The Best Band Saws for Woodworking 2024

The Grizzly G0555LX has a cast iron frame and table, which is important because it’s much more able withstand a lot of pressure and won’t warp or bend. It has two-speed settings and can perform well against any wood. The computer balanced cast iron wheels make is precise and easy to control.

The thing that stands out about this model is its weight. At 247 pounds, this is a heavy piece of equipment. It’s solid, durable, and can take a lot of pressure. The one downside? Its weight affects its portability drastically. It won’t be easy to move this one once you get it set up.

Whether or not you’ll be willing to invest in the Grizzly G0555LX depends on what you’ll be using it for. It’s quite expensive and has the chops to perform in a professional workshop, completing frequent, heavy-duty jobs without issue. For a hobbyist or for occasional work around the house, this might be too much of a financial investment. This is also the best metal band saw we reviewed, though some tweaks will have to be made.

One small downside to this one is that it’s only 1 HP. While that’s more than enough for jobs around the house, it’s at the low end of performance for a professional machine. Still, it cuts beautifully and is a reliable piece of equipment.

The Rikon 10-305 is one of the best benchtop band saws on the market. It is compact and the perfect size to have in a home workshop. You’ll get the results you need even if you don’t have a lot of space. If you decide you want to use this on a stand instead of a benchtop, one is available but has to be ordered separately.

One thing that stands out about this model is the price. It’s the best value because, although you will find some that are less expensive, you will not get the same performance from them. Also, with the Rikon 10-305, you get the brand’s limited 5-year warranty.

If you’re looking for a model to take your woodworking to the next level, this is a great choice. It’s moderately priced and performs well despite the fact that it’s small enough to fit on top of your workbench.

It only has a ⅓ HP engine, which is a little on the low side and could mean it will bog down with thicker, heavier species of wood. For most jobs, though, this will be more than enough power to see you through to the end. It’s the best band saw for woodworking if that’s all you’ll be planning to use it for.

The WEN 3962 another benchtop model which comes with a stand and is a good saw for anyone just getting started. It’s a high performance saw for the price and can cut through just about anything you would need to do around the house for DIY projects or woodworking.

What stands out about this saw is how well it performs for its price. We’re calling it our best budget item and that’s precisely why – you can get great results for a fraction of the cost of some of the other models we reviewed.

That said, it’s important to point out that there are some downsides to buying this band saw, despite its fair price. The controls are super sensitive and a bit unforgiving so it might be hard to get the settings to exactly where you want them. This is especially true with smaller, thinner blades. But, once you find the sweet spot on the controls, this saw works as perfectly.

It comes with a work light that is a toss up – when you’re able to position it, it’s great. But sometimes, it shifts and ends up shining in the eyes of the user. Also, while this saw does have two speeds, the motor belt actually has to be removed and adjusted to switch between them. There’s no easy control to go back and forth between the fast speed and the slow one.

The SKIL 3306-01 is a small, lightweight benchtop band saw that has a handful of attractive features. Despite being lightweight, the cast iron base helps give it stability to keep the saw stable during use. The controls are easy to understand and the large angle scale is easier to read.

What stands out about this saw is how user-friendly it is. The controls are easy to see and use and the EZ view blade tracking helps make precise cuts.

This is an ideal tool for a beginner. It’s very inexpensive and a great starter tool for someone just learning how to use a band saw. Because it has so few horsepower, it will only be useful for small DIY jobs or crafts and won’t be able to handle too much pressure without bogging down. But it does the job it was designed to do well.

If you try to use this model for large jobs or with thick, hardwood, you’ll probably be disappointed in its performance. It’s important to keep in mind that because it is so lightweight and only has 0.4 HP, it wasn’t designed to tackle difficult jobs. If you’re looking for something to do small jobs with, this one will work just fine without breaking the bank.

The Powermatic PWBS-14CS has a large, expandable work table that’s so big, it’s made of two pieces, though it can be a little difficult to get the two pieces set up. The control gauges are easy to read and set to different size blades. Changing blades is also made easier with a quick release lever. It’s a user-friendly machine that’s perfect for hobbyists, woodworkers, and DIYers.

The 60-watt halogen lamp really makes this model stand out. It’s built right into the body and shines light directly onto the blade so you can easily see what you’re working with. You also get a lot of horsepower for the price.

This is one of the least expensive models we reviewed and it’s pretty impressive. The power alone is surprising for such a low price, as is the weight. This is a solid piece of equipment that should be able to tackle most home jobs and some light professional ones.

The assembly and operating instructions are confusing so initial setup might take awhile, as will learning how to make various adjustments to the machine. It comes with a 5-year limited warranty that’s one of the most generous in the business.

The Jet JWBS-14XD PRO is a powerful, versatile tool. It can handle material 13.5 inches wide and 12 inches thick but can also work with smaller, more delicate pieces thanks to the retractable blade guard. The cast iron frame keeps the saw steady and no riser block is needed to help with the toughest jobs. To make sure this saw keeps up its level of performance year after year, a high tension spring provides consistency and the quick release tension makes it easy to make quick adjustments.

In addition to how powerful and precise this model is, it also comes with a unique stand that includes storage to help you keep your workspace less cluttered and more organized.

This saw in a pretty big financial investment but is a great, powerful tool to have for heavy duty projects or any kind of professional, long-term work.

With the upper and lower ball bearing guides, quick adjustment, and blade tracking window, this tool is powerful and precise enough for professional use. There are some issues with the tension spring not holding onto wider blades well, but once you play with it and get a feel for how it’s supposed to go, this problem usually rectifies itself.

For a lightweight band saw that’s perfect for light use in a home workshop, the Powertec BS900 is ideal. It’s easy to adjust the blade and has a patented window so that the user can see where the blade is cutting at all times.

What makes this one special is how many functions you get for the price. This is the least expensive model in our reviews and it still has a lot of features to offer. Its quick release blade action makes it easy to make adjustments. Although it’s lightweight, it comes with an aluminum cast table for stability when in use.

The Powertec BS900 is really affordably priced and worth it as long as you use it as it was intended. It’s ideal for small workshops, crafts, or small DIY projects but can’t handle much else because of its low horsepower and slow blade speed.

The downsides are that it’s only really useful for thinner materials and can only hold blades up to ⅜ inch. That said, if you’re looking for something with not a lot of frills that’s easily affordable, the Powertec BS900 is a great tool for anyone just learning or someone looking for something for small jobs.