A miter saw is a tool which can be invaluable to just about any home workshop or garage. It’s a saw which can be used to make accurate crosscuts or for making miter joints and can greatly extend the range of what the home DIY enthusiasts can accomplish with their household chores. Of course, as is the case with any tool, you’ll want to buy the best miter saw possible. A model that won’t let you down when you do it to perform. With that in mind, I’ve assembled a list of the ten best miter saw models I’ve found so far. One of these is perfect for your needs, I’m sure.
10. Makita 10-Inch LS1040
This saw is designed to combine ease-of-use, performance and raw cutting power into one device. It features a machined aluminum base that ensures that all cuts are absolutely accurate and has a dual post compound pivot arm. It cuts up to 45-degrees left and up to 52-degrees right and has a 10-inch blade with a 5/8th-inch arbor. When it’s not under load, it can produce 4,600 RPM with the carbide tipped blade. This makes this saw quite useful for DIY projects or for keeping around a home woodworking shop. It also makes for a good entry-level saw.
9. Homecraft 10-Inch H26-260L
This saw is suitable for the amateur DIY enthusiast or for anyone who’s looking for a decent entry-level saw. While it may be lightweight, this 10-inch saw is quite powerful and has a blade that can spin at 5,500 RPM. This tool has a battery-operated laser that makes it easy to precisely align the blade and has a spindle lock that can keep the blade in place. Another thing worth mentioning about this device is that it has denoted stops from 0 to 45-degrees and can make bevel cuts from 0 to 47-degrees. And best of all, it can be used with just about any available miter stand.
8. Hitachi 10-Inch Single Bevel C10FCG
Although this lightweight saw is portable enough to use around the house or to take to the job site, it also has the power needed to get most jobs done. Its 15-Amp motor can produce a 5,000 RPM no-load speed that can make miter joint cuts and crosscuts a whole lot easier. And this unit also has a bevel range from 0 to 45-degrees and a 0 to 52-degree miter angle range. This makes this a good saw for woodworkers who like a tool that’s not only versatile but is also very reliable.
7. Hitachi 10-Inch Single Bevel C10FCE2
Designed to be lighter than many of the other saws on the market but to still maintain its bite, this 15-Amp saw can generate up to 5,000 RPM of no-load speed. That’s more than enough power for making miter cut joints or for accurately cutting crosscuts. This tool has a 0 to 52-degree miter angle range and a 0 to 45-degree bevel level range. It also has positive stops that are thumb actuated and a dust collector attachment that helps to keep airborne particles to a minimum. This unit can also be paired with many of the more popular saw stands which are currently available.
6. Dewalt 12-Inch DWS709
Durability and power are all contained in this compact and lightweight saw that only weighs around 51-pounds. This 12-inch tool has a 15-Amp motor that can produce a 3,800 RPM blade speed, which is enough power to do just about any cut. This tool also has a stainless steel detent plate and has thirteen positive stops as well. Other features which this tool has include an over-sized bevel scale, 60-degree miters to the right and 50-degree miters to the left, dual horizontal steel rails, and a machine base fence support. Everything needed for the home woodworker to get their perfect cut finished quickly and easily.
5. Dewalt 12-Inch Double Bevel DWS780
Everything on this tool shows off just how well it’s constructed. It has machined fences, castings, and bevel system, it has a miter detent plate that’s manufactured using stainless steel and it has a powerful 15-Amp motor that can deliver up to 3,800 RPM of blade speed that can handle just about any cutting job. This tool’s integrated XPS positioning system ensures that cut line indication is adjustment-free and its back fence design cuts up to 2″x12″ at 45-degrees or 2″x16″ at 90-degrees. This unit can support crown molding up to 7.5-inches as well.
4. Dewalt 12-Inch Single Bevel DW715
This tool can handle a wide variety of different jobs thanks to all of the features its designers built into it. This model is made with a stainless-steel detent plate that has eleven positive stops and has a cross-cut capacity of 2-inches by 8-inches. It also has sliding fences that can support base molding up to 6.5-inches and crown molding up to 5.25-inches and has steel bevel stops at 0-degrees, 33.9-degrees, 45-degrees, and 48-degrees. This unit also comes with a carbide blade, a blade wrench, and a dust bag. And since it’s lightweight, it’s easy to take from job to job.
3. Dewalt 12-Inch DW716XPS
This 12-inch saw is equipped with an integrated XPS Cross Cut Positioning System that is paired with an LED light that is used to indicate cut location. It also has a 15-Amp, 3,600 RPM motor that’s designed to provide long-term power while cuts are being made. Other features found on this tool include a bevel scale that allows the users to make fast adjustments, a 0-degree to 50-degree miter capacity and a nested crown capacity of 6-5/8-inch. All of these come together in a well-designed and well-built saw that’s sure to provide loads of wood cutting capacity.
2. Dewalt 10-Inch DW713
Manufactured for portability, precision, and power, this 10-inch compound saw has many of the features that home woodworkers are looking for in a saw. It has a 15-Amp 5,000 RPM motor that’s powerful and reliable and has a stainless steel detent plate that has eleven positive stops. This tool also has sliding fences that support 4.5-inches of crown molding that is vertically nested. And the best thing about this unit is that it has a built-in carry handle and a lightweight design that makes it very portable and easy to take from room to room or to the job site.
1. Dewalt 12-Inch DWS779
This tool not only has a three-year limited warranty but also has a number of features which make it a useful tool for just about any home or workshop. It has a 15-Amp 3,800 RPM motor, a back-fence design that cuts up to 2-inch by 16-inch lumber at 90-degrees and 2-inch by 12-inch lumber at 45-degrees. It is also equipped with a dust collection system that can capture up to 3/4ths of all of the dust generated while using this saw. These features make this saw a tool that the user is going to want to use on a regular basis since it’s so easy-to-use.
A Guide To Miter Saws
Anyone who needs to cut-to-size crown molding, window casings, or door frames are probably going to want to buy the best miter saw they can buy. However, these tools aren’t just useful for professional woodworkers, they’re also useful for DIY enthusiasts, or anyone else who needs to make specific crosscuts or angled cuts. And since no home workshop is complete without one of these saws, most homeowners are going to want to buy a model that suits their needs. In this guide, we’re going to cover some of the basic features that a person needs to consider before they buy their next miter saw. So without further ado, let’s get this guide started and jump right into the thick of things right away with a few tips and tricks for selecting a quality miter saw.
The Three Basic Types Of Miter Saws
When it comes to miter saws, there are only three different types that a person needs to concern themselves with buying. There are Basic Miter Saws, Compound Power Miters Saws, and Slide Compound Miter Saws. Although there is a fourth category of these types of saws: 12-Inch Double Bevel Miter Saw, those models are really for professional contractors and are much too big and powerful for home workshops. Having said that, let’s take a good look at the other three categories and see what they offer to the home woodworker or DIY enthusiast.
Basic Power Miter: These models offer the home DIY’er with just the basic equipment they need for household projects or simple woodworking. This saw is capable of performing simple 90-degree cuts and can do it quicker and with less effort than a manual saw. Not surprisingly, these saws are also some of the most inexpensive of all of the ones available.
Compound Miter Saw: These types of saws can not only produce 90 or fewer angles but can also be used for several different bevel cuts. This makes them more versatile than the basic models that are available. These saws can usually produce a one-way bevel, although there are bi-directional models available as well. These type of saws are suitable for picture frames or for cutting crown moldings.
Sliding Compound Miter: These type of miter saws provide the most power and versatility of any of the saws suitable for home workshop use. They use a motor and a blade that’s been mounted on a movable arm and can take care of longer pieces of wood than either compound or basic miter saws. On the less expensive sliding compound models, the blade is only able to pivot in one direction. On more expensive models, the blade is capable of pivoting in either direction.
Cordless Or Corded Models
Although both types of miter saws are suitable for home use, it’s probably best to consider the pros and cons of each different type. Cordless saws are great because they don’t require the user to be near an outlet, but they also don’t have the power that corded models do. Therefore, it’s best to weight whether you need power or convenience before you choose from among these two different types of miter saws.
