November 10, 2018

5 Top Rated Compound Miter Saws – Which is the best for your woodwork projects?

craftsfinder / blog, craft tools, Wood craft /

I was looking at benchtop power compound miter saws for my latest project. I wanted a product that would obviously do the job but also something that would be reliable and had good reviews from previous customers who had actually used them.

For me, it would be a One-off purchase so I needed to find the best possible match for what I wanted.

Here are the 5 top rated compound miter saws that I found.

At the end of the article, I will tell you which one I went for and how it actually performed as I have used it now for around 6 months of regular use.

If you want to skip the article and look at my choice – follow this link

Hitachi 12-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser Marker B01GET8278

Hitachi, in my experience, has always produced great power tools and the C12RSH2 is no exception. Fitted with a powerful 15amp motor it is able to take on woodcuts with ease and being equipped with a compact slide system requires zero rear clearance. With the fixed rail system the saw head can glide smoothly without the rear clearance that most other sliding miter saws require.

This feature also allows the saw to tackle much larger cuts and bevels. The saw is fitted with laser guidance that makes it easy for even a total newbie to make accurate professional cuts. this is at the top end of the price range in this review but is a quality miter saw backed with great features.

Key features:

Compact slide system
Product dimensions – 25″ x 35″ x 28″
Product weight – 59lbs
12″ Blade
Laser Marker System for accurate cutting
(HxW)- 90⁰ Cross Cut-4-3/16″ x 12-1/4″ or 4-11/16″ x 10-3/16″.
45 Degree Miter (L/R)- 4-3/16″ x 8-5/8″ or 4-11/16″ x 7-1/16″.
45 Degree Bevel (L)-2-3/4″ x 12-1/4″ or 2-15/16″ x 10-3/16″.
Compound Cut 45×45 (L/L)- 2-3/4″ x 8-5/8″ or 2-15/16″ x 7-1/16″
Motor rating 15amp
Power source – Corded electric
0-57⁰ miter angle (right) and 0-45⁰ (left)
0-45⁰ degree bevel angle range to the right and left
Positive stops and clear indications on the miter and bevel scale
Elastomer grip for comfort and control
What’s included – Miter Saw, Blade, Dust Bag, Vise Assembly, Box Wrench, Holder

Evolution Power Tools RAGE3 10-Inch Multipurpose Cutting Compound Sliding Miter Saw

This is currently the No 1 best seller on Amazon in this range and has over 350 Amazon customer reviews. It has a price tag in the mid-range for this review of compound miter saws and with plenty of spec,’ it is well placed for value. A big plus with this product is the multi-blade which you can use on a variety of materials including plastics, wood, and metal (mild steel and aluminum).

Key features:

Multipurpose cutting – tungsten tipped blade allows you to cut through a variety of materials including mild steel, aluminum, plastic and wood and will even cut through the nail in wood.
Minimal burrs and heat produced from the blade
45⁰ L&R miter system – with 9 stop positions
90⁰ cuts of up to 11-13/16″ wide and 45⁰ cuts of up to 8-1/4″ wide.
Laser guidance included.
Adjustable cutting depth for grooving and trenching.
Motor rating 15amp
Power source – corded electric
Tungsten carbide tipped blade
Product dimensions 30″ x 20″ x 25″
Product weight 39lbs

WEN 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw

This is one of the lowest priced compound miter saws in this review. The Wen brand may not be one you are that familiar with but with nearly 70% of Amazon customer reviews achieving 4-5 star rating it is definitely one to consider.

It has all the basics in place with a decent cutting capacity of 3.25″ – 11.5″ possible and a powerful 15amp motor. If you are looking for a low budget cost saw without all the bells and whistles this could be just the ticket!

Key features:

Bevel – 0 to 45⁰ to the left and 52⁰ in both directions
Spacious worktable and powerful saw provide a max cutting capacity 3.25″ thick and 11.5″ deep
Product weight 30lbs
Motor rating 15amp
Power source – corded electric
Product dimensions 32″ x 28″ x 24″
Product weight 37.5lbs
What’s included – Carbide tipped blade, dust collection bag, support arms, fence and hold down clamp

Black Decker M1850BD 7-1/4″ Compound Miter Saw

I used to avoid any product by Black and Decker like the plague as they had the uncanny knack of motor burn out. Times have changed and this compound miter saw has one of the highest customer review ratings on Amazon with 4.5 Amazon stars. It is the lowest priced saw in this review and considering the high rating and cost looks a great buy for tackling smaller craft work.

Key features:

Compact, portable saw for cutting accuracy
Product dimensions – 15.2″ x 15.8″ x 17.5″
Product weight 16.99lbs
Miter range 0-45° left and right,
Nine angle stops
What’s included – Carbide Tipped Blade, Hold Down Clamp, Dust Bag, Blade Wrench, Manual

DEWALT DW715 15-Amp 12-Inch Single-Bevel Compound Miter Saw

This is a real workhorse for tackling any projects. It is easy to set up and use and is a really substantial piece of kit. It has over 700 customer reviews on Amaz0n of which over 70% have left a 5-star rating which speaks volumes! Yes, this is the most expensive compound miter saw in this review but it is real quality!

Key features:

11 positive stops
Crosscut to 2 x 8″
Bevel stops at 0°, 33.9°, 45° and 48°
Motor 15amps
Product dimensions 26.1″ x 19.6″ x 17.2″
Product weight 47lbs
Cam lock miter handle
What’s included – Carbide blade, dust bag, and blade wrench

Conclusion – which is the best compound miter saw?

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and in this case, it depends entirely on the type of woodwork you need to tackle. In my case I do some frame joining and make figurines from driftwood – both hard and soft wood.

For me, there was one winner that stood out and that was the Dewalt. Although it is the most expensive by far it just ticked all the boxes for my type of woodcraft. I have possibly bought a machine that is way over spec’ for the type of work that I do but I like the reliability, power and sheer ease of use that the Dewalt has to offer.

If you are a smaller project hobbyist I would recommend the Black Decker M1850BD 7-1/4″ which is very highly rated and costs a fraction of the Dewalt.

If you are looking for all bells and whistles on your saw then the Hitachi 12-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser Marker may be just the ticket!