You’ll agree with us when we say that choosing the right blade of a miter saw for a variety of functions is quite necessary
That being said, a mere 2-inch difference in a miter saw holds immense significance and matters a lot.
In this article, we will be reviewing the 10-inch and the 12-inch miter saw and help you choose the right one.
Features | Makita LS1221 | Metabo HPT |
|---|---|---|
| Blade length | 12 inches | 10 inches |
| Power | 4000 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Price | Slightly expensive | Affordable |
Now that we have discussed some of the primary features of the 10 vs 12 miter saw, let’s go into their individual reviews for an even better understanding.
Makita LS1221 12-Inch Miter Saw Review - Accurate and Versatile
The Makita LS1221 12-inch miter saw is perfect for use in making furniture, picture frames, or wooden projects. The strong motor delivers 4000 RPM and its miter scale is very easy to read making it a high-demand saw.
Features of Makita LS1221 12-inch Miter Saw
- 26.54 x 24.02 x 23.9 inches in dimension
- 4000 RPM motor
- Corded electric power source
- Easy to read miter scale
- Horizontal D-handle style
- Easy to use
- Powerful motor
- More work completed in less time
- 9 positive miter stops
- Accurate and precise
- Larger blade size of the 12 miter
- This 12 miter will cost you more
Benefits of Makita LS1221 12-inch Miter Saw
The Makita LS1221 12-inch miter saw is value for money as it comes with a machined aluminum base that ensures accurate and neat cuts. The saw also comes with 9 positive miter stops at all the common sizes such as 15, 22.5, 31.6, and 45 degrees.
What makes the Makita saw easy to use?
The miter scale of the 12-inch blades is also very easy to read. In addition to this, the horizontal D-handle design makes sure that you feel no fatigue or pain while working. You will be comfortable even if you work for hours.
Since the blade size of this 12 miter saw is large it allows you to cut larger pieces of stock material. This will help you get done with more work in less time and would also require less effort.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Makita LS1221 12-Inch Miter Saw
Miter Stops and Bevel Cuts
This saw from Matika has a very large capacity for cuts. A 4 x 6 inch at 90 degrees with a 4.5-inch tall fence is ideal for cutting 5.5-inch crown molding. The pivoting fence is also ideal for supporting a larger stock.
Range of Applications
The miter saw is specifically designed for a broad range of applications. Carpenters and professional woodworkers use this saw in furniture making. The 12-inch miter saws are also used by cabinet installers and siding installers.
Even in decking and flooring applications contractors prefer a strong 12-inch saw at the job site where they are working.
Warranty
Every product from Matika is tested before selling, however, if a person is not satisfied with the 12 inch miter saws the company offers a complete replacement or refund within one month of buying the product.
In addition to this, they also offer a one-year warranty, and any faults during the warranty will be repaired free of charge by the company.
Easy to Use
The 12-inch miter saws are sent ready to use with complete instructions. The 12-inch blades are also very lightweight making it easy to transport them from one place to another.
What Do the Customers Think?
After testing the 12-inch miter saws by ourselves, we decided to look through the internet and find customer reviews for this saw. These reviews further support our research.
The people were delighted with the performance of the saw and its smooth cutting. People also praised the saw for its less noise.
Best 12-inch Miter Saw
The best 12-inch miter saw is the Makita LS1221 because it comes with a one-year warranty. You can replace the saw in case you are not satisfied with the performance.
Makita LS1221 – Final Verdict
After looking at all the reviews we have concluded that if you are looking for a saw that is value to money and high in quality then the Makita LS1221 is the top choice.
Metabo HPT 10-Inch Miter Saw Review - Affordable and Lightweight
The Metabo HPT 10-inch miter saw has a strong 15 amp motor which provides a 5000 RPM ideal for making crosscuts and miter cuts. The machine has been used to make a variety of bevel cuts at different angles.
Features of Metabo HPT 10-inch Miter Saw
- Corded electric power source
- 5000 RPM motor
- 24.2 lbs in weight
- Bevel range of 0-45 degrees
- 20 x 15.25 x 14 inches in dimension
- Accurate bevel cuts
- The 10-inch blade spins faster
- Less expensive for larger projects
- The horizontal handle ensures a secure hold
- Large table for a better support
- Only bevels to the left
Benefits of Metabo HPT 10-inch Miter Saw
The Metabo HPT 10-inch miter saw is the finest in the market as it works well with both softwood and hardwood. Since the blade is comparatively smaller it spins faster and cuts more in less time.
The saw features all these benefits at such a low price. This makes it very easy for you to remain on a budget and get the best outcome. Even for a low price, the saw does not negotiate with the cutting quality.
The miter saw also firmly holds the material in place making it very stable to use. This ensures that the cuts are accurate and in place.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Metabo HPT 10-Inch Miter Saw
Bevel Range
The Metabo saw has a large bevel range of 0-45 degrees. These dual bevel cuts are only possible to the left for clean and smoother cuts.
Safety and Support
The saw has a horizontal handle on the top for a secure hold. This makes it easy to work for hours with ease and keeps the saw in place.
The 10 inch miter saws also have a large table with them for better material support. The 10-inch blades also come with a clamping system to keep the material in place.
Portability
The highlighting benefit of this miter saw is that it weighs only 10 kilograms. This helps you transport your saw from one place to another without any difficulties or additional cost.
The saw can even be taken into confined spaces when needed.
Power
The 15 amp motor of the saw delivers very high power to the saw for the toughest of cutting jobs. The 10-inch blades of the saw also move at a very speed which assists in cutting even the strongest of materials with finesse and ease.
What Do the Customers Think?
We thoroughly tested the 10-inch miter saws and had some outstanding results. After this, we decided to surf the internet to look for even more reviews of people who had experience using this saw in their everyday lives.
People praised the 10-inch blades for their finesse work and smoother cuts. The people were also happy for the fact that they can easily take this saw with them from one place to another.
Best 10 Inch Miter Saw
The best 10 inch miter saw is the Metabo HPT because of its safety features. You can use the blade for hours by keeping it in one position without worrying about any mishaps.
Metabo HPT 10-inch Miter Saw – Final Verdict
If you are looking for a perfect homeowner saw that is required for a short-term project or less expensive home repairing then there is no better option than the Metabo HPT 10-inch miter saw.
This saw not only helps in cheap repairing but also requires very little space to store.
10-Inch Vs 12-Inch Miter Saw - Buyers’ Guide
What is the main difference between a 10-inch and 12-inch Miter saw?
This is statistically the most frequently asked question in a 10 vs 12-inch miter saw battle. People mostly think that a mere 2-inch difference is nothing, however, this difference matters a lot when working.
A 10-inch blade can spin faster compared to a 12-inch blade. This is due to the heavier blade of the 12-inch blade.
Another main difference between the two is that a 12-inch saw is generally more expensive than a 10-inch saw. This is because the blade of a saw has teeth and a longer blade has more teeth making it more expensive.
Can we use a 10-inch blade on a 12-inch Miter saw?
It is generally possible to put a 10-inch blade on a 12-inch saw if the arbor holes of both these blades are of the same size. However, this is not preferred as a 12-inch saw has a 1-inch arbor while a 10-inch saw only has a ⅝-inch arbor.
Also by nature, the 10-inch blade will deflect way less now as the teeth are now 5-inch away from the center of the arbor whereas they should be 6 inches away from them.
A vice versa of a 12 blade is not possible at all though.
Can you cut a 4×4 piece with a 10-Inch Miter saw?
It is possible to cut a 4×4 piece with 10-inch saws however you can not do this in a single go. If the saw you are using is stationary then you can cut from only one side. After you are done with the first side you have to flip the material first and then cut again.
In conclusion, a 10-inch miter saw size is not ideal to cut a 4×4 piece.
Is it safe to use a Miter saw on the ground?
It is not recommended and safe to use a compound miter saw on the ground. The miter saw is a trip hazard and a back injury can occur due to a heavy miter saw.
Most manufacturers of the miter saw prefer bolting down the miter saw before use which is very difficult to do on the ground. This can however be achieved on a workbench or table.
Using it on the ground also makes it difficult to keep the material in place causing a wavy machine which further makes untidy and rough cuts.
What to do if the Miter saw is cutting crooked?
There can be several reasons for a miter saw blade to cut crooked. One of the most popular solutions is to clamp the material down when using the miter saw. When making bevel cross-cuts the material is pulled towards the blade so it is better to clamp the material.
Another main reason causing this can be the blade of the miter saw. Since the blade moves at a very fast speed a damaged one or one which is not installed correctly can give out very crooked and bad cuts.
The arrangement of the fence can also be an issue. Since the fence keeps the material in line with the blade, a slight arrangement error in the fence can cause the cuts to be bad and crooked.
How deep can a 10-inch miter saw cut?
10-inch miter saws can make right-angle cuts across a board that is 5.5 inches wide. The 10-inch miter saws can also be used to cut a 2 x 4-inch cut at a 45-degree angle. The 10 blade has a lower capacity.
How big of a board can a 12-inch and a 10-inch miter saw cut?
The general rule of the miter saw is that the bigger a blade is the wider and deeper is its cutting capacity. Different blade sizes are used for different projects.
The 10-inch miter saws can maximum cut a 2×6 at 90 degrees while 2×4 is the maximum they can cut at 45 degrees.
The 12-inch miter saw has a larger blade and a cutting capacity of 2×8 at 90 degrees while it can cut a maximum of 2×6 at 45 degrees.
Final Verdict
After carefully discussing and looking at the differences between the 10 vs 12 miter saw we have concluded that there is no clear winner between these two miter saws. Both the miter saws are used for different kinds of work and have different purposes.
If you have long-term woodworking projects that require a larger miter saw blade and heavy cutting capacity then we prefer that you go for the 12-inch miter saw. This will cost you more for large projects but the outcome will be worth the money you are spending.
On the other hand, if you require a portable table saw that needs to be transported from one place to another then the 10-inch miter saw is preferable. The power tools will cost you less for woodworking projects and the quality will not be negotiated.