Makita vs Festool Track Saw: SP6000J vs TS 55

The SP6000J is the value-pro standard because it delivers about 95 percent of the Festool experience for less and includes the rail. The kit was about $626 at the time of writing with the 194368-5 55 in. rail and case, versus the TS 55 FEQ at about $669 with its rail. The plunge is smooth, the depth stop is accurate, the splinter guard holds veneer down on the good side, and the bevel runs to 48 degrees with a -1 degree undercut for scribing.

Where it trails the Festool is in the small refinements: no riving knife, slightly more dust escaping the shroud, and a case that does not stack in a Systainer tower. None of that changes the cut. For most woodworkers the Makita is the smarter buy, and our best track saws roundup ranks it first for that reason.

The TS 55 is still the benchmark, and the gap to the Makita is in the details rather than the cut. Hook it to a Festool extractor and almost nothing reaches the floor. The riving knife follows the blade into the kerf, which is the one genuine safety edge over the Makita's spring stop. Depth and bevel settings click with the precision of a machine tool. At about $669 at the time of writing it comes with the FS 1400/2 rail and a Systainer.

What you are paying for is the system. If you run a CT vac, a MFT table, and a tower of Systainers, the TS 55 belongs in it. If this is your only Festool, the Makita gets you the same edge for less, and the rails interchange anyway.

The TS 60 exists for the cut the TS 55 and SP6000J cannot make: 2-13/16 in. deep on the rail. That is a 2x4 on edge, a 2-1/2 in. butcher-block top, or two sheets of 3/4 in. plywood stacked, all in one pass. The brushless motor does not bog, and KickbackStop stops the blade if it starts to climb out of the cut.

If your work is cabinets from 3/4 in. stock, skip it and put the difference toward a second rail and a vac. If you cut thick slabs and doors on a track, it is the only saw here that does the job.

The XPS01 is the SP6000J with the cord cut off, and it is the cordless track saw most people should buy. Two 18V batteries deliver enough power to rip 3/4 in. hardwood plywood at full speed, and if you already own LXT tools the kit's batteries and charger slot into what you have. It rides the Makita and Festool rails, so your existing tracks work.

It was about $699 at the time of writing without a rail, so the real outlay is about $810 with the 55 in. rail. That is still about $190 under the Festool TSC 55 K bundle.

The TSC 55 K is what the TS 55 becomes when Festool removes the cord and adds KickbackStop. The cut is the same glass-smooth edge, dust collection is still the class leader, and the blade stops if it climbs. The bundle adds a TID 18 impact driver, which is a good driver, but you are buying the saw.

At about $999 at the time of writing it is roughly $190 more than the Makita cordless with a rail. Worth it if you are building a Festool shop. Not worth it if you just want a cordless track saw.