Whether you are new to woodworking or a master craftsman when it comes to this task, it is difficult to overstate the importance of a really excellent table saw miter gauge. These handy tools can really make it or break it when it comes to a person’s woodworking experience.
Read on to learn more about these necessary products and find which option would work best for you and your woodworking needs.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Table Saw Miter Gauge
- OUR TOP PICK: INCRA Miter1000/HD Miter Gauge
- Incra MITERV27 Miter V27 Miter Gauge
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: DeWalt Replacement DW745 Table Saw Miter Gauge
Comparison of the Best Table Saw Miter Gauges
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What is a Table Saw Miter Gauge?
If you own a miter saw, odds are you probably already own a miter saw gauge. When woodworking with a table miter saw, the miter gauge is a long, thin piece of metal that fits into the miter slot on your table saw’s surface. Depending on where you tilt the miter gauge, it impacts the angle your saw uses to cut the wood.
Miter gauges are essential for sculpting precise woodwork pieces, and oftentimes, it can be a wise choice to upgrade from the stock miter gauge your table came with to one of better quality.
Characteristics of Our Favorite Models
It can be a little overwhelming to consider the wide range of table saw miter gauge models available on the market today, so keep an eye out for a few of the most crucial qualities:
Stability
The whole point of the miter gauge is to ensure your wood is cut at the angle you need it to be, and that means the miter gauge absolutely cannot move to a different angle while you are using it. You need a gauge that is strong enough to hold your wood in place at the correct, precise angle.
Adjustability
It would be no fun to make the same kind of cuts all of the time, would it? Different table saw miter gauges have different levels of variability, so make sure you find yourself a miter gauge that is highly adjustable and has a lot of versatility. You do not want to find yourself being limited to only making certain kinds of cuts and therefore only being able to work on certain kinds of products.
Easy to Set Up
It can be a little demoralizing to take apart your table’s stock miter gauge and install a new one, though we guarantee it is 100% worth the upgrade. But in order to make the process as painless as possible, be sure to get a miter gauge that’s simple and straightforward to set up.
Review of the Best Table Saw Miter Gauges
Now that you are a bit more familiar with the concept of table saw miter gauges, let’s go look at some actual products:
Best Overall:
INCRA Miter1000/HD Miter Gauge
PROS
CONS
The INCRA Miter1000/HD Miter Gauge is the number one best choice for table saw miter gauges that we were able to find, for a number of reasons.
First, its scale allows for some very tiny adjustments. This quality makes this gauge precise enough to use when building components of tables and other woodworking pieces that require extremely accurate angles.
And you do not have to worry about some slight movement messing up this gauge’s positioning – its flip down stop actually fits into small plastic teeth that hold it in place no matter what. It has the most common segments listed on the face of the miter itself for maximum convenience. Its handle feels comfortable to use and makes for a super smooth cut.
Bottom Line
The INCRA Miter1000/HD Miter Gauge is the premiere choice for a table saw miter gauge. Make sure that before you get going with it, you remember to grease up its expanding rollers, as they are not lubricated upon arrival.
Best for the Money:
Incra MITERV2 Miter V27 Miter Gauge
PROS
CONS
If you are interested in finding yourself a table saw miter gauge that can deliver all of the quality of the big buck gauges, but for significantly less money, you will find it in the Incra MITERV2 Miter V27 Miter Gauge.
Just like its more expensive cousin, this gauge is awesome! You are definitely not compromising all on quality when you go with this model. It fits very snugly in the miter guide slot without any movement.
It comes with an included allen wrench for setting up and tightening the unit, and all in all, setting up this bad boy is an incredibly simple process. Users report that setting up and calibrating their unit will only take about five minutes, tops. And, adjusting the gauge’s angle is super fast, super simple, and super accurate.
Bottom Line
The Incra MITERV2 Miter V27 Miter Gauge is a top notch table saw miter gauge that will not completely break the bank for you. Keep in mind that you will most likely need to adjust the vertical square when it first arrives, though.
Best by Dewalt:
DeWalt Replacement DW745 Table Saw Miter Gauge
PROS
CONS
When you think of DeWalt, you think of the best available tools you can find on the market today. We are happy to report that DeWalt has done it yet again with their table saw miter gauge. The DeWalt Replacement DW745 Table Saw Miter Gauge is a top notch miter gauge that you will always be able to rely on.
It is compatible with DeWalt tables, so you know you are getting a high quality experience all around. This gauge has sturdy set screws that will limit any movement in order to ensure you are always making the most accurate cuts.
Its click gauge stop is super efficient and a pleasure to work with. Plus, it has a nice aesthetic and is just straight up fun to work with. It is difficult to find anything to dislike about the DeWalt Replacement DW745 Table Saw Miter Gauge.
Bottom Line
The DeWalt Replacement DW745 Table Saw Miter Gauge is a solid, reliable table saw miter gauge that will always come through for you. Keep in mind you may need to replace the center plastic guide after some time, though.
Best by Delta:
DELTA Deluxe Miter Gauge
PROS
CONS
The DELTA Deluxe Miter Gauge is the best table saw miter gauge we were able to find from the reliable Delta brand. If you are looking for an uncomplicated miter gauge that can get the job done and does not come with any extra fancy bells and whistles to jack up the price, you have got to with the Delta.
You will not even need to do any additional setting up when this gauge arrives in the mail: just take it out of the box and you are good to go! This gauge can fit multiple different brands of miter saw tables, so it is quite versatile. And, it does not have any brass fittings that you will have to worry about potentially wearing down over time.
Bottom Line
The DELTA Deluxe Miter Gauge is an awesome miter gauge that does not have any extraneous parts and will get the job done in a reliable fashion every time for you. It can be a bit more of a struggle to get this gauge to fit onto your table properly than for some of the other gauges on this list, though.
5. Kreg KMS7102 Table Saw Miter Gauge System
PROS
CONS
The Kreg KMS7102 Table Saw Miter Gauge System is a close runner-up for the best table saw miter gauge we were able to find, right behind the INCRA Miter1000/HD Miter Gauge. If you are looking for a gauge that is simple and straightforward to set up and to use, you have found it.
The entire set up process for this gauge, including calibration, will take no more than a few minutes at maximum. The gauge itself is easy to read, which is a big plus when you are dialing in precise angles.
If you want to switch up which side of the saw blade you are cutting on, you can slide the gauge’s fence stop from one end to the other. No matter what angle you are working from, this gauge is always easy to adjust.
Bottom Line
The Kreg KMS7102 Table Saw Miter Gauge System is a close second for our top choice of table saw miter gauges. Just know that at some point, you will likely have to replace the included screw systems.
Conclusion
Table saw miter gauges can make all of the difference when it comes to woodworking. A good miter gauge will ensure that no matter what angle you are cutting your wood at, your cuts remain smooth and precise.
Make sure you invest in a gauge that is sturdy enough to stand up to whatever you throw at it and durable enough to make it through hundreds (maybe even thousands) of different cuts. If you go with one of the many awesome models on our list here, we guarantee you will be happy with your purchase and will undoubtedly spend many more hours out in your woodcutting workshop.
People Also Ask
Table saw miter gauges can be a complicated topic, so we figured we would include a section to go over some frequently asked questions. Check out some of the most common struggles people encounter with their table saw miter gauges:
Can You Recalibrate Miter Gauges?
If you unpack your new miter gauge, set it completely up on your miter saw table, and realize it is not calibrated to what you were intending to work with it for, never fear.
You can easily recalibrate your miter gauge. In fact, one of the top selling points for some of the gauges on this list is how easy they are to recalibrate.
Calibration should be a simple and straightforward process that does not take very long, so you will not have to spend a lot of time before you are able to get back to making awesome cuts.
How Can I Adjust the Angle Between the Table Saw and Miter Gauge?
Most often, the most complicated part of figuring out how to adjust the angle between your table saw and your miter gauge is determining what the angle needs to be in order to make the cut you are trying to make. This can vary depending on what you are trying to craft. Once you have determined the angle, you can adjust the miter bar’s gauge so that it tilts to the angle you are seeking. Then, all you have to do is cut and admire your own handiwork!