The 8 Best Track Saws Reviewed
Cut Through Any Woodworking Task With One of These Track Saws
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In this review, we take a closer look at the best track saw on the market today. We’ve compared all the important factors (such as performance, design, power, and price) so that you don’t have to. Whether you’re a D.I.Y advocate or a seasoned professional, a good track saw is one of the best tools for your workshop. These sturdy, versatile power tools are perfect for making smooth, clean cuts in wood-based sheet materials. And, with the right blade, you can use your new track saw to make quick work of lumber and other woods as well.
But with so many models on the market, weeding through all the different features, specs, prices, and reviews can be confusing. This can make narrowing down your options and figuring out which specific model you should buy seem like an impossible task. We’ve come up with a list of the top 8 tested track saws available today. Read through our review and buying guides, and we’re sure you’ll be able to decide which saw is best for your needs. We should also note, these products are great gift ideas for the D.I.Y practitioner in your life!
Read on for our full tool test on these vital home improvement hand tools!
View the Best Track Saw on the Market, Below.
- Makita SP6000J1
- DEWALT DCS520T1
- WEN CT1065 Sidewinder Circular Track Saw
- Bosch Tools GKT13-225L Track Saw
- DEWALT DWS520K
- Evolution R185CCSX Multi-Material Circular Track Saw Kit
- Kreg ACS2000 Adaptive Cutting System Saw + Guide Track
- Festool 575387 Ts 55 Req-F-Plus
1. Makita SP6000J1
Best Saw for Perfect Power and Ease
The Makita SPJ6000J1 Plunge Circular Saw is one of the best tools in its class. Powerful and well-designed, it offers incredibly impressive performance. This Makita delivers amazingly smooth, clean cuts through various materials, built to withstand years of heavy use. The SP6000J1 track saw features a 12-amp motor capable of slicing through wood, melamine, flooring, and other materials with ease. Its electronic speed control helps to maintain a constant speed for more finished, tear-free results. A variable speed dial lets you match the cutting speed to your application and offers between 2,000 to 2,500 RPM.
The large cutting capacity of 2 3/16 inches at 90 degrees and 1 9/16 inches at 45 degrees is perfect for almost any job. An optional 55-inch anodized aluminum rail guide system ensures cutting accuracy. The sturdy magnesium build ensures that this plunge circular track saw is lightweight but durable. With a 3 mm scoring setting and the ability to make bevel cuts from -1 to 48 degrees (and presets at 22.5 and 45 degrees), this is an incredibly versatile power tool. Thanks to its rubber overmold twin grips, it’s also surprisingly comfortable to use.
Makita is known for building high-quality power tools and the SP6000J1 is no exception. It's lightweight but incredibly durable and offers more than enough power to tackle any application with ease. You can use this tool in a variety of home and professional projects.
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2. DEWALT DCS520T1
Best Track Saw for Dust-Free Durability
The DEWALT DCS520T1 is an impressive track saw that delivers high performance, precise cuts, and rugged durability. Since it runs on the DEWALT 60V MAX rechargeable battery system, it’s cordless. With a no-load speed between 1,750 to 4,000 RPM, this battery-operated power tool delivers power and performance comparable to many of its corded competitors. With a bevel cut range from 0 to 47 degrees and a maximum cut depth of 2 1/8 inches, it's the ideal tool for a wide variety of applications and materials.
A continuous anti-kickback mechanism and riving knife prevent binding and eliminate the risks of kickbacks when operating along a track. The enclosed low-profile guard allows you to enjoy a 90% dust extraction capability for a cleaner work area. This model was designed for use with DEWALT’s dual-edged tracks, allowing you to make perfectly straight cuts in both directions. The straight plunge design and comfortable overmold grip allow for optimal ergonomics. Plus, it runs on a MAX FLEXVOLT 6.0 Ah rechargeable battery, eliminating the need for an extension cord.
If you’re looking for a cordless option, it’s hard to find a better one than this powerhouse from DEWALT. It offers great versatility and the power you need to tackle any home or professional project with ease. While it doesn’t include the guide rail that this track saw needs to reach its true potential, once you purchase the track, this saw will replace your table, circular, miter, and panel saws on a variety of projects. Since it’s built with the ruggedness you’d expect from DEWALT, you can count on this power tool withstanding years of heavy use.
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3. WEN CT1065 Sidewinder Circular Track Saw
Best Track Saw for Your Budget
Don’t want to pay up or commit to a bulky tool? This budget-friendly track saw will cover all the bases that other track saws do without the cords or the table. With both ripping and plunge cut capabilities, you can zoom around the shop with no limiting cords. It comes highly recommended for door trimming, furniture construction, or ripping plywood.
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4. Bosch Tools GKT13-225L Track Saw
Best Track Saw for Professional Features and Capabilities
Pay a little extra for one of our top track saw options, with plenty of the best features you’ll ever find in this class of tools! A true masterpiece, this track saw from Bosch includes plunge capability and a single bevel pivot point. You'll feel like you’re in your very own professional woodshop when using the dust extractor. It'll help keep your workspace clean! Just attach to the vacuum and suck away sawdust while you work. It features amazing safety features, too!
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5. DEWALT DWS520K
Best Saw for DIYers and Professionals
DEWALT has established a reputation for making durable, high-performance products, and the DEWALT DWS520CK Track Saw is no exception. This zero-clearance track saw delivers crisp, precise cuts. It can be used with dual-edged tracks for straight cuts in both directions. Its low-profile blade guard lets you use this tool in tight spaces that other models simply can’t reach. A powerful 12 amp, 1300 watt motor produces between 1,750 to 4,000 RPM and can slice through materials measuring up to 2 1/8 inches thick at 90 degrees and 1 5/8 inches at 45 degrees.
A depth scale indicates the exact depth of your cut for more precise and consistent results. When using the DWS520 with DEWALT’s anti-slip aluminum track, this power tool glides easily and smoothly. This is thanks to four low-friction glide strips. And with the ability to make long straight cuts, quick cuts, and plunge cuts, you can use this sturdy track saw for practically any project at home or on the job.
The DEWALT DWS520K is one of the best track saws in its class today. It's built with the rugged construction that the brand is known for, while delivering impressive power and clean, finished results. The fact that you can use it in place of a table, panel, or circular saw means that you only have to carry one tool around instead of three. It's one of the top choices out there for serious DIYers and professionals.
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6. Evolution R185CCSX Multi-Material Circular Track Saw Kit
Best Track Saw with Biggest Blade for Heavy Duty Cuts
This is a big track saw for a small price! It comes with a good warranty and covers a lot of fantastic features. Not only does this corded track saw have a large beast of a blade, but it also features the sleekest and most ergonomic options: an easy-to-toggle bevel for switching the angle degree (up to 45 degrees), plus a similar toggle for controlling the depth of plunge cuts. It also comes with an included track, so you’re always sawing on the straight and narrow.
Check Price on Amazon ➞7. Kreg ACS2000 Adaptive Cutting System Saw + Guide Track
Best Track Saw for Highest RPM
Power, versatility, and safety are the standout words for this Kreg track saw. It cuts all sorts of sheet goods, with or without a table, and features various degrees of plunge cuts as well. It also protects against binding or kick back while you work for optimal safety. It comes with a carrying bag and dust-collecting bag to keep a tidy work area. Also included is a 62-inch guide track for long, straight slicing with utmost confidence.
Check Price on Amazon ➞8. Festool 575387 Ts 55 Req-F-Plus
Best Track Saw for Easy Use, Fatigue-Free, Lightweight Work
Lightweight and powerful, the Festool TS 55 REQ is one of the most impressive track saws on the market today. Delivering exceptional precision and versatility, it’s perfect for any workshop. It gives you the ability to tackle a variety of jobs where a table, miter, or panel saw would normally be required. With a cutting speed of 2,000 to 5,200 RPM, the TS 55 is great for quickly cutting through practically any project material.
Check Price on Amazon ➞Buyers Guide Questions
What is a Track Saw?
Track saws are similar to circular saws, but they can be mounted on a metal guide rail system or track. Since the cutting blade runs along the track, this versatile power tool allows you to cut through sheets of materials such as doors, plywood, MDF, and melamine easily and accurately. While they look similar to the more affordably priced circular saw, these useful hand tools are designed to tackle tasks that a common circular model simply can’t.
Looking for something else? See our guide on the top chop saws.
The track saw’s blade retracts into a guard that only releases once you hit a lever, bringing the motor assembly down onto your workpiece. This allows these saws to make clean plunge cuts and be used for more conventional cutting. You can use them in place of a miter saw, table, panel, and circular saws (click for full guide).
What Does a Track Saw Do?
The main benefit of these models is that the base of the tool fits onto the channel of an aluminum guide rail or track. Once secured, the tool can slide along this rail, allowing the user to make precise, perfectly straight cuts even across long distances. Since the edge of the rails features a pliable strip that supports your workpiece, it also reduces chipping along the cut line. This means that users can produce a more finished workpiece that doesn’t require sanding or finishing.
And since you can angle the guide rail in any direction you want, it’s also the perfect tool to use to miter across large sheet materials without having to deal with the angle limitations presented by panel and table saws. Most models feature a soft start and a variable speed control. This makes them perfect for cutting through materials of various toughness and thickness, such as sheets of plywood, cabinetry, lumber, melamine, and even doors and moldings.
Another benefit is that most models feature a dust port connected to a vacuum or dust collection system (dust extractor), allowing you to keep debris clear of your workpiece and work area.
Track Saw vs. Circular Saw
Since they look so similar, it’s easy to confuse a track saw with a circular saw. But just because they look alike, it doesn’t mean they’re interchangeable. These tools are actually designed quite differently. A track saw tackles projects and tasks that a conventional circular model simply can’t handle. The track saw is also called a plunge saw. It’s one of the most popular tools among DIYers, professional woodworkers, and tradesmen.
They cost considerably more than conventional circular saws but for a very good reason. Let’s take a look at the differences between these two kinds of power tools so that you can better understand why the plunge saw is such a versatile and impressive addition to any workshop.
Circular saws are built with a motor, blade, base, and blade guard. When it’s time to cut a workpiece, you bring the blade close to the end of the object and turn a knob that adjusts the tool’s base. This also adjusts the depth of your cut.
When you cut, the guard retracts back out of the way, allowing the blade to perform the cutting. Unfortunately, circular saws present several disadvantages. The first issue is that you’re forced to cut from the end of the workpiece, limiting the applications you can use it for. Also, since the blade side is open, these tools produce a significant amount of dust and debris. The final major drawback of circular saws is that they can’t create a smooth, splinter-free cut. Making long, perfectly straight cuts is practically impossible.
On the other hand, track saws are designed without a retractable blade guard since the blade is actually concealed within the machine itself. While it might seem like a minor difference, this design feature allows users of plunge saws to enjoy several impressive benefits. Since the blade is concealed within the tool, plunge saws can be used to plunge into any part of the material, not just at the end. And since the tool has a flat, smooth side, it can be guided flush against a wall or the floor.
These models are also designed for easier cutting depth adjustments. You simply adjust a sliding mechanism at the front of the tool. Plunge saws also have three other benefits: safety, better dust collection, and cleaner results. Since the blade is concealed within the tool, accidents are less likely to happen than with a circular saw. Since most come with dust ports, these models are practically dust-free.
Finally, these tools are designed to make accurate, precise cuts. They don’t require much finishing and don’t have the jagged edges and splinters that circular saws produce. The final and most significant difference is the fact that plunge saws run along a track or guide rail. These rails come in various lengths and feature a non-slip underside that prevents the guide from moving on your material.
Since these rails have splinter guards on the cutting edge, they keep your workpiece firmly in place. Because of this, you can move a track saw along even the longest span of material and produce a smooth, perfectly straight cut that requires virtually no finishing.
What Track Saw Blade Do You Need?
Purchasing a blade for your new track saw is as simple as buying one for a conventional circular saw. You’ll need to know what size blade your tool is designed for. Most models use 6 ½ inch plunge track stock blades, but some models use larger blades (such as 8 ½ inches). As far as the blade’s material, there are several options available. The most common style is metallic alloy blades featuring a carbide tip.
These blades are designed to withstand heavy use without excessive wear, offering a longer blade life. The other benefit of carbide blades is that they resist heat, so you don’t have to worry about burning your workpiece along the cut line. Now that you’ve determined the size and style of your blade, you need to consider the type of material you plan on cutting. Blades with as few as 14 teeth are perfect for cutting through lumber or wood pieces.
The downside is that, while they cut through workpieces quickly, the edge won’t be as finished. For work with sheet materials such as plywood and melamine (or if you want to achieve a smooth, finished cut), your best bet is to purchase a blade with around 48 teeth. These blades will make finer cuts that won’t require any smoothing or sanding.
What to Look For When Buying a Track Saw
When you’re on the market for a new track saw, there are a few factors that you should consider, such as bevel capacity, maximum speed, and cord length. By looking at these three factors, you’ll be able to choose the perfect model for your needs. If you’re looking for gift ideas for the DIYer or professional in your life, you’ve come to the right place!
Bevel Capacity
The bevel capacity of your tool is simply its ability to cut at an angle. While some models only cut at 90 degrees or straight down, other models allow you to make angled cuts. This feature will increase the versatility of your saw, allowing you to use it for a wider variety of projects. Models with bevel adjustment capabilities can range from as wide as -1 to 48 degrees.
This means that it’s not only able to cut straight down but also at angles. This makes it perfect for a wide variety of projects and applications. For anyone looking to use their new track saw for multiple projects, the smartest move is to purchase a model with bevel adjustments that will allow it to tackle a variety of woodworking.
Maximum Speed (RPM)
The speed that a saw’s blade spins is measured in RPMs, or revolutions per minute. The average model has a minimum RPM of around 2,000, which is perfect for slicing through most thin workpieces. But one of the most significant benefits of a track saw is its versatility.
And to make sure that your pro tool can cut through as wide a variety of materials as possible, you should look for a model with a wide RPM range. Many top models will have ranges up to 3,000 or even 5,000 RPM. This will allow you to tackle anything and choose from fast cuts or slower, finer results.
Cord Length
A final thing to consider is the cord length of your new pro tool. You’re going to be using your track saw along with floors, walls, and guide rails. The last thing you want to do is have to mess with extension cords or realize that you can’t finish your cut because you ran out of a cord. Ensure that the model you purchase has a cord that’s long enough to get the job done.
Some models will come with power cords that measure only 8 feet, while others can have cords that are up to 14 feet in length. Another option is to skip the need for a power cord altogether and purchase a cordless model. Some very impressive battery-operated models offer you total freedom and mobility.