Compound Miter Saws : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentSix dual-bevel, 12-inch, sliding compound miter saws are tested here in addition to the 10-inch Festool Kapex. The Editor's Choice award goes to the Milwaukee 6955-20, which editors say has the best dust collection and praise for its solid build quality, digital readout and fine-adjustment knob for setting the miter angle. The Milwaukee is noisy and lacks a laser guide, though, and editors say all six saws are close finishers. The even louder Hitachi C12LSH is less stable and harder to adjust, but is picked as the best value. A separate article in the Popular Woodworking blog praises the smaller Festool Kapex 10-inch sliding miter saw. Excellent comparison tests in 2004 compare seven 10-inch sliding compound miter saws.

Our AssessmentThis single-product review of the 10-inch Makita LS1016L sliding compound miter saw by a finish carpenter who tests it on his own jobs is largely enthusiastic except for the saw's dust collection. A December 2008 review by finish carpenter Kent Brobeck tests the 12-inch Milwaukee 6955-20 sliding compound miter saw, reporting on the initial adjustments (easy) and actual jobsite operation. For the November 2007 issue, experienced tool reviewer Andy Beasley tests eight 12-inch compound miter saws, giving top ranking to the DeWalt DW716 and single-bevel DeWalt DW715, with the Bosch 4212L (now 4212 with laser optional) a runner-up because it's so heavy and bulky. Forum discussions at this site are also helpful.

Our AssessmentEditors of Wood magazine name the Craftsman MiterMate saw one of the top tools for 2010, praising the way the saw's innovative design makes it easy to cut accurate miter angles. Similarly, two 12-inch Milwaukee miter saws, the 6950-20 and the sliding version, the 6955-20, are named among the top new tools for 2009. In the October 2009 print issue of the magazine, professional trim carpenter and cabinetmaker Dave Fish tests both saws, giving them perfect 5-star ratings. For the July 2009 issue, Fish tests the 10-inch Bosch 4404, giving it a perfect rating as well with praise for its accuracy, easy adjustments and reasonable dust collection. In September 2007, editors compare seven 12-inch compound miter saws for accuracy, and in 2006 a half-page review gave a perfect 5-star rating to the Hitachi C12LSH 12-inch compound miter saw, praising its combination of innovative space-saving design and 12-inch crosscut capacity.

Our AssessmentThis review ranks 13 10-inch compound miter saws based on objective tests of accuracy, speed, ease of use and edge finish -- including one cordless miter saw and three sliding compound miter saws. Unfortunately several of the saws tested here have been discontinued, so we'd rank this review higher if it weren't becoming outdated. Though the review picks one sliding compound miter saw as fastest, editors don't recommend this type for most users, suggesting instead that consumers add a table saw for use with wide lumber.

Our AssessmentBased on tests, this brief review of the Festool Kapex miter saw concludes that it "sets the bar" for innovation, precision and value. The reviewer notes that the saw's capacity is close to that of most 12-inch miter saws, but the Festool Kapex saves space since it can be placed against a wall. Other features that earn special praise here are the speed-sensing motor and excellent dust control.

Our AssessmentThis survey of 3,428 builders and contractors compares 17 brands of power tools for quality. Of the companies that make miter saws, Milwaukee ranks first. DeWalt, Hitachi and Makita follow in that order -- even though the survey respondents have used DeWalt and Makita tools more than Milwaukee.

Our AssessmentThis single-product review praises the 12-inch Hitachi C12LSH sliding compound miter saw, especially for its digital readout and the way it can be situated so it doesn't need extra space behind it. This makes it ideal for a workshop where it can be set close to a wall, but its weight makes it unsuitable for job-site use.

Our AssessmentThe About.com guide to woodworking recommends two compound miter saws based on his own use. The Craftsman Professional 21235 earns a 4-star rating here, while the Milwaukee 6955-20 earns a perfect 5-star rating -- with praise for its big capacity and extremely fine accuracy. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentLowe's publishes owners' ratings of miter saws but without any comments. In addition to an overall rating, each miter saw gets ratings (on a five-point scale) for features, value, design, quality and ease of use. Most miter saws sold here do get plenty of ratings, so the information is quite useful. It's also easy to browse through the list, which shows each model's average rating plus the number of owners on which it's based. Hitachi miter saws earn top marks among the 10-inch compound models that don't slide, while DeWalt takes the field for the 10-inch sliders and both types of 12-inch miter saw.

Our AssessmentSears also publishes owner-written reviews and ratings of miter saws sold here, covering lots of Craftsman models but only a few other brands. Several DeWalt miter saws get the highest ratings.

Our AssessmentTwo professionals review the Festool Kapex miter saw in separate posts here. In this review, Brice Burrell tests it for jobsite use in remodeling jobs; the other reviewer (http://www.burrellcustomcarpentry.com/subpage35.html) discusses woodworking in a workshop. Both reviews are lavishly illustrated with many close-up views, so these reviews are about the closest you can get to visiting someone as they unpack, set up and use the Kapex. Remodeling contractor Brice Burrell is clearly a Festool fan, and we'd rank these reviews higher if they were more objective -- but they're very clear.

Our AssessmentThis brief review of two 8.5-inch Hitachi compound miter saws praises their light weight. The Hitachi C8FSW weighs 31 pounds but lacks the laser guide and LED worklight on the Hitachi C8FSHE. No testing is documented; the information is all from the manufacturer.

Our AssessmentFive 10-inch sliding compound miter saws are ranked based on reviews and recommendations elsewhere. The recommendations based on discussions in woodworking forums are a useful addition. However, the forum threads aren't listed so it's not possible to check them, and the fifth miter saw listed, the Chicago Electric, gets very poor reviews.

Our AssessmentWoodworker Tom Hintz provides separate reviews of four miter saws, with some comparisons among them. The reviews are detailed and well illustrated, but we rank this site lower because each review is almost entirely positive, with no drawbacks noted.

Our AssessmentThis chart provided by an online retailer doesn't evaluate performance or summarize reviews, but does provide specifications and features to make it a bit easier to compare miter saws. If a certain cutting capacity is a priority for you, this could help narrow your selection.