Over the last few years, we’ve seen Bosch roll out saws left, right, and backwards that address contractors’ aches and pains. They’ve got badass sliding/miter saws and table saws alike. What they rolled out last month is a 10” portable table saw that has an 18” capacity and a four horsepower motor that spins up to 5000rpm.
Watching the video from Bosch, the saw looks like the neatest thing since sliced bread, bells, and whistles. It fits in less than a two-foot space lengthwise and is an inch over 1’ width standing up, which works out great for hauling it in a truck. One-handed carry of its 45 lb. curb weight makes it reasonable to lug around. The saw guard is easy to snap in and out, which is good since that’s often the first casualty after being hauled up a flight of stairs or through a doorway on a jobsite.
So let’s look at it from a cost perspective: The street pricing runs in the neighborhood of about $400. Say you’d like the handy locking stand that is built for it as well — that will set you back about $80. So for the entire rig you’re looking at around $500. A Makita or DeWalt setup of the same style will hit you for about $500-$700, so what you’re really getting here is Bosch’s latest system with all the convenience of their compact chassis system and high-end motor at the same cost as the current offerings.
Is it enough of a difference to run out and dump your old saw? Probably not. If you’re a contractor on site and your rig is humming along, keep trucking. But should it quit or come time to upgrade, take a look at the Bosch, compare, contrast, and check it against the multitude of branded competitors. From everything we’ve seen from Bosch in the last couple years, it’s going to be worth your time.
Bosch GTS1031 Portable Table Saw [YouTube]
GTS1031 Portable Table Saw [Bosch Website]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
