Shopping for a miter saw blade? Here's what to look for, along with nine great options to consider.
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The 9 Best Miter Saw Blades of 2024
Most miter saws ship from the factory with a blade that’s good but not great. Whether you’re looking to upgrade to a better option or replace a blade that’s gone dull, we’ve rounded up a selection of great miter saw blades.
But first, let’s look at some of the top features and traits to look for in a miter saw blade.
- Blade size. This is simply the blade’s diameter; 10-in. and 12-in. are the most common sizes. Smaller trim saws often use 7-1/4-in. or 8-1/2-in. blades.
- Teeth. Tooth geometry can be complex, but we’ll focus on the number of teeth on the blade. In general, blades with more teeth give a finer finish but cut slower than those with fewer teeth. Some blade teeth have tungsten-carbide tips. These last longer and can be resharpened more often.
- Arbor/bore size. The hole in the middle of the blade is called a bore, and it slips over the saw’s arbor. (Some manufactures use different terms such as “mandrel” or “blade mount,” but we’ll stick with arbor and bore.) Most 10-in. saws have a 5/8-in. arbor, while 12-in. saws have a 1-in. arbor. Double-check your saw’s arbor size before buying blades.
- Kerf width. A blade’s kerf is the width of the cut. Narrow-kerf blades are good choices for material like plywood or laminates because they reduce chipping.
- Stabilizer vents. These are the wavy lines and holes cut in the body plate of some blades. Stabilizer vents allow hot blades to expand without warping, while also reducing overall heat and noise.
Note: Retailers list some blades as “circular saw blades” or “table saw blades.” That’s because identically-sized blades can be swapped out between tools. All the blades on this list are particularly good choices for miter saws.
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Best General-Purpose Miter Saw Blade
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Best Budget Miter Saw Blade
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Fine Woodworking
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Rough Woodworking or Framing
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Metal
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Plywood
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Plastics
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Composite Decking
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Best Miter Saw Blade for Questionable Materials
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via lowes.com
Best General-Purpose Miter Saw Blade
If you simply want a good, mixed-use miter saw blade, the DeWalt Construction 10-inch 60-Tooth Blade balances performance with affordability. DeWalt blades are familiar to anyone who’s bought a DeWalt miter saw, and they’re a consistently dependable option for DIY use. This model, with a 5/8-in. bore, makes a terrific all-purpose blade.
via lowes.com
Best Budget Miter Saw Blade
Another strong option for general use: The Craftsman CMAS21060 10-inch 60-Tooth Miter Saw Blade. We like that it features carbide tips, and its corrosion-resistant coating helps combat rust. It’s a few dollars less than the DeWalt, making it about the most affordable, good-quality blade on the market. It’s a great pick for tight budgets or as a spare blade.
via homedepot.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Fine Woodworking
There are plenty of expensive, highly specialized miter saw blades on the market, but the Makita A-94770 10-inch 80-Tooth model is a step up from many manufacturer-provided blades. Its carbide teeth are honed to a 600-grit mirror finish, and the “ultra-coated” blade plate lowers vibration and noise while preventing pitch (wood residue) buildup.
via lowes.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Rough Woodworking or Framing
Miter saws are often used for fine details, but they work just as well for framing and rough-ins. If you want speedy cuts and aren’t overly concerned about tear-out, the Craftsman 10-inch 24-Tooth Blade cuts fast so you can get on to the next board. It’s a great choice if you’re chopping 2x4s to frame in a wall, or for any project where speed is more of a priority than a fine finish.
via woodcraft.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Metal
Miter saws primarily cut wood, but with the varied nature of DIY projects you’ll often find yourself cutting and shaping other materials. The 10-inch, 80-tooth Freud LU77M010 cuts non-ferrous metals like aluminum, brass and copper. (For ferrous metals like iron or steel, consider an angle grinder or dedicated metal saw.)
The LU77M010 can handle metal walls up to 1/4-in. thick, making it a great choice for light work. Regardless of size, Freud recommends using WD-40 or a similar liquid lubricant every four to five cuts to reduce heat and contain metal shavings.
via rockler.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Plywood
Plywood and laminate materials are prone to chipping when cut with standard miter saw blades. For better results, go with thin-kerf, high-tooth-count blades like the Freud LU79R Thin-Kerf Ultimate Plywood & Melamine line.
Available 7-1/4-in., 10-inch and 12-inch, these specialized blades feature laser-cut stabilizer slots and Freud’s Perma-Shield coating to lubricate and reduce heat.
via woodcraft.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Plastics
While almost any miter saw blade can cut plastics, the heat and rough edges tend to melt or chip the workpiece. If you demand a polished final product, that kind of finish simply isn’t acceptable.
Luckily, the 10-inch, 80-tooth the Forrest NM108011125 No-Melt Blade handles this task nicely. The side clearance of the carbide tips reduces or eliminates edge melting or chipping when cutting plastics.
That amazing performance comes at a premium price — a jaw-dropping $268. If you simply need to make a few cuts or don’t need a high level of finish, then go with a general-purpose, high-tooth-count blade. But if you want professional-grade results and have a lot of plastic to cut, this blade’s effectiveness is almost magic.
via homedepot.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Composite Decking
You can cut composite deck boards with a standard miter saw blade, but you’ll have an easier time if you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Trex specifically recommends the Diablo TrexBlade. The TrexBlade features laser-cut stabilizer vents, and their Modified Triple Chip Grind (MTCG) is specifically made to keep Trex deck boards cool enough to prevent melting or marring.
According to TimberTech, manufacturer of Azek decking, you can cut their boards with any “fine-toothed, carbide-tipped finish trim blade (12-inch 100-tooth or 10-inch 90-tooth minimum).”
via amazon.com
Best Miter Saw Blade for Questionable Materials
Miter saws are precision instruments rarely used for tasks like demolition. But occasionally, you may need to trim back a piece of wood with questionable materials like dirt or tar on the surface, or even embedded objects like nails. There’s no need to ruin an expensive blade when you’ve got low-cost spares on hand!
This two-pack of blades from Luckyway is convenient and affordable. At about $12 per blade, you’re not likely to find any miter saw blades for less. That makes them perfect for work that will put wear and tear on the blade.
The two-pack comes with 32- and 60-tooth blades. They’re nice to have on hand and affordable enough to be disposable if damaged.
