Which Track Saw Is Right for You? A Comparison of the Best Plunge Cut Circular Saws for Fine Woodworking

A good track saw can do much more than break down sheets of plywood.

With the right saw, blade and guide rail, you can make furniture-quality rip cuts, square cabinet parts, trim doors, cut bevels, make accurate plunge cuts and work with sheet goods too large or awkward to safely bring to a table saw.

But once you move into premium track saws, choosing one gets more complicated. Festool alone offers several models that look similar at first glance, while Mafell takes a somewhat different approach to the same problem.

More power isn't automatically better. Neither is a larger blade, cordless operation or a longer feature list.

The right track saw depends on what you cut, where you work and how much cutting capacity you actually need.

This guide focuses specifically on the track saws we recommend considering for fine woodworking, cabinetry and furniture making.

Track Saws for Fine Woodworking Compared

*Without battery.

Festool TS 55 FEQ

FES-576708

The Straightforward Precision Track Saw

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The TS 55 is the most advanced version of the classic Festool track saw and remains an excellent fit for a large percentage of furniture and cabinet shops.

Its 55 mm cutting capacity is already more than enough for typical plywood, MDF, melamine and most furniture components. The 1200-watt motor, variable speed, micro-adjustable cutting depth and -1° to 47° bevel range make it much more than simply a sheet-goods saw.

The TS 55 also uses a spring-loaded riving knife behind the blade to help prevent the material from pinching the blade during a cut.

Where the TS 55 makes the most sense is when you simply don't need the additional power or depth of the TS 60. It is a precision-oriented woodworking saw without paying for capabilities that may rarely be used.

Choose the TS 55 if: most of your work involves plywood, cabinet parts, furniture components and ordinary solid stock, and you want to enter the Festool guide-rail system at the lowest cost among its corded precision track saws.

Festool TSC 55 KS

FES-577991

The Cordless TS 55 Concept

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The latest TSC 55 KS brings essentially the same 55 mm cutting class into a much more mobile package.

Unlike the previous-generation cordless TSC, the new KS operates from a single 18V battery. Festool also redesigned the saw around a thin 1.6 mm kerf blade and slimmer motor housing while retaining a -1° to 47° bevel range and 55 mm cutting capacity. Sensor-based KickbackStop can stop the blade when the system detects kickback.

For installers and anyone who moves between the shop and jobsite, eliminating another cord can make a surprisingly large difference.

For a stationary workshop where the saw will normally be connected to a dust extractor anyway, however, the advantage of cordless operation is less dramatic. You may already have a hose following the saw.

One important purchasing detail: the Basic version includes the saw, blade, dust bag and Systainer, but not a battery or charger.

Choose the TSC 55 KS if: you want Festool precision but regularly work away from a fixed bench, break down material in different locations or simply want the freedom of a cordless saw.

Festool TS 60 K

FES-576726

The All-Around Festool Saw

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For someone buying one Festool track saw and expecting it to cover a wide range of work, the TS 60 is the model that deserves particularly close consideration.

The 168 mm blade increases cutting capacity to 62 mm, while the 1500-watt brushless EC-TEC motor provides more headroom than the TS 55. Despite the added capacity, it remains a manageable 4.8 kg.

It also adds Festool's KickbackStop system.

There is another less obvious advantage: unlike the TS 55, the TS 60 can run on both the normal FS guide rails and Festool's FSK crosscut rails. The FSK rails effectively turn the saw into a portable crosscutting system for repeatable square and angled cuts.

That makes the TS 60 particularly interesting for a small shop where one portable saw may be expected to handle sheet goods, furniture parts and some work that might otherwise go to a mitre saw.

Choose the TS 60 if: you want a single corded track saw with more capacity than the 55-class saws without moving all the way up to the much larger TS 75.

Festool TSV 60 K

FES-576735

The Panel-Cutting Specialist

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The TSV 60 looks like a more elaborate TS 60, but there is one feature that fundamentally changes what it does: a separate scoring blade.

Ahead of the main 168 mm blade is a small counter-rotating diamond scoring blade. It cuts the surface layer before the main blade reaches it, allowing the saw to produce splinter-free edges on both sides in a single pass.

That is the same basic concept used by high-end sliding table and panel saws, packaged into a portable track saw.

If you routinely work with expensive veneered panels, melamine, laminates or HPL where one chipped edge can ruin a finished component, the difference can be substantial.

If you primarily cut solid hardwood and ordinary plywood, though, you are carrying extra weight and paying for a scoring system that may spend most of its life switched off. At 6.2 kg, the TSV is considerably heavier than a TS 55 or TS 60.

Choose the TSV 60 if: two-sided finished cut quality is one of your highest priorities and you regularly work with expensive or difficult sheet materials.

Mafell MT 55 cc

MAF-917638

A Different Approach to the Premium Track Saw

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Mafell's MT 55 cc sits between the Festool TS 55 and TS 60 in cutting capacity, with a 57 mm maximum depth, 1400-watt motor and unusually broad -1° to 48° bevel range.

One of its most interesting features is its scoring mode.

This should not be confused with the TSV 60's separate scoring blade. Activating the Mafell scoring function limits the main blade to approximately 2.5 mm and shifts it slightly. You make a shallow scoring pass, deactivate the function and then make the full-depth cut.

It's slower than the TSV's dedicated scoring system, but it gives you an additional method of controlling tearout without adding a second blade and motor to the saw.

The MT 55 also has an unusual base plate with a second guide groove and adjustable guide jaws that allow it to adapt to rail systems from other manufacturers. Its blade-change mechanism opens much of the blade housing, making blade access particularly easy.

Choose the MT 55 cc if: you want a precision-focused corded saw, like Mafell's mechanical design and scoring function, or value greater flexibility when working with guide rails.

Mafell MT 55 18M bl

MAF-91B423

The MT 55 Without the Cord

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The cordless MT 55 retains the basic architecture and 57 mm cutting capacity of the corded machine while replacing the CUprex corded motor with Mafell's 18V system. It retains the -1° to 48° bevel range and the MT 55 scoring system.

The major comparison here is less about cut quality and more about which cordless ecosystem and saw design you prefer.

There is also an important package difference when comparing prices. This MT 55 18M bl package includes two batteries and a charger, while the current Festool TSC 55 KS Basic package does not include either.

So comparing the sticker prices of the two saws alone doesn't tell the entire story.

Choose the MT 55 18M bl if: you want the Mafell MT 55's scoring and rail features but need cordless portability.

Festool TS 75

FES-576118

The Thick-Stock Specialist

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The TS 75 belongs in this guide, but it serves a different customer than the other saws.

Its 210 mm blade and 1600-watt motor provide up to 75 mm — roughly 3 inches — of cutting depth. That makes it particularly well suited to thick stock, slabs, lumber, doors and demanding furniture work.

That capacity comes with a penalty. At 6.2 kg, the TS 75 is substantially more saw to push around when breaking down ordinary 3/4-inch plywood, and the longer plate requires longer guide rails to make the same cut.

For a furniture maker regularly working with thick solid hardwood, that trade-off can make perfect sense. For a cabinetmaker almost exclusively cutting sheet goods, it usually doesn't.

Choose the TS 75 if: you actually need its depth of cut. Buying additional capacity that you never use simply gives you a larger and heavier saw.

So, Which Track Saw Should You Buy?

If you're primarily building cabinets and furniture from plywood and normal-thickness hardwood, start by comparing the Festool TS 55 and Mafell MT 55 cc. Both provide more than enough capacity for everyday fine woodworking. The Festool puts you into the extensive FS guide-rail system; the Mafell adds its unusual two-pass scoring function and greater rail-system flexibility.

If you want one corded saw with enough versatility to handle almost anything in a typical furniture or cabinet shop, the TS 60 deserves close consideration. You gain more power and depth than the 55-class saws, KickbackStop and compatibility with Festool's FSK crosscut rails without moving to the size and weight of a TS 75.

If your work revolves around melamine, veneer, HPL or other expensive prefinished panels, the TSV 60 is in a category of its own. Its dedicated scoring blade performs the scoring and final cut simultaneously rather than requiring a separate scoring pass.

For cordless operation, the decision is primarily between the Festool TSC 55 KS and Mafell MT 55 18M bl. The TSC is compact and light and integrates with Festool's system, while the Mafell retains the distinctive MT 55 scoring system and adaptable rail design. Be sure to compare package contents as well as saw prices.

And if you regularly cut thick hardwood or slabs, that's when the TS 75's extra size starts earning its place.

There isn't one track saw that's best for everybody.

There is, however, a track saw that's much better suited to the work you actually do.

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