Best Scroll Saws in 2025

Choosing a scroll saw for a home workshop can be tricky. Some people pick tools by brand loyalty, but if you’re trying to find the best option for the money, it takes a little more than picking team yellow, team blue, or whatever brand you already like.

For this comparison, I wanted to look at scroll saws that make sense for a home woodworker. There are scroll saws out there that cost $1,000 to $1,500, and I’m sure some of them are excellent machines. But that’s not what most of us are looking for when we’re setting up a home shop.

So I went to Amazon, looked at the top-rated scroll saws, and picked three that were highly rated and still within a realistic price range for a home workshop. The three I tested were from BUCKTOOL, SKIL, and WEN.

At the time I bought them, the BUCKTOOL was the most expensive at about $350. It was also the largest saw of the three, with an 18-inch throat. The SKIL was about $199, and the WEN was about $150. Both of those are 16-inch saws.

BUCKTOOL also makes a 16-inch version, but the 18-inch model was actually cheaper when I bought it, so that’s the one I tested. Other than the extra throat depth and larger table, it’s essentially the same type of saw.

So the question is simple: which one is the best scroll saw for a home shop?

Basic specifications

All three have 1.2-amp motors. These days, many small power tools are listed by amperage instead of horsepower, so that’s the motor rating we get. Whether one produces more torque than the others is hard to say because that information is not provided, but based on the specs, they are in the same general category.

All three saws use 5-inch blades. They all accept both pinned and pinless blades. They are all variable speed, with a speed range of 550 to 1,600 strokes per minute.

In other words, if you only look at the spec sheet, they look like very similar tools. They are designed for the same kind of work, use the same style of blades, and run at the same speed range.

The differences show up more in the details.

Table size and table construction

The most obvious difference is the size of the BUCKTOOL. Since it has an 18-inch throat instead of a 16-inch throat, it also has a larger table.

For some people, that matters a lot. I use a scroll saw for more than small decorative scrolling. There are times when another woodworker might reach for a bandsaw, but I’ll use a scroll saw instead. For that kind of work, the larger table is an advantage.

If you mostly do small scroll saw projects, ornaments, patterns, or decorative work, the larger table may not matter as much.

The BUCKTOOL table is made from solid steel and is about 1/4 inch thick. That gives it a very flat, sturdy surface that should stay that way.

The SKIL table is stamped steel. I checked it with a ruler, and it was mostly flat, except near the very back. Because of its shape and curved edges, I don’t expect it to move much.

The WEN has a cast aluminum table that has been machined flat. It also gives a good working surface.

So all three tables are usable and flat enough for the kind of work these saws are meant to do. The BUCKTOOL simply gives you more table area, which can be helpful if you work with larger pieces.

Dust collection

All three saws include onboard dust collection ports. The port location varies, but each one is designed to connect to a shop vac hose.

You may need a rubber adapter, though. My shop vac hose did not connect directly because the fittings were the same size. That’s fairly typical with small tools, but it’s something to be aware of because none of these saws came with the adapter I needed.

I would not try to connect these directly to a large central dust collection system. The ports are small, and a shop vac is probably the better option.

Pinned and pinless blades

All three saws use 5-inch blades and can work with both pinned and pinless blades.

Pinned blades are what most people use. They are stronger, more durable, and usually last longer. For general scroll saw work, they make sense.

Pinless blades become important when you are doing very fine or intricate work, especially things like marquetry. They can fit through smaller holes and allow for more delicate cuts.

The BUCKTOOL has its pinless blade holder permanently mounted, so switching between pinned and pinless blades is straightforward.

The SKIL and WEN use adapters for pinless blades. The adapters attach where the pinned blade would normally go. Both saws also include a gauge on top to help set the spacing. It’s not difficult, but it is one more step compared with the BUCKTOOL setup.

Blade changes and tensioning

Blade changing is another area where the saws differ.

 On the SKIL and WEN, you have to remove the throat insert to change the blade. That isn’t a major problem, but it does make the process a little more fiddly.

On the BUCKTOOL, there is no throat insert. The blade passes directly through the table. You do have to open the clear lower cover, which is part of the dust collection system, but once that is open, blade access is easy.

The BUCKTOOL uses a more traditional tension knob. The SKIL and WEN use a toggle-style tensioning system. With those, you adjust the tension, then flip the lever to lock it in place.

That toggle system is nice because once you have the blade tension set, you don’t have to figure it out again every time, as long as you are using the same size blade. It felt a little odd to me at first because I’m not used to it, but I can see how someone who uses it regularly would like it.

Cutting thicker material

Scroll saws are not usually used for very thick material, but I still wanted to see how these handled something heavier than thin craft stock.

The BUCKTOOL specs say it can cut material up to 2 inches thick. That’s a pretty common claim for scroll saws, although most people rarely cut material that thick on one.

I tested all three saws on a piece of 1 1/4-inch-thick white oak. None of them bogged down. Based on that test, I would not be worried about any of these saws handling thicker material within reason.

Tilting table vs. tilting arm

One of the biggest differences with the BUCKTOOL is that the table does not tilt. Instead, the arm tilts.

That means the workpiece stays flat on the table while the blade cuts at an angle. Personally, I like that. I find it much easier to control the work when the table is flat instead of trying to guide a piece across a tilted surface.

The BUCKTOOL arm tilts in both directions. The SKIL and WEN have tables that tilt up to 45 degrees, but only in one direction.

If you do a lot of angled scroll saw work, that tilting-arm design is a real advantage. It can be especially helpful for certain types of marquetry or overlay cuts where angle control matters.

If you rarely cut angles on a scroll saw, it may not matter much. But it is one of the standout features on the BUCKTOOL.

Stroke length test

One specification I wanted to test was stroke length.

Stroke length matters because it tells you how much of the blade is actually being used during the cut. A longer stroke uses more of the blade, spreads heat over more of the teeth, and can help the blade last longer. It can also help the saw cut a little faster.

The manufacturers did not list stroke length in the specs, so I tested it myself. I held a marker against the blade and let the saw run a few cycles. The length of the marked area showed how much of the blade was moving through the cut.

The BUCKTOOL had a stroke length of about 3/4 inch. The SKIL and WEN were both about 5/8 inch.

That means the BUCKTOOL uses slightly more of the blade on each stroke. It is not a huge difference, but it should help with blade life and heat buildup over time. The bigger concern here is not just cutting speed, but how long the blade lasts before it dulls or overheats.

Stroke consistency

The next thing I wanted to check was stroke consistency. In other words, how straight up and down the blade moves.

Older scroll saws sometimes had trouble with this. Because of the arm design, the blade could move slightly forward and backward, or even oscillate a bit as it cut. On large sweeping curves, that may not matter much. But if you’re trying to cut intricate patterns, that movement can make it harder to stay on the line.

The easiest way I found to check this was to hold a piece of wood next to the blade and place a pencil against the back of the blade while the saw was running. If the blade moved forward and backward, it would leave a horizontal mark.

All three saws did well. I did not see the blade moving forward and backward on any of them. My old scroll saw definitely had some of that movement, so this seems to be an area where modern scroll saw design has improved.

For detailed work, that is a good thing. All three saws kept the blade moving straight up and down.

Noise and vibration

Scroll saws are not nearly as loud as tools like table saws, but noise still matters in the shop. I used a digital sound level meter to check each saw at its highest speed.

The ambient noise level in my shop was about 36 decibels. With the saws running at full speed, the WEN measured about 90 decibels, the SKIL measured about 80 decibels, and the BUCKTOOL measured about 82 decibels.

So the WEN was noticeably louder. The SKIL and BUCKTOOL were fairly close, with the SKIL being slightly quieter.

Vibration was also different between the three. The SKIL was the smoothest of the group and had the least vibration. The WEN had the most vibration. The BUCKTOOL fell somewhere in between.

It is worth noting that I did not have these saws bolted down during testing. That makes a difference. Scroll saws are prone to vibration, and all three would likely run better if they were mounted securely to a bench or stand.

Cutting test

For the cutting test, I wanted to see how these saws handled thicker hardwood.

The BUCKTOOL claims it can cut up to 2 inches thick. That is a common maximum capacity for this type of scroll saw, but I wanted to see how all three handled real hardwood, not just thin pattern stock.

I started with a piece of 5/4 white oak, which was about 1 1/4 inches thick. White oak is dense and harder than red oak, so it is a fair test for a small scroll saw.

All three saws cut through it without bogging down. The BUCKTOOL handled it as expected. The SKIL also cut it cleanly, with less noise and vibration. The WEN did the same. None of them seemed underpowered for that kind of cut.

Then I moved up to a 2-inch-thick piece of white oak, which is about the maximum capacity for these saws.

Again, all three managed to cut through it. The BUCKTOOL did slow down a little, but it still made the cut. The SKIL and WEN also handled the 2-inch material.

That does not mean I would want to cut 2-inch white oak on a scroll saw all day, but it does show that all three saws have enough power for heavier cuts when needed.

Airflow and visibility

All three saws have a small air hose meant to blow sawdust away from the cut line.

On the SKIL and WEN, the air pump is driven by the movement of the arm. That is common on scroll saws, but the airflow is only marginal. It helps some, but it is not especially strong.

The BUCKTOOL was better in this area. Its air hose put out noticeably more air and did a better job clearing sawdust from the cut line.

On the other hand, the SKIL and WEN both have built-in lights on goosenecks, while the BUCKTOOL does not. That gives the smaller saws an advantage for visibility, especially when you are trying to follow a fine pattern line.

So again, there are tradeoffs. The BUCKTOOL has better airflow. The SKIL and WEN give you built-in lighting.

Which scroll saw is best?

After testing all three saws, I can say this: they all do the job.

They all use the same size blades, accept pinned and pinless blades, have similar speed ranges, and cut thicker hardwood better than I expected. None of them had a problem with blade stroke consistency, and all three were capable of cutting both 1 1/4-inch and 2-inch white oak.

The choice really comes down to what you need and what you want to spend.

The WEN is the least expensive at about $150. It cuts well and has a machined cast aluminum table, but it was also the loudest and had the most vibration.

The SKIL costs about $199. For the extra money, you get smoother operation, less vibration, and slightly less noise. If you are going to spend a lot of time cutting, that smoother feel can make a difference. The tradeoff is that it has a stamped steel table instead of the machined cast aluminum table on the WEN.

The BUCKTOOL is the most expensive at about $350, but it also gives you the larger table, 18-inch throat depth, better airflow, and the tilting arm design. I especially like that the arm tilts instead of the table, because it lets the workpiece stay flat while making angled cuts.

If you do mostly small scroll saw projects, the extra money for the BUCKTOOL may not be necessary. But if you work with larger pieces, use a scroll saw in place of a bandsaw for some cuts, or do angled work where a flat table helps, the BUCKTOOL offers real advantages.

Between the SKIL and WEN, I would lean toward the SKIL if your budget allows it. The smoother operation and lower vibration are worth considering, especially if you plan to use the saw often. The WEN is still a capable budget option, but it is rougher and louder.

I don’t think most home woodworkers need to jump to a $1,000 scroll saw. These three saws are all capable machines. The best choice depends on your budget, your projects, and which features matter most in your shop.