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Bandsaw buying guide

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are trying to fit a saw into a shed, and the amazon.co.uk titles lead with 800 W. A bandsaw buying guide starts with the opening the timber must pass through. Throat and cut height decide whether the board fits. The table, the fence and the blade decide whether the cut stays on the line. Watts come after those checks, because a bigger motor claim on a smaller throat is still a small saw. The seven listings, with shelf prices on 19 October 2026, sit on the [bandsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/bandsaw). The Products Compared editorial team read the UK listings and public guides, and did not run a lab test. A qualifying amazon.co.uk purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are trying to fit a saw into a shed, and the amazon.co.uk titles lead with 800 W. A bandsaw buying guide starts with the opening the timber must pass through. Throat and cut height decide whether the board fits.

Our top picks

KATSU Tools KATSU Tools 200 mm bandsaw 100552

Best overall

KATSU Tools KATSU Tools 200 mm bandsaw 100552
6.2/10about £119.99
View offer
KATSU Tools KATSU Tools benchtop bandsaw 100555

Rank 2

KATSU Tools KATSU Tools benchtop bandsaw 100555
7.4/10about £109.99
View offer
Draper Draper 200 mm bandsaw 82756

Rank 3

Draper Draper 200 mm bandsaw 82756
5.3/10about £138
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Throat and cut height
  2. 2.Table, fence and blade
  3. 3.Watts, mains and the conflicts
  4. 4.What this page will not choose

Throat and cut height

Throat is the distance from the blade to the upright. Cut height is how thick a piece can be under the guide. The KATSU 100552 at £119.99 and the 100555 at £109.99 both state a 200 mm throat, an 80 mm cut and a 350 W motor. Axminster’s rule of thumb, not a British Standard, is to leave about 20 per cent spare, so a comfortable rip sits nearer 160 mm. A 100 mm oak board is already taller than that opening. The Draper 82756 at £138 states 200 mm in the title and does not state a cut height. The RETRIN and both Generic rows claim about 70 mm of height and about 90 mm of throat. Whether 80 mm is the right class is on benchtop or floor-standing bandsaw.

Table, fence and blade

A metal table that tilts from 0° to 45° appears in the KATSU, Draper, RETRIN and Generic bullets. None of these listings states a positive stop that returns the table to square. A UK review of the Draper says the 45° scale would not return to zero. The KATSU 100555 bullets claim a parallel stop, and a UK review says the fence is not on a track. The 100552 bullets name a 1400 × 6.35 × 0.35 mm 6 TPI carbon-steel blade. The 100555 names a 1400 × 6.35 × 0.4 mm 6 TPI blade and says it is pre-fitted. Radius and width are on bandsaw for curves. The Draper supplies a 6 TPI blade described as 5 mm thick, and the loop length is not stated. A 1712 mm Charnwood BS410 blade, outside this set, is a different loop.
KATSU Tools KATSU Tools 200 mm bandsaw 100552

Testsieger

KATSU Tools KATSU Tools 200 mm bandsaw 100552
6.2/10about £119.99
View offer

Watts, mains and the conflicts

The KATSU 100555 states 230 V and 350 W. The 100552 states 350 W and does not state a voltage. Neither listing states whether a BS 1363 plug is fitted. The Draper title says 250 W and the specification table says 230 W, so keep the throat as the buying number. The RETRIN at £206.99, the Generic mini saw at £209.99 and the Generic vertical saw at £248.99 all claim 800 W beside a throat of about 90 mm, and none has a review line. The RETRIN item weight says 10 kg while the bullets say 8.5 kg, and the number-of-items field says 20. Expect one saw. The ONEMANA at £99.99 is a cordless pipe saw with a stated 2.5 inch cut. The title says tools only and 20 V. The table says 18 V, and the included-components field says a battery.

What this page will not choose

The ranking stays on the comparison. If the work fits in about 160 mm of width and under 80 mm of thickness, the 100555 is the only row here that states 230 V, an 80 mm cut, a 200 mm throat and a blade length together. The 3.9 from 43 reviews still includes blades that jump off and a fence that will not hold a line. If the board is thicker than that opening, none of these seven is a floor saw. Guard and a push stick are on how to use a bandsaw. None of the listings states a dust-port diameter. HSE woodworking guidance treats wood dust as a health risk and points you at extraction and housekeeping, rather than blowing chips across the bench.

Common questions

What does throat depth mean on a bandsaw?
Throat depth is the gap between the blade and the vertical frame. It is the widest piece you can pass to the side of the blade. On the KATSU 100552 and 100555 that distance is stated as 200 mm. A supplier rule of thumb from Axminster is to keep about 20 per cent of that in hand, so you are not feeding hard against the column. Cut height is the other measurement, and it is stated as 80 mm on those two saws.
Is 80 mm of cut height enough?
It is enough for model parts, ply edges and curves in stock under that thickness. It is too small for resawing a board that is already taller than 80 mm, because the guide cannot rise past the stated opening. If your timber is regularly thicker than that, the bench class in this set is the wrong size, and a floor-standing saw is the next comparison to make.
Should I buy a bandsaw on watts?
Buy the throat and the cut height first. The KATSU rows state 350 W beside a 200 mm throat. Three other listings claim 800 W beside about 90 mm of throat and have no reviews. The higher watt figure sits on the smaller opening. The Draper page also prints both 250 W and 230 W, so a single watt number on a title is a weak reason to choose.
Does a tilting table go back to square?
The listings here state a tilt from 0° to 45°. They do not state a positive stop that returns the table to 90°. A Draper review says the 45° scale would not return to zero. After any bevel cut, check the table with a square before you trust the next straight cut. Tilt in the bullets is not that check.
What blade length fits a 200 mm bench saw?
The KATSU bullets name a loop of about 1400 mm, 6.35 mm wide, at 6 TPI. The 100552 thickness is 0.35 mm and the 100555 thickness is 0.4 mm, so they are close and not identical. The Draper loop length is not stated. Measure a worn blade before you order, and do not assume a 1712 mm Charnwood BS410 blade will fit these wheels.

Related pages

Best bandsaw

Bandsaw

Benchtop or floor-standing bandsaw: when 80 mm fails

Bandsaw for curves: blade width and minimum radius

How to use a bandsaw: first cut, guard and tension

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Shelf date 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE WIS31 (retrieved October 2026)
  2. HSE WD1 (retrieved October 2026)
  3. HSE: Wood dust (retrieved October 2026)
  4. PUWER overview (retrieved October 2026)
  5. Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved October 2026)
  6. GOV.UK machinery guidance (retrieved October 2026)
  7. Axminster, what bandsaw to buy (retrieved October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk Band Saws Best Sellers (retrieved October 2026)