The 10-inch miter saw is best for most of the people but not for all because the 10-inch blade is enough for most of the task & also, it can fit in a 12-inch miter saw, so it totally depends on your type of work.
I know you might be thinking that why we are discussing on only these 2 sizes ( 10″ & 12″ ) whereas we have more blade sizes like 7-1/4, 8-1/2, 15, & even 20-inch or beyond if you are a highly professional ( who want to use it for industrial use ).
The reason is very simple: these 2 are popular & used in 80~90% of the cutting tasks. Rest 10~20% for industrial use.
The second question you might be thinking that the difference between these two blade types is only 2 inches then why we are discussing it, does it really make any difference?
Let me give you a short answer before comparing these two saws:
- Price of 12″ miter saw is more comparatively,
- Weight of 12-inch saws are more,
- The 10-inch is more stable.
- The difference in the number of teeth. ( For example 60-teeth 10″ blade is better than 60T 12″ miter blade because of the circumference of 10″ blade is less than the 12″ saw),
- 10″ fits in the 12″ miter saw but vice-versa not possible,
- Due to the small diameter, the 10-inch blade spins faster,
- Cost of sharpening the 12-inch blade is more than 10″ ( 10″ rarely needs sharpening. ),
- The 12-inch miter saw consumes a lot of electricity.
Recently, I have written a review article on Top 15 Miter Saws in 9000+ words along with Pros & Cons and Buyer’s Guide at last.
If you are on this page, then you might be interested in our article on the best miter saws. CLICK HERE to read.
Also check, ” Top rated miter stands reviews “
10-Inch Miter Saw
Few people may dislike this 10″ miter saw while some may like 12″ saw, depending on their needs but there are few basic things that all people will look, for example, quality, manufacturer warranty & most important is whether it is price worthy or not.
Let me show you the PROS & CONS of this 10-inch saw so that you can easily differentiate it.
Pros & Cons Of 10-Inch Miter Saw:
| PROS |
| 1. SPEED: ( i ) The 10″ saw spins faster than 12-inch because of its less weight ( Less weight means more velocity ). ( ii ) That’s why 12″ saw manages only 4000 RPM speed while 10″ achieves speed up to 5000 RPM. ( iii ) More speed means a clear & sharp cut. |
| 2. BLADE: ( i ) 60-teeth on 10″ blade is better than 60-teeth on 12″ blade because the diameter of the 10-inch blade is comparatively less. ( ii ) 10″ blade requires less maintenance ( sharpening ) while 12″ needs to be sharpened regularly ( making it costlier on an ongoing basis ). ( iii ) The 10-inch blade exerts more pressure comparatively on the cutting material because of its small surface area. You may have heard this in your school days that pressure ∝ 1/surface area. That’s why less surface means more pressure. |
| 3. AVAILABILITY: ( i ) The 10″ blade is easily available in stores, so no need to wait for a new blade. |
| 4. AFFORDABILITY: ( i ) The cost of 60-teeth 10″ blade is less than 12″ blade with the same number of teeth ( Perfect for economic use & affordable on daily basis use ). ( ii ) It also saves your electricity bill because it consumes less electricity in comparison to the 12-inch miter saw. |
| 5. VERSATILITY: ( i ) You can also use the 10″ miter blade in a table saw because most of the table saw use a 10-inch blade. Similarly, if you already have a table saw then you can use its blade in your 10-inch miter saw. |
| 6. PORTABILITY: ( i ) Not only the size of 10″ blade is small but also the whole miter saw is also small in comparison to 12-inch, making it transportable so that you can take it from your home to the Jobsite. |
| 7. DEFLECTION & WOBBLE: ( i ) The 10″ blade in miter saw doesn’t wobble & deflect like a 12-inch blade. |
| CONS |
| 1. CUTTING – CAPACITY: ( i ) You will not be able to cut more than 6-inches of your cutting material. ( ii ) Its capacity is restricted to lumber no bigger than the regular 2 by 6. ( iii ) That’s why it is not suitable for deck builders or any massive cutting tasks. |
Best 10-Inch Compound Miter Saw:
Best 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw:
Pros & Cons Of 12-Inch Miter Saw:
| PROS |
| 1. STRENGTH: ( i ) It is very strong due to its heavy-weight. ( ii ) You can cut harder materials easily with a 12″ miter saw. |
| 2. POWER OF MOTOR: ( i ) A high-quality 12″ miter saw comes with a powerful 15-ampere motor which gives it more strength, makes hard material cutting easy & also provides an additional lower. ( ii ) You can also use a 10″ blade in the place of 12-inch. This means more power and blade will spin faster due to the powerful motor of 12-inch saw. Faster spinning blade means finer cutting on your material. |
| 3. CUTTING – CAPACITY: ( i ) A 12-inch miter saw has the capability of cutting a 4 x 6 lumber in a single pass. ( ii ) High-quality 12″ saw can easily cut 12-inch wide hard plywood in 2 passes. This helps you to finish your project faster. |
| 4. DURABILITY: ( i ) For a 12″ saw, it is not difficult to make a cut on a piece of wood due to its high amperage. No strain means, its blade will remain sharp for a longer period of time. |
| CONS |
| 1. AVAILABILITY: ( i ) Not easily available and also difficult to get the same breadth. |
| 2. AFFORDABILITY: ( i ) The 12-inch blade is expensive unless you are a millionaire. ( ii ) If you are replacing the 12″ miter blade then also, it will be expensive. ( iii ) The cost of sharpening the 12″ blade is higher and making it costlier on an ongoing basis. ( iv ) Your electricity bill will increase because it consumes more electricity in comparison to 10″ saw. |
| 3. PORTABILITY: ( i ) The heaviness of the 12″ saw is the ‘pros’ but also the ‘cons’ because they are very heavy which makes it difficult to move from home to job-site. |
Best 12-Inch Compound Miter Saw:
Best 12-Inch Sliding-Compound Miter Saw:
So, the question comes again – 10-inch vs 12-inch miter saw: which one to choose?
Here is a short conclusion which will help you to choose the miter saw of your choice.
So, the conclusion is very simple. Just follow these 3 things & make your decision according to it, before buying a miter saw:
1. Buy 10″ Miter Saw:
- If you are a beginner or passionate DIY-er or even expert who do some smaller projects in their workshop then you must go for this saw.
- If money is not a problem or if you are a millionaire then you can go for 12″ saw because it is a multipurpose miter saw ( 10-inch blade can be also used in this ).
2. Buy 12″ Miter Saw:
- If you are a highly-professional who do some massive projects or cut very long lumbers every day or every week then this saw is perfect for you.
- As I already said above that you can buy it if you have not any budget problem.
3. Rent A 12″ Miter Saw:
- Sometimes, a situation comes when we do not need things for a longer period of time but it is necessary. If you are also facing the same problem, i.e., you want a 12″ powerful miter saw only for a specific task ( for few days ) then hire it from the store.
- If you want a 12″ saw for 4~8 months then you can buy a used & repaired version of it from the Amazon.
Some 10-inch miter saws which you may also like:
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