Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review

When it comes to miter saws, Dewalt has always been my favorite corded saw.  I love the DWS716XPS.  However lately I have been using the Milwaukee 2733 which is a 7-1/4″ saw.  My Dewalt was sitting around and not getting much use.  Then I found out that Milwaukee was releasing a 12″ cordless miter saw, so I knew I had to give it a run.  So let’s check out the Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review.

Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review

If you have been following us for a while, you know I am putting an addition on my house.  As I said, I was always using the Dewalt.  But with the addition on the back of my house, I had to cut the power to the back of the house so that is when I really started using the Milwaukee.  Now it’s my go-to saw.  I used it for framing the outside and inside of the house.  I love the power, the battery life and how light it is to move from upstairs to downstairs.  While I love the saw, the one problem I had was when I was doing the rafters and large dimensions, it just didn’t have the capacity.  That is where the Milwaukee 12″ miter saw comes into play.

Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review

The Milwaukee miter saw (2739-20) is built around a brushless motor that generates 15 Amp corded power but is 15% lighter than the competitors. Milwaukee states you can make up to 330 cuts per charge but I am not sure what type of wood and the dimensions they are measuring.

As far as capacity, the saw has a 6-3/4″ vertical capacity,  a 2×14 horizontal capacity and a 7-1/2″ Nest Crown Capacity.

A quick rundown of the specs shows the tool weight in at 47.6 lbs with a height of 17.5″ and a width of 31.5″. The motor spins the blade at 3,500 RPMs.

The saw is powered by the Milwaukee M18 line.  While you can use smaller amp batteries, you should really stick with the 12Ah battery but the 9Ah also works great.

The saw is outfitted with a D-Handle and a large trigger.  One notable feature is the light line.  You can turn on and off the line with your finger which is located on the handle.  The light shines down the blade so you get a true cutting line.

All the miter and bevel numbers are easy to read.  They have a nice contrast and they are big so even in low light and a little far away, you can see the settings.

Making the miter and bevel changes are easy.  You can control the miter cuts from the front and the bevel cuts from the back.

The saw works on a two-rail system that can be locked in place and not use the sliding feature.

Milwaukee built in a quick stop system for 22.5 degrees and 33.9 degrees.  This allows you to quickly get to common cuts.

Both the left and right fence can easily be adjusted or removed.

The handles on the side, along with the top handle make moving the saw easy and doesn’t create a lot of stress on your back.

The max miter cut is 50 degrees and 60 degrees. The max bevel cut is 48 degrees both left and right.

The saw has the ability to make trench cuts and it’s easy to work with the setting.

One of my favorite features of this saw is how easy it is to change the blade.  Most saws feel like a pain, but the Milwaukee is simple.  You don’t have to remove the guard.  In fact, the guard will stay up while you change the blade.  Even the Arbor lock is large which is the first I have seen.  Thank you for making this saw easy to use.

Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review 

In regards to performance, this saw rocks.  You would have a hard time believing it’s cordless.  From small to large cuts, the saw was true out of the box.

This saw is perfect for framing, trim and more.  We tried to go fast through the wood, which you shouldn’t do, but we wanted to see if we could get it to bog down.  As you would expect, the saw didn’t bog down or even shut down.

Cutting 4×4 at a bevel and miter wasn’t an issue either.  Again, the saw does what you would expect it to do, work and cut like butter.

Even cutting I Beam Joist, the saw had no issues.

Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review

You can pick this up at The Home Depot for about $700 for the bare tool.  Normally I would hit this price tag hard and say it’s too expensive, but I think $700 is a fair price.  Yes, you will still have to invest in a battery if you don’t have one.

Here is why I think the price is fair.  First, the build quality is awesome.

Second, this saw is great for rough framing or finish framing.  I didn’t have to adjust the saw out of the box.  My 7-1/4″ I never had to adjust.  I did drop the saw twice and made small adjustments, but I used it for framing and trim work.

Third, not having to deal with a cord is key.  Especially if you are framing.  My guess is you probably don’t have power and you are tired of listening to a generator run all day long.

Fourth, the run time is awesome.  This is a high demand tool when cutting large dimensions and running it all day long.  This saw doesn’t have a problem keeping up with you.

These are just four reasons, I think the price is fair.  There are far more, but I think you get the point.

Milwaukee 12″ Cordless Miter Saw Review

So here is the deal.  I absolutely love the 7-1/4″ Milwaukee saw.  The saw does pretty much anything you want and without a cord.  For those who are working with larger dimensions, the 12″ miter saw is a must-have.  It has everything that I love about the 7-1/4″ but with a larger capacity.  So here is my take.  If you are working with flooring, 2×6 or smaller, the 7-1/4″ is a no brainer.  For those framing working with joists, rafters and larger dimensions, the Milwaukee 12″ is perfect.  Plenty of run time and plenty of power.  The Miter Saw is a true workhorse.