I use to cut small boards for my projects with a hacksaw and a miter box. I had the large sheets cut at the home center before buying them. Efficient? Hardly. Did it work? Most of the time. But, now my projects require an upgrade in tools.
(Find the best deals on miter and table saws on Amazon.)
In this article, I compare and contrast the differences of a table saw vs a miter saw.
The gist of why to choose a miter saw over a table saw (or vice-versa) follows:
A table saw rips long, large boards with ease. A miter saw excels at cutting angles on small boards. However, a table saw can be used with a miter gauge, which allows it to cut angles, but a miter saw will never be able to cut long, large boards — the same holds true with the best radial arm saw.
Best selling table saws on Amazon
- Compact size for easy transportation and storage
- Rack and pinion telescoping fence rails make fence adjustments fast, smooth and accurate
- 24.5 in. of rip capacity for ripping 4x8 plywood or OSB sheets
- Power-Loss reset prevents accidental re-starts following a power disruption when the tool is left in the on position
- Blade Brake
- Your purchase includes one Dewalt table saw, 10inch 24-tooth carbide blade, rolling stand, push stick, miter gauge, rip fence, 2x blade wrenches, blade guard assembly manual
- Other Specs: Max rip to left of blade – 22inch | Max rip to right of blade – 32-1/2inch | Max width of Dado – 13/16inch | Arbor size – 5/8inch | Amps – 15 | Depth of cut at 45inch – 2-1/4inch | Depth of cut at 90° – 3-1/8inch | No Load Speed: 4800 RPM
- Rolling stand designed for easy set up and breakdown with excellent stability
- Rack & Pinion Telescoping Fence System Make fence adjustments fast, smooth and accurate
- Features a 15.0A high torque motor with the power to cut pressure treated lumber and hardwoods
- POWERFUL TABLE SAW: Has 15-Amp saw with 4.0 max HP and 3,650 rpm, for rip-cutting and cross-cutting of fine and rough materials
- LARGE CAST ALUMINUM TOP: Provides increased work space and material support with a 30 In. ripping capacity
- SOFT-START CIRCUITRY: Manages intensity of motor start-up and minimizes the likelihood possibility of tripping a circuit breaker
- CONSTANT RESPONSE CIRCUITRY: Helps maintain speed under load
- RESTART PROTECTION: Helps to avoid accidental startup
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Best selling miter saws on Amazon
- MOTOR: 15 Amp motor delivers high power for the toughest of cuts generating a no-load speed of up to 5,000 RPM
- LIGHTWEIGHT: Only 24.2 lbs. to facilitate maneuverability and portability
- MITER ANGLE RANGE: 0-52 degrees, to the right and left for increased flexibility
- BEVEL RANGE: 0-45 degrees, to the left with adjustable bevel stops for precision cuts
- LARGE TABLE: Offers better material support with vice clamping system to secure work piece
- Stainless-steel miter detent plate of 12-inch miter saw blade comes with 14 positive stops
- The mitre saw features the precise miter system and machined base fence support
- Tall sliding fence of DEWALT miter saw supports 5-1/2-inch base vertically
- Bevels 0 degree - 48degree to the left and 0 degree- 3degree to the right. Tool height-15 inch
- 2-inch x 8-inch dimensional lumber cross cut capacity at 90 degree and 2-inch x 6-inch dimensional lumber at 45 degree
- Integrated CUTLINE Blade Positioning System provides adjustment free cut line indication for better accuracy and visibility for the 12-inch miter saw blade
- XPS technology uses an LED to project light down either side of the blade, creating a shadow on the cutline once the saw arm is lowered
- Super-efficient dust collection system of DEWALT miter saw captures over 75% of dust generated
- Tall sliding fences support crown molding up to 7-1/2-inch nested and base molding up to 6-3/4-inch vertically against the fence while easily sliding out of the way for bevel cuts
- Exclusive back fence design cuts up to 2x14 dimensional lumber at 90 degree and 2x10 at 45 degree
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Comparison: miter saw versus table saw
Safety: Saw injuries are usually serious injuries. Miter saws are safer. Most have automatic brakes that stop the blade quickly when you release the trigger. Most table saws, especially cheaper ones, don’t have this feature.
Guards: Miter saws usually have a built-in guard shielding you from the blade. Table saw guards are not as effective, since one hand or both have to reach past the blade if you are not using a pushblock.
For work where a flip-down guard gets in the way, you might want to consider using a miter saw.
Kick back: Table saws can kick loose material right back at you, such as knots or hidden chips.
Larger pieces of wood can come right out of your hands if you aren’t prepared.
Table-saw blades rotate toward you, whereas miter saws rotate away from you, so you rarely have this problem with a miter saw.
Angles: Miter saws are designed for cutting angles, and nothing does it better or easier.
There are built in presets that you can move to in either direction for cuts up to 50 degrees off center.
A table saw can be used a good miter gauge to get the same results as a miter saw. But, a table saw and miter gauge are are little more difficult to use and more error-prone, especially the cheap versions, while cutting angles.
Sheets: Table saws are the best solution to cut long boards or 4×8′ sheets. Like any tool, it does take a little help and practice at first.
Miter saws are meant for small work and single boards, often 6″ or less. A sliding miter saw can extend this to 12″ to 15″, but many projects require cutting larger sheets or panels where a miter saw is useless.
Cutting to width: Nothing rips a board lengthwise like a table saw.
Miter saws can’t rip lumber to width, and hand saws are impossible to get the job done accurately. Miter saws only cut at right angles to the length of the board.
Trim: The miter saw is the perfect tool for cutting trim.
It’s quick, and easy to adjust to any angle. It’s portable, so that it can be carried where needed by one person, and rest on any table top or bench.
Whereas a larger table saw requires two or more people to move as well as ample floor space and a miter gauge, which can be a pain.
Joinery: Table saws are better for cutting joinery than a miter saws. They can also be equipped with blades for cutting channels, tenons, and so forth, and the saw cut depth easily adjusted.
Miter saws typically come with a standard saw blade, and in any case are harder to manipulate for anything other than narrow cross cuts.
If use a pocket hole jig and screws to join boards, you won’t need to cut channels or tenons or any fancy joinery cuts.
Tilt: Bevel cuts are a common requirement in woodworking and construction projects.
The ability to title the blade to any cutting angle is best done with a table saw. A basic miter saw cuts straight down at a 90-degree angle.
Budget: While it’s unfair to compare the capabilities of a $900 table saw versus a miter saw costing $100, a miter saw is generally much cheaper.
If you are going to be primarily cross-cutting single boards, save the strain on your back and your wallet and get a miter saw instead of investing in a table saw. Get the home center or lumbar yard to rip the long, sheet boards for you.
Versatility: Most shops do the vast majority of their cutting on a table saw, where the type, depth, angle, and bevel of the cut can all be adjusted accurately.
A good saw is indispensable for cutting longer lengths, and there are plenty of table saw accessories for various tasks.
But, changing blades, moving fences, etc. can be an extra hassle and time-consuming. Nothing beats a good miter saw on a job site or at the shop where a lot of angled cross-cutting has to be done to make pieces fit.
I hope this helps with the debate about the table saw vs miter saw.
