The great news is that there’s a good selection of compound miters at this price point—good enough that we had to do a fair amount of cross-examination on those product specs and sift a fair-sized mountain of customer feedback before narrowing the selection down to five.
Please enjoy this quick canter through a list which features five lightweight single-bevel miter saws, two of which have sliding capacity, and one of which is cordless. We need to be frank about one thing up front, however. Double-beveling isn’t on offer on saws below a $300 investment. If your work is going to involve a number of mirrored angles, then save yourself some pain and hop onto YouTube to awaken your inner geometry teacher and pick up top tips for marking your materials for minimal confusion.
If you’re still weighing up the best options at the end of this selection, then go right ahead and read the buyer’s guide for a summary of the things you’ll need to take into account when deciding which product will suit you best.
For now, here’s our selection of sturdy favorites.
Table of ContentsBest Miter Saw Under $200Best Miter Saw Under $200 Buying GuideFrequently Asked Questions
Best Miter Saw Under $200
OUR TOP PICK
No products found.Hitachi/Metabo 15-Amp 10″ Single Bevel Compound Miter Saw (C10FCG)
EDITORS CHOICE
No products found.Metabo HPT 10″ Compound Miter Saw | Laser Marker | 15-Amp Motor | Single Bevel
BEST VALUE
No products found.Delta Power Equipment Corporation S26-263L Shopmaster 10 In. Slide Miter Saw
OUR TOP PICK
Hitachi/Metabo 15-Amp 10″ Single Bevel Compound Miter Saw (C10FCG)
No products found.Summary
If you’re new to DIY markets generally, then it might be helpful to know that the power tools division of Hitachi bought Metabo back in late 2018 but adopted the Metabo name in an amicable branding divorce from Hitachi’s other product lines. Amazon has not gone out of its way to make this clear, as you’ll see when comparing and contrasting their hardware.
The corporate focus for Metabo since the rebrand has been on toughness and durability, whereas there had been an attachment to innovation and inspiration. Metabo are deadly serious about investing in the robustness of their products, as is reflected in excellent feedback about the lifespan and performance of the C10FCG saw itself. Even more significantly, Metabo has continued Hitachi’s policy of offering a 5-year warranty.
Right, with corporate history and priorities covered, let’s look at the specs of this saw. It’s a solid-performing 15amp/120v motor running at an unloaded 5000rpm. The C10FCG comes with a 24-TCT blade, which you may want to swap out if you want a finer finish. That said, it’s a tough beast and will push through a 4×4” like a wire through Cheddar.
The bevel swings left up to 45°, the miter providing a little more flexibility with its 52° in either direction. For convenience, there are thumb-release positive stops at 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, and 45°. This makes the business of getting several corners of the same type done and dusted quickly and easily.
There is a generous base surface for stabilizing the wood, and the 24lb saw comes with a vise assembly, hex bar wrench, and dust bag.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Accurate and powerful cutting
- Good versatility: good for chunky lumber and trim work
- Lightweight and portable
Cons
- The blade guard can be loose when it first arrives; make sure that you check that the blade is properly secured before you start working
- Sadly, Hitachi’s propensity to produce baffling manuals has continued with Metabo. Many customers found the set-up instructions unclear.
EDITORS CHOICE
Metabo HPT 10″ Compound Miter Saw | Laser Marker | 15-Amp Motor | Single Bevel (C10FCH2)
No products found.Summary
This model shares many of the same features of the C10FCG, so we’ll just highlight three key design evolutions and draw your attention to a couple of new and interesting snags. They’re minor, we’re glad to say.
This saw has an accurate laser to assist your precision and make your life easier. You’ll need to align it left or right before you begin your positioning, which can be a little committing. Saying that, but once set up, the laser takes so much stress, second-guessing and hesitation out of the work.
The C10FCH2 features built-in clamping, which makes for safety improvements. They’ve made an adjustment on the handle, too; although horizontal grips are a sustained Hitachi design point, this model features elastomer covering to reduce the physical effects of sustained use.
The third helpful evolution is the flip fencing which can extend upwards so that it’s four inches tall. Cutting dense wood can be intimidating unless you’ve marked your surface and measurements to kingdom come, but not with this model.
It does seem to have devolved in a couple of minor ways. Firstly, changing the blades is awkward because the guard is so tight and unwieldy. Yes, it’s great for safety. However, you do want to customize your tool to your liking without breaking too much sweat. Secondly, there does not appear to be as much space on the base table. That said, neither of these problems are insurmountable, and this hugely popular tool continues to be recommended for quality and durability alongside premium double-beveled sliding beasts made by the likes of DeWalt, Bosch, and Festool.
Pros
- Excellent power and performance for the price
- Intuitive design and easy to set up straight out of the box (despite instructions)
- Features a laser guide for accurate blading
- Extendable fencing for reliable cuts
- Can handle thick wood (up to 4 inches tall from the baseplate)
Cons
- Changing the blades requires you to develop a knack
- The dreadful instruction manual strikes again
BEST VALUE
Delta Power Equipment Corporation S26-263L Shopmaster 10 In. Slide Miter Saw w/Laser (2018)
No products found.Summary
This is one of two sliding miter saws in this selection. It’s single-beveled, angled up to 45° to the left, and it can take a board a foot wide. The miter cuts can be made up to 45° to the left and right. This is a little more limiting than some of the other options listed here, but then again we need to consider the size and price point: it is intended as a user-friendly tool for small jobs, and the saw mechanism itself is robust and reliable. It’s useful that the blade guard is see-through; it gives a little more reassurance when you can eye the blade’s precise angle in your upper periphery as well as the immediate foreground.
The 15amps/120v powers a saw blade running at 5500rpm. This isn’t the lightest saw in this selection, weighing in at 29.5lb, but it has a nice weight-to-power ratio. It’s easy enough to move around by yourself, but not so insubstantial that it’s going to rattle and jump on your work surface. In fact, DIY reviewers have been pleasantly surprised by the vibration control within the whole unit. Nonetheless, the S25-263L does come with a workbench clamp for that extra bit of security.
The Delta Shopmaster comes with a 3-year warranty.
Pros
- Good for beginners
- powerful and smooth cutting motion
- light and portable
- The power cord emerges from the saw’s rear, keeping out of your way
Cons
- The fencing isn’t very high
- The stops/detents around the miter measuring dial aren’t particularly robust
RUNNER UP
RYOBI 18-Volt ONE+ Cordless 7-1/4 in. Compound Miter Saw (Tool Only) with Blade
No products found.Summary
Ryobi are making quite the name for themselves as purveyors of cordless hardware, their products running on fairly inexpensive rechargeable and interchangeable 18v lithium batteries. If you’ve got a few Ryobi tools to your name, then this miter saw presents an excellent bargain.
The blade on this non-sliding, single-bevel miter saw is small but powerful with its 2×4” cutting capacity and 4¼” crosscut capacity. It’s a lightweight and portable small-job tool to use on site or in a workshop. It’s also intuitive to use, sharing the same positive stop detents as seen on the Metabo saws.
This Ryobi miter saw also comes with: a blade (24TCT); a blade wrench; a working clamp, operator’s manual, and a 3-year warranty. It’s not as much of a “bare” tool as the lack of battery equipment would suggest.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Portable and easy to carry
- “Naked/Bare” tool with a blade is good at the price
- Cordless
- Nice, clean cuts
- Surprisingly quiet for the power level
Cons
- Small blade limits the depth of boards you’ll be able to cut
RUNNER UP
TACKLIFE Sliding Compound Miter Saw, Double Speed 3200/4500rpm (EMS01A)
No products found.Summary
Tacklife’s usual generosity with their accessories makes its appearance again here as they throw goodies in with their 10” sliding miter as if marketing a package at a premium price point. It’s very pleasing to feel that you’re getting so many things for your money and you’re able to run the saw right out of the box.
Let’s look at the saw’s capacity first. There are two adjustable speeds of 3200 and 4500rpm, giving you the option of cutting metal at a more sedate rate while zipping through lumber. The Tacklife 10” has a laser guide fitted to track real-time positioning, and the saw features the same range of detents as built into the Ryobi. That said, while customers have been very happy with the power and ease of use, there have been a few quibbles about the precision of this saw.
It’s been suggested that independent angle measurements are also taken, once you’ve used the miter base set-up as a guide with 2% margin of error. It has also been mentioned that there is a little too much freedom of movement for the blade, which can lead to a crosscut which is a longitudinal degree off. The advice overall is not to take the precision for granted, but to make the best of the tool’s power and facilities.
A definite plus-point for this saw is the provision of weight-bearing extensions to support the bulk of longer sections of molding, decking, or baseboard.
The manufacturers haven’t skimped on the safety features either, providing an iron self-retracting saw shield, the teeth cover preventing snag accidents. They also give you the option of fitting a dust bag or industrial vacuum to the 35mm port.
Want to know about the saw’s extras? Here they are: 1 multi-function blade; 2 blades for wood; 1 dust bag; 2 hexagonal wrenches; a clamping device; a user manual, and a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- Generous package
- Good warranty
- Good for beginners
- Robust safety features
- Good power levels
Cons
- Dust bag not very effective (tiny for the purpose)
- Mixed reviews about accuracy and precision
Honorable Mention
DEWALT 12-Inch Miter Saw, 15-Amp, Single Bevel, Compound (DWS715)
No products found.Summary
We’ve included this popular 12” option because, at the time of writing, it’s on a limited price offer which brings the cost down from $299 to beneath the $200 threshold. This presents fantastic value for money with quality you associate with a manufacturer of high-end hardware. The deadline for the price reduction was not stated, alas. Having said that, the off-sale price remains closer to our upper budget limit than several other brand-leading saws which cost north of $400. We thought it was worth bringing your attention to it.
Best Miter Saw Under $200 Buying Guide
As promised, here’s a consolidated list of the things to think about when choosing the ideal saw. We’ve broken them down into categories which relate to usage, and bulleted sub-items for your convenience.
Do you already know what materials you need to work with?
- Are your boards wide? Do you need a slider?
- Will you need a 10” blade, or can you go smaller?
- How deep is your lumber from the base plate to the cutting surface?
- How long are your sheets or boards? Do you need a base with extendable arms/fins/wings to support their weight and balance?
Where will you be working?
At this price point, it’s more likely that you’ll be adapting your environment to meet the limitations of the saw, rather than selecting the saw to match a checklist of environments where you’ll need to use it.
- Will you be outside enough to merit the use of a cordless saw?
- Will you be able to carry it outside by yourself? It’s one thing to haul a manual tile cutter into the garden, but miter saws are made of multiple, complex parts and can be awkward to move even if they’re not excessively heavy.
- How much power do you need? In the past couple of years, DeWalt have released cordless miter saws which make a nonsense of the general rule that corded saws pack more punch than corded ones. That said, exceptions serve to highlight the commonality of the rule; if you’re going to be remaining local to an electricity socket at least, then perhaps invest in a corded saw and spend any change on extension reels.
- Can you position your saw for optimal visibility and precision? You’ll need measurements which are clear under the glare of both sunlight and white/yellow LED lighting. Red laser marker lines become rather faint outdoors, so if you can work in even-coverage shade, that will help. Dappled sunlight is not your friend where precision work is concerned.
How user-friendly does it need to be?
If you’re experienced with using miter saws, then you’ll have acquired an inherent knowledge of the shortcuts and hacks for getting the best out of your power tools. Nonetheless:
- Are the blades easy to change?
- Are the blades easy to replace?
- Is there a dedicated dust collection system? To protect yourself and the lifespan of your saw, you don’t want to be working in a continuous haze which damages your lungs and the finer workings of the saw’s mechanism.
- Does the handle have an ergonomic design?
- Do you have grippy gloves, or will you need a rubberized handle?
- Are you training someone? In which case, take a good look at the design of the blade guard. transparent/translucent but robust is the best combination.
- Finally, what kind of warranty does the saw come with, and how far do you have to travel to get it serviced?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cut plastic with a miter saw?
Yes, but not without proper preparation. If you’re cutting pipe, for example, you need to be able to secure it against the fencing, which is a fiddly exercise in itself. Sheet plastic might be too fragile or brittle for a miter saw, inclined to splinter or crack. At the very least you’ll need a fine-toothed blade (100 teeth on a 12-inch blade is about right) which will not get hot as you saw. You’ll need to check the blade speed to make sure it is not slower than the saw’s no-load revolutions per minute. Suitable blades for plastic will typically be marked ‘no-melt’, or state specifically on the packaging that they are suitable for plastic. If you try cutting plastic with a wood blade, then you could be saying goodbye to your blade as well as having to source more material. Quite honestly, unless there is going to be a lot of plumbing in your future (in which case it’s worth investing in a special blade) it’s easier to buy a tube or pipe cutter.
How do I know what blades to get?
Ideally your saw will come with a blade from which you can note the details for future reference. However, you need to filter your search for the right diameter, material type, hole (arbor) size and type of finish. The more teeth in proportion to the diameter, the smoother and finer the cut.
How hard is it to see lasers outside?
On a very sunny day, you’re facing a significant challenge because the visible range of the laser is likely to be shortened or dissipated. This can happen even with a very short laser. You can create a plastic shield around the base of the saw so that the laser has a hard surface to meet and bounce back from, or you can buy a laser sensor. However, that does rather defeat the point of spending under $200 on the saw in the first place. The cheapest (and probably effective enough) solution is to buy a pair of laser recognition glasses, which are tinted to limit the array of light waves you can see. This will enhance the line of the laser in contrast.
