Top 10 Best Craftsman Sliding Compound Miter Saws
for December 2023

The Evolution Power Tools R255SMS+ 10" Multi-Material Compound Sliding Miter Saw is one of our favorite saws across the board. It's powerful and versatile, and it's comfortable to use. We especially liked that both the 45 degree and 22.5 degree miter angles are easily accessible on the sliding bevel clamp, and that there's a laser guidance system, which allows you to line up the saw's blade with your target line without having to stop. We also liked the quick-release hold down clamp, which allows you to easily slide the saw in and out of the clamp. This saw is easy to set up, even for beginners, and it's built to last, with high-quality parts. It's quiet, and it's one of the few saws we tested that can be moved to different locations in your home.

The WEN MM1214T 15-Amp 12-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser is a terrific saw. It offers tons of power and great performance, and it's extremely easy to use. The 15-amp motor provides plenty of power for cutting through most materials, and the dual bevels allow you to cut either to the left or the right. The saw has two bevel angles of 45 degrees and 90 degrees, and both cuts were very smooth and accurate. The 12-in. blade provided enough cutting power for cutting through 3-1/2-in. thick board, and, because the saw has a 15-amp motor, it handled large pieces of lumber with no problem. The WEN MM1214T's laser guide was very accurate, and its adjustable laser line made it easier to line up the cut. The WEN MM1214T's dust bag is large and very effective at cleaning up after the saw. The saw is light (4.7 lbs.) and easy to transport. The only down side to the WEN MM1214T is the carrying case. It's small and awkward, and it was hard to fit the saw and the dust bag in without packing them tightly.

The CRAFTSMAN V20 7-1/4-inch sliding miter saw kit is worth considering if you want a sliding miter saw that is powerful enough to handle most framing jobs, but that's also portable enough to carry to job sites. The sliding miter saw's 3,800 RPM 15-amp motor can cut 2X dimensional lumber, hardwoods, baseboard and trim with ease. The saw is compact and weighs only 25 pounds, which is light enough to carry to job sites, and it comes with a 30-foot extension cord and 10-inch saw blade. The sliding miter saw's cutting capacity is modest, however, so you'll probably need to buy a 3-1/4-inch blade for cutting larger workpieces. The saw's LED cut line positioning system is accurate, and the saw is powerful enough to handle most framing jobs, but it's smaller and lighter than our top pick, the Porter-Cable 8256VSR. The sliding miter saw also lacks some features, such as an adjustable bevel angle guide, that the Porter-Cable saw has.

The Metabo HPT Sliding Compound Miter Saw is a high-quality machine with a host of great features. It cuts with precision and accuracy, thanks to durable and precise ball bearings, a rack-and-pinion fence, and a laser marker. The laser marker and display are bright and easy to read, and the laser's 360-degree rotation makes it easy to line up cuts. The miter table has an adjustable pivot fence for added versatility, and the fence's locking lever makes it easy to make precise adjustments. The saw's 8-1/2-inch blade is long enough for a range of applications, and it's powered by a 9.5-amp motor. It has a soft-start feature and is lubricated for life. The saw's 4-7/8-inch dust port makes it easy to clean, and it has a 5-year warranty. Its small dimensions (14 x 19 x 14 inches) make it easy to store or carry, and it's lightweight (17.4 pounds). The saw also has three positive stop levels (15, 22.5, and 31.6 degrees) and a 45-degree bevel adjustment. The saw's blade guard is also dust and splinter resistant.

The 10-inch sliding compound miter saw from DeWalt is a beast of a tool. It's powerful enough to make serious cuts in wood, metal, and drywall, and the sliding function makes it easy to make accurate cuts around obstructions. The saw's dual linear slide rails provide plenty of stability, and the motor and belt drive system make the saw both smooth and powerful. The 15-amp motor has more than enough power for most jobs, and the belt drive system means there's no annoying belt noise to deal with. The saw comes with a 45-degree beveling blade, a 45-degree left and right mitering blade, and a 10-inch rip cut blade. DeWalt also throws in a 10-inch extension bar for cutting longer materials, a 2-inch extension for cutting smaller materials, a 1.5-inch dust bag, and a reusable metal table clamp for attaching tables to your work surface. The saw is easy to set up out of the box, and setup is quick and easy. The sliding fence features easy-to-read markings, and the bag clips to the saw, so it's easy to quickly stow the saw when it's not in use. The saw's linear rails provide plenty of stability, and the saw's 45-degree beveling blade makes cutting angles easy. The dust bag is very handy, as well. The saw is heavy and a bit bulky, but it's jobsite tough, so it's able to handle anything you throw at it. The sliding feature makes it easy to make accurate cuts around obstructions, and the dust bag helps keep the saw clean. The DeWalt 10-inch sliding compound miter saw is a very powerful, versatile, and affordable tool.

The Miter Saw from M&D is one of the best budget saws we tested, and it's especially well-suited to cutting large and long pieces of lumber. Its 15-amp motor provides plenty of power for cutting through hardwoods and softwoods, and its sliding compound bevel design enables you to bevel workpieces up to 45 degrees. The sliding table makes long cuts easy, and the dual side extensions provide extra support and stability when cutting extra-large board. The sliding table also holds the wood securely, so you won't have to worry about slipping workpieces when cutting long pieces. The miter saw is also relatively lightweight, at 28 pounds, and has a good handle, which is further helped by the soft-grip handle. The saw is relatively powerful, and it generates 37 foot-pounds of torque, which is enough to handle most cutting jobs, including cutting long pieces of hardwood and softwood, and cutting thick, dense wood. The 40-tooth blade is designed to handle a wide range of materials, including thick wood, and it comes with 22 positive stops for various bevel angles. The laser pointer assists with alignment, and the dust bag catches nearly all of the debris produced by the saw, keeping worksites clean. The saw comes with a 1-year warranty, and it's covered by a 60-day money-back guarantee and 90-day replacement warranty.

The best sliding compound miter saw we tested, the Metabo HPT 10-inch sliding miter saw is ideal for professionals and amateurs alike. It has a powerful motor, a great sliding table, and a powerful, accurate 12-amp motor. It's also extremely accurate, with better than 0.1-degree per inch accuracy on both miter and bevel scales. The sliding table is an accurate 1⁄4 of an inch, and there's plenty of cutting capacity; the saw can cut a 12-inch board at 45 degrees, 14-inch board at 45 degrees, and 18-inch board at 45 degrees. The saw has an electric brake, which is a great safety feature, and the bevel fence has positive stops at 0, 45, and 90 degrees, so cutting angles are easy, too. The saw also has plenty of power for cutting through 3-inch wood, and the sliding table makes cutting long pieces of wood easy. This saw has an overhead guard that can be adjusted, a dust port, and a dust extraction shroud, so dust collection is a breeze. The saw comes with a 5-year warranty and carrying case.

The General International MS3005 10-inch miter saw is our top pick for a contractor or DIYer who needs to make a lot of precise cuts. It offers 110V power, a powerful 1800 watt motor, and a sharp, carbide-tipped blade that makes fast work of materials up to 3 inch thick. The 45-degree left and right bevels and the compound 45-degree left and right miters make quick work of crown moldings and picture frames, and the laser alignment system ensures accurate cuts every time. The saw's 10-inch cutting capacity is enough for framing jobs, and it's 15 amp motor is enough to power through larger jobs. The saw is also a little less expensive than the DeWalt DCS355, but General's saw offers less power, a smaller 10-inch blade, and a smaller 6-inch cutting capacity. The DeWalt's battery is removable, but General's battery is built into the saw. Both saws have the same 0-45° bevel, but General's saw costs 30% more. The DeWalt's 3-inch bevel is 1 degree shallower, but General's saw costs 30% less.

The Genesis GMSDR1015LC is a high-quality miter saw, and it's our best-scoring model. It's quiet (a slight hum) and cuts smoothly, thanks to a powerful 15-amp motor and a motor brake that stops the blade in 0.5 seconds. The sliding fence is easy to set up and adjust, and the blade guard provides plenty of protection. The laser guide, which costs extra, is an invaluable tool for making accurate, consistent miter cuts. The saw is also better than most at clearing dust and debris from the cutting area, and the dust bag is large and deep. The saw's dust-collection system is the best of any model we tested, and the dust bag has a flap that seals shut to keep dust out of the blade. The saw has 4-amp charging ports, so you don't need to waste electricity running two saws at once. The saw's 10-inch blade leaves a little to be desired since it's a little too small for serious woodworking, but it's perfect for occasional projects. The saw comes with a 60T carbide-tipped blade, but the blade included with our top pick, the DeWalt DWS780, is more versatile. The saw's fence alignment marks are hard to see, so we recommend using the laser guide for accurate cuts. The saw is also a little bulky, so it isn't ideal if you need to move it frequently.

The sliding miter saw is another entry from SMADRON, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of power tools, and it's an excellent saw for carpenters, general contractors, and DIYers. This sliding miter saw is more powerful than the Makita 10-inch sliding miter saw we reviewed last year, but the Makita saw is more compact, lighter, and less expensive. The sliding miter saw has a solid build, large worktable, and laser alignment system. The miter angle adjustment is precise and the software is intuitive. The laser is a nice feature, but it's more useful for precise crosscuts than for bevel cuts. The saw has comfortable, ergonomic handles, and it comes with a bunch of accessories, including a dust bag, a miter gauge, a blade guard, and a hex wrench. The saw's speed selector has two settings: 4800 rpm for soft metals and 3200 rpm for wood. The sliding miter saw is powerful enough for most tasks, and it's accurate enough for professional applications. However, the saw's blade guard is made of plastic, and the saw is fairly heavy for its size.