It's very hard to say what's better. You can spend over $500 for the
contractor's grade tools and still get a dud. Just remember that
Ridgid is made by the same company (Emerson) that makes the Craftsman
line for Sears and they have a very loyal following among
homeowners/occassional users like yourself. If you're willing to do
the work you might find a used machine that's actually better. Ask
local carpenters if they're upgrading and want to unload older saws.