12-Inch Miter Saws

12-inch compound miter saws for larger lumber

Most current reviews say 12-inch compound miter saws are well worth the extra price, since they can crosscut a nominal 2x8 board, not just a 2x6. Also, 12-inch compound saws are available as either single-bevel or dual-bevel (which can tilt both ways). Some dual-bevel 12-inch miter saws can even crosscut a 2x10 board. Dual-bevel miter saws are more flexible and offer better visibility for left-handed users. However, they take up more workshop space, because you need room for the board on both sides of the blade, not just one.

The double-bevel DeWalt DW716 (*Est. $400) gets good ratings from owners reviewing it at Home Depot, Lowe's and Northern Tool websites, but doesn't get top ranking in expert comparison tests. The most recent review of 12-inch compound miter saws, at Tools of the Trade Online, covers the DeWalt DW716 but gives top ranking to the dual-bevel Hitachi C12LDH (*Est. $370). The DeWalt miter saw can crosscut a 2x10 board, the Hitachi only a 2x8 board. The DeWalt DW716 also has excellent height capacity, cutting crown molding vertically up to 6-5/8 inches high.

However, the Hitachi C12LDH's digital LCD display of miter and bevel angles speeds setup, and the laser is easy to adjust. The laser has a separate switch, so you can use it to set up the cut without turning on the blade. A review in Woodcraft also praises this design. (The DeWalt DW716 can use the DeWalt DW7187 laser guide (*est. $70) which also has a separate switch, but this optional addition gets below-average ratings from owners reviewing it at Amazon.com.)

Unfortunately, the latest Tools of the Trade review doesn't compare the Hitachi C12LDH with another well-recommended dual-bevel miter saw, the Bosch 4212L (*Est. $350). Earlier comparison tests at Tools of the Trade Online gave top ranking to the Bosch 4212L. This saw is also the editors' and readers' top choice in both the 2005 and 2006 Taunton Press Tool Guides. The laser guide is the weak point, since it lacks a separate switch and turns on only when the blade starts to spin. However, the Bosch miter saw can crosscut a 2x10 lumber, and reviewers and owners really like the controls. They're not only mounted in the front for easy access, but color coded as well. In addition, the handle adjusts to any of four positions. There's just something about this design that grabs testers; they rave about the ease of use.

The Woodworker's Journal review gives the dual-bevel 12-inch Craftsman Professional 21235 miter saw (*est. $330) its "Best Bet Award," and owners reviewing it at Sears.com give it reasonably good ratings, though several recommend upgrading to a better blade. The scales are very easy to read, and the saw comes with extension rods, a hold-down clamp and a special clamp for crown molding. Dust collection is good, either with the dust bag or connected to a big 2.5-inch shop-vac hose. The main drawbacks are a nonadjustable laser guide, plus -- according to a review at About.com -- a blade guard that makes visibility difficult. Also, the miter angle only adjusts as far as 47 degrees; the bevel only to 45 degrees.

Reviewers and owners prefer dual-bevel miter saws, but 12-inch single-bevel saws cost less and require less workspace around them. Bosch, DeWalt and Ridgid miter saws have accumulated the most recommendations, but several Hitachi saws also get good reviews. The Bosch 3912 (*Est. $310) and DeWalt DW715 (*Est. $290) share top ranking based on comparison tests at Wood Magazine, though neither one comes with a laser guide. Both miter saws have a detent override for setting precise miter angles. They also get top marks for accuracy right out of the box. Editors at Woodworker's Journal recommend the DeWalt DW715 only for relatively rough carpentry, and find the bevel scale hard to read on the Bosch 3912. Also, once you set the bevel beyond 45 degrees, you have to recalibrate the stop to get 45 degrees again.

Editors at Woodworker's Journal say the miter scale is much easier to read on the Hitachi C12FCH (*Est. $290); the scale is large, with black markings on a silver background. Editors say it's "perfect if you're at that stage of life where you have to read the morning paper at arm's length." The review also praises the miter saw's outstanding bevel adjustment and adjustable laser. Dust collection works well. The only drawback is the 3/8-inch opening in the throat plate -- wide enough to let tiny cutoffs fall through.

Even better for vision, the Hitachi C12LCH provides a digital LCD for readout of miter and bevel settings. The digital readout earned this saw an award for innovation at Workbench Magazine, and editors at Wood Magazine find the adjustable laser precise and the digital displays accurate. Tests at Wood Magazine find the cuts accurate when the digital readout is used, but find the regular miter stops slightly off. Both Hitachi miter saws carry five-year warranties.

The Ridgid MS1250LZ, now the MS1250LZA (*est. $270), earns top ranking in comparison tests at the Journal of Light Construction, with praise for its capacity, dust collection and ease of use. However, both this Ridgid miter saw and the Craftsman 21205 (*est. $280) failed recent accuracy tests at Wood Magazine. Editors there made all the adjustments possible, but couldn't get accurate 45-degree miter cuts with either saw. The Craftsman laser guide was especially hard to use, since it's a full eighth-inch off the cut line. The Ridgid laser line was closer, but it was still hard to use, and the dust bag leaked fine dust through its pores.