9 Best Compound Miter Saws for Woodworking – Tested in 2025

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Compound miter saws replaced radial arm saws as the ultimate tool for making cross cuts, miters and bevels, and since it did, no other tool have replaced it.

Today, most people don’t even know what a radial arm saw is, but every body know about miter saws. And the reason is simply because no better tool have come up to replace it. It get’s the job done.

If you want to make any type of angled cross cuts, whether across the width of a board or through the thickness of the board, a compound miter saw is the best tool for it.

Miter saws come in different types, shapes and sizes, and with different features from different manufacturers and brands.

So, in this article, we’ve tested some of the best miter saws in the market, and we’ve created a list of the 9 best units you can use for your projects.

Here is a comparison table showing them.

Compound Miter Saw Comparison Table

Our Top Picks

We’ve done our testing and research, and we’ve picked the following selection of compound miter saws as the best. We considered everything from their cut capacity, to ease of making adjustments (like setting angles and bevels), blade, overall design, portability and power. All of them below meet these criteria.

Dewalt DWS780 12-inch Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw

Price: Check Amazon

Although the sliding rails cause it to take up more space than necessary, the Dewalt DWS780 gets the job done in a quick, clean, and neat fashion, and it’s still one of the best and most popular dual-bevel sliding compound miter saws you can find today. There are many improvements in this model compared to previous ones made by Dewalt.

The power cord and dust tube now move along with the dual slides, making it easier to use.

The power cord no longer hangs down from the motor, which usually causes a lot of mess when cutting extreme angles with it.

The Dewalt DWS780 has a 15 amp motor that spins the blade at a no-load speed of 4000 RPM, allowing you to make quick and precise cuts even through hardwood materials.

It has a lot of cutting capacity because it has tall sliding fences capable of supporting crown moldings up to 7-1/2 inches nested and base moldings up to 6-3/4 inches clamped vertically against the fence.

Miters can be cut easily up to 60 degrees to the right and 50 degrees to the left with 10 positive detents at commonly used angles.

The blade can be beveled up to 45 degrees, both left and right.

Perhaps, one of the most eye-catching features of the DWS780 is the new XPS cutline system. It lights the blades from both sides, casting a shadow of the blade kerf on the workpiece.

So, there’s no guessing where it will cut. You know the exact place your blade is going to shop off. I believe it is handy and far better than a laser which you may have to calibrate frequently. Whether you switch to another blade or not, the XPS cutline system will still work the same without any adjustment.

For those carrying out decorative trimming work, the XPS LED system makes it easy to set the angle when you only know the line you want to cut.

The stops that come with it are pre-aligned, and they’re very accurate. You can check just to be sure using a digital protractor.

The major downside is that it’s pretty heavy. So you need some really good arms to carry this yourself.

However, with a rolling compound miter saw stand, you can get it wherever you want. Apart from that, every other thing about it is excellent.

Festool Kapex KS 120 Sliding Compound Miter Saw – Best 10 Inch

Price: Check Amazon

As at the time of writing this review, the Festool Kapex is the most expensive compound miter saw you can ever get for your projects.

It’s like the Rolls-Royce of miter saws.

It surpasses every other model in terms of price. But why is it so expensive? Three reasons. Accuracy, easy angle adjustments, and the best dust extraction.

To me, those are the main reasons why the Festool Kapex eclipses the rest in terms of price.

It’s also very compact when compared to the other ones reviewed here. Just like the Bosch gliding saw and the Delta Cruzer with robotic arms, you can set the Kapex against the wall of your shop, saving almost 2 feet of space for you.

It incorporates a rail forward design where the rails are at the front of the saw instead of the back.

Many other miter saws have rails that protrude out of the back, consuming more shop space which might already be limited.

But with the Festool Kapex 120, that extra space is available for you to work.

Making bevel and miter adjustments is easy, as you can make micro-adjustments to the bevel angle using a rotary knob just at the front of the saw.

The bevel scale is very large, and the pointers are very fine, making it easy to set up angles to make cuts.

The Kapex comes equipped with dual lasers that show the cut’s precise kerf, making it easy to align the blade and workpiece and make the cut as accurately as possible.

With a dust extraction of 91 percent, you get to work in a healthy and comfortable environment instead of a dusty one. No other miter saw is as efficient in dust collection as the Kapex.

Related: 13 Tips And Tricks To Help You Get The Best Out Of Your Miter Saw

Bosch GCM12SD Double Bevel Gliding Compound Miter Saw | Best For Workshop Use

Price: Check Amazon

Bosch brings out one of the best designs and construction with this GCM12SD double-bevel gliding compound miter saw.

Notice it’s not sliding but gliding because it has an axial glide system. The axial glide system does not use the traditional rail setup of other sliding miter saws, which can get messed up and usually requires regular maintenance to keep working perfectly.

Instead, it uses a robotic gliding arm that makes it possible to glide the blade to and fro through the workpiece effortlessly.

This makes it possible to sit it just against the wall of your workshop, helping you save an extra 12″ of space that could have been occupied with the rails of a traditional sliding arm. If you want to use it in a very tight garage, then you will find this feature very useful.

With that out of the way, the Bosch GCM12SD comes equipped with a 12-inch blade powered by a 15 amp motor with a no-load speed of 3800 RPM.

It has one of the largest miter-cutting capacities along with the Dewalt DWS780, with the capacity to cut miters up to 60 degrees to the right and 52 degrees to the left, while bevel cuts can be made 47 degrees both left and right.

Setting up the Bosch GCM12SD is also very easy and intuitive. It requires only minor alignments out of the box.

It comes equipped with a quick-release square lock fence which comes aligned out of the box at 90 degrees to the saw’s table and requires little or no adjustments.

The fence uses an easy lock and unlocks feature, making it easy to slide it perfectly into position for easy and accurate workpiece alignment.

The saw comes with a 60-tooth Bosch carbide blade for smooth and easy cuts.

This blade might not be adequate or may not provide the cut quality and smoothness required by those carrying out cabinet or furniture work. However, if you’re into projects like framing and deck building, you will be fine with it.

If you desire smoother cuts, you can purchase a 96-tooth Freud or Forest blade, which will give you that extra smoothness you desire.

The only feature the Bosch GCM12SD lacks is laser lighting to mark the blade kerf and guide your cuts.

The dust bag that comes with it could be more useful, but you can always hook a shop vac to the dust port for a more efficient dust collection. 

As for size and weight, it’s big and heavy, making it an excellent choice as a workshop miter saw rather than a job site saw.

Overall, the Bosch GCM12SD is a top-notch CMS that will help you get the job done quickly and accurately.

Craftsman CMCS714M1 Compound Miter Saw

Price: Check Amazon

At first glance, the Craftsman CMCS714M1 miter saw might not look like a battery-powered tool, but if you observe it properly, you’ll find out it is. The CMCS714M1 is actually among the Craftsman V20 system.

Since it’s a battery-powered tool, you can use it anywhere you like as long as you have a fully charged battery. In fact, you can make over 500 cuts with a fully charged V20 battery, ensuring you can use it to complete any small to medium sized project before it runs down.

Over 500 cuts per a single charge is no small feat, and this tool really exceeded my expectation.

The saw makes use of a 7-1/4 inch blade which when compared with a 12 inch or a 10 inch blade is quite small. However, this is a sliding unit, that means you can make wider cuts up to 8 inches at 90 degrees and 5-1/2 inches at 45 degrees by just sliding the blade across the material.

For power, the Craftsman CMCS714M1 sliding miter saw comes equipped with a 3800 RPM motor, which ensures it has the muscle to cut through different kinds of boards, including 2x dimensional lumber, softwood and even hardwood.

Adjusting it is easy and quick, with up to 9 casted miter detents, allowing you to cut commonly used miters without struggling or taking so much time.

The included LED cut line position system improves your accuracy especially if you’re new to using a tool like this, ensuring you make the right cut every time.

When you’re done using the tool, it easily folds away smartly with a very good handle to carry it around. This makes it very portable and a good option for you if you’re a handyman or someone who needs a very mobile or compact unit to use in jobsite conditions.

My favorite thing about this Craftsman miter saw is that, with all the features and capacity it has, it’s still fairly price, making it a very good option for someone with a limited budget.

Delta Cruzer 26-2241

Price: Check Amazon

If you want something a little more robotic, then you should look no further than Delta’s revolutionary Cruzer saw with robotic arms that helps you glide the saw effortlessly through cuts.

The robotic Cruzer arm is made of military grade aluminum with heavy duty bearings that allow it move with a smooth fluid motion during cuts.

You can even adjust the tension of the robotic cruzer arm to make it glide just the way you want it.

With the Delta Cruzer miter saw, you can make crosscuts up to 16 inches wide and crown moldings up to 6.25 inches wide.

It’s a dual bevel saw that bevels 45 degrees left and right, and miters 50 degrees left and 60 degrees right, with 10 miter detents to help you make quick adjustments at commonly used angles.

Equipped with a 15 amp motor, the blade spins at a speed of 4000 RPM (no-load), making it easy to cut precisely through both hardwood and softwood.

Every adjustments is easy to make with an easy to read miter scale. The molded handle and full size trigger makes the saw very ergonomic and easy to handle

If you’re thinking about getting one, the latest model of the Delta Cruzer saw is the Delta 26-2241. Although the Cruzer saws are available in 12 and 10 inch blade versions the the Delta 26-2241 comes with a 10 inch blade.

Wen MM1011T Miter Saw

Price: Check Amazon

Wen has several models of miter saws to choose from, but I particularly like this model MM1011T. It’s a 10 inch dual-bevel sliding miter saw you can use for your projects.

I like this model particular because it’s compact, and the overall design of this one is just better in my own eyes.

Like I said, it’s a dual bevel saw, and you can bevel up to 45 degrees in both directions. I wonder why they left it at just 45 degrees. Other saws can go further. Not a big deal though, unless you’re installing some really complex crown moldings and trim.

The Wen MM1011T leaves nothing to be desired in terms of power, with a blade speed of 4500 RPM, it cuts through any type of wood you put through it.

You can cut boards up to 12 inches wide and 3-1/2 inches thick. And you can cut 7-1/2 inch nested crown moldings and 6-3/4 inch base boards.

All in all, the Wen MM1011T comes with everything you need to carry out all your cross cuts, whether you’re carrying out diy projects at home, or you’re a pro using it on the jobsite.

Dovaman DMS03G Sliding Miter Saw

Price: Check Amazon

This Dovaman is a pretty new brand to me, but it does tick all the boxes of things I look for when getting a miter saw.

It’s got a big 12 inch blade, offering you a large cut capacity, but the overall saw in itself is not too big and bulky. It’s pretty compact. And the blade spins up to 3800 revolutions per minute, which means it will eat through any wood you want to cut with it.

It’s also a sliding miter saw, and bevels up to 45 degrees on both sides. So, if you want to use it for trim work, it’s perfectly capable.

The Dovaman comes equipped with a laser, so you can line up your cuts as accurately as possible so you don’t make any mistakes.

As for the build quality, everything looks great.

I can’t say the same though for the blade that comes with it. It’s a mediocre 12 inch 40 tooth blade. If you want to get the smoothest of cuts, you’ve got to ditch that and get a better one.

It all depends on the kind of projects you carry out though. For trim work, you need a really good blade. But for carpentry work, like framing, this 40 tooth blade will work just fine.

Skil MS6305-00 10 Inch Dual Bevel Miter Saw

Price: Check Amazon

If you want a very affordable and solid dual-bevel sliding compound miter saw from a trusted tool brand, one of the best ones I’ll recommend is this Skil MS6305-00.

This is a compound miter saw with a 10 inch blade, dual-bevel that will allow you make all the different types of crosscuts you’d like to make on the jobsite or even in your workshop.

Even though it’s got almost all the features you need, it comes at a very affordable price, just below 300 bucks.

Equipped with a 15 amp motor, the 10 inch blade connected to it spins at 4800 RPM no load speed, allowing you to make every cut with great precision and accuracy.

It’s almost impossible to believe, but this cheap Skil 10 inch miter saw also comes an LED shadow line blade positioning system similar to Dewalt’s XPS system that casts a shadow of the blade’s kerf on the cut line, allowing you to see where the blade will cut through when you pull it down.

The Skil MS6305-00 can be used to make bevel cuts to both directions up to 50 degrees, and can be used to cut 2x12s at 90 degrees and 2x8s at 45 degrees.

11 positive miter detents at 0, 15, 22.5 31.6 and 45 degrees respectively both left and right makes it easier to adjust and use the saw for a variety of applications such as crown moldings and trim installation.

All in all, if you want an affordable and top quality dual-bevel sliding compound miter saw with all the features and specs you need to carry out the most complex of cuts on the jobsite, this Skil MS6305-00 is definitely one of the options you might want to consider.

9. Makita LS1219L

Price: Check Amazon

The Makita LS1219L is the newest model of their tried and trusted LS models. If you’ve used any of the previous LS units in the past like the LS1013 and the LS1018, then you’d surely like this one.

This is bigger and better model you can use for your projects. Instead of a 10 inch blade, you’ve got a big 12 inch blade that will afford you more cross cut capacity.

The sliding rail design has also been changed to reduce footprint of the saw. It’s no longer sticking out from the back, but now side by side with the blade arm, so you an place the saw against the wall, and still make cuts conveniently without any obstruction.

When making bevel cuts, you can make your adjustments and lock the bevel right from the front, and not the back, which is also very convenient, unlike what’s found in many other compound miter saws.

It even has a built-in laser to increase your accuracy, and it the blade delivers up to 3,200 RPM of speed, which is not as much as most of the other units in this list, but it get’s the job done.

How To Choose The Best Compound Miter Saw – Buyer’s Guide

First of, you need to know the type of compound miter saw you want. There are different types out there. So, know the one you want definitely helps narrow down the selection for you.

Types of Compound Miter Saws

Even though these saws come in different types, design and configurations, their main function stays the same. Which is to crosscut dimensioned lumber.

If we are to categorize them, there are 4 main types of miter saws. They are:

• Sliding
• Non-Sliding
• Single-Bevel
• Dual-Bevel

Sliding Compound Miter Saws

Sliding compound miter saws are designed mainly to increase their crosscut capacity. They come equipped with rails that allows the saw arm to slide to and fro, allowing you to cut much wider boards than you would have been able to cut, if it were non-sliding.

For instance, a typical 12 inch non-sliding miter saw can crosscut only up to 8 inches of 2×8 inch dimensional lumber at 90 degrees. Whereas, a typical 12 inch sliding miter saw can cross cut up to 16 inches that same lumber.

So, the main purposes of the sliding function is to increase the crosscut capacity.

Different manufacturers have their own design of the rails though. Som put the rails behind the saw, which really increase it’s footprint, because you have to make sure there’s enough space at the back for the rails to move through.

Some place it at the side which reduces the saw’s footprint, because there’s no protruding rails at the back.

While some manufacturers don’t even use rails at all. For instance, both Delta tools and Bosch don’t use rails as you will see below. They use some type of robotic arm that allows you to glide the saw blade to and fro across the workpiece.

Sliding Miter Saw

Non-sliding compound miter saws are the opposite of what I just described above. They have a fixed arm that only goes up and down.

They’re mainly designed for projects where you don’t need to cut very wide boards, like hardwood flooring, baseboard installation, building framing, furniture making, and most diy woodworking projects.

Single and Dual-Bevel Compound Miter Saws

One thing you need to know is that, it can only be called a “Compound” miter saw if it can cut bevels as well. If it can’t cut bevels, it’s just a miter saw.

It’s single bevel, if it bevels in one direction. It’s double bevel, if you can cut bevels with it on both directions, left and right.

Dual bevels are very useful for complex trim work where you need to cut really complex angles.

If you’re not some pro woodworker who wants to use it for some really complex molding installation and trim work, a single bevel unit will do just fine for you.

Features To Look When Choosing A Miter Saw

Here are a few important features you should look for when making your choice.

Look for clearly marked scale

A clearly marked scale allows you to make measurements quickly and ensures your cuts are as accurate as possible.

Without a clearly marked scale, you’ll find it difficult cutting miters and making bevel cuts. So, make sure the compound miter saw you buy has a clearly marked scale.

You shouldn’t need your reading glasses to read the scale.

Make sure the miter angle have solid detent presets

Cutting miters or angles is one of the important reasons of getting a miter saw. After all, it’s called a miter saw, or in simpler terms, angle saw.

Solid detents presets allow you to set the miter table easily and quickly cut most common angles needed for most projects.

Ensure fence is solid enough to support materials

A very important component or part of a compound miter saw is the fence. It can’t be flimsy. A flimsy or fragile fence will fail and disappoint you.

That’s why I always advice that you go with the well-known brands like Makita, Dewalt, Festool, Bosch, Delta and the rest.

Even if you’re not choosing a saw from a well-known or recognized brand, make sure the saw you choose is backed with a very good warranty, so you can ensure if it fails before you’ve had any use from it you can have it returned and get a better one or get your money back and still get a better one from a well-known brand this time.

Smooth sliding action

What good is a sliding compound miter saw when the sliding action is as rough as a bad ball bearing? I’d say not good at all.

That’s why when you’re getting a sliding compound miter saw, you need to make sure that the sliding action is very smooth…

You don’t need to force the saw to slide through the cut. If you’re forcing it, it’s not worth it. So, if you’re buying offline from your local hardware or tool dealer, make sure you test the saw and check if it slides well.

If you’re buying online, check the reviews to make sure that there’re no complaints regarding how well the saw slides. If there are, move on from that saw and find something better.

Check dust collection and the location of the dust port

Although they don’t produce as much dust as a wood planer does, miter saws produce a fair amount of sawdust. And unless the dust is properly collected, your shop and the air around you can easily turn into a huge mess.

With proper dust collection however, that can be prevented. So, make sure the one you choose have a simple dust port where you can attach your shop vac to get the sawdust collected and stored for other uses.

Check for good blade guide system

Never operate a compound miter saw without a blade guard. So, if you see one without a blade guard, run.

Trigger locking feature – single and ambidextrous trigger locks

Ensure the one you choose have a trigger lock feature. When the miter saw is not in use, you need to engage the trigger lock.

This will ensure that the saw does not turn on when you or someone else accidentally presses the trigger.

Some saws come with a single trigger lock located at the saw handle, while others features an ambidextrous trigger lock so you can engage the trigger lock no matter which hand you’re using to operate the saw.

Accessories – laser guides and lights

If there are certain additional features and accessories you’d like to have, then you need to check for them too. Additional features like a laser or shadow line tech found in certain miter saws are things some people consider.

Blade size

Blade size is a very important option you need to choose very carefully when buying compound miter saws.

They come in 3 main blade sizes. The 7-1/4 inch blade, 10 inch blade and the 12 inch blade.

If you’re using it for woodworking, then you need not concern yourself with a 7-1/4 inch blade unit because it has a very small cut capacity.

10 inch blade miter saws are usually ideal for most woodworking projects that don’t require a large cut capacity.

A 10 inch blade though will still give you a larger cut capacity that a 7-1/4 inch blade unit.

With a 12 inch blade you have a very large cut capacity, especially when the saw is a sliding 12 inch compound miter saw.

In terms of blade size, keep in mind though that the smaller the blade the cheaper it is. 10 inch blades are far cheaper than 12 inch blades.

That means, if you get a 10 inch unit, you’ll find it cheaper to replace the blade when it gets bad or blunt than when you get a 12 inch blade saw.

The tooth count of the blade is also very important. Although you can always replace or change the blade that comes with your miter saw.

A higher tooth counts means clean neater cuts good for fine woodworking projects like furniture making and finish carpentry.

Low tooth count blades produce less neat or clean cuts and are ideal for cutting framing lumber and for DIY projects.

Space or footprint

I’ve talked about this before. You need to consider the space you have in your shop before making your choice.

Most sliding compound miter saws occupy a large footprint and thus needs more space to operate them.

Non-sliding units however, are more compact and occupy a smaller footprint making them ideal for woodworkers with very limited workshop space.

Corded vs cordless or battery operated

This is another important option you have to consider before choosing. Do you want a corded unit or a cordless one?

If you’re going to be operating the saw away from your shop most of the time, then you probably need a cordless compound miter saw.

Today there’re units that are both corded and cordless such as the Dewalt Flexvolt, Makita XSL06PT, the Ryobi ONE+ and the Milwaukee M18 fuel compound miter saws, just to name a few.

As a woodworking handyman, you need cordless tools because you may not always have access to electricity.

Having a corded + cordless saw with you will really go a long way to ensure you’re well-equipped and that you do your job easily.

So ensure you take note of these features when choosing one for your projects, and I’m sure you’ll end up with the right one.