Hitachi has made some great products in the past and we wanted to check out what their flagship miter saw can do.
We tested the Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw for many months with different types of wood to gauge its performance.
In this post, we will discuss our findings. We have also provided a couple of alternatives to the miter saw that you can check out as well.
| IMAGE | NAME | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | ★ WINNER ★ Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw | Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw comes with a compact design that’s great for a variety of different jobs. Even though it’s 12 inches, it's quite lightweight when you look at how big jobs it can handle. It’s a great option if you intend to do DIY or contract-based projects. | Check on Amazon |
| IMAGE | NAME | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | ★ Alternate #1 ★ Hitachi C8FSE Miter Saw | This is another great miter saw from Hitachi that comes with a TCT blade right in the package. The blade has 24 teeth that makes it great for ripping and general-purpose jobs. The left bevel can swing all the way up to 48 degrees. | Check on Amazon |
  | ★ Alternate #2 ★ DEWALT Sliding Compound Miter Saw | This sliding miter saw from DeWalt is something that could be a great option for veterans. It has a ton of adjustments and can be utilized easily to make precise and complex cuts. It comes with a 15-amp motor that allows the blade to spin up to 4400 RPM. | Check on Amazon |
Quick Summary of the Main Product
The Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw is surprisingly lightweight for a 12-inch miter saw. This makes it not only easy to transport but also easy to handle and use.
It has a compact slide system that allows you to slide alongside fixed rails. Thanks to this, you don’t need to worry about rear clearance with this saw.
The saw also comes with a soft, ergonomic grip that makes it super easy to use. It also allows you to conduct longer sessions without putting too much strain on your hands and arms.
Features and Benefits
Dual-Bevel & Extensive Miter Detents
The miter is a dual-bevel saw that allows you to make much more intricate and fancier cuts. It’s a great choice if you want a saw that can handle complex cuts with ease.
Built-In Laser for Accuracy
The Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw comes with a built-in laser guidance system that indicates where the blade will land on the material.
It adds another level of accuracy which is something you need if you want to make the complex and intricate cuts that this miter saw is capable of.
Powerful Motor
The 15-amp motor provides great power to the blade that allows you to easily cut through thicker materials such as wood, PVC and sheet metal.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy the Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw
Size
It’s a 12-inch miter saw which means it’s extremely versatile and can handle thicker, larger cuts of materials.
The saw is great for cutting as well as ripping by interchanging the appropriate saw blades in it.
Sliding or Compound?
As mentioned earlier, it’s a sliding miter saw which means it can move backward and forwards in addition to pivoting left and right.
It allows you to extend the cut while you make it and enables you to work with longer pieces of lumber.
Laser Guide or No Laser Guide?
As mentioned above, it does have a laser guidance system which is always a welcome feature.
It further increases the accuracy and precision of the saw.
Pros and Cons
- Excellent build quality
- Built-in laser
- Ergonomic
- User-friendly
- Affordable
- Might not be compatible with certain blades
Social Proof
We checked out Amazon reviews to see what other people’s experiences were like with the Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw.
Here are some reviews we came across:
Similar to the Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw (Recommendations)
1.Best Compact Alternative - Hitachi C8FSE Slide Compound Miter Saw Review
If you want something that’s a little more portable and compact, then this sliding saw from Hitachi can be a choice worth considering.
It works pretty much the same way as our main product but in a much smaller size.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Hitachi C8FSE Slide Compound Miter Saw
Size: It’s an 8-inch miter saw. This makes it much more portable but of course, it cannot handle as thick materials as our main product can.
Sliding or compound: It’s a sliding miter saw just like our main product. Hence, you can still make accurate angled cuts with ease.
Laser guide or no laser guide: It does indeed have a laser-guidance system built into it just like our main product. The laser guidance system is quite intuitive to use.
- User-friendly
- Powerful, reliable motor
- Soft, ergonomic grip
- Highly sturdy
- Budget-friendly
- Might not be compatible with certain brands of blades
Best Compact Alternative
The best compact alternative is the Hitachi C8FSE Slide Compound Miter Saw thanks to its small design and easy-to-handle grip.
2.Best High-End Alternative - DeWalt Sliding Compound Miter Saw Review
If you want something that has many adjustment options for niche and customized cuts, this miter saw is worth considering.
It’s the miter saw that you want to get if you want a ton of fine-tuning options.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy DeWalt Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Size: It’s a 12-inch miter saw that can go head-to-head with our main products in terms of the number of different materials it can cut.
Sliding or compound: It’s a sliding miter saw similar to our main product. It can swing up to 48 degrees and can make many different types of cuts.
Laser guide or no laser guide: It has an easy-to-use laser guide.
- Easy to transport
- Comfortable to use
- Highly sturdy
- Easy to set up
- Easy to use
- Expensive
Best High-End Alternative
The best high-end alternative is the DeWalt Sliding Compound Miter Saw thanks to its sturdy construction and sleek design.
Buyer's Guide
Size
The size of the miter saw you choose is crucial because you’ll have to buy one according to what your needs are.
Miter saws are available in sizes that range from 7 ½ inches all the way up to 12 inches.
When we talk about the “size”, we refer to the diameter of the blade of the miter saw.
As you can probably imagine, smaller miter saws are a lot more portable and easier to maneuver. However, they can only be used with smaller and softer woods. If you want to work with thicker materials, then a small miter saw might not be the right choice.
Larger miter saws take a lot more electricity to run and are also more difficult to handle. However, they make short work of thicker materials and make them very easy to cut precisely.
Sliding or Compound?
Once you’ve decided on the size, you must now decide whether you want to buy a sliding or a compound miter saw.
Again, your choice should be made after you thoroughly assess what your needs are.
Compound miter saws are much more budget-friendly and are also easier to use. They can pivot left and right. This ability allows them to create angled cuts on wood and other materials.
They can be a great option for newer woodworkers that are looking to get into creating simple objects such as picture frames, door frames, cabinets, etc.
However, if you want to make more intricate cuts for fancier projects, then a sliding miter saw might be the better option. Sliding miter saws can move forwards and backward as well as pivot left and right.
This ability allows you to extend the cut across the material and make it much more complex. This is the miter saw of choice for more experienced woodworkers.
Laser Guide or No Laser Guide?
This feature is something you may have noticed that certain miter saws have if you’ve been browsing online.
A built-in laser guidance system is exactly what it sounds like: It’s a laser that provides an indicator of where the blade will land on the material. Naturally, this makes the miter saw much easier to use as less intuition is involved.
Miter saws that have a built-in laser guidance system are typically more expensive than ones that don’t have it.
A laser guidance system is also something that could be great for you if you’re new to woodworking. The laser can help you make accurate cuts and also assist you in developing intuition quickly. The intuition for where the blade will land on the material.
Find more reviews and comparisons for your favorite tools HERE
Wrapping things up...
This brings us to the conclusion of our Hitachi Miter Saw review.
It’s definitely a miter saw worth considering if you conduct a variety of jobs regularly. It’s highly versatile and not that expensive either.
What do you think of the Hitachi C12RSH2 Miter Saw? Let us know in the comments below.
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