Photo: Triton
If you have always wanted to get highly precise cuts with your circular saw-style power saws, you need to start shopping for the best track saw.
A track saw is similar in style to a conventional circular saw but will include a truck that is meant to ensure more cutting precision, and the blade is concealed within the machine for easy plunge cutting anywhere on the machine.
Besides making more precise cuts, a track saw is relatively easier to use when compared to a circular saw, can cut larger boards, is more versatile and is a highly portable saw.
Most woodworkers know the importance of a track saw and understand it is a vital tool for their trade, but many do not know how to choose the right one. Here we try to help with this as we put together a list of top-rated track saws and explain what to look for when choosing one.
6 Best Track Saw – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Wen CT1065 (Best Overall) |
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 | 2. Shop Fox W1835 (Best Value) |
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 | 3. DeWalt DCS520T1 (Best Cordless) |
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 | 4. Makita SP6000J1 (Best Brand) |
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 | 5. Festool 575389 (Unmatched Precision & Efficiency) |
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 | 6. Triton TTS1400 (Stable Straight & Bevel Cutting) |
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PRODUCT |
|---|
1. Wen CT1065 (Best Overall)
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2. Shop Fox W1835 (Best Value)
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3. DeWalt DCS520T1 (Best Cordless)
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4. Makita SP6000J1 (Best Brand)
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5. Festool 575389 (Unmatched Precision & Efficiency)
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6. Triton TTS1400 (Stable Straight & Bevel Cutting)
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1. Wen CT1065 – Best Overall Track Saw
Photo: Wen
- Power: 10 Amp
- Speed: 5,500 RPM
- Max Depth of Cut: 2-1/3″ at 90° and 1-5/8″ at 45°
What makes the Wen CT1065 our best overall track saw is that it has been designed to deliver superior quality cuts. With this saw, you can always be confident of getting a clean and splinter-free cut that will require little sanding afterward.
The track saw will provide speeds of up to 5,500 RPM, which is higher than what you get from most others on our list. This high speed gives it the capacity to make a wide variety of cuts, and it will be ideal for various projects from ripping plywood to making full plunge cuts and long straight cuts.
Also, the blade has 3 different settings that will make it easy to choose the setting you want for your cuts. And with the inclusion of precision grooves, making the cuts will be easier as this saw will glide along the track smoothly.
With this track saw, you get a 0 to 45-degree bevel capacity, and it can make cuts up to 2-1/3 inches. Better yet, this is also the cheapest track saw option on our list.
This Wen track saw will not come with a track, which means you will have to buy one separately, but given its smaller price tag, this is not a deal-breaker, and you will only need to order your preferred track with the saw.
Pros:
- Males clean and splinter-free cuts
- Perfect for a wide variety of cuts/projects
- Multiple blade settings for increased versatility
- Glides smoothly along the track
- Relatively more affordable
Cons:
- Does not come with track
2. Shop Fox W1835 – Best Value Track Saw
Photo: Shop Fox
- Power: 9 Amp
- Speed: 5,500 RPM
- Max Depth of Cut: 2-5/32” without rail, and 1-31/32” with rail at 90° and 1-5/8” without rail, and 1-7/16” with rail at 45°
For its price tag, the Shop Fox W1835 has a lot to offer, and this feature-rich design will ensure that you get great value for every buck you spend on it. One of the key things that make it one of the best tracks saws for the money is the bevel gauge with a lock that will allow you to make up to 45-degree bevel cuts.
This track saw delivers high blade speeds of up to 5,500 RPM, and it can make cuts up to 2-5/32 inches, which for its smaller price tag is a good enough cut depth.
Cutting your workpieces will be easier and more stable as this track saw will include some secondary handles for extra support. With its spring-loaded riving knife, you can cut with little risk of kickbacks and pinching.
Dust management will be more effortless with this track saw as it will include a 1.5-inch dust port that will allow you to connect it to your dust collection system.
At 9 amps, this track saw can feel a little under powered. However, while it might be the least powerful on our list, it is still good enough to handle any typical track saw job.
Pros:
- Good value track saw
- Easy and precise bevel cuts
- Secondary handles ensure extra stability for cuts
- Minimal risk of kickback and pinching
- Highly useful dust port
Cons:
- Feels a little underpowered
3. DeWalt DCS520T1 – Best Cordless Track Saw
Photo: DeWalt
- Power: 60V, 6.0 Ah
- Speed: 1,750 – 4,000 RPM
- Max Depth of Cut: 2-1/8″ at 90° and 1-5/8″ at 45°
Any woodworker that prefers the convenience and portability of a cordless track saw will love the DeWalt DCS520T1 as it is a powerful 60-volt model with a larger and more powerful 6.0 Ah lithium-ion battery that will deliver longer runtimes.
Another element that makes this one of the best cordless track saws is that it will deliver more precise and splinter-free cuts thanks to the zero clearance cutting system. It has been designed to use with the TrackSaw dual-edged tracks to further ensure even more precise cuts.
This DeWalt cordless track saw includes a continuous anti-kickback mechanism that will work with the riving knife to ensure there is no kickback when cutting. With the special plunge mechanism, you can be sure of getting optimal ergonomics.
Another thing that makes this an amazing track saw is that it has an enclosed low profile guard that will help you keep the work area cleaner by providing 90% dust extraction capability.
Because the splinter lock mechanism does not look very intuitive, at first it will not be easy to use, but as you use the track more and more, things should become easier for you.
Pros:
- Longer battery runtimes
- Precise and splinter-free cuts
- Effective kickback prevention
- Plunge mechanism delivers optimal ergonomics
- Superior dust extraction capability
Cons:
- Spindle lock mechanism is not very intuitive
4. Makita SP6000J1 – Best Track Saw Brand
Photo: Makita
- Power: 12 Amp
- Speed: 2,000 – 5,200 RPM
- Max Depth of Cut: 2-3/16″ at 90° and 1-9/16″ at 45°
Makita is one of the most popular power tool manufacturers, and they have been making track saws and many other saw types for a long time. What many woodworkers love about their products like Makita SP6000J1 is the superior precision.
With this track saw, you can be confident of getting accurate cuts with minimal tear-out as the 6-1/2-inch blade works with the 55-inch guard rail to deliver superior precision.
This Makita track saw is designed for speed and versatility as it will have an electronic speed control that makes it easy to fine-tune the speed to suit the material and cut you are making. And you get a wide speed range of between 2,000 and 5,200 RPM.
The -1 to 48-degree bevel capacity with stops at the 22.5 and 45-degree provides more options when it comes to making angled cuts. Also, the fact that this track saw can cut very close to the wall makes it even more versatile.
You can be sure that this track saw will not burn out as it has a torque limiter, and there is also an added brake that will help increase productivity.
If you do not use metric measurements for your woodworking projects, this track saw can be a little challenging to use as the depth scale is in metric only. However, this scale only takes some getting used to and should not be a big concern.
Pros:
- Well-built saw from a trustworthy brand
- More accurate cuts with little tear-out
- Easy speed control with a wide range
- More bevel capability
- Handy built-in torque limiter
Cons:
- Depth scale is in metric only
5. Festool 575389 – Unmatched Precision and Efficiency
Photo: Festool
- Power: 13 Amp
- Speed: 1,350 – 3,550 RPM
- Max Depth of Cut: 2-3/4″ at 90° and 2-1/8″ at 45°
Festool 575389 is all about giving woodworkers unmatched precision and efficiency to ensure better outcomes for their projects. The high precision mostly stems from micro-adjustable depth controls that will ensure you have more control over your cut on and off the guard rail.
This track saw will come with a spring-loaded riving knife that will help keep material away from the rear of the blade to ensure users are always in control. This combined with the slip clutch that minimizes kickbacks will ensure you get the most efficient cutting.
There are zero tear-outs when using this track saw as it has an effective splinter guard, and this will help to minimize material waste. And woodworkers will love the fast fix system as it will make changing the blade both faster and safer.
When compared to other products on our list, this model is the priciest, but its quality and overall performance deserve the extra bucks. Also, for its price, it should include a track, but compatible tracks are widely available and inexpensive, and should hence not be a deal-breaker.
Pros:
- Cuts efficiently and precisely
- Spring-loaded riving knife is very handy
- Delivers zero tear-out cuts
- Reduced kickback
- Easier and safer blade changes
Cons:
- Relatively pricier
- Track not included
6. Triton TTS1400 – Stable Straight and Bevel Cutting
Photo: Triton
- Power: 12 Amp
- Speed: 2,000 – 5,300 RPM
- Max Depth of Cut: 2-1/8″ at 90°
Stability is always a key element for ensuring you make more accurate cuts with your track saw. The Triton TTS1400 will include a lock for the guide rail track that will be very useful at ensuring stability for both straight and bevel cuts. This improves the quality of cut you get significantly.
With this 12-amp track saw, you will get a variable speed of 2,000 and 5,300 RPM, which makes it perfect for a wide variety of cuts and cutting various materials. With the model selector, you will not only be able to choose your preferred cut easily, but also switch between different cuts quickly.
This track saw has soft grip handles that will ensure maximum comfort when cutting, and there is also a plunge lock for safer use. Also, blade change is safe and easy thanks to the easily accessible shaft lock.
Dust management is guaranteed to be easy and effective as this track saw will include a 360-degree dust outlet adapter.
There are no positive detents on this track saw, and the scale seems a little off. However, if you are like many woodworkers that prefer to counter check your cut angles with other tools before cutting, these will hardly be significant issues for you.
Pros:
- Easy to keep stable for any cut
- Handy mode selector
- Efficient dust management
- Comfortable soft-grip handles
- Safe and easy blade change
Cons:
- Scale is not very accurate
- No positive detents
How to Buy the Best Track Saw
Photo: Festool
1. Power
A track saw needs to be powerful to deliver enough speed to the blade for fast and efficient cutting. However, power is subjective, and how powerful you need your track saw to be will depend on how you intend to use it.
If you will be using the track saw for heavy-duty commercial applications where it has to deal with a wide variety of materials, you need it to be as powerful as possible. However, for simple DIY and domestic uses, you can get away with a less powerful model.
That said, track saws will have anything between 5 and 15-amp motors, but something with around 9-amp like Shop Fox W1835 is often good enough. However, for heavy usage, a 13-amp model like Festool 575389 is more appropriate.
2. Bevel Capacity
Beveling allows a track saw to make angled cuts, and hence increasing the types of cuts you can make with your saw. Consequently, when choosing one you should also consider the bevel capacity.
The most basic track saw models are only able to do 90-degree cuts, which makes them less versatile, but most models will have at least a 45-degree bevel. 0 to 45-degree bevel is often enough for most DIYers and woodworkers.
Some models like Triton TTS1400 will provide a relatively larger bevel capacity of 0 to 48 degrees, which might not look very significant, but it can still make a huge difference for some projects and some users.
3. Speed
Speed is another important element that you need to keep in mind when doing your track saw comparisons. It will be measured in revolutions per minute (RPM), and it determines the cutting efficiency and speed.
While like most other saws a higher speed is often considered the best, a good track saw is one that will provide a variable speed range or at least a few speed options. Variable speed makes the track saw more versatile as you can use it for a wide variety of cuts in different materials.
On average, these saws will provide a minimum speed of 1,200 to 2,000 RPM, but something with a wide speed range like the 2,000 to 5,200 RPM like what you get on the Makita SP6000J1 is perfect.
4. Cord Length
When using a corded track saw, you will need to check the length of the cord as it will determine how easy it will be to maneuver, and also the convenience of use.
Because you will typically need to use your track saw along walls and floor or even large stocks, you need the cord to be long enough. For most models, the cord will be between 8 and 14 feet, which for most users is long enough.
By considering the typical places and situations where you will be using the track saw, you should be able to choose the right cord length. However, in case you end up with a shorter cord than you wanted but like the track saw you get, you can easily work around this issue with extension cords.
5. Accessories
As you choose a track saw, it will be important to consider the accessories that will be provided. What is in the box matters a lot as it will determine whether you need to spend more cash or not before you can use the track saw.
The more the accessories provided, the easier it will be to get started. And some accessories that you will need are a guide rail, blades and hex wrench. A tool case will be nice to get as it will make it easy to store your track saw and accessories.
Conclusion
The versatility, ease of use, precision and portability of the track saw means it deserves a spot in your workshop. And because not just any will work well for you, this guide will make it easy to get the best track saw for your projects from the various models and brands out there.
Our top overall pick is the Wen CT1065 as it is an unbeatable track saw for its price that will deliver superior cut quality and versatility.
For those that prefer the cordless tracks saws that they can carry and use at different job sites, the DeWalt DCS520T1 is our recommendation.