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Miter saws are specialty woodworking tools that can make quick and precise cuts to a variety of items, including crown molding, picture frames, and baseboards. While miter saws are effective at delivering accurate crosscuts, their value over traditional circular saws is in their ability to make angled and bevel cuts with ease—a result of their stationery design and up-and-down blade movement.
If you need a miter saw for your DIY projects, we’re here to help. We put together this guide, complete with our recommended models. Keep reading for more information on today’s best miter saws.
Top 5 Miter Saws
- Best Saw Overall: Bosch Sliding Glide Miter Saw
- Best Value Saw: Metabo HPT Compound Miter Saw
- Best Cross-Cutting Saw: Delta Sliding Compound Miter Saw
- Best Lightweight Saw: CRAFTSMAN Sliding Miter Saw Kit
- Best Components: SKIL Compound Miter Saw
Compare Top Miter Saws
| Product | Motor | Speed | Weight | Length | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch Sliding Glide Miter Saw | 15 amp | Not listed | 88.2 pounds | 12 inches | 1 year |
| Metabo HPT Compound Miter Saw | 15 amp | 5,000 RPM | 24.2 pounds | 10 inches | 5 years |
| Delta Sliding Compound Miter Saw | 15 amp | 4,000 RPM | 55 pounds | 10 inches | 5 years |
| CRAFTSMAN Sliding Miter Saw Kit | 15 amp | 3,800 RPM | 21.8 pounds | 7.25 inches | 3 years |
| SKIL Compound Miter Saw | 15 amp | 4,500 RPM | 42.5 pounds | 12 inches | 3 years |
| Product | Motor | Speed | Weight | Length | Warranty |
Best Miter Saw Overall: Bosch Sliding Glide Miter Saw
Bosch Sliding Glide Miter Saw
- $649
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pros and Cons
✔ Features a highly versatile and intuitive design
✔ Offers best-in-class durability
✘ Stand and table may require stability support
✘ Costs more than many competing saws
Key Features
- 12-inch blade
- 15-amp motor
- 88.2 pounds
What Customers Are Saying
Out of the positive Amazon customer reviews we read, many highlighted the versatility of this miter saw. Customers also said that it was easy to use and durable. However, our team encountered a handful of negative reviews that indicated the miter saw’s stand and table weren’t as stable as expected.
Best Value Miter Saw: Metabo HPT Compound Miter Saw
Metabo HPT Compound Miter Saw
- $139
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 10-inch blade
- 15-amp motor
- 5,000 revolutions per minute (RPM)
- 24.2 pounds
Pros and Cons
✔ Features a powerful and easy-to-use design
✔ Price point is more affordable than most competing models
✘ Construction is not competitively durable
✘ Operating volume is louder than many alternative options
What Customers Are Saying
Of the many reviews we read, numerous customers praised this 10-inch miter saw for its ease of use, power, and affordability. However, less satisfied customers complained about how quickly their miter saw broke down. We also encountered a few reviews stating the saw was louder than other saws they had used.
Best Cross-Cutting Miter Saw: Delta Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Delta Sliding Compound Miter Saw
- $499
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 10-inch blade
- 15-amp motor
- 4,000 RPM
- 55 pounds
Pros and Cons
✔ Features a portable yet sturdy design
✔ Offers smooth slide handling
✘ May require frequent realignment and calibration
✘ Guideline may be difficult to see under certain lighting conditions
What Customers Are Saying
According to our verified buyer research, positive reviews highlighted the portability of the build and the smoothness of the slide. On the other hand, we encountered a few critical reviews that described occasional alignment issues. Two reviewers found the saw’s shadow line difficult to see under bright light.
Best Lightweight Miter Saw: CRAFTSMAN Sliding Miter Saw Kit
CRAFTSMAN Sliding Miter Saw Kit
- $249
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 7.25-inch blade
- 15-amp motor
- 3,800 RPM
- 21.8 pounds
Pros and Cons
✔ Features a highly portable and light design
✔ Operating volume is competitively quiet
✘ Not ideal for larger jobs or heavy-duty work
✘ Struggles to cut acute angles
What Customers Are Saying
Our research showed that satisfied buyers of this CRAFTSMAN miter saw liked that it was lightweight, maneuverable, and quiet. However, we came across a few reviews by users who felt it wasn’t reasonably powerful and struggled to cut at a 45-degree angle.
Best Miter Saw Components: SKIL Compound Miter Saw
SKIL Compound Miter Saw
- $300
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 12-inch blade
- 15-amp motor
- 4,500 RPM
- 42.5 pounds
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers best-in-class safety features
✔ Includes a highly visible laser guideline
✘ Tilting action may be more challenging than expected
✘ Not ideal for frequent job site relocation
What Customers Are Saying
According to our consumer research, customers repeatedly praised this SKIL miter saw for its top-notch safety features, portability, and affordable price point. They also said that it was perfect for the woodworking hobbyist. However, we also encountered a minority of negative reviews that mentioned how difficult it was to tilt the saw for cutting.
Buying Guide for Miter Saws
As you consider the above miter saws, look at their cut type, blade length, power level, and dust collection system to ensure that you choose a model that fits your carpentry needs. The buying guide below explains these factors for you.
Cut Type
Cut type refers to how a miter saw can cut a piece of wood. The three most popular cuts are crosscuts, miter cuts, and bevel cuts. Crosscuts are basic cuts that run parallel to the workpiece’s sides. Miter cuts are angled cuts that slice the workpiece at an angle. The most common miter cut is at a 45-degree angle to seat two corners of wood together.
Bevel cuts are angled cuts that cut into the wood’s thickness rather than its width. Seen most often when two baseboards meet at a corner, bevel cuts look decorative and seamless.
Miter Saw Blade Length
The size of a miter saw is determined by the size of the blade that it holds. Blade size affects what size of wood you can cut. If you work with thicker wood, you may want to purchase a miter saw with a 12-inch or larger blade, as a 10-inch blade may not be long enough to cut through it.
To learn more about miter saw blades, watch this video from Ask This Old House:
Dust Collection
Investing in a miter saw with a dust collection function keeps your workspace clean. Nearly all miter saws have a dust bag that collects sawdust, though some models also have a hose port to connect a vacuum cleaner.
Miter Saw Motor Power
Nearly all miter saws are corded, usually featuring a 10-, 12-, or 15-amp motor. Powerful 15-amp motors have their place with experienced carpenters, but most homeowners can complete various woodworking projects with a 10- or 12-amp miter saw.
Cordless miter saws are beginning to pop up on the market. However, battery runtime can be an issue with them, especially if you need to make numerous cuts. You don’t want to pause your project to plug your saw into a charger.
How To Use a Miter Saw
One of our experts, Tom Silva, has some important miter saw tips to share with DIYers like you. These tips will help you make cuts both accurately and safely.
- Before you turn on the miter saw, clear items on the ground to ensure stable footing.
- Wear safety glasses, work gloves, closed-toed shoes, and earmuffs for protection.
- Hold the wood tight to the fence with one hand, and work the saw with the other one.
- If a piece of wood is too large for your saw, cut it in two passes. First, cut the piece as far as the blade reaches. Then, flip it over, and meet the cut from the other side.
Miter Saws FAQs
What’s the difference between a chop saw and a miter saw?
A chop saw can only make crosscuts as its blade moves up and down at a 90-degree angle. Miter saws are equipped with adjustable blades that can make numerous types of cuts, including crosscuts and compound cuts.
Can a miter saw cut through metal?
You can cut metal with a miter saw if you have a metal-cutting blade. Also, make sure that you’re cutting at a low enough RPM to prevent excessive sparking and burnout.
Can a miter saw rip boards?
Ripping, which is the process of cutting boards lengthwise, is done with a table saw instead of a miter saw. While you can make rip cuts with a miter saw, it poses safety risks because it’s not designed to be used that way.
Are miter saws safe?
As with all power saws and other power tools, operating a miter saw comes with some risks. However, if you follow the proper precautions, you can prevent accidents. We specify our safety recommendations in the previous section.
How We Selected the Best Miter Saws
To provide our readers with the best miter saw recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process.
Initial Research: Our research process began by generating a list of miter saws with a significant number of verified-buyer reviews and an average customer review rating of 4–5 stars. We looked at positive and negative reviews alike, focusing on information from both satisfied and critical buyers.
Expert Insights: Through our years of experience, we’ve learned that listening to what others have to say is critical to building accurate, well-rounded articles. To complement our in-house expertise, our team looked at reviews and videos from trusted publications and independent testers, spoke with subject matter experts, and drew insights from reader contributions.
Final Product Selection: We then began fine-tuning our list by replacing older models with the latest versions and eliminating any discontinued models. From there, we pared the list down further by comparing each model’s feature set and selecting the best-in-class options for a variety of buyers, budgets, and scenarios.
Why You Can Trust Us
This Old House has empowered homeowners and DIYers for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement advice in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content.
Our Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published countless reviews of garden, lawn, and outdoor products—from fertilizer and garden hoses to patio furniture and snow blowers.
Once we conclude our research, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.
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