In this article we review, what we believe to be the best mitre saws, currently available on the UK marketplace. As the name would suggest, these are designed to be able to cut, and make mitre joints.
This is the type of joint that is used to join two pieces of material, to make a neat and tidy joint. Most commonly this saw is used when working with wood. You can use this type of mitred joint for picture framing corners, skirting boards and other furniture making purposes.
The beauty of owning a saw like this, is that it can also be used for normal straight cuts, made by something like a chop saw, or a circular saw. It can also be used for bevel joints. This is the type of joint used in dining or coffee tables, to prevent leaving sharp edges.
Now, these are slightly more expensive than a standard circular saw, but you can make a range of different joints. It is worth considering this, if you plan on doing a lot of woodworking projects.
If you just want something that can make straight cuts in wood, then a cheaper circular saw, would be a much better option.
If I was to give you one bit of advice it would be to buy a mitre saw stand to go with this tool. If you are out on a job you will need somewhere to put the saw, there is usually nowhere handy and I have ended up using mine on the ground, in the back of a van, all sorts of awkward places. A stand is invaluable. Its folds out in 5 seconds, two clamps hold the saw and you are ready for action.
If you are in a hurry, and don't have time to read this very long article, then the best mitre saw on the UK market right now is the Evolution Power Tools R210SMS+, which is available at Amazon UK.
- geoff magee
Top 10 Mitre Saws - by Buyer Rating
Just below you will find a table, where we have placed our choices of mitre saws in order. The order we have used is the highest buyer rated first. In other words we have placed the saws in the order, of what buyers judged their quality to be.
The percentage score is the customer satisfaction rating marked out of 100. If you click on the product name, you can jump to a summary review of that product.
- Evolution Power Tools R210SMS+ Sliding Mitre Saw 96%
- Dewalt DWS774-GB 216-mm 230V Slide Mitre Saw with XPS 94%
- Dewalt DCS365N-XJ XR 184 mm Mitre Saw with XPS-Bare Unit 94% (Cordless)
- VonHaus Sliding Mitre Saw 1500W 8” (210mm) 94%
- Evolution Power Tools R255SMS+ Compound Saw 92%
- Bosch Professional GCM 8 SJL Corded 240 V Sliding Mitre Saw 92%
- Metabo KGS216M 1500 W 240 V 216 mm Sliding Mitre Saw 92%
- Makita LS0815FL-240 V Slide Compound Mitre Saw, 216 mm 90%
- Evolution Power Tools R210CMS Compound Mitre Saw 90% (Cheapest compound)
- Einhell 1600W Compound Mitre Saw 85% - (Most affordable and a good seller)
Mitre Saw Summary Reviews
Underneath, we have completed short and concise reviews, on these top 10 mitre saws. That way you can see at a glance, which one is the best choice.
Evolution Power Tools R210SMS+
96%
This is a 230 mm sliding mitre saw. The manufacturer has designed this to cut a variety of materials such as wood, mild steel, aluminium, plastic, etc with a TCT blade. It is suitable for on-site use and is available in 230V and 110 V.
It is a great choice for the home workshop, shed or garage. It can also be used in the trade for cutting copper pipe, plastic pipe, aluminium channel, cable tray, softwood such as skirting board, architraves, MDF, hard woods and more.
It uses a 210 mm blade diameter with a 25.4 mm bore diameter. Read more....
Pros
Cons
Dewalt DWS774-GB 216-mm 230V Slide Mitre Saw
94%
The Dewalt DWS774-GB slide mitre saw uses a 1400 Watt motor to provide 6300 blade rpm. It makes good use of the Dewalt XPS cross cut alignment system that also makes use of an excellent ultra-bright LED light. Buyers say that is casts a laser-like shadow on the work surface, showing the user precisely where the blade will come in contact with the material..
- This saw has integrated positive mitre stops at 15°, 22.5°, 30°, 45°
- Also has fixed left & right hand fences with measuring scale
- Compact internal rail design for huge cutting capacity in a highly transportable format
- Carry side handles for easy transportation
Pros
Cons
Dewalt DCS365N-XJ XR 184 mm Mitre Saw
94%
This is an 18 Volt cordless saw option with a 184 mm blade. It can do around 250 cuts on a single charge which is impressive.
It uses XPS shadow line which works really well for your guidelines. It use a dual fence mechanism gives which supports larger material cuts at any angles. Also has a mitre angle adjustment system that provides accurate and consistent setting of mitre angles between 0 and 48 Degree right and left.
It is a compact and light saw with a cutting depth 0f 250 x 250 mm at 90 degrees.
Pros
Cons
VonHaus Sliding Mitre Saw
94%
This is one of the more affordable options for this type of saw. This model is a 210 mm saw that sslides. It has support bars for wider cuts and can do plus and minus mitre suts. For bevel edges and straight cuts, the mitre will cut to a maximum depth of 70mm.
It also has a laser guidance system and comes with a dust bag, allan wrench, a wood clamp and 2 extension bars.
Pros
Cons
Evolution Power Tools R255SMS+
92%
The Evolution R255SMS+ 255 mm is available in 220-240 V and 110 V.
Like most of the Evolution saws this can cut a variety of materials such as wood, mild steel, aluminium, plastic, copper etc.
Has a a 300 x 80 mm cutting capacity
Comes with a TCT blade, dual dual quick release clamps, a slide rail protector , dust collection bag and dust port adaptor and has integrated carry handles
The power cable is 3 metres long
Pros
Cons
Bosch Professional GCM 8 SJL Sliding Mitre Saw
92%
This one is designed for the professionals, and the price tag matches that for sure. Many in the trade like the Bosch brand.
This model has a huge 312 mm horizontal cutting capacity, is lightweight at 17 kg and comes with an integrated laser for precise sawing, and side material pull-outs. Read more....
A great choice for cutting large areas of laminate, parquet, decking and floor boards as well as for furniture construction parts.
Pros
Cons
Metabo KGS216M 216 mm Sliding Mitre Saw
92%
This is a 200mm (8") sliding mitre saw that comes with a carbide circular saw blade, 2 table length extensions, a workpiece clamp, a dust extraction adaptor and has a laser guide.
Pros
Cons
Makita LS0815FL Slide Compound Mitre Saw
90%
The Makita LS0815FL is a 216mm slide compound mitre saw with an integrated laser marker It also has an LED job light and a maximum mitre range of 45-60.
Has positive stops at 0, 15, 22.5, 31.6 and 45 which make mitre and repeat settings fast.
Uses linear ball bearings for smooth and precise sliding action.
Also has a soft start 1,400W motor provides the power which will run the blade up to 5,000rpm without load. Read more...
Pros
Cons
Evolution Power Tools R210CMS Compound Mitre Saw
90%
This is a basic compound mitre saw that can do 45 degree bevel or mitre cuts. This one sells a lot because of the lower price point.
This is compact at 260 x 393 x 381 mm when stored and has quick click mitre stops, an ambidextrous handle for left and right hand use, a top clamp and extendable fence and a 45 Degree bevel.
Comes with an R210-TCT multipurpose blade (24 teeth), with a 210 mm blade diameter and 25.4 mm bore diameter.
Pros
Cons
Einhell 1600W Compound Mitre Saw
85%
This saw has a few thousand online buyer reviews and for the price is really hard to beat for a good compound saw.
Has a rotating table for precise angle cuts, ranging -45 to +45
Maximum bevel cutting performance: Left 120 x 55 mm, right 80 x 32 mm
Somes with a work piece support and clamping device.
This is a 1600 W compound mitre saw with 5000 rpm cutting speed
Pros
Cons
Mitre Saw Buying Guide
What Types of Mitre Saw Are Available?
There are really only two options worth consideration. These are:
The compound allows you to do mitre, straight and bevel joints. The sliding compound, which is more expensive, allows you to do the same range of joints. The difference is that it can be used on wider and larger pieces of material as the blade can slide in and out.
That is simply down to the sliding mechanism. This mechanism extends the reach of the blade, and as such will allow you to cut wider widths of materials.
A good quality compound mitre saw (non-sliding) costs around £50-100 and a sliding version will set you back around £200-350. Without any hesitation, if you are going to spend money on a mitre saw, then just get a sliding compound one. You might pay extra, but it means you can do any type of mitre, bevel or compound cut, on most widths of timber.
Evolution is a very popular brand choice of mitre saw for UK buyers. You see a lot of these in many of the DIY shops, and in the leading tool stores. All the leading tool brands will have various models of these available.
We believe however, that the Evolution brand is a good quality product, at an affordable price. If you are a professional, then the better choice would be a Dewalt, Bosch or Makita saw.
When it comes to buying your own mitre saw, our strong advice is to buy a sliding one. Although the standard compound is a useful tool, the sliding one just opens up a whole range of cutting tasks.
Cutting longer and wider boards of wood is probably the most important of those. Consider items like wider skirting boards, or coving and you will get the jist of what I mean
If you are going to connect a vac to one of these machines we don't recommend that you use a home version. It's always best to have a good quality HD shop vacuum.
What Types of Woodworking Cut Can a Mitre Saw Do?
If you are in doubt as to what cuts you can do with a mitre saw, then we have explained these just below.
These cuts are explained in more detail in the video below.
A very quick video review
We have looked over all the video reviews and found this great short presentation on these power tools. It gives you an instant idea of what to expect as well as telling you all the features and spec in and easy to understand format.
I hope you enjoy watching it as I always think its much better to see a tool in action rather than just reading about it or seeing pictures. This guy is particularly good at explaining the features of the saws and he is well known for demonstrating tools.
Important Features to Consider, When Buying a New Mitre Saw
If you plan on spending around £250-400 on a good quality mitre saw, then personally, we consider that to be a big investment. That said, if you plan on doing a big project or a house renovation, buying a mitre saw is a very good investment.
These saws when properly set up and used, can save you a fortune in time, and also avoid what would otherwise be a frustrating tasks. We have used these to build decks, shed foundations and shed construction, renovating rooms and other woodworking tasks.
If you own one of these, then they do the work of a circular saw, and much more besides. When you buy a sliding mitre saw, then you have a great and very useful power tool, at your disposal.
Mitre Saw Feature 1 - Sliding Mechanism
As we mentioned you can buy a standard compound mitre saw. Those are fine for doing the 4 cuts I mentioned above. However if you get a saw that slides, you can then cut wider and longer pieces of material.
That for me is invaluable, and makes the saw have much wider use. Most skirting for example is much deeper than it used to be. That means a normal compound mitre is just not wide enough to get through it.
Mitre Saw Feature 2 - Motor Power
In our opinion any saw, including mitre saws, are only as good as the motor that powers them. When you are putting material through a saw, you simply want it to cut quickly. That means a good blade, and more importantly, a good strong reliable motor to drive that blade around.
Now we know there are many things to consider, but this would be right at the top of our list. We like to see a motor size of 1,500 watts or bigger. That way we know it will have enough power, and will not put a lot of strain on the motor as well.
Smaller motors that are struggling when under stress, or through a lot of use, will simply burn out, and all you have left is an expensive useless saw.
Mitre Saw Feature 3 - The Blade
We could quite literally write books about buying blades for these saws. For most people a general multi-purpose blade will be enough. Evolution do these, and they are great as they allow you to cut plastic, wood, aluminium and even some of the lighter steels.
The good thing about a multi-purpose blade, is that it doesn't need to be changed, irrespective of the material being cut. That is a time saver.
For finer cuts, and especially on wood, then you may want to use a coarse blade for rougher cuts, and a finer blade for those precise cuts, where a neat finish is very important.
You can buy blades for your machine as a single blade, or in small packs of various sizes. Typically a single blade costs around £20 on average.
Teeth Per Inch (TPI)
You will hear this talked about quite a lot. This is how the coarseness or fineness of a blade is classified. An easy way to remember this, is the more teeth, the finer the cut.
Basic Feature Summary
So those are the very basics of what I think a good mitre saw should have. In summary, a sliding saw with a powerful motor and a good sharp, multi-purpose blade. Below we will now explain some of the other features, that are very useful to properly understand.
Safe Use of a Mitre Saw
If you have never used one of these saws before, then please watch the video above. There is a knack to using these so as you do not want to cut yourself or damage the wood you are cutting.
You have to learn to let the blade of the saw do all the work. If you find it really hard to cut then you are doing it wrong, it should be smooth and easy.
Mitre Saw Accessories
There are a few accessories that you can get for a mitre saw. We will show you what those are, and why they might be of benefit to you.
Mitre Saw Stands
From a personal experience, I well remember the day when I bought my first mitre saw and took it home. The plan was to put it in my garage, and from there I could do my work.
I had initially planned to bolt it down to a workbench so as it would be nice and solid. It was a very nice theory, but practically it was an awful idea. With a fixed mitre saw, you have to bring the work to the saw.
Not only does that waste time, but it also means you have to measure in a room, mark it and remember the cut required, and if you have any "doubts" then you have to go back and forwards to check everything.
I was fitting skirting in a bedroom, and it makes common sense to be able to take the saw there.
The average price for a good basic mitre saw stand is £60-75 and trust me on this, just get one as it means you can use your saw anywhere. There are super versions of these with wheels and folding parts, but a basic one will do most users really well.
Because of the dust from this type of saw, it is always better to use it outside, unless you have a vacuum dust setup in your garage or workshop.
The main advantage though is that a mitre saw stand is like an extra pair of hands, when work with longer and wider pieces of wood.
Mitre Saw Dust Extractor
If you are going to be using any type of an electric saw on a regular basis, then buy some type of dust extractor system. If you are just doing a one off job, then my recommendation would be to do either one of two things:
- Do the work outside
- Use the dust bag that usually comes with these
I set up my own dust extractor in my garage as I do a fair amount of work in there. With electric saws, dust is heavy and there is lots of it. The dust bags that come with saws are OK, but not really effective.
For infrequent use they do a good enough job. It is probably better to do any cutting outside to avoid breathing in lots of dust. That is where a mitre saw stand comes in really handy.
Always wear a dust mask with any type of electric saw. Those are really cheap and stop your breathing in saw dust particles. A mask and a pair of goggles offer you great protection.
If you are still not sure what to go for then don't forget that the best mitre saw on the UK market right now is the Evolution Power Tools R210SMS+, according to all our research. Or if this is not the sort of thing you need then check out our article on all the different types of saws.
As a pro, what do you use to fell trees? Husqvarna is my go-to and I’ve had absolutely no problems with them (I consider them to be basically the equivalent of the Skilsaw HD77, the Hilti DD350 core driller, or the Makita rat tail angle grinder as a staple of absolute indestructability), but I’d love to hear what y’all use.