A crosscut sled is one of the most useful tools in a woodworker’s arsenal. It used to make accurate cuts. And it will help you to guide the saw blade at an accurate angle and depth for precise, repetitive cuts. This will allow you to cut boards fast and easily, which means less time wasted on the project.
In this blog post, you will learn all about the best crosscut sled for your needs. We will review the top seven products on the market and give you a pros and cons list to compare each one with.
In addition, we will offer some tips on how to choose a crosscut sled that is right for you. So, if you are looking for a good crosscut sled – keep reading!
Top 5 Table Saw Sled Comparison Table
Image | Product Name | Material | Price |
  | INCRA Crosscut Sled Kit (MITER5000) | Steel and Aluminum | |
  | Rockler Tablesaw Crosscut sled | MDF and Aluminum | |
  | Fulton DIY Table Saw Crosscut Sled Kit | Polyethylene and Aluminum | |
  | INCRA MITEREXPRESS table saw sled kit | Steel and Aluminum | |
  | Rockler cross cut sled for jobsite table saw | MDF with melamine coating |
7 Best Cross Cut Sled Reviews
There are many different types of crosscut sleds available on the market, so it can be difficult to choose which one is the best for your needs. To help you from this crisis, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular table saw sleds on the market. Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. INCRA Crosscut Sled Kit (MITER5000)
We’re going to take a step away from regular buying guides and tell you a secret: the best table saw sled doesn’t have to mean the cheapest. Instead, if you’re one of the guys looking for quality, you’ll want to look at the INCRA Miter 5000 Table Saw Miter Gauge.
While we don’t necessarily make these in any particular order, it’s hard to deny that the INCRA MITER5000 is one of the very best we’ve seen. It’s a little expensive, sure, but if you ask us, it’s better than investing in a substandard crosscut sled.
The INCRA Miter 5000 is a solid, one-piece unit with a convenient T-track and clamping fixtures to make your life that much easier. We also noticed that the miter slots are steady and conveniently located and have no play with the cutoff table.
All in all, our only problem with this cross cut sled was the somewhat confusing lack of information. Repositioning the configuration for the tilt saws isn’t easy, and honestly, their reference to reversing the direction is not helpful either.
Pros:
- Highly accurate when crosscutting panels
- Miter slots are steady, securely located, and slide nicely
- Can be installed and set up in less than four hours
- Parts come in marked bags to make understanding what goes where easier
- Ten separate adjustments for removing any play from the bar
Cons:
- The lack of pictures in the instructions makes it difficult to set up for beginners.
- It’s also a pretty expensive product, making it unsuitable for casual hobbyists.
2. Rockler Tablesaw Crosscut sled
The Tablesaw CrossCut Sled from Rockler Woodworking comes in second place, though if we’re being honest, we liked it almost as much as the INCRA 5000. It offers nearly the same precision and a lot more convenience, surprisingly at just under half the price.
The first thing we noticed was that Rockler designed this thing for one purpose: convenience. You can set the stopper to cut multiple lengths of wood at the exact measurements, and the angles are elementary to set.
You’ll find that the right side of the crosscut sled has a double function: it’s also a zero-clearance chip breaker. The Rockler Tablesaw sled comes with a clear hairline indicator to prevent errors for precise use.
This table saw sled’s affordability also figures into why it’s so great. Experienced tinkers will enjoy a pleasant surprise since good table saws rarely come this cheap. On the other hand, this is also a solid and affordable choice for beginners.
Pros:
- Easy-to-read ½ degree graduations
- Visible hairline indicator for preventing errors during setup
- Right edge doubles in function as a zero-clearance chip breaker
- Kit includes low-friction, self-adhesive tape to enable smooth platform and fence sliding
- The miter bar has spring-loaded ball bearings for adjustable tension
Cons:
- The chip breaker can be a disadvantage if you prefer making cuts with the right edge.
- The sled is made of cheap material, so it’s not that durable.
3. Fulton DIY Table Saw Crosscut Sled Kit
This DIY kit from Fulton is a popular choice for people who want to customize their crosscut sled as they wish. It’s also one of the cheapest DIY cross cut sled kits on the market, which doesn’t hurt its appeal.
This pre-packaged kit has everything you need to set up a basic crosscut sled. Pre-cut UHMW bars, an aluminum track, a bolt, and a knob, along with a pretty specific instruction booklet on how to set it all up.
And guess what? The booklet comes with pictures. You can set up the entire kit on a summer afternoon if you know what you’re doing.
We loved this DIY kit and its bars in particular.
The ¾” x ⅜” UHMW bars are much smoother than wooden runners. They don’t contract or expand, making them a highly functional choice.
We were pretty interested in that last part, which led to hours of research. The pieces will work perfectly in cold weather and 100° Florida summers without any hitches.
Pros:
- Highly affordable product suited for beginners
- Bars are made of low-friction UHMW polyethylene
- Kit includes easy-to-follow build plans and instructions for installation
- You can set it up for crosscuts, miter cuts, bevels, and dados
Cons:
- The bars can flex quickly, even when glued down to the base plate.
- UHMW polyethylene has a chance of melting when you’re drilling holes into the bars since polyethylene melts very easily.
4. INCRA MITEREXPRESS table saw sled kit
The Miter Express looks slightly confusing at first due to the lack of information on seller websites, but our research says it’s a solid deal.
The kit contains a T-rack and sled, along with a clamp and fixtures for attaching your miter and fence. Like the DIY kit above, it’s an option that aims for versatility by allowing you to install any miter gauge you own.
If we’re being honest, we were surprised by how useful it was. The main feature of the Miter Express is the utility plate, designed to be easily compatible with any miter and fence you install, which significantly increases the widths of the boards you can cut with this sled.
Its precision isn’t half bad either. It falls between the Rockler Tablesaw CrossCut Sled and the INCRA Miter 5000 kit. You can use this table saw sled to crosscut panels up to 24 inches in width.
You’ll find several useful little accessories inside the Miter Express kit, like a long-ended Allen wrench for reaching recessed screws, a fence support bracket, and adapters for saws with miter T-slots, among other things.
Pros:
- Creates a zero clearance sled that works at all miter angles
- Allows you to cut thicker boards from panels
- You can use it with any miter gauge and fence.
- Two embedded T-tracks for securing the included hold-down clamp
- Affordable, high-quality INCRA product
Cons:
- We noticed minor tilting when the miter gauge was turned ‘off’ the panel beneath the gauge.
- If you want to cut small pieces, you’ll need a hold-down clamp with a more extended reach.
5. Rockler cross cut sled for jobsite table saw
Out of the crosscut sleds we’ve looked at so far, the Rockler Table Saw Small Parts Sled is the first one meant exclusively for cutting small parts. From everything we’ve read so far, this sled is recommended by hobbyists and everyday professionals.
Once we started our research, it wasn’t hard to see why. The sled base and fence create zero-clearance support for your project. The rear-mounted blade guard is also a handy little feature since it can be adjusted to fit most table saws out there.
The best part for us, though, was the aluminum T-track on the top edge of the fence. You can install a flip stop on it for repeatable cuts, which makes cutting small parts much less repetitive and boring than usual.
And that isn’t where the customization ends. The short T-track found parallel to the blade can mount an optional hold-down clamp for your project. While this is immensely helpful for ensuring error-free assignments, you’ll have to shell out more money for the separately sold clamp.
Pros:
- Great for minor cuts and projects requiring pinpoint precision
- Accessible and easy enough to be used regularly
- Adjustable rear-mounted blade guard slot fits most table saws
- The plastic ramp beside the kerf carries away drop-off pieces from panels.
- Quick and straightforward installation with the detailed instruction manual
Cons:
- The sled is exceptionally shallow, preventing you from working on wider wood.
- It’s made out of cheap material, which means it probably won’t hold up after more than a single drop.
6. Rockwell RW9266 cross cut sled for portable table saw
The Rockwell RW9266 BladeRunner X2 Cross Cut Sled is more of a budget choice than something people with a budget should go for, but for its price, this crosscut sled provides above-average precision and decent performance on all types of cuts.
With that being said, though, it’s undeniable that this sled is a massive improvement to your cutting experience.
While technical details were short with this product, the plastic is lightweight and firmly supported on all sides, making it very easy to use in the shop. It’s a great addition to most Rockwell saws, though you should note that it probably won’t fit other brands and sizes.
We couldn’t believe this would have provided much performance, being one of the cheapest products here, but adding a little block and clamping it to the sled makes it perfect for fast, repeatable cuts.
The one drawback we’d note was the little plastic tab on the front. It can sometimes prevent you from sliding the sled onto the saw. It looks like an aesthetic feature, so don’t hesitate to cut it off with a sharp blade carefully.
Pros:
- Extremely affordable crosscut sled
- Tremendously improves the performance of Rockwell saws
- Improves workshop safety with room to safely place hands during cuts
- Includes a cutting groove for easy alignment
Cons:
- You’ll see a tiny bit of play because of how flimsy the plastic is.
- It doesn’t fit saws from any other brands.
7. POWERTEC 71403 Table Saw Cross Cutting Sled
It’s not Rockwell or INCRA, but the POWERTEC 71403 Table Saw Cross-Cutting Sled got our attention and then some because of just how comprehensive this kit was. A durable table base, fence parts, clamps, stops, and a miter bar: chances are if it’s something you want on your cross-cut sled, the POWERTEC 71403 includes it in its hardware kit.
The design is highly simplistic, to the point of making it a recommended product for beginners. It almost mirrors the upscale INCRA Miter 5000 in features, as this cross cut sled also comes with 1/2° graduations and a hairline indicator.
Its excellent construction is another plus for this table saw sled. It’s not the best table saw crosscut sled, but the aluminum parts are anodized and machined well, and the CNC machined base is extremely high quality as well.
The only drawback here is POWERTEC’s notoriously bad shipping practices, which often damage the product.
Pros:
- Well-fitting parts eliminate play during cuts
- Base, fence, and fence face are very durable and can survive the occasional workshop accident
- Comes with an adjustable 90° stop and easy to read graduations
- Increases the precision of your cuts with the sled’s negligible weight
Cons:
- Often delivered in horrible condition due to insufficient packaging.
- The base is flimsy and can break on you if you’re not careful.
How to Choose the Best Cross Cut Sled
We all love using table saws, but let’s be honest. The miter gauges that come with table saws aren’t very accurate, even at the best of times. Working with just a miter gauge isn’t safe either.
If you’re working on a project that requires precise cuts, you’ll need something to bring out your table saw’s crosscutting potential: a crosscut sled that makes woodworking more accessible, safer, and more precise.
Crosscut sleds have lots of advantages over a simple miter gauge. When using a sled, the workpiece doesn’t have to touch the saw’s surface and instead rests on the sled’s platform.
Additionally, most sleds pass the blade at zero distance from the cutting surface of the teeth, giving you the famed ‘zero clearance’ support that everybody wants with their sled. The question is, with hundreds of choices from well-known brands like PowerTec, INCRA, Rockwell, and others, how are you going to choose the best table saw sled for you?
That’s where our buying guide comes in. Below, we’ve assembled a list of some of the features and things you want to look for when buying a cross cut sled, though make sure to note that it’s not exhaustive. The best cross cutting sled for you depends on what you’re going to be using it for.
The Use It’s Meant for
What broadly divides the different types of crosscut sleds is the use they’re meant for. Sleds for small, precise cuts are smaller and more lightweight in design, allowing for greater control and small cuts. They’re shallower than standard sleds, which keeps them light but prevents them from cutting thicker widths of wood.
Alternatively, you’ll also find traditional sleds, which are heavier but can cut wider lengths of wood.
The Material It’s Made Out of
Anybody used to working for long hours in a workshop will automatically know the value of going for products that will last. If you don’t, well, your arms will get tired after hours of painstakingly working on detailed woodcuts, which is why dropping your sled is more common than you might think.
The durability of the sled is significant and usually plays a part in the price, too: wooden sleds are very durable, surviving the occasional drop without any problems, and are equally pricey as a result. Plastic sleds are dirt cheap but can get damaged or misaligned from a single drop.
Zero Clearance
If you’re going to start woodworking, getting a zero clearance cross-cut sled is the best thing you can do. Zero clearance sleds aren’t just easier to use but prevent off-cuts from getting stuck in your sled and creating tear-out. Finding sleds that offer zero-clearance cuts isn’t very hard either, since most table saws these days come with zero clearance tables.
Price of the Product
This one doesn’t even need much explanation. Nobody wants to be paying for an overpriced product when they can get the same quality for much, much cheaper from a different company, brand, website, or seller. INCRA and Rockwell are good examples of this: INCRA is a premium, upscale, and above all, expensive brand, while Rockwell makes less durable but equally well-performing plastic sleds. If you’re a beginner, you won’t need an INCRA sled and can save money by going for a Rockwell.
Professionals will benefit from an INCA sled instead since they won’t have to waste money on a Rockwell sled only to find it unsuitable for their woodworking projects.
The Cross-Cut Sled’s Precision
Precision is an essential factor in crosscut sleds, and if you’re looking for cuts up to your exact measurements, it’s one that you can’t afford to ignore. You’ll want to consult customer reviews, buying guides, and professional recommendations to see which sleds are considered the best in precision while others are just somewhat precise.
We’ll give you a recommendation off the bat. Go for the INCRA Miter 5000 Table Saw Miter Gauge if you’ve got a somewhat large budget. It’s one of the most expensive cross cut sleds we’ve seen, but we can’t deny that it was also flat out the most accurate. When it comes to crosscut sleds, you’ll have a tough time beating this one.
Final Verdict
This time, if we’re honest, it wasn’t a competition. The INCRA Miter 5000 provided performance, but it was simply too expensive. On the other hand, while the Rockler Table Saw Small Parts Sled was great for small parts, it couldn’t cut even standard width parts, making it unsuitable for everyday use.
Instead, we chose the Tablesaw CrossCut Sled from Rockler, a crosscut sled that combined the best affordability and performance.
It’s less than half the price of the INCRA Miter 5000 and comes with several technological improvements to enhance your cutting experience, like the UHMW polyethylene plastic runners.