the same width quickly - and at narrow rips, with a rip capacity that lets you cut to a set width all day. It's the workshop tool for volume, accuracy and repeatability on boards and smaller sheets. The trade-offs: it takes up dedicated space, and manoeuvring a full sheet of ply across the table alone is awkward.
What a track saw does
A track (plunge) saw is a handheld saw that runs on a guide rail laid on top of the workpiece, so you bring the saw to the material rather than the material to the saw. That makes it far better for breaking down large sheets - you lay the rail across a full sheet of plywood and cut it dead straight where it sits, no wrestling a big panel across a table. It's portable and precise, but slower for repeated identical rips than a table saw with a fence.
Which should you choose?
Choose a table saw if you do lots of repeatable rip cuts on boards, want a fixed workshop station, and value speed and repeatability with a fence. Choose a track saw if you mainly break down large sheets, want portability, or have limited space. They genuinely complement each other, and many workshops own both - a table saw for volume ripping, a track saw for sheet breakdown. If you handle a lot of big panels, start with a track saw; for repeated board ripping, the table saw wins.
Our top picks
#1
#2 
Evolution Power Tools RAGE5-S
A capable table saw (corded, 255mm blade) for straight, repeatable cutting.
#3 
Einhell TE-TS Li Solo
A capable table saw (portable table saw, cordless (18V)) for straight, repeatable cutting.
#4 
Proxxon KS 230
A capable table saw (corded) for straight, repeatable cutting.
#5 
Evolution Power Tools Portable Table Saw
A capable table saw (portable table saw, cordless (40V), 85mm blade) for straight, repeatable cutting.
#6 
Dewalt Compact Table Saw
A capable table saw (portable table saw, cordless (40V), 250mm blade) for straight, repeatable cutting.
Frequently asked questions
Is a table saw or track saw better?
Neither is simply better - a table saw excels at repeatable rip cuts on boards with a fence and is a fixed workshop station; a track saw is better for breaking down large sheets and for portability. They complement each other, and many people own both. Choose a table saw for volume ripping, a track saw for big-sheet work.
Bottom line
Our top pick is the DeWalt Table Saw (our score 9.6/10) - A capable table saw (jobsite / site saw, 4-inch blade) for straight, repeatable cutting..