best 12" sliding bevel miter saw

vpd66 · Sep 21, 2018

Ok. I'm in the market for a 12" sliding bevel miter saw. I've looked at Bosch,Dewalt,Milwaukee, Harbor Freight (Ya, I know), and Delta. They all seem pretty decent and each has there own unique features. My question is: is there a certain brand or model that everyone prefers? I Googled it and watched a couple generic review videos but they seem like sales videos more then reviews. So tell me guys! Whats your favorite 12" sliding bevel miter saw?

Notgrownup · Sep 21, 2018

I picked up a Hitachi on Black Friday at Lowe’s and I love it...put a better blade on it and it cuts really nice and straight.
In fairness, I haven’t tried the other ones you list, I’m sure the brand name ones you mention are also good...
On this piece of equipment I stayed away from HF.

Pen & Wrench · Sep 21, 2018

I did something similar. I waited till I had a siding project and I needed a miter saw that would cut wider stuff than my 12 inch Makita non-slider. I ended up with the DeWalt 12 inch slider with the LED cut line indicator. It came with a stand. I like it a lot for what I do with it. If money was no object, the Metabo is built a little different, and probably could be just a bit more accurate, but for me the DeWalt works really well for me.

Kaizen · Sep 21, 2018

I bought the Bosch to cut some large trim. It just didn’t impress me. Yea it works but for 650 bucks I want a little fuzzy feeling. Tough to unlock the bevel. Have to adjust fences a lot so the saw doesn’t bind. Expected the slide to be a little more smooth

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PureLeaf · Sep 21, 2018

I have the 12" Bosch axial glide, got it on a deal/discount for 520, stand cost me 180, its nice but its super heavy and ***** to move around. I retrofitted it with the dewalt XPS light for another 20 bucks.

I've used the Dewalt 780. For the price the dewalt goes for sometimes (like 400 with stand included), I would go with that given a second chance.

Nothing bad about the bosch, or about the dewalt. As an infrequent user of a miter saw, and when I am using it, I'm generally also having to move it somewhere (it doesn't sit in a stationary workshop for instance), using the heaviest saw out there can kinda ****. I saw feel like the Axial glide system probably shines the most in a workshop where backing it against a wall saves space.

As Kaizen said, the bevel is a bit difficult too especially when you want to bevel to the right (uses an extra control to do right vs left)

heres mine at night with the Dewalt XPS light I added

Nermal43 · Sep 22, 2018

Love my dewalt and stand. Easy to load with ramps into the truck and cuts great. Had it for 8 years or so and it still cuts like new.

Deception · Sep 22, 2018

I have the Dewalt DWS780 12" slider, I noticed most contractors in the area seem to have it. They go on sale sometimes for $500 with 16' stand..
Its a pretty nice saw, the sliding action is not quite as smooth as the Makita but its also $200 cheaper

Miss the Pontiacs · Sep 22, 2018

I have the Milwaukee and can’t complain. Bought it at HD when the sales rep was demos for the customers. He even threw in a couple of T shirts with the purchase.

speed bump · Sep 22, 2018

I have the Bosch glide saw, overall it's pretty nice for the price I paid. While it isn't the most rigid saw I have ever used it has been great for the house and a half worth of trim I have used it for.

I'm not sure what constitutes best though. Personally I needed reasonably accurate and a glide type system. That meant Bosch, Makita, and Hitachi at the time. I bought the Bosch because it was on clearance at Home Despot.

ddawg16 · Sep 22, 2018

Most of the sliders are pretty equal when it comes to straight and angle cuts.

It's the compound miter cuts that start to reveal the worth of a saw....especially the back stop.

My Ryobi is not a slider.....about it's only weakness is the backstop which could really stand to be a little taller. I'm tempted to sell it and buy a slider.....

As for laser guides....mine has one...battery died years ago....I don't need it.

MushCreek · Sep 22, 2018

I bought the Ridgid 12" (hold the crude jokes) when HD had them on sale for $350. I used it to build my house, and love it. I found a used Ridgid rolling/folding stand, and it works great. The wheels are very large diameter, which is great rolling around a construction site, and it folds up/ sets up very easily. The saw itself is too heavy to hump around without a stand.

Notgrownup · Sep 22, 2018

C12RSH2 from Hitachi from Lowes with the stand is the one I have. Main reason I picked it was for space saving, it slides on the arm therefore I can use it against the wall.

03. · Sep 22, 2018

A vote here for the Makita. Had it 5 years never bucked at anything I have thrown at it.

trekgod3 · Sep 22, 2018

I picked up a used Dewalt dw708 on eBay, it's been great so far. Only downside is no laser or led shadow light.

shawhite · Sep 22, 2018

Best miter saw I would have to give to festools kapex. Personally I can’t justify the cost of a kapex so I got a 10in Bosch glider simply because I can put it up against a wall and save space. I have never found the need for a 12in saw. I can cut 4x4 in one pass, can cut 12in wide boards in one pass, and 10in blades are cheaper. Just my 2 cents

alexb2000 · Sep 22, 2018

I have the Bosch GCM12SD. It has the advantage of being able to place it near a wall and that is really nice. I bought it instead of the Kapex, because I am doing carpentry not fine furniture out of irreplaceable African hardwood. I am a fan of the Bosch gravity rise roller stands (I even have one on my Dewalt table saw) so moving it isn't bad as long as you can put it in a truck bed or trailer. For quick portability ie. upstairs, then I use a Hitachi 10" that I got from a pawn shop for $50.

I don't think there is one "best" answer. I have three miter saws and I can still see an advantage other saws like a cordless, 8" slider, etc. depending on the job.

vpd66 · Sep 22, 2018

alexb2000 said:
I have the Bosch GCM12SD. It has the advantage of being able to place it near a wall and that is really nice. I bought it instead of the Kapex, because I am doing carpentry not fine furniture out of irreplaceable African hardwood. I am a fan of the Bosch gravity rise roller stands (I even have one on my Dewalt table saw) so moving it isn't bad as long as you can put it in a truck bed or trailer. For quick portability ie. upstairs, then I use a Hitachi 10" that I got from a pawn shop for $50.

I don't think there is one "best" answer. I have three miter saws and I can still see an advantage other saws like a cordless, 8" slider, etc. depending on the job.

I understand that there isn't one "best" saw and that certain saws will work better for certain situations. I'm just wanting to make sure I'm getting a saw that is worth what I'm paying for it. So far it looks like I'll be shopping for a Dewalt DWS780. I did want a Bosch but it looks like the Dewalt will do what the Bosch will for a little less money and it will fit my needs.

alexb2000 · Sep 22, 2018

vpd66 said:
I understand that there isn't one "best" saw and that certain saws will work better for certain situations. I'm just wanting to make sure I'm getting a saw that is worth what I'm paying for it. So far it looks like I'll be shopping for a Dewalt DWS780. I did want a Bosch but it looks like the Dewalt will do what the Bosch will for a little less money and it will fit my needs.

Nothing wrong with the Dewalt, I have had the fixed 12" compound for 15 years and it is still going strong.

What are you going to mount it on?

Kilgore Trout · Sep 22, 2018

Another vote for the Dewalt 780. I have one and love it. Used it to build an entertainment center, a fence, a bunch of bookshelves, trim in multiple rooms, and now a deck.

No problems at all. I have more than made back the money I spent on it. It got it when HD had a sale where you got the stand for free.

MrElectric03 · Sep 22, 2018

I have the harbor frieght with an 80 tooth diablo blade and have no complaints. I don't use it as much as some do. Did some laminate floors and built my work bench with it. If I used it more I probably would have bought a dewalt or something but for as little as I use it and with a nice blade it fits the bill for me.

Davefr · Sep 22, 2018

vpd66 said:
Ok. I'm in the market for a 12" sliding bevel miter saw. I've looked at Bosch,Dewalt,Milwaukee, Harbor Freight (Ya, I know), and Delta. They all seem pretty decent and each has there own unique features. My question is: is there a certain brand or model that everyone prefers? I Googled it and watched a couple generic review videos but they seem like sales videos more then reviews. So tell me guys! Whats your favorite 12" sliding bevel miter saw?

You said "best". However I would have expected the user reviews to be better for a saw that costs $1500.

For a more affordable option:
I bought the Dewalt DWS780 a few months ago when Amazon had the promotion screwup that came bundled with the DWX726 stand. It's a fine miter saw and I really love the stand.

The saw came dead nuts on. (no alignment needed)

Finky198 · Sep 22, 2018

1+ on the DWS780 another long time user here... I have the big stand as well got it free with the promo... Cant say enough good things about the whole package...

A few better blades are the only major up grade. oh and maybe a vacuum.

Notgrownup · Sep 22, 2018

That Dewalt is nice, I wanted it but it was like$200 more than the Hitachi one...

vpd66 · Sep 22, 2018

MrElectric03 said:
I have the harbor frieght with an 80 tooth diablo blade and have no complaints. I don't use it as much as some do. Did some laminate floors and built my work bench with it. If I used it more I probably would have bought a dewalt or something but for as little as I use it and with a nice blade it fits the bill for me.

I'll be mounting it on a portable stand I already have. It has universal mounting so I shouldn't' have a problem mounting it.

vpd66 · Sep 22, 2018

Finky198 said:
1+ on the DWS780 another long time user here... I have the big stand as well got it free with the promo... Cant say enough good things about the whole package...

A few better blades are the only major up grade. oh and maybe a vacuum.

What better blades are you using?

Wamsutta · Sep 22, 2018

vpd66 said:
What better blades are you using?

Probably Diablo. Their blades are such leaps and bounds better than the competition, there's really no need to look anywhere else. They cut extremely smooth with minimal waste and they are nearly silent. All you hear is the sound of the saw's motor during the cut. My 7 1/4" x 24T framing blade will leave a cut that looks like a 60T blade cut it.

Trey T · Sep 22, 2018

Makita LS1219L 15 Amp 12 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser

https://www.homedepot.com/p/304303362

Essentially a Festool Kapex but 12” @ 1/4 price

LXCam · Sep 22, 2018

Another vote on the dewalt 780. I bought mine a year or so ago and right off the bat needed to cut a 45 degree bevel on some 12" wide material. Out of the box it was dead nuts on, I was very impressed.

Wamsutta · Sep 22, 2018

The first thing I would recommend checking out is the trigger safety switch; those things can be extremely aggravating if they don't function easy or are put in the wrong place to where you have to stretch your finger over to activate it.

tarbellb · Sep 22, 2018

Only 4 saws I would consider

Kapex --------best / expensive / space saving
Dewalt 780 ------------ overall best / shadowline sys
Makita LS1219L ------------- also excellent + / dust collection / space saving
sleeper
Hitachi C10FSHC ------------ cheap / space saving

wildbill23c · Sep 22, 2018

If you have a wallet with too much money buy the stupid Festool ****, or a regular Dewalt will work just fine. I have a 10" and a 12" from Harbor Freight, both work just fine setting the tool up so its accurate is the biggest thing that 99% of people neglect, they think their $1,000 fancy saw is accurate because they just paid $1,000 for it so they never even bother to check, then they throw it in the back of their truck, van, trailer, etc. daily and totally defeat the point of having anything accurate at all LOL...must be why so many houses have nothing in them that is level or square.

Finky198 · Sep 23, 2018

vpd66 said:
What better blades are you using?

Wamsutta said:
Probably Diablo. Their blades are such leaps and bounds better than the competition, there's really no need to look anywhere else. They cut extremely smooth with minimal waste and they are nearly silent. All you hear is the sound of the saw's motor during the cut. My 7 1/4" x 24T framing blade will leave a cut that looks like a 60T blade cut it.

Yup we have 5-6 blades. 4 are diablos in different tooth counts.

vpd66 · Sep 23, 2018

So I did a little shopping around town yesterday afternoon and then did some more research online. My local Fleet Farm has a Dewalt DWS709 on sale for $340. Researched the specs on it and it looks like it has less cutting capacity then the 780 and doesn't have the XPS light but otherwise the same saw. I also came to the conclusion that the DWS779 is the same saw has the 780 but doesn't have the XPS light and is $200 cheaper then the 780. The 779 can be had for $380-$400. So now I'm trying to decide which one to get. I also have a few more local places to shop yet before I make my decision. It kind of ***** that I need to have a saw in the next couple weeks for some fall projects otherwise I would wait for Black Friday and I'm sure I would get a better deal.

GaryM909 · Sep 23, 2018

I picked up the DWS779 this past January from Home Depot. Lowes had them on sale and HD price matched plus beat them by 10%. I got it for $380 Canadian (about $300 US). I didn't really need a 12" but the 10" wasn't on sale. Its just for home projects and will probably sit on a shelf most of the time. I bought a used Dewalt saw horse style stand to go with it. Together they both work well. I bought it to do some crown moulding in my kitchen and it worked well and was accurate.

vpd66 · Sep 23, 2018

Went to my local Ace Hardware and they have a 780 on sale for $589. Strange thing is I haven't seen a 779 in any local stores. I noticed when I was searching for reviews on the 779 that on the other suggested searches was "Dewalt DSW779 discontinued". I clicked on that search and nothing came up saying it was discontinued. I can only find them for sale online?

BlackLS2 · Sep 24, 2018

I would at least LOOK at the HF Hercules HE74 before buying a DWS780; HE74 makes a good head to head against the DWS780....and its under $300 (half). You may hate HF, but their new stuff is yet another step up...maybe not pro grade, but more than enough for the average joe.

kctyphoon · Sep 25, 2018

The Bosch is probably considered one of the best.. I haven’t seen the makita lately, but if its anything like the cordless, I’d look at it..

Right now, most for the money (unless something is on sale)is prob the hf Hercules, and i dont care what anyone says - thats a nice saw..

vpd66 · Sep 26, 2018

I took a look at the Hercules but the $399 price just isn't that good of deal. I can get a DSW779 for $380-$400 online. I think I've seen it on sale for $299 but still not a good enough savings to take the Harbor Freight chance.

Real_PhillBert · Sep 26, 2018

I have the Bosch GCM12SD, and love it. Is it the BEST? IDK. I got it because of the glider system so I could put it closer to a wall.

I do wish it had a light system like the Dewalt does though. When I get around to it, I'll retrofit some kind of LED system onto it. It's also a heavy pain in the *** to move around, not that any of the 12" slider saws are exactly easy to move around, but his thing is a tank.

I would buy it again, but I also wont knock some of the other great offerings in the segment.

Rewind97 · Sep 26, 2018

Real_PhillBert said:
I have the Bosch GCM12SD.......

I do wish it had a light system like the Dewalt does though. When I get around to it, I'll retrofit some kind of LED system onto it.

Look on Utube, there is a guy that found a light and mounted it on the bosch like yours to make a system like the dewalts.

Found it.........

best 12" sliding bevel miter saw

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