Chicago Electric 69684 Mitersaw Review

Updated: Sep. 29, 2022

The “why pay more?” saw

Chicago Electric miter sawFamily Handyman
Need a miter saw? Don't want to spend a lot of money? Check out this Chicago Electric 69684 miter saw. It has a surprisingly good features-to-dollars ratio.

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Chicago Electric 69684 miter saw.

Great saw for weekend DIYers

What do you sacrifice for the low price? Surprisingly little.

Most 12-in. sliding miter saws will set you back $450 to $650. So when I saw this Chicago Electric miter saw model for under $200, I wondered: What do you sacrifice for that unbelievably low price? The answer is: Surprisingly little. The Chicago Electric miter saw bevels left or right 45 degrees; most of the expensive models tilt beyond 45 degrees. The Chicago Electric miter saw crosscuts boards up to 12 in. wide; that’s an inch or two less than some models. The fence isn’t tall enough for wide crown molding, but I usually screw on a wood “auxiliary fence” for crown anyway. In terms of power and quality of cut, the Chicago’s performance is similar to that of other models I’ve used.

Overall, the Chicago Electric miter saw feels a little less beefy than expensive saws, so I suspect it will need adjustments more often and won’t stand up to abuse as well. If I needed a saw that could take daily job site beatings, I’d probably shell out for a more expensive model. But for the weekend workshop cutting I do these days, saving $400 sounds pretty darn good. Get more details on the Chicago Electric 69684, buy it online or find a local retailer at harborfreight.com.