Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'll start with a brief background of this saw (DWE7491RS) and it's fellow mates, the 7480 and the 7490X. These units appear to be late 2013 upgraded replacements to the previously successful 744 and 745 series saws. Upgraded specifications from the previous series are a 4,800RPM no-load blade speed (from 3,850RPM), a larger dust port (2-1/2" vs 2-1/4"), slightly heavier weight and for the 7491, an improved rolling stand system with integrated tool & safety accessory storage. Most interesting to me, the 7490X and 7491RS series feature an improved fence system that has pushed the industry limits of contractor saws past the 24-1/2 inch barrier. Aside from the aforementioned upgrades, most of the other specifications (like cut depths) are identical to the previous 744/745 series. The least expensive model, the 7480, is no longer crippled like the 745 was...even the least model has a 24-1/2" fence to rip sheet goods in half. Both the 7490X and 7491RS can accept dado blades, but Dewalt does now say on the 7480 that dado blades are "not recommended." The new series also seem to carry a heftier price tag at the moment, but the money does seem put to good use. The trusted rack & pinion fence adjustment is still present, so your fence will remain true through heavy use. The new models seem to have similar differentiation as the previous series and the deciding factors are fairly straight forward based on your needs. If you want a basic 24-1/2 rip capacity saw with no stand, the 7480 is your choice. If you want to improve your rip capacity to 28-1/2" and have a stationary (but still portable) integrated stand, the 7490X is your choice. If you want maximum portability in a rolling stand, along with an impressive 32-1/2" rip capacity and a bonus fully integrated system storage, you go with the 7491RS series. Some would say that 24-1/2" rip capacity is all that's needed. It's true that you can rip the short side of a 48" sheet good, but it means you would have a fair amount of material hanging off to the left side of the blade. You can't do it alone, that's pretty well a fact. The improved fence system solves just this problem and provides adequate material support where it's needed. It features two positions for the fence, which can be moved outward to accommodate the large 32-1/2" capacity. The measurement scale accommodates both fence positions with one starting at 0" and the other at 8" and out of the box, it was pretty close to accurate. (See usage update below.) I have noticed that the fence material support bracket is less strong at the maximum distance, but it doesn't seem to make a major difference since it's really only for basic material support. I never used the previous model of rolling stand (744 series), but comparatively I think this one is a bit easier to manipulate from what I saw of YouTube videos. Although the saw and stand are fairly heavy assembled, getting it from storage/rolling position to operating position (and back) is a safe, easy and quick process. It might present a challenge for shorter/lighter folks, but it's easy for me with average height and weight. Once in place, the saw is sturdy as a rock...no problems with movement and it's not side heavy in any particular direction. I also liked that the handle can be positioned in two ways...compact (for tighter storage) and easy-to-carry. Assembly was really quite simple and the instructions/diagrams are clear, it took maybe an hour to assemble and a bit after that to learn the major adjustments and perform blade checks so I could get started. All your common adjustments are found within easy reach and I found that calibration adjustments I wanted to make were quite easy to perform. It's great to have all your safety gear completely integrated into the stand, everything has a place and it's less like for safety gear to be misplaced or unused entirely. The saw features a no-fail recessed power-on button with a large stop that could be easily kneed or kicked in an emergent situation. There's basically no way this thing could inadvertently turn on, but as always, it's best to practice power-off safety when working directly with the blade. The riving knife accessories are super easy to install or remove, which means I'll probably end up using it in most cases! My biggest gripes at the moment are due to a lack of accessories. I've read that the older series dado inserts aren't a 100% match and fit fairly loose in these new saws. Sure enough, Dewalt doesn't list any accessories available for this particular saw as of this moment...so that's probably not a preferred path right now. (Note: As of late 2014, a dado plate is now available, part # DWE7402DI. No infeed or side supports like the 7xx series, though.) You can use a generic adjustable roller stand (or custom built outfeed table) and DIY dado/zero clearance plates in the mean time. I thought about taking away a star for that, but with workable solutions right now, it's not a big deal for me. Also, the provided miter guage is not really practical, but anyone who's semi-serious in outfitting their saw is going to build/buy a decent crosscut sled and a miter sled anyway. Overall, with the increased power and larger fence system, this particular unit is starting to approach cabinet saw capabilities. It's by no means an absolute replacement, but it's certainly more capable than the predecessors and competitors offerings. If you're like me and you want the capacity of a cabinet saw, but the need for storage/portability triumphs above all...then this unit is definitely something you should look at. Yes, it commands the highest price of common portable contractor saws on the market right now, but it's money well spent if the increased fence capacity and refined portability is worth it to you. As they say...buy once, cry once. I'll update this review when I've had a chance to run various materials through it, but initial performance is great. I tried both soft woods (pine, fir) without any incident and I could definitely notice the power upgrade for the hard woods (tried walnut, cherry & QS oak so far). I got nice, clean cuts and quick measurements across the fence were accurate enough for me. As with pretty much any saw, the provided blade is sufficient for rough cuts...but you'll want 60/80 tooth 10" blades for any fine work. I have a couple cabinets to mill down and build in the immediate future, so I'll certainly be putting this saw through a workout of it's advertised capabilities over the next few weeks. Usage update: I've used the saw for quite a few hours now, so I have a pretty good feel for the shortcomings and limitations. * It cuts everything I've thrown at it like butter. I found some 8/4 cherry to try and although it slowed her down more than I'd seen, she chewed through it just fine. I think it could easily take on a 12/4 piece with enough time and patience. I am also loving that large fence and use it more often than I anticipated already...it's been awesome to easily cut larger panels easily. I can only comfortably cut 4'x4' panels on my own, but I did do a 6'x4' panel in two cuts without too much trouble. (One rough, one final.) Anything larger (and especially full sheet cross cuts) and you'll need help or a decent infeed/outfeed system. Do be aware that when you push this saw hard, it will draw more than 15 amps and can trip fuses/breakers that are rated at that level or less. I use a vacuum switch with a 15 amp fuse and it trips when I push it hard...if I didn't have that, my breaker would likely blow. * I mentioned in my original review that the table top was "flat as could be." Well, according to my dial gauge and straight edge, there is a slope of about .015" across the width of the table. This doesn't have any significant impacts as far as I can tell, as long as your blade is 90 degrees (or the desired bevel setting) to that slope. Also, I'm not thrilled with the tabletop or coating. Upon building my panel and cross cut sleds, I found it would fairly easily rub off with even the lightest friction. (It didn't take long at all to get that "used" look.) It's also not at all ferrous, so no attaching magnets...probably to save weight since actual metal is, umm, heavy. Plan on using using clamps if needed to secure things, both regular and miter slot as desired. * Upon a full tune-up/settings check, my fence distance gauge was off by over .015". No big deal and an easy fix, but I was having trouble getting even close to precision for some cuts off the gauge. Also, my fence was off parallel to the miter slot at position 2 by almost .010" front to back. Probably not enough to cause problems with most cuts or rough work, but too much for my preferences. Also an easy fix, but it did take some fussing to get it "just right." The arbor and fence at position 1 were close enough to perfect. It was a little irritating to have to tweak a new saw into perfection, but it wasn't too difficult and is probably due to the primary market for this saw being rough work, not cabinet grade. If you're going for precision, you may need to adjust from the factory. I recommend a quality try or combo square, a shop made fence measuring jig (or an A-Line It jig) and a digital or analog caliper for determining error rates. * I found that my 60+ tooth fine blades require me to remove the dust shroud in order to remove the blade. An inconvenience and it adds about 1 minute to the process, but not that big of a deal unless you're constantly changing blades. * Total dust collection is a mystery until Dewalt does something. At least if you rely on a Shop Vac and 2-1/2" hose. The 2-1/2" port is solid, no problem, and catches most dust. But, a fair bit of dust kicks up as usual...which is why they designed the riving knife with integrated dust chute. Awesome option, but absolutely ludicrous to plumb for at this time, making the accessory virtually worthless. There is no 2-1/2"x1-1/4" Y adapter out there and I'm not going to use 5+ fittings, convert to 4" and add a bunch of extra hose to do it. I find the normal fallout with the regular knife preferable to shooting it six feet across the room. * Some quick things that are hard to find about this saw. It takes up to a 8" sized dado blade, up to 13/16" in width. (I haven't used a 6" dado, but an 8" worked fine...I can imagine a 6" would work with less max depth.) The working table top height is 36-3/8". Maximum storage height is about 44-3/4" with the handle in compact position or just over 48" in easy-carry position. There's a lot of mis-info in the Q&A here and even from the manufacturer, these measurements are from my actual 7491RS saw. Feel free to comment if you want other fairly precise measurements. Accessories for this saw will start rolling out Q1 of 2014, with a dado plate being the first anticipated accessory to roll out from Dewalt. Other than those things, I still think it's an excellent saw. Maybe 4.5 stars would be my actual rating due to the from-the-factory adjustments I had to make and my disappointment with the table top. Other than that, it's been comfortable to use and work with and is giving me great results and perfect joints. I'll update if anything else comes up.