If you do a lot of projects out of wood at your workshop, one of the days you will start looking into getting such a tool as a miter saw. If you have never had any experience with it, the choice will be a tough one to make.
This article will help you choose a miter saw that suits your needs and your budget.
One of the best ones on the market is the BOSCH Corded Dual-Bevel Sliding Glide Miter Saw. Let’s look into our top list, so you can make a decision.
- The top picks of the best miter saws
- 1. Bosch GCM12SD – our number 1 choice
- 2. Metabo HPT C10FCGS – the best budget model
- 3. Dewalt miter saw DW-715 – the best value for money
- 4. CRAFTSMAN CMCS714M1 – the most compact miter saw
- 5. Makita LS1040 – the best performance
- 6. Ryobi miter saw – the easy-to-use miter saw for beginners
- 7. Genesis GMS1015LC compound miter saw – easy to assemble
- 8. Evolution R255SMS – best for alternative materials
- About the miter saws for beginners
- The types of miter saws
- How did we select the best miter saws for you?
- 1. Brand name
- 2. The budget
- 3. The warranty provided
- 4. The size and the weight
- 5. The type of cuts it can make
- 6. The size of the blade
- 7. Corded or cordless
- 8. The power of the motor
- 9. The dust collection system
- 10. Safety features
- 11. The laser guide
- 12. The precision of cuts
- 13. Material of the base
- 14. The reduction of vibration
- FAQ
- Is a miter saw good for beginners?
- What are the 3 types of miter saws?
- What is the difference between a miter saw and a compound miter saw?
- What is the best miter saw for trim work?
- At the end
The top picks of the best miter saws
Now that you understand the definition of different miter saws, it is time to present our top list, to make it easier for you to settle your mind on the one that will be the most suitable for you.
1. Bosch GCM12SD – our number 1 choice
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Weight – 88.2 lbs
- Cutting angle 90 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 12 inches
- Number of teeth – 60
- 1-year limited warranty
The Bosch brand is known for its reliability. This miter saw is a perfect choice for those who have never dealt with corded miter saws before. The sliding arm of this miter saw can cut the 14-inch thick wood boards.
This result is the best among most miter saws.
This miter saw allows you to cut at an angle, which is quite convenient if you are after the speed and don’t want to spend time turning the wooden piece the other way around. The blade guard this tool has will help you to achieve accurate miter cuts, allowing you to see through. All the marks on this miter saw are visible.
Even a handle can be adjusted for either of the hands. The excellent dust collection system is extremely useful in protecting your lungs from inhaling woodworking particles. Let’s summarize and highlight the pros and cons of this miter saw.
2. Metabo HPT C10FCGS – the best budget model
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Light weighted model 24.2lbs
- Bevel range: 0-45 degrees
- Miter angle range: 0-52 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 10 inches
- Number of teeth – 24
- 5-year warranty
This single-bevel compound miter saw is perfect for those, who don’t want to spend a lot of money but wants to get a decent quality of work. The laser guide feature allows you to make bevel cuts in any direction. This in turn provides more accurate and precise cuts.
A specifically designed handle of this 10-inch compound miter saw reduces the vibrating motions while it is on. This will prevent your hand from being tired or slipping off the machine. A great disadvantage of this basic miter saw among all the other compound miter saws, it doesn’t come with sliding rails.
Even though the Metabo single-bevel compound miter saw is a budget model, it is perfect for your once-off projects.
3. Dewalt miter saw DW-715 – the best value for money
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Weight – 56 lbs
- Bevel range: 0-48 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 12 inches
- Number of teeth – 32
- 3-year limited warranty
One of the best miter saws on the market. Dewalt miter saw is definitely worth your attention. Quite an attractive price and all the top features make this sliding compound miter saw a gem in our “miter saw for beginners” review.
This compound miter saw is ideal for making cuts on wide wooden boards. The sliding feature allows you to work with long pieces of wood as well. The crosscuts are not a problem for this miter saw. If you are making square furniture such as a bedside table or a chest of drawers, you won’t find a more suitable miter saw than this one.
The miter saw has a safety feature locking the spring arm in a position “down”. Using this machine for miter cuts, crown molding, and the bevel range of cuts will be the most pleasant experience with a miter saw for beginners. Another advantage of this sliding compound miter saw is a 15 amp motor that makes this machine powerful.
The dust collection system ensures it captures the bulk of the sawdust, which is quite effective. To summarize the information:
4. CRAFTSMAN CMCS714M1 – the most compact miter saw
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Light weighted– 21.8lbs
- Cutting angle 90 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 7-1/4 inches
- Number of teeth – 80
- Battery-powered
- 1-year limited warranty
If you are looking at purchasing your first miter saw, this one has to be considered. Apart from being one of the most compact ones, it is quite light weighted. This model is one of the cordless miter saws which is also a big advantage. You will be able to use it even if you have a power outage in the area.
The battery this miter saw comes with is quite powerful. The manufacturer claims you could make over 580 woodcuts with just one charge. The Craftsman miter saw comes with a rechargeable battery and a charger. With its powerful motor, you will be able to work with 8-inch wide wood pieces providing a top level of cutting accuracy.
This miter saw is ideal for such jobs as wood trim or dealing with flooring. Another advantage that we have discovered is the noise level, which is quite low. With such a miter saw you won’t irritate the neighbors, if your workshop is in your garage, for example. The angled cuts are easy to make by following the visible miter detents.
Among other perks are the LED light and a couple of handles for easy relocation of the tool. To put together the advantages and disadvantages:
5. Makita LS1040 – the best performance
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Weight – 34.1lbs
- Bevel cutting range 0-45 degrees
- Cutting angle 90 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 10 inches
- Number of teeth – 80
- Battery-powered
- 1-year limited warranty
This particular 10-inch compound miter saw is worth being considered to purchase if you need to make a lot of different cuts for your projects. Bevel and miter cuts, angled cuts, and cross cuts, this machine will handle pretty much anything. The controlling of speed feature allows you to work at the pace you want. It handles large pieces of wood well.
The machine itself is very well built. It has an aluminum base and feels quite strong and reliable. The weight of the sliding compound miter saw is light, so it won’t be difficult to pack it if you are heading to different worksites often. The downside of this machine is the bevel cuts that can only be done from the left side.
To summarize the review of the Makito 10-inch compound miter saw:
Features:
6. Ryobi miter saw – the easy-to-use miter saw for beginners
- Light weighted–19lbs
- Cutting angle 45 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 7-1/4 inches
- Number of teeth – 24
- Battery-powered
- 3-year warranty
Even though this compact machine is smaller than most miter saws we have been reviewing, it deserves the title “one of the best miter saws on the market”. This sliding miter saw is a battery-operated one, which makes it portable. If you are planning to use the miter saw at the different worksites, it will be convenient to carry the machine around.
A powerful motor offers a great and efficient result when cutting wood. You should read the manufacturer’s manual before you start using this miter saw as it differs from other miter saws instructions. The Ryobi miter saw has a 24-carbide blade ensuring precision cutting. The miter scale and the bevel scale provide a wider range of different cuts you can make.
What are the highlights of this miter saw model?
7. Genesis GMS1015LC compound miter saw – easy to assemble
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Light weighted–24lbs
- Cutting angle 45 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 10 inches
- Number of teeth – 60
- 2-year warranty
Another decent 10-inch compound miter saw for beginners that offers a great variety of useful features at an affordable price. It is perfect for crown molding and the angled cut. The laser guide allows you to make a precise miter cut. This machine comes with carbide miter saw blades and can be adjusted to all the main angles you might require.
This great miter saw is quite light thanks to the aluminum base, so it is also portable. What is also very handy is the electric brake that stops in just a second whenever you need it. Even though it has a laser guide option, the cuts are not as accurate as the other saws showed up.
To sum up
8. Evolution R255SMS – best for alternative materials
Features:
- Powerful 15-amp motor
- Light weighted–41.8lbs
- Cutting angle 45 degrees
- Maximum cutting width 10 inches
- Number of teeth – 60
- 3-year limited warranty
The last reviewed sliding compound miter saw is the Evolution multi-material miter saw. Why have we added this model to our top-8 list of the best miter saws on the market?
This miter saw has the option of cutting through materials other than wood. And you don’t even have to change the blade! This miter saw has a specifically designed miter saw blade that allows you to make cuts of a variety of materials starting with wood and plastic and finishing with steel and copper.
It also comes with a powerful 15 amp motor that handles all the hard work of any type of miter cut. The laser guidance ensures accuracy when working with wood. The miter saw comes with a dust bag that collects most of the sawdust. It is a great miter saw for beginners.
About the miter saws for beginners
The miter saw is the type of saw that you place on the table. It is used for cutting the wood boards across. A special miter saw blade guarantees precise cuts. Besides the blade, the miter saws have other parts such as a blade guard, a miter gauge, tall sliding fences, a trigger, and a handle.
To ensure the perfect performance of your miter saw, it has to be set up according to the manual instructions.
Pay attention to this step if you have never done this before. Incorrectly assembled and installed miter saws can cause injuries. That is why it is important to strictly follow the instructions.
Choosing the right miter saw can be challenging. There is a variety of different types of miter saws on the market. To help you to decide, which one you need, let’s look into all the types that are available at the hardware stores at the moment and what are the differences between all of them.
The types of miter saws
Apart from the different models, sizes, prices, and capabilities there is a difference in the cuts the miter saws make and the type of material it can cut through. To determine the best miter saw, you need to know that there are four basic types of miter saws.
- A sliding miter saw
- A compound miter saw
- A compound sliding miter saw
- A dual sliding miter saw
Depending on the matter of your project, opt for the sliding miter saw if the cuts you have to make are deep. This type of saw shouldn’t be chosen, if you are looking into getting a portable miter saw.
Non-sliding miter saws are the go-to if you are planning on moving your tool from place to place. The majority of the miter saws are compound miter saws. They can make miter and bevel cuts. Usually, the compound miter saw is used for cutting wood.
How did we select the best miter saws for you?
When you are going to a hardware store or shopping online it is important to know what characteristics of the miter saw to pay attention to. This way you will ensure you get what you need and what will meet your expectations. Follow the guide below on how to choose the best miter saw for beginners.
1. Brand name
There are a lot of different brands on the market which to choose the best entry level miter saw. The ones are very well-known ones, the other ones you have never heard of. Do not follow this path of getting a miter saw just because of its brand name. Keep in mind the name of the companies that are known for producing top-quality products.
2. The budget
If your budget is low, it shortens the list of saws you can get. It doesn’t mean that there won’t be any decent options. Look at our list above, there are quite a few saws with affordable prices and the optimal feature sets. In our opinion one of the best budget miter saws for beginners is the Metabo HPT C10FCGS.
3. The warranty provided
Another sign of a trustworthy manufacturer and a great product. The longer the warranty, the more reliable the miter saw will be. It is not always the case, but just one of the factors to consider.
4. The size and the weight
Depending on the type of projects you have and the need for traveling, choose the saw that is weight lighted, if you have to carry it to the different worksites. If you are planning on keeping the saw in its place and hardly ever moving it, opt for a bigger machine as it will be more powerful with a wider range of features.
5. The type of cuts it can make
It is important to consider what types of cuts you will have to make for your projects. For simple crosscuts, you don’t need to buy an expensive and powerful machine. You can set your mind on one of the budget models we have in our review.
If the job that has to be done is more complicated, if you are planning on cutting at different angles and sides of the wood boards a lot, consider choosing a more complicated miter saw that will have extra features for making it easier.
6. The size of the blade
Another important characteristic you should look into. The most common sizes of blades are 10 and 12 inches. The larger the blade the wider the wood piece it might cut. If you don’t work with big pieces of wood but primarily deal with wooden frames, there is no need in buying a larger miter saw with a bigger blade.
7. Corded or cordless
For projects at different sites, it is more convenient to have a cordless miter saw. The downsides of having such a machine are that it will not be as powerful as the corded ones and you have to always remember to keep the battery charged.
8. The power of the motor
The powerful motor allows you to work for longer periods without overheating the machine. It also can cut the touch pieces of wood boards faster. The most powerful motor is a 15 amp motor.
9. The dust collection system
Quite an important feature to have. The saws that have the dust bags, collect about 80 percent of the dust saw. Your workshop will be less messy and you won’t spend precious time cleaning up after yourself. If a miter saw doesn’t come with a dust bag, make sure it at least has the ports for connecting to the system.
10. Safety features
An electric brake is the main safety feature that some saws come with. It allows you to stop the miter saw within a second at any time you need. The miter saw can be quite dangerous so having such a feature shouldn’t be neglected.
11. The laser guide
The laser guidance is a helpful addition to any miter saw. It allows you to cut accurate and straight pieces of wood. You just follow the laser line and get the precise cut.
12. The precision of cuts
The precision of cuts depends on a few things. The blade you are going to be using, and the laser line indicate where the cut has to be made. The engine motor has some impact as well. The blade has to be chosen based on the type of material you work with. For crosscuts, the number of teeth must be around 80, if you want to get the best result.
Wide pieces of wood will need a blade with lower teeth count. For cutting steel boards, the blade has to be made out of steel as well.
13. Material of the base
If you want your miter saw to last you a few years, don’t choose models with a lot of plastic parts. They tend to break faster. Even if the manufacturer offers an extended warranty, find out what parts of the miter saw it covers.
14. The reduction of vibration
Quite a handy feature is a vibration reducer. The vibration can affect the final result of your work leaving you with unevenly cut wood boards. If you are looking into getting a proper miter saw and the money is not an issue, choose the one that comes with this feature.
You may also find it useful to know what the best staple gun for wood.
FAQ
Is a miter saw good for beginners?
A miter saw is a necessary machine for those whose projects require cutting wood at different angles. Depending on your needs, choose the one that suits your the most using our guide and the top list of the best miter saws above.
What are the 3 types of miter saws?
The 3 types of miter saws are sliding, compound, and sliding compound. The difference between them is the types of cuts they can make. The miter saws can make different types of cross cuts, while a compound saw can offer a bevel cut at different angles, a miter cut, and also a compound cut.
What is the difference between a miter saw and a compound miter saw?
The difference will be in the type of cut you can make using one of those miter saws. A compound miter saw offers a large variety of different cuts that can be made.
What is the best miter saw for trim work?
For this type of work, we would recommend looking at the Ryobi miter saw as it will perform the task of trimming the wood just great.
Also useful to read: What is Rip Capacity on a Table Saw?
At the end
Based on our experts’ opinion the best miter saw for beginners is the BOSCH Corded Dual-Bevel Sliding Glide Miter Saw. The reliable and durable machine with optimal performance will help you in day-to-day projects. The powerful 15 amp motor will cope with any load of work you throw at it.
There are a couple more of our favorite miter saws that deserve your attention. Choose the best miter saw following our guide above. Share this review with your friends. If there are any questions left, please post them in the comment section below.
The purchase of the first saw is usually followed by the purchase of the second one. When I realized that I am getting too interested in this topic, I started working as a salesman in this store. I learned a lot of new information every day.
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