Unlike all the other saws in the review, the swing arm that activates the blade guard is almost completely hidden which makes for a tidy appearance. The overall build quality of this saw feels like a Swiss watch. There were no unfinished or sharp edges hidden anywhere. Every bit of the saw is either painted or has a nice machined finish. This saw has a gear reduced direct-drive motor which makes it by default a single bevel saw.
Ironically, it also had the least amount of plastic parts-figure that one out! Put it all together, and the Makita LS1221 easily qualifies as our best portable 12-inch miter recommendation.ĭon’t let the lightweight fool you into thinking that this saw lacks features or power, however. The Makita LS1221 came in as the lightest saw in our round-up. Cons:Short material cut height against the fence, small dust collection port, No crown bevel detent.Pros:Lightweight, Easiest trigger safety to use, Almost no plastic, table extensions, material clamp.
If you want the XSL08PT model with AWS-capable wireless Bluetooth connectivity, it runs $1,059. This saw retails for around $999 for the XSL07PT kit with two 5.0Ah batteries, dual port rapid charger, blade, dust bag, vertical clamp, wrench, and triangle. Lastly-and perhaps most importantly-we cut an entire day’s worth of crown and base off one pair of 5Ah batteries! The innovative rail design allows placement of the saw up against the wall without the complexity of a Glide system. You get convenient front bevel adjustments and the saw miters to 60º in both directions. We found we could cut 5-1/4″ speed base upright at 45 degrees in either direction. The saw exhibits absolutely no blade wobble, giving us perfectly consistent cuts every time. For all its capacity and size, the tool takes is remarkably portable and compares well against its competition. This flagship cordless 12-inch compound sliding miter saw helped us run through cuts on trim and framing material like butter. The Makita XSL07PT cordless 12-inch miter saw runs off a pair of 18V batteries for 36V power. Cons: Expensive, cutting standing crown with a left bevel requires fence removal.Pros: Front bevel controls, against-the-wall placement, excellent run-time, zero blade wobble.of crown molding vertically nested.īest 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Makita XSL07PT Cordless Miter Saw (also XSL08PT) We also love the LED cutline that works in broad daylight.
Trim carpenters and fine woodworkers should also factor in a high-TPI blade upgrade right from the start.įinally, the DeWalt DWS716XPS also remains one of our stalwart favorites with its solid build quality. This miter saw works really well as a framer’s saw or for remodelers-mostly due to the power output and size. So easily, in fact, that other manufacturers should take note.
It’s a powerful, accurate saw that also moves around the job site easily. We also like the Skilsaw worm drive miter saw. Just don’t expect to move it around easily without mounting it to a good wheeled stand. If you can afford it, this saw will transform your shop space. You don’t mess with something already so well-developed. While the basic design remains little changed over the past decade or so-there’s a good reason. With its incredible power and handy LCD angle display, this saw distinguishes itself as the “Cadillac” among corded miter saws. You can’t talk about 12-inch corded miter saws without recognizing the Milwaukee 6955-20 miter saw.
You can burrow right through 6-1/2″ tall material held up against the fence. The 12-inch Bosch Axial Glide saw cuts in a more compact manner than most, yet it allows some of the tallest cuts. For something close, check out the 10-inch Delta Cruzer miter saw. Even years after its initial launch, we still haven’t used a smoother saw. The axial glide mechanism makes these the smoothest gliding miter saws we’ve ever used. The Bosch GCM12SD Axial Glide miter saw has a lot of great features that make it an easy top pick. Cons: Clunky thumb-activated trigger safety, No crown bevel detent.Pros: Compact size, Integrated expanding table extensions, Easy access side bevel level.Best 12″ Corded Miter Saw Bosch GCM12SD Axial Glide Miter Saw