
They’re also portable, which makes them easy to carry to where the work is happening, saving you countless trips to and from your workshop.Ĭordless models are best if you’re working at a construction site. Miter saws are extremely accurate, leaving the ends of your workpieces smooth and square, with perfect 45-degree angles for boxes and frames of all sorts (plus any other angle you might need).

Single-bevel saws are becoming less common because of their limitations, so we only recommend dual-bevel saws here. Most sliding saws are dual-bevel, so you can address quite a few of your workshop needs with just one sliding miter saw. Bevelingīoth sliding and non-sliding miter saws also lean sideways so you can perform bevel cuts-some only lean one direction while others, called dual-bevel or compound-bevel miter saws, tip both ways. Serious DIYers and professional trim carpenters should opt for a 12-inch sliding miter saw, which offers the most crosscut capacity and compound-angle cutting (but it’ll cost you-sliding saws are the priciest type of miter saw). Non-sliding miters have 10- and 12-inch blades-opt for the larger one to avoid overlap with your table saw. If you already own a table saw (which is capable of making wide crosscuts), go with a non-sliding miter saw, which has less crosscut capacity but is generally more accurate and less expensive. Both types are attached to tables that pivot 45 degrees right and 45 degrees left. Newer to the game is the sliding miter saw, with a blade assembly that not only chops straight down but also slides horizontally on smooth rails, increasing the tool’s crosscut capacity. This simple, solid action provides excellent accuracy for a relatively affordable price. The most basic type, sometimes called a chop saw, swings straight down on a single pivot point. What to Consider Sliding Versus Non-Sliding

Best Upgrade: Festool Kapex KS 120 REB Sliding Miter Saw.Best Battery-Powered: Makita XSL07PT Sliding Compound Miter Saw.Best Non-Sliding: Metabo HPT 12-Inch Compound Miter Saw.Best Value: Skil MS6305 Dual-Bevel Sliding Miter Saw.Best Overall: DeWalt DWS716XPS Sliding Miter Saw.Plus, when you connect them to a dedicated dust collection system, they require minimal clean-up as well. With large handles that make it easy to raise and lower the blade with minimal user effort, miter saws are safer and less expensive than table saws, more accurate than circular saws, and faster than handsaws. This versatility makes miter saws essential for a wide range of DIY carpentry projects, from cutting deck boards to trim moulding. These saws are quick and accurate, and thanks to a pivoting and tilting blade, most can make angled miter and bevel cuts as well. Miter saws perform crosscuts, in which the cut goes across the grain of a piece of lumber.
