Several requests came in recently, for discussion about which cordless miter saw is best.
The answer to that isn’t as simple as considering which cordless platform you bought into. When it comes to many other types of tools, if you’re a Dewalt guy, then you’re probably not going to look at Milwaukee’s offerings, and vice versa.
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Both Dewalt and Milwaukee have priced their flagship models very competitively, giving strong incentives for users to buy the kit versions, instead of the bare tools. They make it almost too easy to be willing to cross brand lines to buy their saws regardless of which cordless power tool brand’s platform you might have already bought into.
It’s as if you could pair an Android watch with an iPhone, or an Apple Watch to an Android phone. Milwaukee and Dewalt have lowered the barrier of buying into a different color as much as anyone could reasonably hope for.
I was also specifically asked to compare Makita’s 36V saw to Dewalt’s FlexVolt saw. I sent a request to Makita, telling them about the comparison intent, but they declined to respond.
Winner: Dewalt FlexVolt 12″ Sliding Miter Saw
The Dewalt FlexVolt 12″ sliding miter saw, model DHS790AT2 for the kit, is quite possibly the best miter saw I’ve ever used, corded or cordless. It’s powerful, precise, and there’s a huge user-friendly advantage in being able to power it with battery packs or an included AC adapter.
It actually runs a little better on battery packs, but the AC adapter is nice to have for longer work sessions.
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I LOVE Dewalt’s LED shadow cut guidance system. It’s simply perfect. Milwaukee and Ridgid saws now feature similar functionality. Once you try it, it’ll surely spoil you. The shadow shows you exactly where your cut will be, and exactly how wide the kerf will be.
What’s not to like? That’s not a rhetorical question, I’m really asking. If you’ve used this saw, do you have any complaints?
I guess if I had to pick one thing to complain about, it would be the saw’s size and weight. It’s not unexpectedly large or heavy, but I’m hoping we’ll see a smaller (and less expensive) 10″ model in the future.
This saw runs off of (2) FlexVolt battery packs. If you’re buying this saw, the kit’s the better buy, even if you already have a couple of FlexVolt batteries. The bare tool is currently $649, and the kit is on sale for $699, from a regular price of $799.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Next Best: Milwaukee M18 Fuel 10″ Sliding Miter Saw
Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel brushless sliding miter saw is a good saw. It’s not flawless, but it’s good. I’ve never found it wanting for power, but others have pushed it through larger or tougher cuts and found that the saw doesn’t quite provide corded-like power.
I’ve found the saw to be a little more portable than the Dewalt.
The dust collection is… not as good as could be.
One selling point is that this is the best single-battery 10″ sliding miter saw on the market. I think it might even be the only one. It’s a good compromise between smaller and lower capacity saws, and the Dewalt FlexVolt.
I like the bevel adjustment mechanism. It’s different than on other saws I’ve used, but it works smoothly and with less effort.
Milwaukee has priced this saw very aggressively. Over at Home Depot, as of the time of this posting, the kit is $599, and you get your choice of a free M18 Rocket LED tripod light, a free M18 Fuel circular saw, M18 Fuel reciprocating saw, impact wrench, or extra 9.0Ah HD battery pack.
If you’re invested in Milwaukee’s M18 lineup, and don’t want to bother with another system’s battery packs, be sure to read some user reviews before sulking about the Dewalt being better.
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Worthy Mention: Milwaukee M18 Fuel 7-1/4″ Sliding Miter Saw
I need more testing time with Milwaukee’s smaller sliding miter saw, but it deserves some time in the spotlight. I think this is the best 7-1/4″ miter saw I’ve used. It’s compact, reasonably powerful, and I find it to be more user-friendly than Dewalt’s, which is slow and frustrating when it comes to blade changes.
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No-Show: Makita 18V X2 10″ Sliding Miter Saw
Makita’s new 18V X2 XSL06 10″ sliding miter saw looks interesting. There are 2 dust ports, and talk about a wireless vacuum activation feature or accessory. The sliding mechanism looks to give this saw a very compact footprint too.
I have some hesitations, though. There are some negative user reviews on Amazon for the corded version of the saw.
Compared to Dewalt’s FlexVolt saw, both the Makita and Dewalt force you to juggle 2 battery packs. But the Dewalt comes with an AC adapter, the Makita does not. If you want cordless and corded capabilities with Makita, you need to buy 2 saws. Makita’s X2 saw also has a smaller blade size and presumably lower cutting capacity.
Compared to Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel model, the Makita might have more available power due to being a 36V saw, but you have to juggle 2 battery packs, making sure to match them up to get optimal power and runtime.
It looks like it *could* have held its own, but, we don’t know that.
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We reached out to Makita USA, but they declined to respond to our request for a test sample. In the email I mentioned a reader’s request for a direct Dewalt FlexVolt vs. Makita 18V X2 comparison. I’m trying not to read into it, but I can’t help but wonder if it should be taken as a silent admission that the Dewalt FlexVolt is better.
I’ll update the post if anything changes.
Reader’s Choice?
Which would be your pick for best cordless miter saw? Do you have any requests for the future update to this post?
Todd
IMHO, Makita is in damage control mode. There’s a decent thread on FOG about the LS1019L’s (and the XSL06 by extension) having some issues with the parallelism of the slides. Maybe they’d rather not put out a test saw when they know it’ll get dinged for this and they’re working to fix the production process. I’m personally waiting for some good news on the parallelism front since this seems to be the most Kapex-like saw out there.
Stuart
I didn’t see that yet, but I’ll check it out, thanks!
Ouch.
Since the saws look to be nearly identical, it does seem reasonable to assume that problems with either model could apply to both.
mark
The XSL06 has a problem the blade is not parallel to the rails. I tried two units before giving up, both had the same problem. It sucks because I love the saw.
Gary
I appreciate this and hope to see many more “Best [Hand & Power tool] (2018 Edition)” posts!
Lenny
I recently bought the Dewalt Sliding Miter Saw Kit (DHS790AT2), which included a free Rolling Stand at Home Depot. I had not been a Dewalt guy, and was traditionally a Milwaukee guy. But, the Flex Volt system seems to be exactly what I need in Cordless Tools to cut the cord. The ability to scale from 20 to 60 Volts is a great one so I bought it.
I unboxed it a couple of weeks ago and started cutting PT 2×4, 2×6, 4×4, and 4×6 on it for a shed I was building. Setup was as easy as I’ve ever seen, with no adjustments necessary. Everything was square and parallel out of the box. It took me longer to assemble the stand than it did to ready the saw for use. All the cuts were on the money, and the cuts were clean and true. After 4 hours of cutting, the batteries were still 75% charged. So far, so good. We’ll see what happens in a year or two, but I think Dewalt hit it out of the park on this one.
rmkilc
Um, you CAN pair an Android Wear watch to an iPhone. Just sayin.
Stuart
Really?
Oh, okay. Nikon lens to Canon body, or Canon flash to Nikon body. =)
rmkilc
Yep. Fair enough. https://www.android.com/wear/check/
Google is all about making their products and services work on as many platforms as possible, whereas Apple is all about their walled garden.
It would be nice if there was an open universal 18V battery standard. But I suppose they make a lot of money on proprietary battery packs.
fred
It probably could be done – but it might take something akin to a constitutional amendment. For “mains” power where there are standards (like NEMA) for electrical equipment and appurtenances and standards (by country) for plug and outlet configurations and standards for voltage and frequency (plus tolerance bands on these). With batteries, I’ll bet that manufacturers would argue that they want to control what plugs into their tools and chargers – so that they can dictate how the battery handshakes with the tool and charger, what electronics are in the battery and what is in the tool or charger etc. So if you put a brand X battery into a brand Y tool – and either one fails – there would be lots of finger pointing and warranty/liability issues.
Rob
I’m sure you remember between 5 and 10 years ago when cell phones all had independent proprietary charging heads. You need it either special dongles to convert standard micro-usb cords to work with those devices or (I’m looking at you Verizon) branded Chargers that would only work with the brands of phones they were made for. Eventually people got so pissed, manufacturers had to standardize, I imagine it would take a lot of yelling and screaming for power tool manufacturers to come to that agreement.
Alex Vasilchishin
Metabo and other Euro corded tools already have the universal battery system
Lack
‘Compared to Dewalt’s FlexVolt saw, both the Makita and Dewalt force you to juggle 2 battery packs.’
Shouldn’t that start with the red team?
Anyway, the only improvement on the Dewalt I can think of is slimer profile, like the Bosch Glide…
JMG
I have had the Dewalt saw for a time now, and generally only have aesthetic issues with it. I expected it to be a heavy and large tool, so no surprise in that department. It does have a stability issue when mounted on the DWX723 miter saw stand, as it is a bit tail heavy when set at a ninety degree cut, but that is not a major issue.
The aesthetic issue I have is the “sand cast” type finish on the motor and blade housing. It is a dirt trap, and does not vacuum or dust off well enough to suit my tastes. To get it clean enough, it requires a good wipe down with a rag, and you will find all of the sharp edges on it when doing so. The inside edges of the blade guard are almost sharp enough to cut oneself on. The only other wish that I have for it would be that it do a better job in the dust collection department.
As far as operational use, it has been an excellent tool, and I see it staying in my tool kit for a long time to come. I am also looking forward to see how Dewalt expands the lineup in the future for Flexvolt tools.
Garrick
I was looking at FineHomebuildings’ 2018 Tool Guide. They thought the Milwaukee 10″ (2734-21HD) had rather sloppy travel, especially on mitre cuts. Which kind of leaves the Dewalt by default as the saw to get in the 10-12 inch cordless class.
I’m about to make a long distance move, so I sold the Dewalt 780 and stand, and was thinking of replacing it after the move with a cordless. Anyone else notice any problem with accuracy of cuts in the Milwaukee.
Whiskey and wood
I didn’t have issues with accuracy, but mostly cut in the vertical plane, my understanding is the inaccuracy is on in beveled cuts. I felt it was severely underpowered though.
Mark
I found if you run 9amp battery the saw is at its best my saw seams to be precise,but I would say once the rail is fully extended it does have a little wobble. Dust collection isn’t good but I use mine outside so that doesn’t bother me to much.
The paddle at the back of the Milwaukee is awesome it’s quick to adjust and accurate. I’ve cut all day on 9amp hour battery and still had 75% charge left. Mine is uk version and doesn’t have a shadow line. (I was gutted to find out this) so I line up cut the old way working in gradually to my cut line.
My next will be Milwaukee 216mm as this saw has much better dust collection and is more portable. Also 216 can run on just 5amp battery and last all day 400 cuts.
I should get 600 cuts on 9amp battery which can also be used.
That Dewalt is making me want to but it mind ?
Cr8on
Ryobi’s new One+One miter looks interesting….
Patrick H
It’s definitely something I have had my eye on but I’m still on the fence. I have heard good things but not many reviews I trust put there yet.
Dcl
I had the corder version of Dewalt and the slides are total garbage. They would often bind up an me when doing low angle bevels. Dewalt swapped out two different saws for me, which i appreciate, but they were both just as bad. I looked at the flexvolt on display at HD and they seem just as rough as the corded version. I do a lot of historical renovation and work with a lot of salvaged and custom millkork. A single bad cut can cost hundreds of dollars. Dewalt is always a frustrating brand for me because their designs are always excellent, but Stanley BD’s bean counters tend to get in the way. Another $50 for some better bearings and slides and it would be the perfect saw.
fred
Bean counting, value engineering or whatever you want to call it seems to be a common theme these days with more than just miter saws. Maybe its the fault of our buying habits that may look for price first then function. Or, it may be an outgrowth of our swapping out tools when new models come along – suggesting to designers that longevity is not a paramount requirement. I also suspect that many seemingly good designs are tripped up by less than perfect manufacturing, poor finishing and lack of QA/QC accounting for lots of variability from one specimen to another. Maybe the US or German designers of some of these power tools – need a reality check to take into account the capabilities (or lack thereof) of the factory in China. Your point about possibly selecting internal parts based on price is well taken. Not finishing hidden or not immediately seen areas (as JMG mentions) is another way to cut costs – but increase frustration.
Jonathan
TLDR; disappointed in QA/QC with TTi fit/finish and warranty/CS
I’ve got to agree about, QA/QC, I bought the Milwaukee M18 this past summer, it was an online only deal of the day combo.
When I unpacked it I was appalled, that it ever left the factory. the table was scored, had etching, with random black and dark grey discoloration on aluminum table , from contact with some chemical in the manufacturing process it covered almost 20% of the table. Yet, the unfinished aluminum areas on the 13y.o. Rigid 10″ Miter it was replacing was still in excellent condition and the exposed Al area still nice and silvery.
I contacted Milwaukee’s CS, evenmore shocking was the “it’s not our problem, its a HD issue, you’ll have to deal with them). I will say that despite this attitude, HD CS rocks , ~ HD refunded me 20% (inspite of the fact it was an manufacturer’s QC issue).
In the same vein of poor TTi QC/QA the Rigid Mitre saw stand (AC9946 – one w/12” wheels). I bought it 1/2017, when I was swapping my corded Rigid mitre circa 2004, I noticed that in a few dime size spots the powder coat, finish had flaked off and was rusting. These were not wear points, or areas that were exposed to bumps, scrapes or hits while transporting to/from jobsites or while stored. It was more than likely poor prep pre-powder coating or from exposure to the unfinished surface to a petroleum product. I had taken steps to register for the Rigid warranty online (as the MSRP $249).
The Rigid stand was replacing another TTi offering – a basic Ryobi no frills folding leg saw stand, It was a few years old and but suffered similar PC finish issues but at the time I chalked it up to wear/tear from transport.
I digress , I contacted RIGID CS, provided date of purchase, registration conformation info. Shared the issue , rep asked to place me on hold ~3-4 minutes later: “Sorry lifetime warranty doesnt cover the finish (even though warranty clear states it does). It would have been fairly inexpensive to send me a replacement part (not the whole stand). So I cleaned up the surface rust and soaked a shop paper towel in a little molasses (chemically removes and converts oxidation) wrapped
towel around rusting areas secured with zipties, for a few days, cleaned area with alcohol, area is still rust free.
Not a Dewalt fan boi looking to bash Red, in fact transitioned from DeWalt line after last winters M12 Fuel sawzall promo (Holesawz/Sawzall blade purchase $200, basically $199 M12 Fuel kit free) I was blown away by power, runtime, size that ended up switching loyalties. Red/TTi has great innovation and Ryobi can deliver incredible bang for buck. Yet, big differences in QC on US made Milwaukee products, but its probably a competitive price point issue, but that shouldn’t effect QC/QA issues, especially on a flagship Contractor/Pro offering ~ frankly if it was HF, it wouldn’t have been suprised me (but HF has surprised me the past few years).
Blythe
I have the non slide flexvolt. It has very slight play in the pivot, I haven’t decided if it’s a defect or not; still seem to get accurate cuts but I can definitely pull it off track if I’m really rough with a cut. The only “problem” is that it sounds really weird when plugged it, a whine/growl that makes it seen that the motor much prefers battery power
Rami
The 10″ Milwaukee is not the only 10″ single battery model on the market, as the DCS778 from DeWalt is also 10″.
Chance
“Market” meaning products that are sold in this country that we can buy and use.
Stuart
Yes, but I haven’t seen one, and the last I checked with Dewalt, I’ll likely never see one unless I leave the country.
Rami
It’s not available in USA?? Strange that DeWalt has a product available in Europe but not in USA and not vice versa.
Chance
It’s not unusual at all. There are MANY products from all manufacturers that are available overseas and not here.
Rami
It does feel strange to me when it comes to DeWalt, as USA seems to get all the new DeWalt tools way earlier than Europe ( at least Finland). I know Bosch and Makita having products available in Europe only (for example cordless brushless 18V jigsaws from Makita) , but the only thing from DeWalt that comes to my mind are their flip-over saws, which I’ve understood are not allowed in USA (could somebody tell me why?).
Stuart
The flip-over saws wouldn’t pass UL safety requirements, and without 3rd party lab approval, they don’t meet OSHA standards.
Some tools that don’t meet UL standards are redesigned for the USA market. With some tools, it’s possible that no amount of modification could do that.
fred
The Makita jigsaws are available in Canada – not the US – not sure why.
https://www.mississaugahardware.com/product/makita-djv181z-cordless-jig-saw-with-brushless-motor
Dylan Bott
The Makita is 10 inches??
Raoul
I’ve had the aflexvolt miter saw for about a year. It rocks. It would be nice if it was lighter but I expected a heavy saw.
ktash
I’d be interested in hearing about dust collection with any/all of these saws. I’m not looking to replace my Hitachi corded fixed saw, but it would be tempting if there were much, much, much better dust collection than the Hitachi. The Makita looks promising, so I hope they bring it up to snuff. But what about the others? The Festool is too far out of my price range or I’d have bought it a long time ago.
Stuart
“Good” dust collection on a miter saw is still so-so. It’s such an open environment that even with a good dust collector, there’s going to be dust that doesn’t make it to the collector.
I have never tried the Festool, but I’ve heard some mixed and negative feelings about its construction and value.
Austin
Dust collection on the kapex is very good. Best for any miter saw out there. But it still doesn’t get it all. Probably the worst dust collection of any festool. Seams it’s just hard to have perfect dc on amiter Saw in general. My dad is in the market for a cordless Saw. He is looking for reviews on the makita. Doesn’t seem there are many out there.
fred
Like many other tools the perfect miter saw has yet to be invented. The Kapex gets some very good reviews with some mixed reviews too – some owners citing motor failures. I know nothing about the Kapex from personal experience – but we had mixed experience with a small fleet of Bosch GCM12SD’s – some returned right out of the box, some working nearly perfectly for years, and some having/developing slop in the glide-path.
Again – maybe this all has to do with the current state of quality (or lack thereof) in manufacturing.
jtr165
The 10″ Milwaukee has been noted in nearly every review for very poor dust collection, regardless of using a bag or extraction. The head slides away from the port because of the rail design, so particularly on cuts needing the added capacity…it just throws dust everywhere…
I’ve only used the dewalt, but it uses a very traditional collection port that moves with the blade…like most…and overall it’s described as acceptable.
JoeM
Damn… I was hoping a review of the DeWALT DHS790 kit would somehow make me want one less… it has only made me want one MORE. I can’t afford the thing as it is, and now I just downright NEED one.
Sheesh… This site is both a blessing AND a Curse at the same time.
Fm2176
Glad I picked one up when I did. Also got the table saw. If you really want one, comb your nearby Home Depot stores. They are now $400, and the table saws are $250. I had to settle for the display table saw since the last three new in box saws sold within three days, but two stores still had the miter saw displays. I paid $560 + tax for both, so now is the time to go for FlexVolt.
Interestingly, as I walked through the store an older gentleman inquired about the displays. I though he was trying to score the table saw I’d just looked at, but he was asking about the miter saw, which this store had raised to full retail price during the free miter stand promo. I guess the display didn’t have the accessories, so the other customer settled for the Milwaukee miter saw with a DeWalt stand. I ended up getting another $50 knocked off the table saw since it was missing the charger and blade.
Todd Lackey
I have both the DeWalt flexvolt and the Milwaukee 18 volt 9.0 ah lithium although you can do bigger Cuts with the DeWalt 12 inch flexvolt the Milwaukee 10 inch 18 volt 9ah h last a hell of a lot longer than the two big dewalt batteries
Steve D.
My old man just scored the dewalt 60v with 2 batteries and the adaptor on clearance for $400 at Home Depot. Keep an eye out if your store has a clearance end cap.
Gary
Stuart, any thoughts on HD’s Deal of the Day? Flexvolt kits at $400-$500?
Stuart
Definitely a great buy!
Sam
I have a 36v Makita 10″ miter saw and love it. Very accurate in cuts, I do trim and like a 10″ way better for precision cuts than a 12″. 12 has too much blade deflection. The cordless saw is heavy though.
I also have the makita LS1016L and though smooth is not as good.
I do think the shadow line is better than laser but I hardly ever use the laser anyway.