Makita - 2703 Portable Tablesaw

Editor's Review: Testing the Best Portable Tablesaws

This portable tablesaw from Makita is basically a benchtop saw that drops into a folding stand (manufactured by Rousseau and sold separately). This is the best stand we saw without wheels. Makita also has the most solid system for cutting full sheets of plywood on the best tabletop worksurface with the longest rip fence. With the saw and the stand sold separately, it's also the most expensive. The Makita 2703 was one of only two saws tested that could rip a 4x4 in half in a single pass.

On the downside, the miter gauge and blade guard are disappointing. The miter-gauge slots are too small for an aftermarket miter gauge, and the miter gauge that comes with the saw feels more like a toy than a tool--tiny, plastic, and inaccurate. Even though a lot of thought seems to have gone into designing the three-piece blade guard (each side flips forward), the guard won't flip back out of the way, and it's cumbersome to install and remove. Onboard tool storage could be better; all that's there is a slot for holding the miter gauge.

Editor Test Results:

More In-Depth Information

Testing the Best Portable Tablesaws Power, precision, portability, and 24-in. rip capacity for under $600 by Daniel S. Morrison