Riding on a horizontal double-rail system, Makita's 10-inch dual sliding compound miter saw is one smooth operator. Both rails are self-cleaning and slide on linear ball bearings. The horizontal rail design also seems to give this saw some extra stability, a feature we appreciate, especially in a saw that bevels to 45 degrees both ways. Makita's saw has a vertical grip design with a thumb-activated safety switch and a paddle trigger, and while the vertical design might be slightly less ergonomic than the horizontal D-handle, it does allow you to use the saw comfortably with either hand. Plus, the paddle grip makes squeezing the trigger easy no matter how you're holding the handle. The saw crosscuts a two-by-twelve at 90 degrees and also has the depth capacity to cut four-by-four material--a feature deck builders, in particular, demand. The saw's table is large, too, giving you plenty of workspace for making wider crosscuts. The saw's nine positive stops make it easy to lock in common miters. The miter lock on this saw has a screw handle that is a little more time-consuming than recently popular cam-lock design. We really like the soft start and electric brake, however; they're user-friendly features that make a big difference, especially when a job requires a lot of constant, repetitive cuts. The pivot fence adjusts for supporting large stock and flips back for bevel cuts. The saw also has a well-designed work clamp that lets you make precision cuts on small pieces without having to get your fingers too close to the blade. Like most sliders, this saw features a depth-stop mechanism in case you have to make a few quick dado cuts on a job site. And, for home shop users, this saw also gives you the added option of a release safety button that pulls out and locks the saw off. --Jon Groebner
