Support, not storage
The best sawhorses, and why the capacity numbers are not comparable
One maker publishes 1,350 lb. Another publishes 1,800 lb and looks stronger. The first figure is per sawhorse and the second is per pair, which makes the cheaper one roughly a third weaker.
Buy the BORA Workhorse X pair: it publishes 1,350 lb per sawhorse and 2,700 lb per pair, so there is nothing to misread, and the pre-drilled top and 2x4 brackets turn the pair into a cutting table. For a van, the Klein 66187 publishes a 4.72 in folded height and 12.18 lb per horse, which nobody else here publishes at all.
The unit problem
Sawhorse capacity is published in two different units and the listings rarely make it obvious which one you are reading. The result is a category where the headline numbers cannot be compared at face value.
| Sawhorse | As published | Per horse | Per pair |
|---|---|---|---|
| BORA Workhorse X | 1,350 lb each / 2,700 lb pair | 1,350 lb | 2,700 lb |
| Klein 66187 | 1,300 lb each / 2,600 lb pair | 1,300 lb | 2,600 lb |
| WORKPRO 2-pack | 1,800 lb per pair | 900 lb | 1,800 lb |
| Craftsman CMST11154 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Published figures, converted to a common basis in the last column.
Put on the same basis, the WORKPRO pair carries about a third less per horse than the other two. It is also substantially cheaper, so that may be exactly the trade you want - but it is a trade, and the listings do not present it as one.
Quick picks
Ranked on published specifications, not on hype. The key number is the figure that decides each pick, quoted from the maker. Tap a row for the full write-up, or go straight to the listing.
| # | Product | Best for | Key number | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  BORA Workhorse X 2-packBORA publishes the figure both ways - 1,350 lb per sawhorse and 2,700 lb per pair - which removes the ambiguity that makes this category hard to compare. Pre-drilled tops take a sacrificial 2x, and the end brackets turn a pair into a work surface. | The clearest capacity disclosure of the four | 1,350 lbper horse, published | $99.99 · Check on Amazon-17% |
| 2 |  Klein 66187 2-packKlein publishes more about these than anyone else publishes about a sawhorse: 1,300 lb each and 2,600 lb paired, a 35.81 in top, 28.75 in height, 12.18 lb per horse and a 4.72 in folded height. Note the name - Klein's 'fixed-leg' means the height is not adjustable, not that the legs do not fold. | The fullest published dimensions here | 4.72 infolded height | $84.98 · Check on Amazon |
| 3 |  WORKPRO sawhorse 2-packPublished at 1,800 lb per pair, which is the lowest figure here - and worth reading carefully, because it is a PAIR figure against BORA's per-horse one. The cheapest way onto this page, and the disclosure stops at that one number. | The cheapest pair that publishes a figure at all | 1,800 lbper pair, published | $62.99 · Check on Amazon-10% |
| 4 |  Craftsman CMST11154The only one here sold as a single, which matters more than it sounds: a lot of people need one more horse rather than another pair. It is also the least documented product on this page - Craftsman publishes no capacity for it. | Buying one horse rather than two | 1sold singly | $26.98 · Check on Amazon |
Every key number is a figure the manufacturer publishes. Where a maker publishes none, the row says so rather than substituting an estimate of ours.
Top pick · The clearest capacity disclosure of the four
BORA Workhorse X Folding Sawhorse, 2-Pack (PM-3350T)
BORA publishes the figure both ways - 1,350 lb per sawhorse and 2,700 lb per pair - which removes the ambiguity that makes this category hard to compare. Pre-drilled tops take a sacrificial 2x, and the end brackets turn a pair into a work surface.
- Body steel
- Not published
- Per drawer
- Not published
- Storage
- Not published
- Empty weight
- Not published
What works
- Publishes per-horse AND per-pair capacity, which is the clearest disclosure here
- Pre-drilled top means you can screw on a sacrificial board and cut into it
- End brackets take 2x4s, turning the pair into a bench without buying anything else
- Steel throughout rather than a plastic body
What does not
- Fixed 30 in height - the adjustable version is a different, dearer model
- No published weight, which matters if you carry them to a site
- More expensive per horse than the WORKPRO pair
- Steel legs mark a finished floor without a mat
| Published specification | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,350 lb per sawhorse; 2,700 lb per pair |
| Dimensions | 38.25 in W x 30 in H |
| Height | Fixed at 30 in (the XT model is the adjustable one) |
| Top | Pre-drilled for a sacrificial 2x |
| Brackets | Pre-drilled end brackets take 2x4s for a work surface |
| Folding | Folds flat |
| Weight | Not published |
| Where it is sold | Amazon, plus other retailers |
Who it is for
Anyone who wants a pair that turns into a cutting table with two 2x4s.
What it is not for
Working at a height other than 30 in, or the lightest possible carry.
2 · The fullest published dimensions here
Klein Tools Fixed-Leg Saw Horse, 2-Pack (66187)
Klein publishes more about these than anyone else publishes about a sawhorse: 1,300 lb each and 2,600 lb paired, a 35.81 in top, 28.75 in height, 12.18 lb per horse and a 4.72 in folded height. Note the name - Klein's 'fixed-leg' means the height is not adjustable, not that the legs do not fold.
- Body steel
- Not published
- Per drawer
- Not published
- Storage
- Not published
- Empty weight
- 12.18 lb
What works
- Publishes capacity, top length, height, folded height AND weight - nobody else here does
- Non-marring boots, so it can go on a finished floor
- 12.18 lb each with a carrying handle is a genuine one-trip carry
- Folds to under 5 in for storage
What does not
- Height is fixed at 28.75 in - the adjustable version is the 66188, a different product
- The Amazon listing calls it 'folding' while Klein calls it fixed-leg; both are true and it confuses buyers
- A 3.2 in top is narrow to balance a sheet on without a 2x across the pair
- No 2x4 bracket, so making a work surface needs your own hardware
| Published specification | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,300 lb per sawhorse; 2,600 lb per pair |
| Work top | 35.81 in long x 3.2 in wide |
| Height | 28.75 in, not adjustable |
| Folded height | 4.72 in |
| Weight | 12.18 lb each |
| Features | Non-slip top, carrying handle, non-marring boots |
| Supplied | 2-pack |
| Where it is sold | Amazon, plus other retailers |
Who it is for
A tradesperson carrying horses in and out of a van every day.
What it is not for
Anyone needing an adjustable working height or a wide top.
3 · The cheapest pair that publishes a figure at all
WORKPRO Folding Sawhorses, 2-Pack
Published at 1,800 lb per pair, which is the lowest figure here - and worth reading carefully, because it is a PAIR figure against BORA's per-horse one. The cheapest way onto this page, and the disclosure stops at that one number.
- Body steel
- Not published
- Per drawer
- Not published
- Storage
- Not published
- Empty weight
- Not published
What works
- Publishes a capacity at all, which several sawhorses at this price do not
- The cheapest pair here by a clear margin
- Folding metal construction rather than plastic
- Enough capacity for sheet goods and framing lumber
What does not
- 1,800 lb per pair is 900 lb a horse - a third less than the BORA and Klein
- Publishes no dimensions, no height and no weight
- The pair-versus-each distinction is easy to misread against competitors' numbers
- No 2x4 brackets or pre-drilled top
| Published specification | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,800 lb per pair |
| Supplied | 2-pack |
| Construction | Metal, folding |
| Per-horse capacity | Not published separately |
| Dimensions | Not published |
| Weight | Not published |
| Where it is sold | Amazon, plus other retailers |
Who it is for
Occasional DIY cutting where the horses live in a corner between jobs.
What it is not for
Daily site use, or anyone comparing capacity without checking the units.
Sources for this entry
4 · Buying one horse rather than two
Craftsman Folding Metal Sawhorse (CMST11154)
The only one here sold as a single, which matters more than it sounds: a lot of people need one more horse rather than another pair. It is also the least documented product on this page - Craftsman publishes no capacity for it.
- Body steel
- Not published
- Per drawer
- Not published
- Storage
- Not published
- Empty weight
- Not published
What works
- Sold singly, so you can buy the third horse instead of a second pair
- By far the cheapest item on this page
- Folding metal rather than plastic
- A brand with wide retail support if something breaks
What does not
- No published capacity at all - the only product here with none
- No published dimensions, so working height is unknown until it arrives
- Buying two singles costs more than a purpose-sold pair
- Nothing published to compare against the other three
| Published specification | |
|---|---|
| Supplied | Single sawhorse |
| Construction | Metal, folding |
| Capacity | Not published |
| Dimensions | Not published |
| Weight | Not published |
| Where it is sold | Amazon, plus other retailers |
Who it is for
Adding one horse to a pair you already own.
What it is not for
Anyone choosing on published numbers - there are none here.
Sources for this entry
How we picked
- Per horse or per pair? This is the whole problem with the category. Read which unit a capacity is quoted in before comparing two numbers, because makers publish both and rarely say which prominently.
- Folded size and weight, if they travel. A sawhorse that lives in a van is judged on how flat it folds and what it weighs. Only one maker here publishes both.
- Top width and what it does. A 3 in top balances a board. A pre-drilled top takes a sacrificial 2x you can cut into without ruining the horse.
- Does it become a work surface? End brackets that accept 2x4s turn a pair into a table, which is a different product from two supports.
- Fixed or adjustable height. Adjustable models cost more and are usually a separate model number, not an option on the same one.
What we did not do
Everyone in this category says they spent seventy-five hours testing tool chests. We have not opened any of these boxes, and we say so. What we do instead: compile the published specs, convert the steel gauges, multiply out the slide ratings, cite the maker’s own listing, and show the arithmetic so you can check it. The full method, including how to challenge a figure.
A pair of sawhorses is not a workbench
Sawhorses hold material while you cut it. A workbench holds work while you do things to it, and the difference is rigidity in the horizontal plane: a bench resists being pushed sideways, and two separate horses simply slide.
What closes the gap is a top. Both BORA and several competitors pre-drill the top rail and add end brackets so you can drop 2x4s between the pair and screw a sheet on. That turns two supports into a cutting table you can sacrifice, which is genuinely useful and is not the same as owning a bench. Portable and folding workbenches covers the products that are actually benches, and how to choose a workbench covers the fixed ones.
The figures for a van
If the horses travel, three numbers matter and almost nobody publishes them: folded thickness, weight per horse, and whether there is a handle.
Klein publishes all three - 4.72 in folded, 12.18 lb each, carrying handle - which is why it is the pick for anyone loading a van every morning. It also publishes non-marring boots, which matters the first time you set a horse down on a customer's floor.
A naming trap worth knowing
Klein calls the 66187 a fixed-leg sawhorse and the Amazon listing calls it folding. Both are accurate: the legs fold flat to 4.72 in, but the working height is not adjustable. Klein's adjustable-height model is the 66188, a different product. If you need to change the working height, the model number matters.
Height, and why it is usually fixed
Most sawhorses sit around 28 to 30 in, which is deliberately below bench height: you are cutting downward onto material, not working on it at elbow level. That is the opposite of the rule for a workbench, where height should be set from your own body.
Adjustable-height horses exist and are usually a separate, dearer model rather than an option on the same one. Before paying for adjustment, check whether you actually want the material lower than bench height - for sawing, you generally do.
Before you buy
- Work out which unit the capacity is in. If the listing says 'per pair', halve it before comparing.
- Count how many you need. Long stock wants three; sheet goods want four or a pair plus a top.
- Check the folded thickness if they are going in a van, not just whether they fold.
- Look for a pre-drilled top if you intend to cut into a sacrificial board.
- Check the feet if the floor is finished - non-marring boots are published by one maker here and by few others.
What we would skip
A list with no losers is a list nobody edited. These are the choices we would actively steer you away from, and why.
Comparing a per-pair figure with a per-horse figure
The trap this page exists for. BORA's 1,350 lb is per sawhorse (2,700 per pair). WORKPRO's 1,800 lb is per pair (900 each). Read side by side those look close; in practice one is a third stronger than the other.
Plastic sawhorses for cutting lumber
Plastic horses are light and they flex, and a flexing support under a circular saw is how a cut wanders and a blade binds. They are fine for holding a door while you paint it.
Buying a pair when you need a third
Long stock needs three supports, not two - the middle of a 12 ft board sags between two horses. Only one product here is sold singly, which is why it is on the list despite publishing nothing.
A sawhorse with no published capacity at all
Several here publish the figure clearly. There is no reason to accept a support product that will not tell you what it supports, and a sawhorse failing under load is a different class of problem from a shelf sagging.
The honest verdict
The BORA pair is the one to buy for a garage: the highest published per-horse figure here, and a top designed to be built on. The Klein pair is the one for a van, and the only product in this category that publishes what it weighs and how flat it folds. The WORKPRO pair is the budget answer as long as you read its number as a pair figure. And the Craftsman is there for the specific case of needing a third horse, which is more common than the two-packs suggest.
Common questions
What is the best sawhorse?
The BORA Workhorse X pair, which publishes 1,350 lb per sawhorse and 2,700 lb per pair, with a pre-drilled top and 2x4 end brackets that turn the pair into a cutting table. For van use, the Klein 66187 pair is the pick - it publishes a 4.72 in folded height and 12.18 lb per horse.
How much weight can a sawhorse hold?
Published figures here run from 900 lb to 1,350 lb per sawhorse. The catch is the unit: BORA and Klein publish per horse and per pair, WORKPRO publishes 1,800 lb per pair (900 lb each), and Craftsman publishes nothing. Always check which basis a number uses before comparing.
How many sawhorses do I need?
Two for short stock, three for anything long enough to sag in the middle - a 12 ft board will bow between two supports. For sheet goods, either four horses or a pair with 2x4s and a sacrificial top across them.
Are sawhorses a substitute for a workbench?
No. Sawhorses hold material while you cut it; a bench resists sideways force while you work on something. A pair with 2x4s and a top gets you a cutting table, which is useful and still not a bench.
Sources
Read next
Folding workbenches, for a garage with no room for a bench
Folding benches on published capacity, carry weight and folded depth - and why the headline 1,000 lb figure is not the one that applies to you.
How to choose a workbench, in the order that matters
Height first because it is the only spec about you, then top thickness, depth, and whether drawers belong in the same purchase.
Workbench height, worked out from your own body
The elbow-height rule, a table by height and task, a calculator, and the four things that silently change the number.
The best workbench tops, and the slabs that will not tell you how thick they are
Four slabs sold as workbench tops, compared on the one number that decides a bench top - and the two that decline to publish it.
Fitting a real workbench into a garage with a car in it
Door swing and walkway are the real constraints. Go long and shallow, and here is what to give up and what not to.