There is no doubt that whether you are a keen

The benchtop, cabinet, contractor and hybrid types make up the four main table saw configurations. The benchtop table saws are designed to operate on top of a flat and stable surface, such as a floor, table, pickup tailgate or an integral table. These table saws are very portable; indeed some come with stands that include wheels, making them very easy to move around. Another thing that makes them portable is the fact they are relatively lightweight compared to other types. This makes them the most popular of the table saw variants. Weighing in the range 45 to 75 pounds, they are easily managed by one person when moved from place to place. They can therefore be easily transported between job sites, or just moved from storage to a bench in a workshop. Benchtop table saws start at around the $140 mark but as you would expect, you will have to pay rather more, probably above $250 to get a good quality product.

Contractor table saws take portability to the next level. They come with a set of legs and often wheels. This makes them ideal for contractors, as the name would suggest. When working on different sites, the built-in stand makes it easy to set up and start work without being stuck in a work place that is either too small or otherwise awkward.

Hybrid table saws don't need any additional explanation because it is really just a mixture of cabinet and contractor types.

Table saws come with various pieces of equipment that help you perform your task. First of course there is the blade. You need to make sure that you buy a saw with a blade that is large enough to cope with the larges pieces of material that you want to cut. The most popular table saws on the market tend to be the 10-inch saws but you should not buy based on that fact since you might want need a larger blade for the tasks that you have planned.

Together with the blade, you will also get a safety guard, ripping fence, table top, tilt wheel, miter gauge and a blade height adjustment wheel. These are fairly standard components that you will get with all table saws. Probably the most important thing after blade size is the size of the table top. It is essential to buy a saw with the largest table top possible so that you get maximum stability and therefore accuracy when cutting, particularly if you are cutting a sheet. While a larger table means more weight, it is worth it for the better end results that you will get.

Providing you stick with the main brands such as Bosch, DeWalt, Ridgid and Rockwell, you won't go far wrong when purchasing your table saw.