Festool’s 2026 TSC 55 KS and HKC 55 K share a blade size, a battery platform, and a 55 mm cutting class, but they’re still saws for different jobs. The TSC is the plunge-cut track saw for breaking down sheet goods, trimming doors, and making clean, controlled cuts. The HKC is the carpentry saw: a guarded circular saw you can use freehand, on Festool’s FSK cross-cutting rails, or on a regular FS guide rail.
This year’s update is more than new names. The TSC goes from two batteries to one 18V pack. The HKC gets KickbackStop and a faster motor. Both are built around Festool’s new thin-kerf blades and the TBX 8 tabless battery. Festool USA lists the TSC 55 KSEB-Basic as article 577991 and the HKC 55 KEB-F-Basic as article 578303.
The short version
- Get the TSC 55 KS if plunge cuts on a rail are your main job: cabinet panels, doors, countertops, flooring, and finish work where a clean, controlled start matters.
- Get the HKC 55 K if you do a lot of jobsite crosscuts, framing, decking, and repeated angle cuts. It runs on FSK cross-cutting rails and on FS guide rails for straight cuts.
- The big TSC change is one battery. The old TSC 55 K took two 18V packs; the new KS takes one.
- The big HKC change is speed and KickbackStop. It’s rated at 5,200 RPM, up from 4,500 on the old HKC 55, and adds sensor-based KickbackStop.
- Both work best with the TBX 8 battery for heavy cutting, and both still take Festool’s 5.0 Ah pack.
TSC 55 KS: one battery instead of two
The old TSC 55 K ran on two 18V batteries at 2,650 to 3,800/5,200 RPM. The new TSC 55 KS runs on one 18V battery at 3,500 to 5,200 RPM. Top speed is the same, but carrying and managing the saw is different: one battery on the saw, one on the charger.
Festool lists the new saw at 7.80 lb and the old one at 7.94 lb, so don’t expect it to feel much lighter. The bigger change is the slimmer, single-pack shape. Festool says the motor housing now stays inside the width of the guide rail, so it’s less likely to catch on clamps or the edge of the work.
Cutting capacity is the same as before. It takes a 6-1/4″ (160 mm) blade, cuts 2-1/8″ (55 mm) deep at 90° and 1-11/16″ (43 mm) at 45°, and bevels from -1° to 47°. The dust port takes 27 mm and 36 mm hoses; our Festool hose size guide explains the difference.
The TSC keeps sensor-based KickbackStop. Festool says it detects kickback, stops the blade fast, and can be reset so you can keep working. It’s a backup, not a replacement for good work support, a sharp blade, and a properly set rail.
Dust collection and other TSC details
Festool redesigned the TSC’s dust bag and gave the dust port a locking, 360° swivel. The bag is handy when a hose would get in the way; an extractor is better when you want to catch everything. The slimmer housing, a clearer sight window, two depth pointers, and an optional work light round out the changes.
Festool says the TSC 55 KS gets up to 31% more runtime with the TBX 8 battery. They don’t publish the test details behind that, so take it as a rough guide. Blade sharpness, cut depth, the material, and battery temperature will all change what you actually get.
HKC 55 K: faster cutting and KickbackStop
The HKC is still a carpentry saw, not a cheaper TSC. It has a spring-loaded guard, a built-in riving knife, and a plunge setting. On an FSK 250, 420, or 670 cross-cutting rail, it becomes a portable crosscut station for repeat cuts and angles. On an FS rail, it rips and makes straight cuts. If your work mixes freehand cuts, framing, and rail cuts, that flexibility is the reason to pick it over a track saw.
The old HKC 55 was rated at 4,500 RPM. The HKC 55 K is rated at 5,200 RPM and uses a 1.6 mm thin-kerf blade instead of the old 1.8 mm. Festool says the combination cuts up to three times faster. We haven’t tested that, and how much faster it feels will depend on the material and blade.
The bigger safety change is KickbackStop. Festool says a sensor detects kickback and stops the motor and blade, while the riving knife helps keep the kerf from closing on the blade. The HKC 55 K also connects to Festool’s app for battery level, motor temperature, KickbackStop status, and software updates.
The basics are mostly the same: 18V, a 6-1/4″ (160 mm) blade, 0° to 50° bevel, 7.94 lb, and 27/36 mm dust extraction. Festool lists 42 mm and 38 mm depth at 45°, without and with a rail, and up to 2-1/8″ (55 mm) at 90°.
What the TBX 8 battery adds
The BP 18 TBX 8 ASI is an 18V, 8.0 Ah Bluetooth battery that weighs 2.2 lb. Its tabless cells run with less internal resistance and heat than a standard pack. Festool pairs it with AIRSTREAM cooling and says the SCA 16 rapid charger can have it ready in as little as 25 minutes. It can also start a paired Bluetooth CLEANTEC extractor and report charge, temperature, and usage in the Festool app.
The tradeoff is weight. The TBX 8 is the pack to have for long, heavy cuts, but it’s heavier than a compact battery. Both saws also take the 5.0 Ah Li-HighPower battery, which makes sense if you mostly make occasional cuts and want a lighter saw.
Guide rails and repeat stops
This part is easy to miss. The TSC is built around an FS guide rail for plunge and straight cuts. The HKC can use the same FS rail, but what sets it apart is the self-returning FSK cross-cutting rail. An FSK rail travels with the saw and has indexed angles for repeat crosscuts; it isn’t just a short FS rail.
On an FS-style rail, our guide rail limit stops give you a fixed start and end point for repeat cuts. They clamp to the rail, not the saw, so check the rail options on the product page before you order. And don’t assume an accessory made for an older TSC or HKC fits a 2026 saw unless its maker says so.
Which 2026 saw should you buy?
Get the TSC 55 KS if you mostly cut sheet goods, doors, countertops, flooring, or finish panels on a rail and need a real plunge cut. If you already run cordless Festool, the one-battery design is the best reason to upgrade, and the new dust port and slimmer body make everyday rail work easier.
Get the HKC 55 K if you work with framing lumber, roof battens, decking, siding, or lots of crosscuts. It’s the more flexible jobsite saw, especially on an FSK rail. The extra speed and KickbackStop are real improvements, but it’s still a different saw from the TSC.
If you own the previous versions, capacity alone isn’t a reason to switch, since blade size, depth, and bevel range are about the same. Upgrade if the new features fix a problem you actually have: one-battery handling and better dust collection on the TSC, or KickbackStop and faster cutting on the HKC. We haven’t used either 2026 saw yet, so try them in person if you can, and check exactly what comes in the kit you’re buying.
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