8 Best Dado Blade Sets of 2023 – Top Picks & Reviews

Having the right tools for woodwork is essential. Choosing the cheapest option might be kind to your pocket, but it could yield unfavorable results. So, how do you know which dado blades to choose? We’ve scoured the market and chosen eight products that have great features and prices that vary according to your budget.

The reviews we have done highlight the features of the product, their strong points, and where they could impede you from achieving the results you desire. Not having to spend hours or days searching for viable products will save you a lot of time, but we went a step further. This article includes a buyer’s guide, which will guide you to determine the right dado blades from our reviews. The guide contains features that you should look out for when choosing a product.

A Quick Glance at Our Favorites (updated in 2023)

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Oshlun SDS-0842 Stack Dado Set	High teeth count ,Works on soft and hardwood ,Minimal vibration	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		The Mibro Group Carbide Stacking Dado Blade Set	Durable,Versatile set,Precise	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		DEWALT DW7670 Stacked Dado Set	Works well on all wood ,Clean cuts ,Good storage case	CHECK PRICE
		Freud SD208 8-Inch Professional Dado	Durable ,Works on most wood	CHECK PRICE
		Concord Blades DADO600HP Dado Set	Nice wooden storage box,Affordable	CHECK PRICE

The 8 Best Dado Blade Sets

1. Oshlun SDS-0842 Stack Dado Set – Best Overall

The Oshlun 42-tooth dado set allows you to produce smooth bottom cuts ranging from 1/4-inch to 29/32-inch. The 8-inch blade allows you to cut relatively deep. The C-4 micro grain tungsten carbide tips will stay sharp longer than regular blades and cut through various types of wood such as plywood, hardwood, and softwood.

This dado set is easy to set up because of the full-body chippers, and it causes less vibration than blades with wing style chippers. The shim set feature is great because it will allow you to adjust the width, and these dado blades come with a carrying case. Keep in mind that Oshlun designed this set to cut undersized nominal thickness-inch plywood. These blades produce score marks on the outer edges to prevent splintering. After comparing these blades to the rest on the list, we found them to be the best overall.

The only issue with this product is the packaging, but the set does come with a storage case.

2. The Mibro Group Stacking Dado Blade Set – Best Value

The blades of this 14-piece set from Mibro Group have 24 carbide teeth, which will last a long time – if you take care of them. The set includes two 8-inch blades, five 2-wing chippers, as well as seven metal shims so that you can do fine adjustments to the overall setup of the blades.

The 5-blade beveled cutting teeth pattern is followed by one straight raker tooth, and they’ve also got an anti-kickback tooth to prevent the blade from rapid material feeding. In the kit, you’ll also get four 1/8-inch and one 1/16-inch chipper blades, which have two extra-large carbide teeth on each blade. Mibro Group electronically welded each tooth, which helps you to get precision of placement and the correct amount of brazing material.

The metal shims ranges from 1/14-inch to 13/16-inch width, and you can use these blades to cut grooves with clean edges, flat bottoms, and square shoulders. The set comes with a case to protect and prevent them from rusting. Just make sure that your blades lock in properly before use. Overall, we think these are the best dado blades for the money.

3. DEWALT Stacked Dado Set – Premium Choice

If you’re a professional who’s pedantic about getting great cuts with a dado set, then the Dewalt DW7670 might be what you’re looking for. These blades are 8-inches and have 24 teeth that provide good accuracy. The micro-grain carbide teeth reduce splinters and produce a clean cut.

Also, in the kit are 4-tooth chippers that will help you to get flat-bottom cuts. The steel shims will allow you width adjustments, and the heavy-duty case is great for protecting the blades from damage and chipped teeth. Although this set doesn’t have 40 teeth like the Oshlun, it can still provide clean cuts on hardwoods, plywood, melamine, and softwoods.

This is a professional set with stacked features, so it’s going to cost you more than other blades. It’s significantly more expensive than most of the sets on the list. But in terms of performance, it’s hard to top DeWalt tools for reliability and ease of use.

4. Freud SD208 8-Inch Professional Dado

Although the name says “professional” the Freud SD208 is also geared toward the DIY crowd. The 8-inch blades with carbide titanium tips have a reputation for durability. In this set, you’ll get two outer blades and three 1/8-inch chippers and three 1/16-inch spacers. With the slot widths, you’ll be able to produce grooves from ¼-inch to 13/16-inch.

The other great feature of this kit is that it comes with a shim set, which is perfect for making micro- adjustments. This set has only 12-teeth blades with 5/8-inch arbors, so it’s not as precise and powerful as the other blades on the list that have more teeth. It works well with underpowered saws because it requires less power to feed. You can use this set on plywood, laminate, hardwood, and softwood.

These blades have an anti-kickback design, allowing a margin of safety while working. The issue with these blades is that they sometimes don’t provide an even groove.

5. Concord Blades DADO600HP Dado Set

The Concord DADO600HP set has 6-inch blades with 24 teeth and a 5/8-inch arbor. They’ve also included four 1/8-inch chipper blades and one 1/16-inch chipper blade. The dado set will cut smooth grooves from 3/16-inches to 13/16-inches. With these blades, you’re able to cut splines, rabbets, lap joints and dadoes, and it will cut all wood.

The seven shims are good for adjustable width, and the wooden storage box definitely protects the teeth from damage and the entire dado set from rusting. This is a very affordable set, but you always get what you pay for. Watch out for the quality of the blades, especially the outside ones since they are prone to warp.

6. Porter-Cable Oldham Adjustable Dado Blade

If you’re after an affordable option, then the Porter-Cable could be the answer you seek. The Oldham’s 7-inch adjustable blade has 16 carbide teethand a 5/8-inch arbor. Porter-Cable has stated that this dado blade is capable of cutting grooves in widths of 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch, 1/2-inch, 5/8-inch, 3/4-inch and 13/16-inch. Keep in mind the difficulty of attaching the blade to the saw.

Also, because there are no adjustment marks on the blade, it means that you’re going to have to measure the dadoes manually. That takes a bit of time and also opens the door for error, resulting in uneven grooves. If you exert some effort, you can use these blades on hardwood, wood composites and plywood. You’ll get this set for a good price, but don’t expect the quality to be on the same as the slightly more expensive counterparts listed.

7. IRWIN 1811865 Dado Blade Set

The Irwin dado blade set is great for groove and tongue cuts, might not have the versatility for other cuts. These 8-inch blades can cut grooves from 1/4-inches to 7/8-inches with the oversized, high-quality carbide teeth, which are easy to re-sharpen. The precision-tensioned blades prove themselves on the accurate and smooth cuts.

The other aspect that makes these blades so durable is that they are heat-resistant and have a non-stick coating that contains an aluminum matrix, dissipating heat and making it very easy to clean up. In this set, you get two outer blades, three spacers, and seven shims.

The major drawback of this set is poor performance on plywood. If your project involves plywood or melanine, you’re better off with another set.

8. Skil 98584 Dado Set

Skil’s dado blade is only 6-inches, but it is made from steel, so it is quite sturdy. It works in all types of wood and can cut splines, lap joints, rabbets and dadoes. It can also cut widths from 1/8-inches to 13/16-inches. But you have to use it with 8, 9 or 10-inch radial arm saws.

If you’re fussy about keeping your blades in a storage case to avoid rust and damaging the teeth, then you won’t be thrilled with the plastic packaging that comes with this set. It’s a relatively simple set that doesn’t come with as many accessories like the other ones. But it does contain two 1/8-inch outside cutters, four 1/8-inch chippers and one 1/16-inch chipper. It is reasonably priced, so it might be a good option if you’re looking for a moderate set.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Dado Blade Set

When looking for a dado set, you must look for features that pertain to the work that you want to accomplish. That’s why we’ve included a buyer’s guide. It will show you the right direction so that you choose the most apt dado blade set.

Types of Dado Blades

Stacked dado set

This set consists of inside and outside blades, as well as chippers. Stacked dado sets also come with shims, which you can use for fine adjusting the cutting width. With a dado set, you will see that the dado is flat and perpendicular to the sides once you’ve done the cut. The problem with a stacked dado is that you have to set it up, and if you make a mistake with the width of the groove, you have to reconfigure the chippers after removing the dado set from the table saw. If you want high accuracy, a stacked dado set is better than a wobble blade.

Wobble blade

Instead of spinning true like a dado set, a wobble blade does exactly that – it wobbles. While spinning, the blade goes back and forth at high speed to cut the material that you’ve passed through it. With a wobble blade, you will see a slight cove after you do the cut. A stacked dado cutter takes some time to set up, whereas a wobble blade has less parts, so it requires you to spend less time on setting up.

Important Features

Teeth

The teeth on a dado blade are positioned on the outside of the blade and are responsible for making the groove and also the clean edges. More teeth per blade means that it is more powerful, and it’s likely to be more accurate. A blade that has 40 teeth is considered a premium product, but some manufacturers make as few as 18 teeth.

Chippers

These are inner dado blades that fill the space between the outer blades. Generally, chipper blades have between 2 and 4 teeth. That results in chipper blades cutting more coarsely than outer blades. Their purpose is to remove material in the center of the groove. It’s not uncommon for chipper blades to be produced in non-circular shapes because of their low tooth count.

Compatibility

Choosing a dado blade set will depend on its compatibility with your table or radial blade saw. In most cases, majority of the blades sold are compatible with most saws. The important metric that you need to look at is the teeth per inch (TPI). Deciding on the appropriate blade will depend on what your saw can handle. Every blade is most effective at a certain speed, so you’ll have to have a saw that can produce that much power.

The other thing that you need to look out for is the length of the arbor. Your table needs to be long enough to support the dado set. Generally, most arbors are 5/8-inch in length. Do not try to adjust the table so that it fits the arbor as that could be dangerous and result in personal injury.

Size

You should consider the size of the blade, but it’s not a make-or-break in most instances. It can be a factor, but most manufacturers produce 8-inch blades. With these blades, you can create grooves on just about any type of wood. You can also choose a 6-inch blade, which is especially useful if your saw doesn’t have a lot of power. If you’re using an 8-inch blade, your saw will have to be more powerful.

Throat plate

When we talk about a throat plate in cutting wood, we are referring to the part on the table where the saw’s blade sticks out. It’s important to ensure that the throat plate you use is compatible with the table saw. You shouldn’t operate the table saw if you haven’t fitted a throat plate. If you cannot find a throat plate that’s perfect for your table saw, it’s possible to have them custom-made.

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Conclusion

Our reviews have shown the eight products that you should look at regardless of what your needs may be as those dado blades contain a variety of features. They can fulfill just about any job that you need, and we stated what they can do, how they are better than the other products, and where they lack. That showed you the available product, and the buyer’s guide turned your attention to the features that you need to be aware of.

After comparing all of the products, we found that Oshlun SDS-0842 Stack Dado Set was the best product overall. It had the best features, which justified its price. But we also wanted to find a product that had great features and a great price. That product was The Mibro Group 416381 Carbide Stacking Dado Blade Set. If you don’t mind splurging a bit to get a professional product, then a premium product you can consider is DEWALT DW7670 Stacked Dado Set.