Take it from This Old House host Kevin O’Connor and woodworking expert Nick Offerman: whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned craftsman, having the right tools can make all the difference in woodworking. From cutting to sanding, quality gear helps you work more efficiently, accurately, and safely.
In this guide, our team recommends the best woodworking tools to level up your next project.
Top 5 Woodworking Tools
- DEWALT Thickness Planer: Best Planer
- DEWALT Table Saw: Best Table Saw
- SawStop Cabinet Saw: Best Cabinet Saw
- Keter Workbench: Best Workbench
- Bosch Palm Sander: Best Sander
Best Planer
DEWALT Thickness Planer
This planer has a fan-assisted chip ejector that vacuums chips from the cutter head and shoots them out of the machine. Your purchase also comes with knives and infeed and outfeed tables, so you can start using the machine as soon as it arrives.
Key Features
- Has a 13-inch blade
- Plugs into a wall outlet
- Weighs 101 pounds
- Measures 24 by 22 by 18 inches
- Comes with a 3-year warranty
What People Are Saying About The DEWALT Thickness Planer
Customers were satisfied with the relatively low noise level and easy instructions and setup of this planer. They mentioned the quality finish that the planer left on their wood. However, some reviewers complained about the planer’s heaviness and how quickly its knives dulled.
Best Table Saw
DEWALT Table Saw
In addition to the saw and stand, this purchase includes many useful accessories, such as a carbide blade, a push stick, a miter gauge, a rip fence, and two blade wrenches. You can keep all of these items on hand in the built-in storage compartment. This table saw is designed for easy setup and breakdown.
Key Features
- Has a 10-inch blade
- Plugs into a wall outlet
- Weighs 110 pounds
- Measures 31 by 24.5 by 31 inches
- Comes with a 3-year warranty
What People Are Saying About The DEWALT Table Saw
Positive reviews highlighted this table saw’s power, portability, and durability. The saw’s stand was well-designed, according to multiple users. On the other hand, some customers thought that the saw was loud—even with hearing protection—and that the table surface was small.
Best Cabinet Saw
SawStop Cabinet Saw
This saw collects 99% of the dust on its table with its included dust collection blade guard. For safety, the blade stops spinning within five milliseconds of making contact with your skin to prevent life-altering injuries. The saw has a control box that checks on its components constantly to ensure they’re working properly.
Key Features
- Has a 10-inch blade
- Plugs into a wall outlet
- Weighs 525 pounds
- Measures 85.25 by 33 by 34 inches
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
What People Are Saying About The SawStop Cabinet Saw
Ratings for this cabinet saw were primarily positive, with customer reviews highlighting its powerful motor and smooth cuts. However, the saw’s high price tag was a pain point for some customers.
Best Workbench
Keter Workbench
This table has a simplistic folding design for setup and takedown in under a minute. Because it weighs less than 30 pounds, folds down to 4.4 inches, and includes a carrying handle, you can bring it with you from worksite to worksite. With its heavy-duty aluminum legs, it can support up to 1,000 pounds.
Key Features
- Weighs 26.95 pounds
- Measures 33.46 by 21.65 by 4.41 inches
- Comes with a 1-year warranty
What People Are Saying About The Keter Workbench
Customers cited the quick setup, sturdiness, and low profile of this workbench in their positive reviews. They also stated that the workbench was light enough to lift and move to another spot. However, some customers had issues with the bar clamps not sliding smoothly along the workbench.
Best Sander
Bosch Palm Sander
Dust collection is easy with this sander, as it comes with a micro-filter system that collects fine particles. The tool is sold with a sanding pad, sanding disc, dampening ring, dust canister, vacuum adapter, and carrying case. The sanding pads stick to the hand sander with Velcro-like adhesion.
Key Features
- Has a 5-inch disc
- Plugs into a wall outlet
- Weighs 3.5 pounds
- Measures 9 by 5 by 6 inches
- Comes with a one-year warranty
What People Are Saying About The Bosch Palm Sander
Users thought this sander delivered smooth, reliable performance, especially considering its affordable price. Reviewers also appreciated the variable range feature and the thick, heavy power cord. However, some customers didn’t like how loud the sander was.
Woodworking Tool Buying Guide
Depending on the woodworking projects you’re undertaking, you may need different tools of varying sizes, powers, and materials. To make choosing your tools or gifts for a woodworker easier, consider the following factors.
Type
There are many types of woodworking tools, but some of the most common include the following:
- Chisels
- Circular saws
- Drills
- Hammers
- Impact drivers
- Jigsaws
- Planers
- Rasps
- Sanders
- Table saws
- Tape measures
- Workbenches
Decide what tools you need for your upcoming project and buy them before you start if you don’t already have them.
Material
Woodworking tools are made from many materials. Plastic and metal are common. Metal is more durable, while plastic is more lightweight.
Versatility
Many woodworking tools are built for specific purposes, but some offer multiple functions. If you are strapped for space or have a limited budget, consider buying a woodworking tool that accomplishes many tasks.
Ease of Use
Even if you’re an expert carpenter, you still want tools that are easy to set up and use to get your project done faster. Read customer reviews if you’re unsure whether the tool you’re considering is easy to use.
How To Become a Better Woodworker
If you’re new to the world of woodworking, there’s a lot to learn—but don’t be intimidated. If you’re an experienced woodworker, a refresher can’t hurt. Below, we’ve outlined some basic but useful pointers to help you maximize your new woodworking tools.
- Know the moisture content of your wood before you begin. Wood that’s too dry is brittle, and wood that’s too damp can shrink or warp. Using a moisture meter is an easy way to ensure that your wood is at an appropriate moisture level.
- If you’re a visual learner, check out woodworking videos to watch woodworkers tackle various projects with different techniques.
- Work on a project with an experienced woodworker. Even if you don’t want to make a career out of woodworking, you can learn a lot from a carpenter.
- Maintain a clean workspace. Put your tools in an organized tool chest or toolbox once you’re done using them. Clean the surface of your workbench with baby wipes.
- Keep the blades of your woodworking instruments sharp. Sharp blades make for safer woodworking and cleaner, more precise cuts.
Woodworking Tool FAQs
What woodworking tools do I need?
The woodworking tools you need will depend on your skill level, workspace, and project. A workbench is essential for any woodworking space, so start there. You’ll want to invest in various saws for cutting and a drill and impact driver for assembling.
How do I use woodworking tools?
If you’re new to woodworking, take the time to learn how each tool works before you start using it. Tools often come with owner manuals, but you can also find online tutorials that go over the basics.
What safety equipment should I wear for woodworking?
Regardless of the woodworking tool you’re using, you need work gloves, safety glasses, work boots, and tight-fitting clothes. If you’re working with power tools, you can up the protection with ear plugs or muffs and a face mask.
Our Methodology
To provide our readers with the best product recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process.
Initial Research: Our research process began by generating a list of woodworking tools with a significant number of verified buyer reviews and an average customer review rating of 4–5 stars. We looked at positive and negative reviews alike, focusing on information from both satisfied and critical buyers.
Expert Insights: Through years of experience, we’ve learned that listening to what others have to say is key to building accurate, well-rounded articles. To complement our in-house expertise, our team looked at reviews and videos from trusted publications and independent testers, spoke with subject matter experts, and drew insights from reader contributions.
Final Product Selection: We then began fine-tuning our list by replacing older models with the latest versions and eliminating any discontinued models. From there, we pared the list down by comparing each model’s feature-set and selecting the best-in-class options for a variety of buyers, budgets, and scenarios.
Why You Can Trust Us
This Old House has empowered homeowners and DIYers for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement advice in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content.
Our team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published over 1,600 reviews on products for the home, from doorbell cameras and dining room decor to circular saws and snow blowers.
Once we conclude the research and testing phases, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.