When it comes woodworking, carpentry, general repairs, and at home DIY jobs, you need to have the right tools and machines in your arsenal. If you are serious about your work or hobby, one machine you need to have is the bandsaw. The bandsaw is a versatile piece of equipment that can perform a fair number of important jobs.
There are large and powerful bandsaws that come with big price tags, and there are much smaller and less powerful models designed for smaller jobs. All of this being said, finding the right band saw for you can be a bit difficult seeing as there are so many things to keep in mind. However, this is what this article will discuss — to help you find the best bandsaw of 2019.
Read Article: Scroll Saw vs. Band Saw
Comparison Table
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|
TOP PICK | 1. Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw
| Check Price |
RUNNER UP | 2. Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw With Fence
| Check Price |
  | 3. WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw
| Check Price |
  | 4. SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw
| Check Price |
  | 5. JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw Kit
| Check Price |
Best Band Saw: Reviews
1. Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw
This is a fairly large and heavy bandsaw, one that has a lot of power, a strong motor, and a pretty decent cutting capacity.
It does come in at a fairly high price, but based on its versatility and power, it’s a good investment worth making.
Product Highlights
The Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw features a 1 HP single-phase motor that can put out a lot of power.
In terms of blade speed, this is a dual speed saw and you can select from a blade speed of 1,800 or 3,100 feet per minute. In terms of power, the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw is up there with the best of them. It also has a 13.5 inch cutting capacity, which is pretty good considering that this is not the largest band saw out there.
Keep in mind that the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw has a 14 x 14 inch table, and it can tilt 45 degrees to the right and 10 degrees to the left, which helps increase cutting versatility quite a bit.
This bandsaw features a 93.5 inch blade and you can select between a blade width of 1/8 or ¾ inches. The rack and pinion guide post and the lower ball bearing blade guides help to keep everything on track.
Something you might really like about the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw is that it is built to be durable and long lasting.
It features a precision-ground cast iron table, a cast iron frame, and cast iron wheels with rubber tires. Although the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw weighs 250 pounds, it does have wheels, plus it is fairly compact, making it a good option to have in a small shop where you might need to move the bandsaw around on occasion.
What We Like
What we like about the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw is that it is built to be very durable and long lasting, not to mention that it has a heck of a lot of power considering that it is not the largest band saw out on the market right now.
The fence works like a charm, and the whole saw runs fairly quietly without much vibration, which, combined with the blade, guides allows for really straight and accurate cuts through all types of wood.
What We Don’t Like
One of the downsides to the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw, is that when you order it, you do have to assemble it, and this can be exceedingly difficult.
Another thing to note here is that there have been instances where the guide post was not square to the table.
Pros
- Powerful
- Allows for accurate cutting
- High level of durability
- Somewhat mobile
Cons
- Problems with the guide post
- Difficult to assemble
2. Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw With Fence
Whereas the previous option we looked at was really big and powerful, very durable, and also quite expensive, the Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw comes in at about half the price, but it is also a few inches smaller, has a lower cutting capacity, and significantly less power.
It’s a good item to go with if you need to complete fairly small- and medium-size tasks.
Product Highlights
One thing that is worth noting about the Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw is that it features an all-steel construction.
The steel plate frame combined with the cast iron table makes for a very durable saw. It might not be the biggest or most powerful bandsaw, but at least it has a level of durability that you can depend on.
What you do need to keep in mind is that this is a tabletop bandsaw, or in other words, it is not very tall and it does not come with its own table.
You will need to install it on a work table or work bench to use it. With that being said, it’s actually a pretty fairly compact and lightweight bandsaw.
If you are somebody who moves your tools and machines around a lot, this could be beneficial for you. The Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw isn’t designed for huge jobs, but it performs smaller jobs with ease.
The Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw has a surprisingly large 13.75 x 12.5 inch work table, which is larger than we expected. Moreover, it has a 10 inch throat cutting capacity.
Once again, it’s not the largest bandsaw out there, but it does fine for smaller- and medium-size jobs. It comes with a 1/3 HP motor, which is strong enough for most basic tasks, but be aware that there are much stronger band saws out there.
Blade speed is a bit limited here due to the somewhat smaller motor.
What We Like
What we like about the Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw is that it comes with a 2 inch fence that actually works quite well. Moreover, the included safety paddle switch helps add to the safety of this saw.
We also like that the Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw comes with a pretty decent dust port for messes, not to mention that it is fairly compact and lightweight too.
What We Don’t Like
The fact that this is a smaller tabletop bandsaw with a small motor does mean that it has limited power and limited cutting capacity.
Simply put, this Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw is just not designed for larger jobs, which may be a problem depending on what you are looking to do. There have also been various technical difficulties known to arise.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Good for smaller jobs
- Fairly quiet and does not vibrate much
- Good price
Cons
- Limited power and cutting capacity
- Various technical issues
3. WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw
So far on our list today, the WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw is the most affordable option you could go with. It does have a somewhat limited power and a limited cutting capacity, but it comes in at a very affordable price.
We would say that this is a nice option to keep in mind for smaller at-home DIY and woodworking jobs. It’s affordable and works well.
Product Highlights
One thing that we want to mention right off the bat here is that the WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw is very compact and lightweight; it is one of the smaller and lighter options on the market right now.
This makes it a good choice if you have a limited amount of room to work with, or if you plan on moving the WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw around; it’s quite a convenient and mobile tabletop band saw.
As you may have noticed, we called this a tabletop bandsaw, which it is because it is quite small, but unlike the previous product we looked at, this one actually comes with its own heavy-duty stand.
The WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw comes with a 3.5 amp motor, which is admittedly not all that impressive, but it is fairly durable. There is no arguing that this WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw is built to last, but it just does not have all that much power.
What is convenient is that this is a two-speed band saw and it can operate at either 1,520 or 2,620 feet per minute, which is pretty decent considering that it does have limited power.
The WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw has a high-quality work table that comes in at 14-1/8 x 12.5 inches, so the work table does give you decent room to work with, although in terms of cutting depth, the capacity is only 9.75 inches, which is alright, but it could be a bit bigger. The work table bevels up to 45 degrees.
What We Like
Something that we really like about the WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw is that it comes with a full 6 inch re-saw capacity, which is impressive considering its small size.
Moreover, it is a fairly durable, reliable, and all-around decent bandsaw that works as well as advertised. It’s not the best for big jobs, but if you need a smaller and compact bandsaw for at home jobs, the WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw is a great way to go.
What We Don’t Like
What we do not like about the WEN 3962 Two-Speed Band Saw is that it is hard to adjust in any way. Moreover, the blade is also quite hard to change.
Pros
- Fairly durable
- Good for smaller jobs
- Nice stand included
- Dual speed
- Very affordable
Cons
- Blade change difficulties
- Not good for large jobs
- Hard to make adjustments
4. SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw
Here we have an even smaller, lighter, and more affordable bandsaw than we have reviewed so far. The SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw is by far the most affordable option on our list, although it is small and has limited power; while it is fine for smaller at-home DIY jobs, it’s not exactly a powerhouse you would find in a large woodworking shop, but this is not to say that it is not a good product, just a bit small.
Product Highlights
The SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw is a small and compact option. It is the kind of band saw you would get for smaller at-home jobs, as well as for onsite construction jobs that only require a small saw.
It is fairly portable; however, do keep in mind that it does not come with a stand, so you will need a place to set it up. Yet, that being said, having a smaller, lighter, and portable bandsaw can come in quite handy given the right circumstances.
The SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw features a 2.5 amp motor, which is admittedly not very powerful. It also has only a single blade speed, and it’s not all that fast.
We’re not saying that it is a bad band saw, and it is fine for smaller jobs that don’t require too much power, but don’t expect this band saw to be able to complete anything major.
It’s cutting depth capacity is just a bit over 9 inches, so you won’t be doing big jobs with it.
What is pretty nice about the SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw is that adjustments are very easy to make, as is also true for making blade changes.
It’s a very user-friendly saw that is extremely easy to work with. What is really nice is the articulating LED work light that lets you see what you are doing, plus the included dust port comes in handy for cleaning up messes.
All in all, although the SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw is not too big or powerful, it does fine for smaller jobs, and it does not cost very much.
What We Like
We really like how the SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw is very small and portable, making it a good option if you are always on the go, or just for smaller home DIY jobs.
The fact that it is very affordable is a bonus, not to mention that it has a couple of handy features as well.
What We Don’t Like
What we do not like about the SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw is that it is not very powerful and has a very limited cutting capacity.
Sure, having an affordable band saw is nice, but it just cannot work with very large materials or perform larger jobs. Also, the frame of the SKIL 3386-01 2.5-Amp 9-Inch Band Saw has more plastic than we would like to see.
Pros
- Compact and portable
- Great for smaller jobs
- Very affordable
- Easy to adjust
- Good work light and dust port
Cons
- Too much plastic in the frame
- Cannot perform large jobs
5. JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw Kit
Here we are going in the other direction, because this is the largest, most powerful, and yes, the most expensive bandsaw on the list today.
If you need something with a large work table and lots of cutting capacity, a solid frame, and a lot of power, the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw Kit is an investment worth making.
Product Highlights
The JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw features a 1.25 HP motor, which is very powerful. It produces more than enough power to get through even the toughest materials with ease.
On that same note, it has a 13.5 inch cutting depth capacity, as well as a massive 12 inch height capacity, plus it even has a 9 inch re-saw capacity as well. You can choose between 2 blade speeds, which are 1,500 and 3,000 feet per minute. It’s a band saw designed to work with larger and tougher materials.
The JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw has a nice retractable blade guard for safety. Moreover, it comes with a 15 by 15 inch cast iron work table that is very durable.
Actually, the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw as a whole is made with really durable and high-quality metal.
It’s a band saw that is built to last. What’s also nice about the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw is that it comes with the stand included, but the stand is more like a cabinet that you can use for storage and organization.
Even better is that the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw comes with features for cutting accuracy, to make easy adjustments and blade changes, and more.
What We Like
What we like about the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw is that it is big, heavy, powerful, and can handle big jobs with ease.
It’s a band saw designed to work with tough materials and big chunks of wood, which it does very well, not to mention that it has a very high level of durability.
What We Don’t Like
One of the only things we do not really like about the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw is that it is so expensive, plus it is not portable.
Pros
- Very powerful
- Great cutting capacity
- Good safety features
- Very accurate
Cons
- Expensive
- Not mobile in the least
Band Saw Buyer’s Guide
Before you go out and buy a band saw of any kind, there are a number of very important features and factors to keep in mind.
Power
First off, think about how much power the band saw in question has. The more power it has, the larger and thicker the materials it can handle. As you can see, the items we reviewed here today differed greatly in terms of HP.
Capacity
The next thing is what the cutting capacity is like, especially in terms of the throat size. Some band saws have as little as 8 inches of room, and some have over 14 inches, as you can see from our reviews here today,
Materials
You want to ensure that you get your hands on a durable band saw, and this means high-quality metal. Too much plastic on a band saw is not going to go over well in the long run.
Size and Weight
You may need a band saw that is good for smaller jobs and can be transported from one jobsite to another, or one that is really big and heavy duty.
Ease of Use
You also want to pay attention to how easy the fence is to use, how easy it is to make adjustments, and how easy it is to change the blade.
FAQ
What is a band saw?
A band saw is an endless saw with a steel band with a serrated edge running over wheels.
What is a band saw used for?
Band saws are often used for cutting irregular shapes, but can also be used for resawing or resizing wood.
Is a band saw the same as a scroll saw?
While both saws are quite similar, if you are working with large work pieces, the band saw is the better choice.
Can bandsaws cut metal?
Yes, if you have the right blade for the job.
Can a bandsaw cut tile?
Once again, with the right blade, yes, a bandsaw can cut tile.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, we feel the best option on our list is the JET JWBS-14DXPRO 14-Inch Deluxe Pro Band Saw Kit, as it has the most power and the best features, with the Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw being a close second.
Both are powerful and large, but they are pretty pricey.
If you want to go with something that is a bit smaller and less expensive, any of the other 3 options we have reviewed here today would do just fine as well.
