My miter saw is without doubt the most important tool I’ve deployed when framing, shell building, shaping and sizing material.
They maintain efficiency, generate power and more fundamentally provide accuracy when performing vital tasks demanding consistent cuts. These afore mentioned attributes are necessary hall marks of a proficient miter saw.
And these should be paramount in your thoughts when considering a purchase.

Personal projects in the last 2 years demanding high usage of a miter saw included a sound-proofed music studio, 2 x tool sheds, 2 x work benches, 4 x 8ft flower boxes and replacement garage roof.
I’ve cut multiple materials including timber, decking, shiplap, resilient channels, MDF and MFC.
The saw was completely unfazed by what lay beneath the blade.
Secured, chopped. Next.

I don’t believe it unreasonable in declaring the miter saw as, without hesitation, the essential tool for large, repetitive, bulky cutting tasks.

I’m confident the time saved by having the best dedicated saw; the mighty compound/sliding miter saw, ensured high output, maximum efficiency, improved consistency and ultimately successful completion of all projects requiring internal & exoskeletal framework, and bespoke finishes.

For anyone needing a saw that’s entirely fit for purpose there really is not much room for debate.
And the key features of miter saw aren’t plentiful nor flashy – the core function is predominantly precision & power.
Making straight-forward bevel or angled cross-cuts, time and again, is its raison d’etre.
And it’s the ‘time and again’ aspect that’s important.

Consistency is key

Knowing you have a reliable machine producing exact cuts time and again is crucial to overall quality.
Any variation in length, even a millimeter can compromise a project severely.
Purchase wisely and you’ll remove any potential for delays, or more significantly being out of pocket.

I’ve operated various models extensively over the last 10 years.
My first miter saw was a hand-me-down courtesy of my dad. The mighty no frills, non-compound, store branded ‘Precision Pro’ sat sheepishly in a haggard brown box and delivered without fanfare.
Despite my Spock eyebrow raising as the baton was passed, it was gratefully received and more importantly meant I could kick-off the project on time.
And I did the business. Far better than expected.
It had obvious restrictions but never-the-less performed capably when building my first studio in 2010.

The dual room studio, constructed within a 750 sq-ft space meant pallets of stud-work and joists.
The saw, despite not having a sliding compound feature cut relatively well…however…and yes, unfortunately there is a however, produced inconsistent cuts after extensive use.

Initially I pointed the finger at myself; bad workmen blaming his tools, etc but got a reprieve when others confirmed the same results after making cuts same material thus deducing the hand-me-down was the culprit.
Vindicated, and somewhat disappointed.

A friend of mine offered to loan the bigger brother to the Precision Pro but wanted my own so spent a bit of time researching the necessaries to complete the job properly.

Choosing Wisely

Repeatedly cutting joists, studs, noggins, skirting, trusses, frames, etc demands precision, comfort, power and reliability.
A better model was essential. And not just for the project in hand but for many more to follow.
In most part I ‘got away with’ using the hand-me-down for a while (a position I encourage NO ONE to adopt) but understood the importance of using the right equipment. 

Somehow I convinced myself the volume of work grow sooner rather than later so ended up getting 2 saws; inevitable projects on the calendar prompted me into picking one up for my home and a 2nd heavy duty unit for the workshop.
The missus thought I was mad but again my foresight was justified as several concurrent projects arose demanding the need for two good quality miter saws.

My Arsenal

My home saw is a Draper Compound Sliding Miter Saw similar to the one below.