7 Best Cordless Miter Saw & Buying Guide

To create various types of cuts with ease, you need to have a miter saw (also called “chop saw”) in your workshop. It can be hard to choose the right tool for your job because they have a different level of speed, motor power, or other features. After a few days of research, this is the list of the best cordless miter saws on the market right now. We reviewed the tools and ranked them accordingly.

If you want to buy a miter, saw you have to make sure you purchase the one that is perfect for you because it’s a significant investment. If you are not sure what features to look for, scroll down to get some information. Depending on the job, you will need a different blade size or other features like a dust bag, laser, portability. I usually go for the standard brands like DeWalt and Makita, that’s why they are on top of this list for cordless miter saws. Using them, you will get a product with a long life, performance, and other useful features.

The Top 7 Best Cordless Miter Saw Reviews:

1. Makita XSL06PT Sliding Compound Miter Saw

After long research, we concluded that this would be the best cordless miter saw on our list—the combination of accuracy and cutting power of the motor that sets it apart from DeWalt and Milwaukee. We going to look at some of its features and why it’s worth all the money.

This 10-inch cordless miter saw has two steel rails to keep the sliding in place. It also has a laser that you can use to mark the cutlines. It uses a battery, so make sure to use the laser only when you need it.

The Makita brushless motor uses 18V LXT battery packs. The model uses a direct drive system. To feel the difference, you have to cut side by side with the belt drive saw, creating smooth and confident cuts. This drive system works well for up to two years.

Positive miter stops are at: 0, 15, 22.5, 31.6, 45, 60 degrees right or left. It has an integrated tall fence (4-3/4″) for more precise bevel and miter slices and to increase rigidity.

The Makita XSL06PT also has an aluminum base, an electric brake, and a direct drive gearbox. The bevel lock is positioned in front for convenience. The BL motor has 4.400 RPM.

2. DEWALT DHS790AT2 Flexvolt Battery Operated

The DEWALT DHS790AT2 Flexvolt is 120V, and it runs on two batteries. It works great for everything!

It has an elegant slide, which is excellent for 45-inch slices. The kit comes with smaller batteries, but if you want to cut on it all the time, I recommend getting the set of 9 amp power or 12 amp power. But it also comes with an AC adapter, so you can plug it into the wall and have unlimited run time.

The quality and durability of this saw are amazing. It doesn’t have a laser, but it has a shadow line. You can turn it off or on with a little button on top. Doesn’t matter what blade you use, you’ll be able to see the shadow line.

It has the cut capacity to cut the biggest trim. 7 1/4 base you’re going to cut in on the flat but most base, shorter than that. You can cut standing up. You can cut a decent sized crown.

The only downside is the size, it weighs a lot, and it’s big, but it’s a 12-inch miter saw. Another disadvantage is the dust collection system.

3. DeWalt DHS716AT2 Flexvolt 12″ Compound

The DeWalt DHS716AT2 is perfect if you want a hybrid-powered miter saw or you are a professional contractor or finish carpenter.

You will get a 12″ Cordless compound miter saw kit that is not that heavy. It is excellent for you if you will be working on-location, like in the framing houses or construction fields where you would have a generator.

The cross cuts are excellent; you can go through dimensional 2×8 in only a single cut. The DeWalt saw can handle the 4×6 cut in a single pass.

The model is great for trim molding if you have to make baseboard cuts because it can cut 6-1/2″ baseboard vertically against the fence.

4. DEWALT DCS361B Cordless Chop Saw

This DEWALT DCS361B is small in size, and it creates excellent cuts. It takes 7 1/4 inch blades which are easy to find and cheap.

The 20V DEWALT batteries slide in the back, and you only need one battery to run it. In the end, we got the dust port, and it comes with a bag. And you can also hook up a vacuum to the quick-connect system.

The rails are pretty small. From front to back the saw measures about 29 1/2 inches, and for storing it’s 25 1/2 inches. Width is just under 22 inches and height 22 and 3/4 (closed is under 15 inches).

You can miter from 48 degrees on the left and 48 on the right and has a lot of positive stops. On the bevel, we go from -3 degrees going up to 48 degrees on the right. It only bevels one way. At the back, we have the knob to help bevel it over, and we have no positive stops on this one.

5. Ryobi P551 Battery Operated Chop Saw

The Ryobi P551 has a 7 and 1/4 inch blade with a 5/8 inch arbour. There are a lot of other popular blades that you can change to depending on what you are cutting. It comes with a 24 tooth carbide construction blade. The unit spins at 4.500 RPM at no load.

It does have an on-board laser. The laser is adjustable. It works great outdoors and indoors, but unfortunately, I couldn’t see it on the 2×4.

The saw will cut 4 and 1/4 inches of 1 1/2 inch wood at 90 degrees. It will cut 3 inches at 45 degrees of 1 1/2 inch wood. The maximum depth is approximately the depth of a 2×4. So you are not going to cut massive wood with this model.

Even though it’s a small unit, you can do a lot of different cuts. But one downside is the accuracy; you have to check it twice before cutting, especially if you’re doing the trim.

The laser is excellent, but outdoors you can’t see it. The controls on it, to turn and to adjust, are reasonably easy to use if you don’t lock them down too hard.

The Ryobi P551 is 15 pounds without the battery, so it is a very light unit.

6. Ridgid R48607K Cordless Sliding Miter Saw

This unit is entirely cordless, and it takes one 18 volt battery pack to operate it. The 7-1/4 inch blade is the standard size. The same blade that will fit on your circular saw will fit on this unit. They are easy to find and cheap.

The motor is very efficient, and the battery pack will last for a very long time. If you are a carpenter or a DIY-er and you don’t need it for extreme cut capacities, this model can still cut at 2×8 or cut a 45 in a 2×6. If you are using larger boards, this would not be ideal.

It’s lightweight and portable, so if you are installing trim or replacing boards on your deck, this is the one to reach for.

The saw has a miter angle of a maximum of 48 degrees to the left and the right. There are positive stops at 0, 15,22-1/2,31.6, and 45 degrees. To override the last setting and achieve the maximum 48 degrees, you can press a button, slide it to the end, and then lock it in any position you take the lever and press it down.

Because it’s a dual bevel miter saw, it will bevel to the left and right. It has a maximum bevel in each direction of 48 degrees with positive stops on both stops of 33.9, 45, and 48 degrees.

Unlike a standard LED or even a laser, this unit projects a line exactly where you want to cut. It has two different LEDs shining on either side of the blade.

7. DeWalt DCS361M1 – Best Value Cordless Miter Saw

DeWalt DCS361M1 is a 20V Max 7-1/4″ Cordless Sliding Compound Miter Saw. It uses the standard 20-volt max slide rail batteries. They slide at the rear of the unit. All the adjustments on this power saw are straightforward to do. The knobs are huge, and everything does release and tighten up very quickly.

As far as making very quick clean and accurate cuts, the XPS lighting system that casts light on both sides of the blade will create a shadow where the cut line is going to be.

Now for carrying this out to your workshop or maybe out to your truck to go to the job site, they do have a couple of different options depending on what’s most comfortable for you. The big black handle on top is used to lift it directly to move it from a workbench to the other. And you can also carry it on your side. It weighs a little over 30 pounds.

The dust bag does an excellent job of collecting dust. Before you move the miter saw, you should pull the dust bag and empty it. And like other miter saws, you can use a shop vac or a dust extractor.

Because this is a sliding compound miter saw, although it’s a 7-1/4 inch blade, it still has a cut capacity that can cross cut at 2×8. It can cut the nested crown on up to 3 and 5/8 by 9/16. And 3-1/2 inch tall base vertically against the fence.

If you want to cut decks, it’s not only going to crosscut five quarter board, but you can also do 45s.

Buying Guide

There are a few things to consider before you buy a cordless unit. Let’s look at a few features.

Battery

Depending on what you are trying to achieve, look for the cordless miter saw that offers the right amount of battery life.

The models that have under 17 volts can not give you enough power. All the saws on our lists have over 17 volts, usually found with two batteries of 9 volts.

You don’t want to spend a lot of time charging the batteries if you have to cut a lot in one go. You can do almost 200 cuts with the miter saws in our list.

Price

If you want to get an excellent quality product, you should look to spend a little more money. Cheaper miter saws under $200 are for DIY-ers, and the brands that cost a little more are DeWalt and Makita, but they also have more durability and precision.

Portability

If you have to move the unit from place to place, you need a lightweight, portable model. There are a few units on our list that are lighter in weight, and you should look for those if you need to transport them a lot.

Bevel and Cuts

It’s standard to look for a miter saw that cuts a bevel of 45 degrees. You want to have incremented to create various bevel cuts. Depending on the work, you need to check how hard it is to set the bevel angle.

The depth of cutting will be standard for most miter saws. You should make sure it will support the sizes you want to cut.

Extra Features

Some cordless miter saws also support having a cord. This can be a useful feature depending on the work.

To create more accurate cuts, you might need to look for models with adjustable cutline indicators.

To make your life easier, you might need a miter saw with a sliding system for the angled cuts.

The dustbag is usually not that great on most miter saws. You will need to use a vacuum to get all the sawdust out of the workplace.

What size to choose

There are usually two sizes of blades 12″ or 10″. To make deep and wide cuts, you will need larger blades. For better handling, pick the smaller blades.

When it comes to cutting crown molding, the 10-inch blades are better for 4″ to 5″ molding. For over 6 inches or more, choose the 12-inch blade.

For larger pieces of laminate, get the 12-inch blade. Choose the 10 inches saw for the smaller pieces. Regardless of the size of workpieces to cut flooring material, you will need the 12-inch blade.

Last Words

Makita has been stomping back on the gas pedal, and they’re merging onto the highway because the Makita 18-volt X2 [36V] 12 Inch Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound XSl06PT is the best cordless miter saw. From its power, size, and easily accessible controls, intuitive design, it’s not going to disappoint, we can promise that.

For the best value, you can choose the DeWalt DCS361M1 that uses very cheap or inexpensive circular saw blades. You will get a lot of work done, and it does have a massive cut capacity up to a 2×8. It can get over 200 cuts through a standard 2×4, and it doesn’t overheat. It doesn’t have a laser, but it does have a specialized lighting system to create the exact line where you’re going to cut. If you are a trim carpenter or a finished carpenter or even a framer or someone that builds decks, this should be able to get the job done for you.

You can’t go wrong with the DEWALT DHS790AT2 either. It can do pretty much everything. You can make significant crosscuts. It got the capacity with the rails on it to slide out. There are two types of people that will get this power saw, the professional or someone that wants to buy tools that the professionals are using. It is built very well, although it’s a little heavy. DEWALT has been very smart to have the dual power supply: the batteries or the cord.

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