Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
DEWALT DWS779 12 in. Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw vs Makita LS1019L 10 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Miter Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The DEWALT has the largest crosscut capacity here and a double bevel, which halves the flipping on crown and skirting. The Makita gives up a little width and is the only saw in the group publishing its capacity as a measurement rather than a lumber size.
DEWALT DWS779 12 in. Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Buy itThe largest crosscut capacity in this comparison, with a double bevel that stops you flipping every second cut.
- Quotes 2x16 at 90 degrees and 2x12 at 45, the largest capacity here however you convert the units.
- Double bevel, so the head tilts both ways and long skirting and crown do not have to be flipped end to end.
- A 15 amp motor at 3,800 RPM, the fastest no-load speed in this group.
- Twelve inch blade gives the depth for 4x material as well as the width for wide boards.
- Capacity is quoted as nominal lumber sizes, so 2x16 has to be converted before it can be compared with a measured figure.
- Sliding rails project behind the saw, so it needs clearance from a wall that the Makita's rail design does not.
- Heavy and awkward to move between sites compared with a 10 inch saw.
Makita LS1019L 10 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser
Buy itThe only saw here that publishes its capacity as a measurement you can check with a tape, on a rail design that sits against a wall.
- Makita publishes capacity as an actual measurement: 2-13/16 in. by 12 in. at 90 degrees and 2-13/16 by 8-1/2 at 45.
- A compact rail design that does not need clearance behind the saw, which matters in a small shop or against a wall.
- Dual bevel, so the head tilts both directions without flipping the workpiece.
- Ten inch blades are cheaper and more widely stocked than 12 inch, and Makita states the 5/8 in. arbor plainly.
- A 10 inch blade gives 2-13/16 in. of depth, which is less than a 12 inch saw and short of some 4x material.
- At 57.9 lb it is heavy for a 10 inch saw, and Makita publishes the figure where others do not.
- 3,200 RPM is the lowest no-load speed here.
Side by side
| DEWALT DWS779 12 in. Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw | Makita LS1019L 10 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone cutting wide stock or long moulding who has the bench depth for the rails and wants the largest capacity available. | Shops where the saw lives against a wall and where a checkable capacity figure is worth more than the last inch of width. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$$$ · flagship |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the DEWALT DWS779 12 in. Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw - The largest crosscut capacity in this comparison, with a double bevel that stops you flipping every second cut. Choose the Makita LS1019L 10 in. Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser instead if shops where the saw lives against a wall and where a checkable capacity figure is worth more than the last inch of width.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Miter Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).