Top Overall Pick
Makita LS1040
Premium Choice
Festool 561287 Kapex KS
Best Value
Metabo HPT C10FCGS
If you’re interested in miter saws because you have a project ahead that requires one to be completed successfully, then you need to know a few things about these tools before proceeding with buying one. You can use a miter saw for a wide variety of jobs for a wide variety of jobs, including cutting window trims and two by fours.
Contents
- Our Favorite Miter Saws on The Market Today
- 10 Best Miter Saws - Reviews
- 1. Makita LS1040 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw - Best Overall Pick
- 2. Metabo HPT C10FCGS Compound Mitre Saw - Best Value
- 3. Festool 561287 Kapex KS 120 Sliding Miter Saw - Premium Choice
- 4. Bosch GCM12SD Sliding Miter Saw
- 5. Dewalt DWS779 12-inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw
- 6. Craftsman V20 (CMCS714M1) Sliding Miter Saw
- 7. DeWalt DWS715 Compound Miter Saw
- 8. RYOBI TSS120L Sliding Miter Saw
- 9. Skil 3821-01 Compound Miter Saw with Laser
- 10. Hitachi C12FDH 15 Amp Compound Miter Saw
- Our Overall Winner
- Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Right Miter Saw
Our Favorite Miter Saws on The Market Today
10 Best Miter Saws - Reviews
There aren’t a lot of cordless miter saws on the market yet.
While there are a number of companies who build miter saws and a number of them build cordless tools, this is one of the newest categories of cordless tools. The power requirements for these saws is so much higher than a cordless drill/driver, that development of these tools has been slow.
1. Makita LS1040 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw - Best Overall Pick
People who don’t want to bother using heavy miter saws are going to flock at the Makita LS1040 and that is because weighing just twenty-seven point three pounds, it’s undoubtedly the lightest miter saw money can buy and that’s all thanks to its all-aluminum base. However, that should not make you think that when it comes to power, the LS1040 is lacking.
On contrary, it’s fitted with a fifteen amp motor that is capable of rotating at forty-five hundred RPMs, allowing you to easily cut through many wood types. Using the LS1040 you can make bevel cuts up to forty-five degrees left. On top of that, those who need to make very complex miter angle cuts will be very happy to know this model comes with a dual post compound pivoting arm that makes this possible. This unit also have a dust bag included in the package for a clean working environment.
When it comes to the positive stops at the left and right, they are set at 0, fifteen, 22,5, thirty and forty-five degrees with a maximum cut of 45 degrees on the right and 45 degrees on the left.
A few individuals that used the LS1040 said that it has a bit of play when moving it into the forty-five-degree notches.
Pros
Cons
2. Metabo HPT C10FCGS Compound Mitre Saw - Best Value
The best compound miter saw and our best value pick is this Metabo saw, which comes with a 10-inch blade and a 15-amp motor. It has a miter angle range of up to 52 degrees and allows you to angle cuts to the right or left.
With a bevel range of up to 45 degrees, you can also turn the saw to the left to make angled cuts. Metabo miter saw added a large and solid base to this miter saw that you can clamp to a worktable.
Pros
Cons
3. Festool 561287 Kapex KS 120 Sliding Miter Saw - Premium Choice
Though the compact size makes this smaller than other miter saws, it comes with everything you need to make precision cuts. You can use the dual lasers to line up your cuts from the right or left. A rotary knob on the front makes bevel adjustments a snap and offers multiple stops.
With the dust extraction feature of this Festool slidingmiter saw, you can remove more than 90% of the sawdust produced through a simple hose. This saw also cuts crown molding and other boards of more than six inches long.
Pros
Cons
4. Bosch GCM12SD Sliding Miter Saw
If you’re looking for a single bevel miter saw, then this fifteen amp tool that delivers 3800 RPMs is the perfect choice and the good news is that it can also handle a large variety of materials. If you’re all for accurate cuts, then you’ll be surprised about what the compact Axial Glide System can do for you. Aligning your materials is also very easy thanks to the Squarelock quick release fences.
These are aligned at ninety degree angles to the saw’s table and what is great about them is that you don’t have to make any adjustments. Using a one touch unlock feature, you can slide each fence into position faster than ever in order to accurately align your materials. Weighting just sixty-five pounds, you’ll have no trouble using this miter saw no matter if you need to take it with you on your job site. The grip is very good and that is because it uses a soft grip for improving comfort, but what truly makes it stand apart from all other models is its ambidextrous design.
No matter if you’re left handed or right handed, you’ll be able to use the GCM12SD seamlessly. If you don’t like dust to veil your entire work area (who does?), then have no worries, since Bosch has taken care of this, fitting the GCM12 sliding miter saw with a combination of vacuum adaptor and dust bag to keep your work environment as clean as possible. Lastly, the GCM12 is also backed by a one year warranty.
What some users found to be a bit on the downside with the GCM12 single bevel miter saw is the fact that its detents are made of some type of hard rubber or plastic. This means that setting the saw in the detents may cause a little play.
Pros
Cons
5. Dewalt DWS779 12-inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw
If you know a bit about the power tools industry like the tools you can find on this page: https://www.woodscrappy.com, then you know very well that Dewalt is one of the most respected names in the business. They are very well known for making amazing power tools, including drills, saws and so forth.
The DWS779 dual bevel is a very impressive sliding compound miter saw that comes with a 15 amp motor that produces thirty eight hundred RPMs, making it a very good choice for people who want a lot of power especially for those difficult projects they need to consider at home or at their job site.
The DWS779 is very durable, so you don’t have to worry about it giving up on you anytime soon. Featuring a large blade and work platform design, the sliding compound miter saw can cut up to two inches by ten inches straight on at ninety degrees or a two by eight inch board, while the saw blade is set at a forty five degree angle.
If you want to cut at angles of up to fifty degrees, then you’ll be happy to know that the DWS779 mitre saw features a dual bevel system, allowing the blade to pivot right and left with positive stops, 60 degrees and 50 degrees, too. Weight wise, this little bad boy weighs fifty six pounds, so you can easily transport it from one place to another without needing a pickup truck.
With each power tool you buy there is going to be something bad people have to say about it. In this case, some felt that the DWS779 sliding compound miter saw is not built very well and the dust collection system picks up a very small percent of the sawdust. Others though, were disappointed that it didn’t have a soft start feature.
Pros
Cons
6. Craftsman V20 (CMCS714M1) Sliding Miter Saw
With this Craftsman miter saw, you get a cordless tool that you can use anywhere. The battery that comes with it is compatible with all V20 tools and accessories from the manufacturer too. Weighing less than 22 pounds, it's a good choice for those who work in the field.
Capable of cutting through hardwood twice as fast as other cordless saws can, it has an 800 RPM rating. You can make 45-degree and 90-degree cuts at different angles too.
Pros
Cons
7. DeWalt DWS715 Compound Miter Saw
With three positive stops and taller sliding fences, the DWS715 is the best miter saw for crown molding and trim pieces. It can accommodate boards of up to 5-1/4-inches and 6-1/2-inches in horizontal and vertical positions. It bevels up to 48-degrees and has four bevel stops when used in a different direction.
Included in the box are a vertical clamp, blade wrench, dust bag and carbide blade that remains sharp through hundreds of cuts. It also features a solid metal base that both protects the motor and has handles for carrying.
Pros
Cons
8. RYOBI TSS120L Sliding Miter Saw
At 53 pounds, this is the best sliding compound miter saw for those who can handle that weight. Though you may not want to use it on a job site, you can easily use it at home because the head slides in the direction that you want. That allows you to make crosscuts of 13-1/4-inches.
With a fixed dust port on the back, this RYOBI can easily collect sawdust and force it into the port to keep your work area safe. It also features a built-in miter scale for aligning the base with your wood.
Pros
Cons
9. Skil 3821-01 Compound Miter Saw with Laser
This is yet another 12-inch miter saw that features a laser cutting line, but this time not only does it have the same powerful 15 amp motor, but its RPMs are increased to forty-five hundred.
The 3821-01 miter saw is capable of cutting at a maximum angle of forty-seven degrees and it’s capable of both left and right bevel cuts. As for the positive stops, they are set at 0, fifteen 22,5, 31,6 and forty-five degrees.
But what makes this compound miter saw special is the fact that it’s also improved with tabletop extension rails on each side, making it the perfect choice for people who want to use it for projects around the house.
Pros
Cons
10. Hitachi C12FDH 15 Amp Compound Miter Saw
Precision is something that a lot of people strive for achieving, but that’s not going to be a problem anymore thanks to the laser guide system fitted by Hitachi on their C12FDH compound miter saw.
Using this compound miter saw, you’ll know exactly where the cut is going to be made, allowing you to get more accurate and amazing results regardless of the project you consider it for. Even better, you can even have the laser adjusted to the left or right of the cut mark. As a result, you can also factor the blade width into the cut so that the board is cut exactly to your expectations.
Featuring a fifteen amp motor that is capable of four thousand RPMs, there’s no question that you can use the C12FDH for those hardcore projects you sometimes need to consider. In terms of positive stops, they’re available at 0, fifteen, 22,5, 31,6 and forty-five degrees with a maximum cut of fifty-two degrees both left and right.
One word of advice from someone that owned the saw is that he claimed the C12FDH failed on him (the left and right fence both sheared off).
Pros
Cons
Our Overall Winner
Makita LS1040
Since I need to do a lot of cutting every day and I don’t want to carry a heavy tool everywhere with me, it was very simple to lean over to the LS1040 from Makita.
This saw is our pick for the best miter saw because it has an amazingly powerful motor which allows me to make very accurate cuts without getting exhausted. Most of my clients who have compound miter saws were actually impressed with the accuracy and angled cuts this bad boy can deliver and even complimented me on selecting a Makita.
I guess that’s something you get to hear when you use a high quality tool that delivers results beyond the expectations of your clients. For me though, this is only one of the reasons to why I use and will always use the Makita LS1040 compound miter saw.
If you would like to read our cabinet table saw reviews, visit here.
Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Right Miter Saw
A miter saw is a great tool for those who want to make trim pieces or crown molding because the power tools can handle thick and long pieces of wood. Before buying the best mitre saw and any of the models on our list, you can use our buying guide to make sure you find the right one.
Types of Miter Saws
If you read the best miter saw reviews, then one of the first things you should do is decide which type is best for your needs.
Basic Miter Saws
As the name implies, a standard miter saw is one that you can use for basic jobs. It rotates to either side to let you make an angled cut. Most of the times you will get to use them in order to trim studs or projects where ninety degree cuts are less required.
Compound Miter Saws
Compound miter saw can both bevel and tilt, which allows you to cut at a horizontal or vertical angle. You can make cuts at different angles too. Compound miter saw can feature a single-action or dual-action design that shows whether they bevel to one or both sides.
Sliding Compound Miter Saws
Sliding miter saw slide away from the back to accommodate bigger pieces of wood. You'll need to hold the wood as you slide the saw away from your body.
Sliding compound miter saw is the most versatile of the bunch. The blade and the motor of this sliding compound miter are mounted on a flexible arm that’s designed for accommodating bigger wood pieces, but they can also be used on smaller pieces. Don’t forget to carefully check the blade size before you buy a miter saw (they generally come in sizes of 8, 10 and 12 inches). The bigger the blade, the longer the cut it can make. Lastly, if you don’t want to be worried about power outlets, get a cordless miter saw.
Features to consider:
Blade Size
Miter saw can come with blades of different sizes. The most common size blade in the best miter saw for home use is eight-inches, but you may want to choose one with a 10-inch blade. Some manufacturers make miter saw with a 12-inch blade, though these are usually harder to find.
Depth Stops
If you want to mark how far you cut into a board and make consistent cuts to the same depth, look for a model that includes depth stops. These stops let you adjust the blade to the measurement that you want. When it cuts, the blade will stop when it hits that depth.
Dust Collection
Most miter saws feature some type of dust collection system. This can include a dust port that pulls sawdust into a dedicated port and away from the tool or a blower that blows away the dust. Some saws have a dust bag that you can empty at the end of your project.
Fence
A fence is an important part of a miter saw that supports taller or wider boards when cutting them. You can move the fence pieces to the side if they get in your way and adjust them to work with the wood. Fences come in both flip and sliding designs and usually use durable metal.
Laser Guides
Though not all miter saws come with laser guides, those that do are easier to use and offer some nice benefits. The laser creates a beam or line across the surface of the wood that you can follow along with the blade to make smooth and even cuts. A few miter saws have dual lasers for making vertical and horizontal cuts at the same time.
