As anyone in the market for a combination blade, also called a general-purpose blade, knows, there’s no shortage of choices, even in the upper price range. Curious to know whether any of these blue bloods stood out, I decided to test 14 top-of-the-line 10-in. combination saw blades for smoothness of cut.

With each new blade, I ripped and crosscut a 3/4-in.-thick maple board to produce a 2-in.-square sample. After that, the ripped and crosscut edges on each sample were checked for smoothness on a high-tech machine called a surface and roughness profiling system, which can measure very small surface deviations. Then, based on the machine measurements, the smoothness of each rip and crosscut was rated as excellent, very good, good, or fair.

The DML scored a good in the rip cut and a very good in the crosscut.
 

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You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.

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Milwaukee M12 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer

This tool is designed for convenience. The battery and pins are easy to load, and the safety lock operates with the same finger you use to pull the trigger. The depth of set is adjustable, there’s a work light, and there’s a hook for hanging the tool on your toolbelt. A gauge lets you keep track of when you’ll need to recharge.

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Ridgid EB4424 Oscillating Spindle/Belt Sander

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