Every band saw gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Saws are grouped by type (cordless portable, corded portable and stationary); warranty uses one scale in all groups, and price, capacity, power and features use a scale or list for each group.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Price | price at the cheapest linked store | 25% |
| Capacity | deepest cut for portable saws; round stock for stationary saws | 20% |
| Power | corded: motor amps; cordless: top blade speed; stationary: motor hp | 15% |
| Features | brushless motor, variable speed, work light, hydraulic feed, coolant and similar | 30% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 10% |
Where the numbers come from
Cutting capacity, motor current or power, blade speeds, features, weight and warranty come from the maker’s product page where it publishes one, or otherwise from the listing copy at Amazon, which for most makers is the maker’s own text. Prices are checked at Amazon and other retailers, and the lowest price at a store the page links to is used. Prices of kits include the batteries and charger; prices of bare tools don’t.
The factors
Price is the current price, on a log scale, so halving the price always counts the same. For cordless saws, $700 scores zero and $100 full marks; for corded saws, $500 and $100; for stationary saws, $4,000 and $450.
Capacity is the cutting capacity in inches: the deepest cut for portable saws, and the round stock diameter at 90 degrees for stationary saws. Cordless: 2 in scores zero and 5 in full marks. Corded: 4 in and 5 in. Stationary: 4 in and 8 in. When a listing gives only the model size (such as 7 x 12), the first number is used for round capacity and the page says so.
Power differs by type because makers publish different things. Corded saws use motor current, 6 A for zero and 11 A for full marks. Stationary saws use motor horsepower, 0.5 hp for zero and 1.5 hp for full marks (a kilowatt rating is divided by 0.746). Cordless saws rarely publish motor power, so they use top blade speed, 300 sfpm for zero and 650 sfpm for full marks.
Features add up the parts that save time or widen what a saw can do. Cordless: a brushless motor 40%, variable speed 30% and a work light 30%. Corded: variable speed 35%, a work light 35% and a bench base included 30%. Stationary: hydraulic downfeed 25%, a coolant system 20%, a mitering vise or head 20%, a vertical mode 20% and automatic shut-off 15%.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: none scores zero and 5 years full marks, so 2 years scores 40%.
What isn’t scored
Blade speed range (except as cordless power), weight, blade length, vise capacity at an angle and cut accuracy are listed but not scored. Rigidity and blade life matter most of all but makers don’t publish them in comparable terms; for stationary saws, weight is the closest published stand-in, and a heavier saw usually cuts straighter.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated. Features are neutral only when none of them is published; otherwise a feature the maker doesn’t mention counts as missing from the score. The exception is warranty: a maker that doesn’t publish one gets no warranty counted, so that factor scores zero and is marked estimated. Many listings, especially for lesser-known brands, publish no warranty, which is why unfamiliar brands can still rank high on price and features.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.