If you have ever tried to accomplish a Do It Yourself woodworking project at home, we are willing to bet there has come a moment where you have used a hand saw multiple times on the same type of wood, and no matter how hard you try, you just cannot get the right angle to make two pieces of wood seamlessly fit together.
We are here to tell you, you do not have to spend time being frustrated anymore. Invest in a miter saw today and say goodbye to all of your past irritations with woodworking!
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Miter Saws
- OUR TOP PICK: DEWALT DWS779 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw
- RUNNER-UP: Makita LS1221 12" Compound Miter saw Kit
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Homecraft H26-260L 10-Inch Miter Saw
Comparison of the Best Miter Saws
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What is a Miter Saw?
A miter saw is a power tool that can make “miters,” or accurate crosscuts, in a wide range of different materials. Miter saws typically are mounted to a flat surface, and have differing sets of guards and angle settings for users to be able to make their cuts at the specific angles that will work best for their projects.
What is a Miter Saw Best Used For?
Miter saws are excellent for making cuts at highly accurate angles, for projects that require a great deal more precision than you could accomplish simply through using a hand saw. Such projects typically include woodworking such as cabinetry or furniture crafting, although miter saws can also be used on other materials besides just wood.
How to Choose a Miter Saw
The number of miter saw options out there can feel a bit overwhelming, so here are some specific qualities you should keep an eye out for:
Noise
If you are primarily interested in buying a miter saw for use in an at home workshop, you likely will want to take into account how loud the saw’s noise becomes. Honestly, this may also be something to consider even if you are getting a saw for use in a professional environment – hearing loss is a real issue and you want a saw that is as quiet as possible.
Accuracy
This is kind of the whole point of a miter saw, right? Some saws can wiggle and vibrate more than others, which can compromise the accuracy of the angle with which you are making your cuts. Find yourself a saw that stays accurate no matter what.
Durability
Miter saws have to be able to stand up to a lot of tough cuts over time. Make sure you are investing in a saw that will not rapidly get gummed up and shut down if you happen to feed it a little bit of harder wood.
Review of the Best Miter Saws
Since you now have a better idea of what to look for in miter saws, let’s go check out some actual products:
Best Overall:
DWS779 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw
PROS
CONS
The DEWALT DWS779 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw is the industry leader in miter saws, and ultimately the best overall miter saw model we could find. This saw will be able to chomp through anything you throw at it!
And do not think that its toughness translates to the cuts it makes: on the contrary, the cuts you make with this DEWALT will be so smooth you will be able to save yourself a substantial amount of time afterwards by not needing to sand your edges down on your project.
And speaking of saving time, you also will not need to take a moment to clean up your work area the way you are likely used to, since this machine has a dust collection system that is able to capture up to 75% of all the dust it creates.
Bottom Line
The DEWALT DWS779 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw is an amazing miter saw that will make your life so much easier through reducing sanding and cleaning time. Just be forewarned that you may need to clear off most of the other stuff on your work table, as this bad boy needs a lot of space.
Runner-up:
Makita LS1221
PROS
CONS
The Makita LS1221 12” Compound Miter Saw Kit is a close second place for best overall miter saw, right behind the DEWALT DWS779 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw. And that is only because the DEWALT is so impressive, not because of any issues with this Makita! This saw is fantastic.
It is accessible even for beginners to miter work to use, thanks to the extremely detailed instruction manual that comes included. It is also far more portable than many of its competitors, as it only weighs about 35 lbs. and is very easily carried. It comes fully calibrated and will not need to be adjusted at all upon arrival.
Bottom Line
The Makita LS1221 12” Compound Miter Saw Kit is a fantastic miter saw that is accessible for beginners to use and easy to carry around. But be forewarned – the motor has quite the kick when it is first starting.
Best for the Money:
Homecraft H26-260L
PROS
CONS
If you want a miter saw that can chomp through anything you throw at it, yet will not eat up your entire savings account, the Homecraft H26-260L 10 Inch Miter Saw is the number one overall choice for you. You are simply not going to be able to find a saw that can give you such great value for such a low price. This saw is incredible!
It is lightweight enough to not require being mounted to your workbench, yet it is still exceptionally sturdy and has a ton of power. Its holddown clamp can easily be moved to either side of the saw to make different kinds of cuts. And, it is all around excellent for work around the house as it is straightforward and easy to use.
Bottom Line
The Homecraft H26-260L 10 Inch Miter Saw is a phenomenal saw that will get the job done for you and still save you a substantial amount of money. Just know that you will likely have to buy another blade, as the factory one is not ideal.
Best Cordless Miter Saw:
DEWALT DWS780
PROS
CONS
If you want all the power of a corded miter saw, but with the convenience of being able to carry your saw around with you and use it wherever you would like regardless of power access, the DEWALT DWS780 12 Inch Compound Miter Saw is the unquestionable best choice for a cordless miter saw. This saw is powered by batteries, but do not think that means you will constantly be needing to switch the batteries out.
These batteries can hold their charge for a long time! And that convenience extends to the rest of the saw as well. It has an awesome blade image light in addition to a work light, so that you can not only see where your blade will be making its cut, but also your overall work area. Pretty sweet!
Bottom Line
The DEWALT DWS780 12 Inch Compound Miter Saw is the premiere choice in cordless miter saws – you are not sacrificing any power when you go with this option. Just be aware that you may need to clear quite a space to make room for this saw.
Best Compound Miter Saw:
Makita 10” Compound Miter Saw
PROS
CONS
The Makita 10” Compound Miter Saw is the absolute best in compound miter saws that we were able to find on the market today. This saw can do a whole lot for you. It is easy to use, and even easy to adjust in order to make very fine, precise cuts.
It comes with a high quality thirty two tooth carbide tipped blade, so unless you are cutting a specific kind of material that is not compatible with this blade (such as steel), you will not need to get a new blade, which can’t be said about a lot of this saw’s competitor brands.
Plus, it also happens to be compatible with lots of different types of miter saw stands, so if you already have a stand, odds are you can easily set this saw up on it.
Bottom Line
The Makita 10” Compound Miter Saw is an awesome compound miter saw that can adapt to pretty much any situation you may need it to. Just be wary, the blade guard is not reinforced.
Best for Beginners:
C10FCG 15 Amp 10” Miter Saw
PROS
CONS
If you have little to no miter saw experience, and you are a little intimidated by some of the more serious models on this list, we strongly recommend working with the Hitachi C10FCG 15 amp 10” Miter Saw. This saw is incredibly simple to use and not intimidating at all. Users report that setting it up is straightforward and will only take about a half hour in total.
And if you are nervous to make cuts, this saw has a laser guide that is extremely accurate, and can also be switched off as you begin to feel more comfortable with the saw. Plus, when you are done working with this saw, it can actually be folded down to a more compact size in order to save you some storage space.
Bottom Line
The Hitachi C10FCG 15 Amp 10” Miter Saw is a fantastic miter saw that is incredibly accessible for beginner use. Just know that when using it outside, you may not be able to see the laser very well.
Best 10 Inch Miter Saw and Best for Homeowners:
Makita LS1018 10-Inch Miter Saw
PROS
CONS
The Makita LS1018 10 Inch Miter Saw is the ideal saw if you are looking for a 10 inch miter saw, and/or if you are a homeowner trying to find the best miter saw to work with when doing projects around the house. This saw is the one for you! It will not disturb too much of your home peace as the motor is nice and quiet, yet still powerful enough to handle anything you might throw at it.
Plus, it is sturdy and safe – the blade will not wiggle at all once you have got it locked in. Users report this saw is excellent to use when working with crown molding and baseboards, or when doing trim work, framing, and roofing.
Bottom Line
The Makita LS1018 10 Inch Miter Saw is a top notch miter saw that is perfect for homeowners seeking to do some DIY projects. Keep in mind you will likely have to hit up Youtube for usage instructions, though.
Best 12 Inch Miter Saw:
Bosch Power Tools GCM12SD – 15 Amp 12" Corded Miter Saw
PROS
CONS
The Bosch Power Tools GCM12SD – 15 Amp 12 in. Corded Miter Saw is the absolute best 12 inch miter saw you will be able to find, we guarantee it. First of all, despite its size and its power, it is incredibly quiet. It is straightforward and easy to use, and if there is ever any issue with it, it is also super easy to fix.
But it is highly unlikely that there ever will be an issue, thanks to this saw’s axial glide system. The system will prevent dust from ever getting into the slide’s mechanics and gumming it up or slowing down its functioning. Users report being able to use this saw on a regular basis for large amounts of cutting and never having even the slightest concern.
Bottom Line
The Bosch Power Tools GCM12SD – 15 Amp 12 in. Corded Miter Saw is an awesome miter saw and the very best twelve inch model we could find. Plan on swapping out the included blade, though.
Best Sliding Compound Miter Saw:
DEWALT DWS709
PROS
CONS
The DEWALT DWS709 12 Inch Miter Saw is the premiere option for a sliding compound miter saw that you will always be able to rely on in order to make some of the more difficult cuts. This blade has a twist knob and a handle that will lock into place when you are working with tough angles, and together these locks will ensure that you can make complicated cuts with ease.
Also, this saw comes already equipped with a high quality carbide tipped blade, and an included tool so you can easily change the blade out when it finally becomes necessary. Users report this blade can handle even tough woods such as hard oak.
Bottom Line
The DEWALT DWS709 12 Inch Miter Saw is an amazing sliding compound miter saw with a handle locking system that makes it so you can successfully complete even the toughest cuts. However, be prepared to clean up a big mess after you are done using it.
Types of Miter Saws
If you were paying attention during our product reviews, you likely noticed that there are a wide range of different types of miter saws. We have broken out the most common types below:
Standard Miter Saws
Standard miter saws are simple and accomplish the basics of wood cutting, in that they can make straight cross cuts, typically at a 45 degree angle. These saws are excellent for starter miter work such as framing.
Compound Miter Saw
With a compound miter saw, you are starting to make things more complicated. Compound miter saw blades can pivot from side to side, meaning they are able to cut at a much greater range of different angles than your standard saw. These saws are particularly helpful when working with crown molding.
Dual Compound Miter Saw
A dual compound miter saw takes compound miter saw work to the next level. With these saws, not only can the blades pivot from side to side, the saw itself can tilt from side to side, producing a whole new range of angles you can work from. If you want a saw that can do it all, you want a dual compound miter saw.
Conclusion
Miter saws can be a real gamechanger when it comes to woodworking, or even when doing projects involving materials that are not wood. Keep in mind what you are looking for when it comes to a miter saw, and invest in a solid product that will always perform up to your standards and fulfill your needs. If you choose to go with one of the reliable products from our list, we guarantee you will not be disappointed and will be more than happy with the results.