Ryobi RTS12 10" Portable Table Saw Review

The Ryobi RTS12 10” portable jobsite table saw has a price that makes it popular with homeowners and DIYers. Does low price alone make it the right table saw for you? In this review, I’ll take a closer look at the features of the RTS12, its performance, and how it compares to other table saws on the market. I’ll also discuss some of the pros and cons of the RTS12 to help you decide if it’s the right table saw for your needs.

Just want the recommendation?

The RTS12 is an economical choice for homeowners with an occasional need for a table saw. Its powerful motor can handle any typical home repair or DIY project. For the more serious hobbyist or aspiring woodworker, though, better options exist. Drawbacks such as a flimsy stand and the lack of a second miter slot aren’t worth the cost savings, in my book.

Blade Diameter: 10” | Rip Capacity (Right): 12” | Rip Capacity (Left): 8” | Depth of Cut (at 90°): 3” | Depth of Cut (at 45°): 2 1/2”

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Features and Benefits

Let’s walk through the benefits and drawbacks of the Ryobi RTS12.

Motor and Power Supply

The RTS12 runs on 120 V power and draws a maximum of 15 amps. You can use it on any standard residential or commercial electrical circuit in the United States.

Ryobi rates the motor at 3 horsepower, but take that with a grain of salt. On a 120-volt, 15-amp circuit, the maximum power a motor can provide is just over 2.4 hp. Manufacturers like to rate their motors under laboratory conditions, not what you’ll actually experience during use.

That said, the RTS12 has a surprisingly beefy motor for this class of table saw. The motor produces up to 5,000 rpm, again on the high side for a portable jobsite table saw. It won’t have any trouble cutting through lumber or common sheet goods that you’ll use for home improvement projects.

Table and Fence

The table of the RTS12 has a somewhat unusual design. Rather than being a rectangle, it sports notches that run most of the length of both sides. I suspect this is mostly a cost- and weight-saving move, since they don’t have any other function. You may or may not care about the aesthetics of the notches; personally, they don’t bother me.

But I do think they have a safety drawback. The rear outward projection presents a possible obstacle for your workpiece, sled, or jig to get caught up on during a cut. The notches do have beveled edges to help a workpiece get “up and over” the projection. So you might never have a problem, but I’d prefer to not have the extra worry in the first place.

Stand

The RTS12’s stand is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s lightweight and ergonomical to collapse and expand. For portability, I give it high marks.

But the stand lets you down a bit in its most important function—providing a secure and safe base for the saw. The hollow aluminum legs, while reducing weight, just feel too flimsy. You need to trust that your saw won’t wobble or topple over during use. For cutting lumber or small pieces of sheet goods, the stand works fine, as long as you’re careful. But I wouldn’t want to push my luck with large sheet goods, heavy jigs or sleds, and so forth.

For occasional use, the stand will suffice. But more demanding users will want to replace it with something sturdier, or consider another table saw altogether.

Blades and Cutting

The RTS12 ships with a 24-tooth 10” saw blade—typical for portable jobsite table saws. This blade works fine for ripping wood or rough cuts of lumber. For any sort of precision cutting, you’ll want to upgrade the blade. Check out our full guide to the best table saw blades.

Related: The 9 Best Table Saw Blades

The rip capacity of the RTS12 rates among the smallest of any table saw. You get just 12” of rip capacity to the right of the blade and 8” to the left. Take this into consideration if you expect to be ripping wider pieces of material.

Unlike most of its lower-priced competitors, the RTS12 can accept dado blades. You’ll need to buy a replacement dado throat plate, but then you can use a dado stack up to 1/2” thick.

Miter Gauge and Slots

The designers of the RTS12 have made a curious decision about miter slots. Almost all table saws, even compact models, feature a miter slot on both sides of the blade. The RTS12 has only a single miter slot, located to the right of the blade.

For straightforward 90° cuts, it rarely makes much difference which side of the blade the miter gauge sits on. But with angled cuts, you’ll sometimes find it easier (and safer) to use one side over the other. You lose that flexibility with the RTS12.

Accessories such as featherboards or various jigs (both commercial and shop-made) often rely on having a spare miter slot, too. Occasional users won’t miss these, but if you intend to do any serious woodworking, you will. I can’t recommend the RTS12 for serious hobbyists or anyone looking to do precision woodworking.

You can check out our roundup of some of the best aftermarket miter gauges.

Related: The Best Table Saw Miter Gauges

Dust Collection

Safety

The RTS12 features the standard safety equipment found on most table saws:

• A clear plastic blade guard lets you keep an eye on the blade while keeping your fingers safely away from it.
• A riving knife behind the blade prevents wood from pinching back together, which leads to dangerous kickback.
• Anti-kickback pawls on either side of the riving knife help further prevent kickback.

Unfortunately, I consider the flimsiness of the stand to be a bit of a safety negative. You can use this saw safely, but you really need to make sure the stand is up to the task you’re asking of it.

Pros and Cons of the RTS12

Alternatives to the Ryobi RTS12

As I mention above, there are a couple notable shortcomings of the RTS12. Particularly if you’ll want to do precise woodworking or larger construction jobs, I’d consider one of these competitors before making your final decision.

Metabo HPT C10RJS

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If you need more rip capacity than the RTS12 offers, you may want to look at this product from Metabo HPT. Its 35” rip capacity is the largest in this category. And it features up to 10” of additional outfeed support at the rear of the table as an included accessory.

The stand that ships with the C10RJS is quite a bit sturdier than the RTS12’s, as well.

Compare: Metabo HPT C10RJS vs. Ryobi RTS12

Full review: Metabo HPT C10RJS Portable Jobsite Table Saw (Review)

DeWalt DWE7491RS

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This DeWalt 10” table saw has a 26 3/8” x 21 7/8” table, but its maximum rip width of 32 1/2” sets it apart. It features a second dust-collection port attached to the top of the riving knife, in addition to a 2 1/2” port in the rear of the blade assembly. If you have the right adapters to hook up both ports (or you’re outside and don’t care), this could be a nice feature.

Compare: DeWalt DWE7491RS vs. Ryobi RTS12

Full review: DeWalt DWE7491RS Jobsite Table Saw Review

Bosch 4100XC-10

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The table on the 4100XC-10 measures 30” by 22 1/2”. And you can rip up to 30” on the right side of the blade. The 4100XC-10’s more rugged construction will stand up to harsher use than the RTS12 will.

And the “gravity-rise” stand on the Bosch gets consistently high marks from users. It lets you raise and lower the saw with almost no effort, giving it top marks for portability.

Compare: Bosch 4100XC-10 vs. Ryobi RTS12

Full review: Bosch 4100XC-10 Portable Table Saw Review

Conclusion

If you’re a homeowner looking for a table saw for the occasional home repair project, the Ryobi RTS12 is among the cheapest options out there. It’ll get the job done for most basic projects.

But if you intend to do any woodworking or more demanding projects, I recommend looking at one of its competitors mentioned above.

Specs