Do you believe in freedom?
Are you still plugging in your miter saw at the wall socket?
How free is that?
We’re kidding, of course, but you get the point. A miter saw is a woodworker’s best friend, giving you precise cuts at a range of angles.
But by keeping your miter saw plugged in at the wall, you limit its usefulness. You’re forced to bring your sawing projects to the saw, wherever it’s situated.
With a cordless miter saw though, you’re truly free. You can take the saw to the project, even if the project is difficult to reach, or needs to be attended to in situ.
A miter saw is a woodworker’s best friend.
A cordless miter saw is a woodworker’s best friend with benefits. The benefits of freedom, portability and a flexibility to do more with your favorite woodworking tool.
You want one. You need one.
But which one? Which are the best cordless miter saws on the market. Follow us – we have the best of the best lined up for you.
Table of ContentsTop 5 Best Cordless Miter SawsBest Cordless Miter Saws Buying Guide Frequently Asked Questions
Top 5 Best Cordless Miter Saws
OUR TOP PICK
No products found.DeWalt FLEXVOLT 120V 12 Inch Max Miter Saw Kit
EDITORS CHOICE
No products found.DeWalt 20V MAX 7 ¼ Inch Miter Saw
BEST VALUE
No products found.Craftsman V20 7-1/4-Inch Sliding Miter Saw Kit
OUR TOP PICK
DeWalt FLEXVOLT 120V 12 Inch Max Miter Saw Kit
No products found.Summary
The DeWalt FLEXVOLT 120V 12 inch Max (DHS790AT2) is a heck of a cordless miter saw.
On several metrics, it simply can’t be beaten by anything else currently on the market.
Sheer power – 120V. Winner.
Cleverness – It uses dual voltage, meaning it can switch easily from corded to cordless with no loss of power. It also switches automatically from 20V to 60V when it’s plugged into other tools.
But it’s not just the impressive power levels and the cleverness that mark the 120V FLEXVOLT out as something special. The real game-changer is the sheer range of things it can do.
The FLEXVOLT can do lots of the things you’d expect a wall-tethered miter saw to be able to do. It can even do some things you’d expect only the best wall-tethered miter saws to accomplish. But it does them in a portable version.
That means not only does it offer you an astonishing range of project options, it levels the playing field – which is automatically bad news for some of its competitors. Once you’ve seen the FLEXVOLT in action, it’s no longer valid to say that cordless miter saws are “impressive for a cordless.”
The days of “for a cordless” are over now. And it’s the FLEXVOLT that’s leading the cordless charge to compete simply on the grounds of capability.
You want examples of that capability before you take our word for it, don’t you?
Very sensible.
OK. Let’s say you have some 7½ inch baseboard or crown molding.
You can cut that vertically with this miter saw. Say, in addition to that, you need to cut some 13 3/7” crown molding. Because some people do, that’s why.
You can lay that flat on this saw, and make the cuts you need to make.
This is a cordless miter saw that almost looks up at you with Brando-like nonchalance, and demands “What else ya got?” It’s the largest cordless compound miter saw currently available.
Largest. Most powerful. Technologically cleverest. Most versatile. And taking the fight on capability to the corded miter saw market. That’s why the 120V DeWalt FLEXVOLT takes our top spot.
Pros:
- Impressive power
- Dual volt technology adds to the flexibility of use
- Largest cordless miter saw on the market
- Able to make cuts no other cordless can make
- Long runtime: Up to 289 Cross Cuts in 3 ¼ inch baseboard molding
- High contrast markings are easy to read, even in low light
- Comes with two batteries and a fast charger, cutting downtime between charges
Cons:
- Price. Cutting-edge technology costs cutting-edge cash
- Be sure you both need and can handle the capacity of the FLEXVOLT – otherwise you’re just paying for things it can do, and you can’t
EDITORS CHOICE
DeWalt 20V MAX 7 ¼ Inch Miter Saw
No products found.Summary
Second in our list is another DeWalt. If that seems unfair, it’s worth remembering that DeWalt is one of the leading manufacturers in the miter saw business.
While the 20V MAX 7 ¼ inch miter saw is not anywhere near our list-leader in terms of capabilities, size, power or cleverness, that’s mostly because nothing really is.
What you get from the 7 ¼ inch saw is the ability to make integrated cross-cuts, with an adjustment-free cut line indication, so you can be sure of accurate cutting.
There are 11 positive stops on the detent plate, which allows for speed, productivity and accuracy of cutting. An oversized bevel scale means you can make fast, easy, accurate bevel angle adjustments too.
While at just 30 pounds, it’s very much junior to the heavier 120V FLEXVOLT, the 7 ¼ inch DeWalt is likely to feel a whole lot more accessible to a lot more people. Not everyone needs a Stradivarius violin, but you can still have a hell of a time with a thrift store fiddle.
The 7 ¼ inch is better than a thrift store fiddle, but it comes without the weight, the expectation of using a miter saw every day that the FLEXVOLT makes.
It’s probably true that the 7 ¼ inch miter saw is limited in terms of its appeal to serious woodworkers, but as a molding and plumbing tool, it has room to come into its own.
For a great cordless miter saw that won’t demand you use it every day just because you own it, the DeWalt 7 ¼ inch is a more natural fit for many people. It gives you free-range sawing potential, without the expectation of having the best and most serious equipment on the market.
Pros:
- 20V DeWalt battery – swappable between tools
- Stainless steel detent plate with eleven locations marked for swift set-up
- Miter handle locks to secure angles for precise cutting
- Lightweight, compact design means it’s easy to transport
Cons:
- Basic offering – no extras, not even a battery or charger
- 7 ¼ inch blade might struggle to cope with some woodworking jobs
BEST VALUE
Craftsman V20 7-1/4-Inch Sliding Miter Saw Kit
No products found.Summary
The Craftsman V20 7¼ inch sliding miter saw kit takes the fight to DeWalt in terms of its features and capabilities.
Like the DeWalt 7 ¼ inch, it has a 20V motor, and is part of a whole range of tools.
The Craftsman brings a decent, if never a spectacular power game to your woodcutting though, producing up to 3,800 RPM from that 20V. The saw is lightweight at under 20 pounds and has handy side carry handles so it’s extremely portable. And that combination of portability and RPM means it’s a handy grab-and-go tool for the cutting you actually need to do in most domestic circumstances.
In terms of performance, you can get an 8 inch cross-cut from the Craftsman at 90 degrees, and up to a 5.5 inch cross-cut at 45 degrees. It will give you clear cuts in 3 5/8 inch nested crown molding, and 3 ½ inch baseboard if you use it vertically.
See? It’s not an all-singing, all-dancing cordless miter saw, but it is an immediate, handy solution in many cases.
The Craftsman’s battery runs down fairly quickly, and you may not get a great number of cuts out of it before it needs to recharge.
That also leads some users to complain that they’re uncertain when they make cuts with it, whether it will complete the cut or get stuck halfway through. That’s especially an issue with thicker pieces of lumber, because naturally, the thicker the lumber, the harder the job. That means the Craftsman is a cordless miter saw that gives people concerns when it goes cordless too long, which is obviously less than ideal.
Some users also worry that the Craftsman creates lots of dust with every cut it makes. There’s no system here to limit either the creation or the spread of dust when you make cuts. Woodworkers with breathing issues may want to look elsewhere.
What the Craftsman offers is not a full-on, tackle-anything cordless miter saw solution. It has power issues and, as with the DeWalt 7 ¼ inch, it struggles when it comes up against bigger woodworking jobs.
But it’s worth saying a word in mitigation for the cordless standard. Unless you’re paying out all that sweet extra money for the FLEXVOLT, you’re not expecting your cordless miter saw to do the sort of things your corded version can. The cordless miter saw of the mass market is a grab-and-go, get-the-job-done super-mobile convenience tool, rather than a long-life workhorse.
And as a grab-and-go, the Craftsman’s an entirely viable option for most of the things you’ll need a cordless miter saw to do around the home. And in the event that it doesn’t do what you expect it to do, Craftsman covers it with a 3 year limited warranty.
Pros:
- Extremely portable
- Delivers 8 inch cross cuts at 90 degrees
- A handy grab-and-go device
- 3 year warranty
Cons:
- Needs frequent recharging
- No true 45-degree bevel
- Makes a lot of dust during use
RUNNER UP
Makita XSL02Z 18V X2 LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless
No products found.Summary
The Makita XSL02Z is a strange beast.
A likeable, powerful, highly effective strange beast.
On the one hand, it has only an 18V rechargeable motor – technically the least powerful on our list so far. It also weighs in at 30 pounds, so it’s by no means the lightest or most portable option, though 30 pounds is not a back-breaking load.
But that seemingly humble 18V motor gives you a list-destroying 5700 RPM. That’s cutting power to make any dedicated woodworker sit up and take all kinds of notice.
And what Makita begins with a surprising surge of juice, it continues with some oh-hell-yes design features that aim the XSL02Z right at the bank accounts of woodworkers. Especially, it’s aimed at woodworkers who’ve moved past the grab-and-go stage and are now seeing things everywhere that could benefit from a powered up cordless miter saw.
Let’s talk about the cutting diameter on the XSL02Z. You can say size doesn’t matter all you like, when it comes to a cutting capacity, having a larger diameter matters, because it opens the door to doing more. Here you can cut boards of anything up to 2 x 12 inches.
You’re picturing that right now, aren’t you? You’re imagining cutting those boards, and the thrum of power going through your heart at being able to do it with a cordless miter saw.
We know.
We understand.
And so, clearly, does Makita, because it’s not finished yet.
How would you like a four-steel rail sliding system that lets you make superior cuts every time you use the saw?
You like them apples too, don’t you?
Bottom line, the Makita XSL02Z is a heck of a lot of cordless miter saw, hiding behind a look that’s almost coy. If it had eyelashes it would bat them at you. And then you’d take it home and live happily ever after.
It’s the iron hand in the velvet glove of cordless miter saws available right now. Never as roaringly supreme as the DeWalt FLEXVOLT, it nevertheless has power that’ll make you weep with woodcutting pleasure, and precision that many other manufacturers can only dream of. If it’s not a runaway success, the world will have turned upside-down.
Pros:
- 5700 RPM of cutting power
- Large diameter cutting capacity
- Mid-lightweight tool, meaning it’s still portable enough for all the jobs you have for it
- 18V battery
Cons:
- Expensive – it’s a sleeping giant, but you’ll feel the price
- Sometimes the slider bearings aren’t as smooth as you’d expect
RUNNER UP
DeWalt FLEXVOLT 120V MAX Miter Saw Kit
No products found.Summary
Confused?
We don’t blame you. In many respects, the listings for the saws that top and tail our run-down of the best cordless miter saws are freakishly similar.
Built by DeWalt? Check. A miter saw that works both corded and cordless? Check. No sawing downtime? Check. No power drop-off between corded and cordless operation? Check. Accurate cutting? Oh hell to the check.
So what gives?
Sometimes, the difference between first place and last place is all about the size. Our list leader was the 12 inch version of the FLEXVOLT, and it does most everything you could want to do. This version, the DHS716AT2, is the 2 inch version.
You should feel free to add your own jokes here about the importance of the missing ten inches.
The thing is, this is a list of the best cordless miter saws. Making it onto this list at all means your product beats everything else out there hands down. And the FLEXVOLT 2 inch is still a damn fine cordless miter saw. After all, you read all those checks it got, right? A portable miter saw that gives fast, accurate cutting either corded or cordless with no power drop-off and no tentative cutting (we’re looking at you, Craftsman).
The blade positioning system on the 2 inch version still gives you remarkably accurate cutting, although at 56 pounds, it’s getting towards the arm-aching end of the portable spectrum. But it’s worth noting, that’s the exact same weight as the 12 inch version that leads our list.
The 2 inch version will absolutely have its legions of fans – people who only need its range of cutting will choose it in a heartbeat, though the Makita XSL02Z will flutter its eyelashes at them and make cooing noises. What might give some buyers pause is that there’s no difference in weight, no difference in power, and also no difference in price between the 2 inch and the 12 inch. Some users also complain about a loose swivel point which can make a mockery of some of your cuts.
But you’ll struggle to go wrong with any of the cordless miter saws on our list, and the FLEXVOLT 2 inch offers an enormous amount of miter saw potential for your money.
Pros:
- Powerful cutting
- Long runtime with no power drop-off
- Accurate cuts through the blade positioning system
- High power cordless operation
Cons:
- Heavier than many, though identical to the list-leader
- Price – also equal to the list-leader
- Some users complain about a loose swivel base
Best Cordless Miter Saws Buying Guide
When buying a cordless miter saw, there are some things to take into account.
How Much Saw Do You Need?
Some of the best cordless miter saws in our list do everything you could possibly ask for.
But before you buy them, ask yourself whether you need a saw that does everything you could possibly ask for. Are you going to get use out of all its features and functions, or would you just be paying for extras that have no relevance to you? Match how much you need your cordless miter saw to do with the most cost-effective model on the list.
How Portable Is Portable?
The definition of portability is a broad church. There are models on our list at just 20 pounds, while others are almost three times that heavy. Are you just looking for a handy grab-and-go saw you can take everywhere, or will you shoulder the heavier weight for more hardcore functionality?
Size Is Important After All
Buy the saw that allows you to make the kind of cuts you need to make. If you need a larger cutting area, don’t waste money on a small one. Likewise, if most of your cuts are small and regular, buying a saw with too big a blade is just spending money on size you don’t need.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What advantages do cordless miter saws have?
Cordless operation means freedom. There could be cutting that’s a lot more convenient to do in situ than it would be to bring the timber or molding to the machine. With a cordless, you can go to the project, which makes for an easier life.
2. Are cordless miter saws as powerful as corded ones?
Some certainly are – DeWalt and Makita in particular specialize in cordless saws that have no power drop-off between their corded and cordless models. Some other manufacturers have yet to get there, but the market is moving towards equality of power.
3. What sort of RPM should I be looking for in a cordless miter saw?
Several thousand, or there’s very little point. Some of those on our list have RPMs of 3800, while others spun at over 5000 RPM. You need at least 3800 to get the job reliably done. Bear in mind though – more power means a higher price.
