No wood or metal workshop is complete without a good mitre saw for cutting pieces down quickly and efficiently. Choosing the right mitre saw can be difficult. Which model should you buy, given that they seem to be roughly equivalent to each other? Which model is worth its expense compared to the next?
We’ve sifted through the mitre saws on the market today and chosen the five best deals. Whether you are a DIYer who needs a saw for odd jobs around the home or the owner of a woodworking shop, chances are we’ve reviewed the mitre saw that you may be looking for.
Our selection of the best Sliding Compound Mitre Saw available in the UK market!
[su_button url=’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-262705-1400W-210mm-Compound/dp/B00OKT8UQI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=abbeypowert0d-21&linkId=aeaccb5829ccb1d2c345f6bcb462d87d’ target=’blank’ style=’stroked’ center=’yes’ background=’#FF781F’ size=’6′ icon=’icon: chevron-circle-right’ rel=’nofollow’]View prices on Amazon UK [/su_button]
[su_spacer]
A Portable Mitre Saw for DIYers
Silverline 262705 is a light and portable mitre saw with a 1400-watt motor capable of cutting any wood material a DIYer or carpenter may need at a worksite. Weighing only 6 kg, it is a simple matter to transport it from place to place and set up. Its 210 mm blade has a maximum crosscut of 120 x 50 mm. It’s also a compound mitre saw that can perform up to 45-degree angled and bevelled cuts. The base can be mounted to a bench for more stability. It also features standard safety features with trigger locks and safety guards.
[su_button url=’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolution-RAGE3-Multipurpose-Sliding-Accessory/dp/B00C23UCI8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=abbeypowert0d-21&linkId=d5eb85af94f4e28d7a464a5f59dfbc93′ target=’blank’ style=’stroked’ center=’yes’ background=’#FF781F’ size=’6′ icon=’icon: chevron-circle-right’ rel=’nofollow’]View prices on Amazon UK [/su_button]
[su_spacer]
One Saw to Cut Them All
Evolutions Rage3+ is a versatile compound sliding mitre saw that can cut through wood, aluminium, steel, and plastic using a single multi-purpose, carbide-tipped blade. The Rage3+ cuts cleanly and consistently because of its powerful hi-torque gearbox and blade system. Nails are no match for the Rage3+, so you won’t have to worry about removing them before cutting into the wood. The Rage3+ doesn’t lose cutting depth as its blade dulls, so you won’t need to change blades as often as with other mitre saws. That means less downtime and increased production while avoiding the heat, sparks, and grinding rework that you’ll encounter with other blades.
[su_button url=’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Metabo-KGS216M-1500-Sliding-Mitre/dp/B00R0812XO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=abbeypowert0d-21&linkId=584d00c0aa0e269d91bd689390ca5ed8′ target=’blank’ style=’stroked’ center=’yes’ background=’#FF781F’ size=’6′ icon=’icon: chevron-circle-right’ rel=’nofollow’]View prices on Amazon UK [/su_button]
[su_spacer]
German Quality at an Affordable Price
Metabos KGS216M is a 1500-watt mitre saw that can cut through wood accurately and cleanly. The table can handle oversized boards and will hold anything you might want to cut down with an optional extension. The laser guide and stops are all pre-aligned at the factory, so you can start cutting wood out of the box. The saw is reasonably quiet despite having a brushed motor. The safety guard lever and power switch are placed conveniently and are easy to operate. Despite being a budget mitre saw on the pricing scale, its design and manufacture are quality work for its cost.
[su_button url=’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolution-RAGE3-DB-Double-Multi-Purpose-Sliding/dp/B006BRVQ9K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=abbeypowert0d-21&linkId=aa9b03628f5202d3333c0f45e10f7b21′ target=’blank’ style=’stroked’ center=’yes’ background=’#FF781F’ size=’6′ icon=’icon: chevron-circle-right’ rel=’nofollow’]View prices on Amazon UK [/su_button]
[su_spacer]
One Saw, One Blade, Double Bevel
Evolutions Rage3-DB delivers the same versatile technology that lets you cut through any material ranging from softwood to steel with a multi-purpose blade. The clean cuts are consistent and accurate, and you needn’t take time to remove nails for fear of the saw hitting them. The Rage3-DB can cut through them without trouble. You also get the added productivity from the fact the blade doesn’t lose depth when it begins to get dull. In addition to these features common to the Rage3 models, the Rage3-DB is equipped with a double bevel facility that saves you the time of re-adjusting the workpiece as you cut bevels in opposite directions.
[su_button url=’https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-LS0815FL-240-Slide-Compound-Mitre/dp/B00KL8K3V2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=abbeypowert0d-21&linkId=e90d746a3bf0ae85f69515aa4f17c470′ target=’blank’ style=’stroked’ center=’yes’ background=’#FF781F’ size=’6′ icon=’icon: chevron-circle-right’ rel=’nofollow’]View prices on Amazon UK [/su_button]
[su_spacer]
An Ideal Carpentry Mitre Saw
Makitas LS0815FL is well suited to on-site carpentry work. Its 216 mm blade is driven by a 1400-watt, soft-start motor capable of 5,000 rpm. This reasonably priced compound slide mitre saw comes equipped with a laser guide and a mitre range of 45-60 degrees. Positive stops are set for five positions between 0 and 45, which makes setup for typical cut angles fast. The solid cast alloy base and slides make the position of the saw quite accurate at every angle. Weighing only 14.2 kg, the LS0815FL is not difficult to move from place to place in a workshop or to a work site.
[/su_box]
[su_spacer]
Buyers Guide
What is a Mitre Saw?
A mitre saw is a fixed power tool designed for making precise cuts to wood or metal pieces at a variety of angles. Mitre saws mount a circular blade on an arm that swings down to make cuts from above. The arm may pivot to the left or right to produce specific angled cuts. A mitre saw is an excellent tool for cutting molding, trimming, picture frames, and window boxes.
Types of Mitre Saws
Compound Mitre Saws. Compound mitre saws have blades that can be pivoted side to side to produce angled cuts. They also can sometimes be tilted to create a bevel. Setting the saw blade on both of these axes creates what is referred to as a compound mitre cut.
Dual Compound Mitre Saws. A dual compound mitre saw is similar to the compound mitre saw, but it adds the ability to tilt in either direction. This makes it more versatile than the original compound mitre saws.
Sliding Compound Mire Saws. These mitre saws add a slide to the compound mitre saw, allowing the saw to make longer cuts through a piece of wood.
What is a Sliding Compound Mitre Saw Typically Used For?
A sliding compound mitre saw makes quick work of angled and bevelled cuts that would otherwise be difficult to do manually. This is especially true when you need to cut oversized pieces of wood that are too long or thick to cut precisely by hand. A mitre saw will also save time if you have many repetitive cuts to make.
This makes a mitre saw an excellent addition to any woodworking or carpenter shop. You can quickly cut the wood you’ll need for a project, or modify an existing piece in a snap.
Important Features of a Sliding Compound Mitre Saw
Here is a list of the most important features to consider when comparing mitre saws:
Motor wattage. This measures the power of the saw motor. A higher-rated motor will cut quickly through tough material.
Blade size. Mitre saws typically come equipped with blades measuring between 185-255 mm in diameter. The larger the blade, the larger the cuts it can perform.
Positive stops. These are factory settings that allow you to set the angle of a cut quickly. The more stops that are provided with a mitre saw, the easier it will be to set it up for a cut.
Depth stops. Like positive stops, these are factory settings for typical cut depths. Depth stops will make it quicker to set up the mitre saw for a typical cutting depth.
Electric brakes. This is a safety feature found on some mitre saws that stops the blade’s motion quickly when the trigger is let go. This is accomplished by reversing the electric current to the motor, which is equivalent to braking it. Many electric brakes stop the blade in as little as one or two seconds.
Spindle and shaft locks. These are features that make changing the blade easier by immobilizing the shaft and spindle that hold it.
Table extensions. These are attachments that can be added to the saws table. Table extensions are useful if you need to cut oversized pieces that aren’t adequately supported by the standard table.
Laser or light guides. These are helpful guides that show you exactly where on the piece the saw will be cutting when you lower it.
Safety
Any power tool with fast-moving parts requires safety measures to prevent accidental injury. This, is even more, the cause of power saws. It’s important to wear eye protection against flying wood chips and dust. It is also critical to avoid operating a mitre saw that has had its safety guards disabled or removed. Always unplug the mitre saw when performing any kind of maintenance on it.
Warranties
The length of a mitre saws warranty is something to consider before making a final decision to purchase it. Warranties typically cover any damage that occurs to the tool during normal use, which makes them important insurance that prevents the buyer from absorbing the costs of repairs or replacements for defective products.
The main point to consider is the length of the warranty. A 1-year warranty is standard, but many manufacturers will stand by their products for longer than that. This gives you more protection against a defective product, but it also is a statement by the manufacturer of how confident they are that repairs won’t be needed.
FAQ
Can a mitre saw be fitted with different size blades?
No, mitre saws are designed to use a single size. Other sizes won’t fit its safety guards or won’t cut properly when the arm is brought down.
When is it time to change a mitre saws blade?
The blade will become dull after prolonged use. You’ll notice this when cutting takes longer to accomplish and isn’t clean.
What types of blades are available for mitre saws?
Mitre saws can cut different types of wood and metal, but you’ll need to install the correct blade for each material. Otherwise, you can cause damage to the blade, or the quality of the cut may be poor when made with the wrong blade.
What’s the best way to clean a mitre saw?
Compressed air is a quick and effective way to remove the wood dust and shavings that result from a day’s work with a mitre saw. If you’d like to minimize the mess, a shop vacuum will do the job just as well when fitted with a nozzle for small spaces.
Top Five Brands
Bosch
This is a brand that is familiar to anyone who has bought tools of any kind in the past. Bosch tools are made to a high standard and that holds true for their mitre saw products. Bosch is one of the older power tool companies on the UK market, having begun making tools in 1898.
DeWalt
DeWalt has been offering tools to professionals for over 90 years. The brand is well known for the durability of its products. This has made DeWalt one of the most respected brands on the market today. The quality of their workmanship comes at a price though, making it more attractive to professional woodworkers than DIYers at home.
Evolution
Based in Sheffield, England, Evolutions RAGE and FURY model mitre saws are probably their best-known products. They focus their designs on single and double bevel saws, which come in sizes between 210 and 255 mm blades. Their reasonable pricing has made them one of the most popular brands of mitre saw in the UK.
Makita
This Japanese brand of mitre saws is a newcomer to the UK market. They have a large R&D operation that has been churning out innovative products since 1915 in Japan. Now their tools are sold in 8 countries including the UK.
Metabo
Work. Don’t play. That’s the motto of the Metabo brand, and the reliability of their products suggests they take it seriously. Metabo provides the powerful tools that make a craftsman’s job easier, but they aren’t priced with a home DIYer in mind. Not quite as popular as Evolution, Metabo still sells well in the UK.
Tony Moran is a writer, blogger and DIY enthusiast living in rural Norfolk, England, UK, with his wife and a lively border collie. Subscribe to this blog for updates and receive more awesome home improvement tips.
