- Blade Size: 7-1/4″
- Speed: 4500 RPM
- Strengths: Lightweight, Portable, Cordless
- Price: $150
I was browsing Sears’ site to see what kind of new tools are coming out this Spring, and came across a new Craftsman miter saw. Great, just another new miter saw, I thought, as every now and then Craftsman updates their miter saws with the tiniest of changes. But then I looked closer and noticed that this is a cordless model!
The new 7-1/4″ cordless miter saw is compatible with Craftsman’s C3 19.2V battery packs and is small and lightweight for easy portability.
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Features and Specs
- 7-1/4″ blade size
- 4500 RPM motor
- 0-45° bevel range with positive stops at 0 and 45°
- 2″ x 4-1/4″ horizontal cutting capacity
- Weighs 18 lbs excluding battery, 19.5 lbs with battery
- Comes with a 24T carbide-tipped blade, blade wrench, dust bag, work clamp, carrying handle
Price: $150
Craftsman says that the cordless miter saw has a heavy duty 19.2V motor, but they also classify it as a trim saw, possibly due to a lack of power or because of the small sized blade.
Just going from the specs and product image, I think the saw looks like a tidy well put together package. If I were in the market for a cordless miter saw, or even a compact portable one, those model would be on my shortlist.
Buy Now(via Sears)
If you wish this saw also had a cut-line laser, check out the Ryobi One+ 18V model. The Ryobi saw’s product page is worth checking out, as there are plenty of reviews going back one to two years, with most being quite positive. The two saws look a lot alike, indicating that TTI is probably also the OEM for the Craftsman saw.
Compare(Ryobi via Home Depot)
The saw is sold by itself as a bare tool. If you don’t already have Craftsman C3 batteries on-hand, you’ll need to buy a battery and charger or starter pack. Here’s what you need to know about Craftsman’s Lithium-ion batteries and XCP Li-ion batteries.
The starter kit (on sale for $70, reg. $80) is one way to go, but the Craftsman basic drill/driver kit (on sale for $70, reg. $90) also gives you an extra drill at the same exact price. You might also want to consider moving up to a high capacity battery pack, as cordless saws tend to drain battery packs at a quicker rate than other tools.
Steve Cox says
Nice, Will have to add it to my list. I do wish that the multi-tool was available. I have tried ordering one for 6 months now.
Matthew Fant says
This looks exactly like the Ryobi offering, and I’ve really liked that one for a couple of years now. If I had to pick a cordless miter saw, I have to say, this is the perfect formula. Light weight, right price, uses 7 1/4 circular saw blades, which are cheap and plentiful, the list goes on and on. Bulls eye! Now compare to the Makita cordless miter saw. First of all, expensive as hell. Second, 8 1/2 saw blades. Really? Third, did I say expensive?
I’ve noticed in the last year or so, both Craftsman and Ryobi are stepping up the game, and offering some seriously good tools, at a great price!
Robert C says
I own the Makita 7 1/2″ (not 8 1/2″) saw and it is wonderful. It is a sliding saw and preforms just like their AC powered saw. It’s light weight and very compact when carrying it. Yes it costs more than the Craftsman or Ryobi but I believe if you compare the two you will find the Makita is better built and feels much more solid, and has much greater capacity. If you have any of the 18 volt Makita tools and need a portable miter saw you should check this one out.
Matthew Fant says
I’m still holding out hope for Dewalt to come out with a good cordless miter saw. 7 1/2″ blades huh? I wish they would have used 7 1/4 also then. I mean it opens up all the circular saw blades that are common. I did a quick search, 7 1/2 blades are scarce are they not?
I’m glad to hear you like yours though. I’m not knocking Makita as a brand, I actually admire the innovation. But I really like the simplicity of this craftsman one.
KenZ says
I have the Ryobi. It does bog down a bit on larger/harder woods, but I rigged an attachment to put two 18V batteries in parallel (keeping it at 18V) and thus it doesn’t suffer the voltage collapse anymore and keep chugging a bit better.
The portability is great.
Javier says
That’s great and it uses full size circular saw blades. This can come in real handy especially with a 4.0 battery although I’m not sure if they have them that big
Matthew Fant says
Exactly! Regular circular saw blades. Awesome! Ryobi has a 4.0 ah battery for $100 and I’m fairly certain that craftsman does too. Probably same price.
Steve Cox says
Yes Craftsman has a 4.0AH battery. You can find it on sale for $79, then use coupons.
jason. w says
I always enjoy when people talk positively about ryobi. I’m new to the tool world, but ryobi hasn’t let me down yet.
Matthew Fant says
The new Ryobi nailer and stapler are both awesome. And Craftsman released a xcp drill, that I can only hope makes it to Ryobi as well, since the two companies are sharing similar tech anyways.
That being said, I know a pro, that uses Ryobi, and loves it.
Seth says
Spun this up in the store when I saw it – seemed pretty lethargic. the fence is tiny and the miter adjustment sloppy. Wouldn’t buy it until revision 2, except sears never upgrades specialty products like these but just kills them off.
If ever there was a good candidate for their 40v system, this is it. Oh well.
Jason says
Craftsman has been expanding their 19.2 volt range much more aggressively lately. For awhile they weren’t adding any new tools to the range. I wonder if they were planning on phasing out the 19.2 stuff and just keeping it going till that 20v Craftsman pro line took off but ended up getting axed after a few years. Sears still seems lost but at least they are trying now.
Robert says
This would pair up nicely with a cordless nailer. It would be a good solution for “incidental” trimming tasks. It’s big enough to handle some of the larger decorative molding, but portable enough to justify for even simple toe-stripping. I normally wouldn’t pull out an electric miter for a one room toe-stripping job. It’s too easy to handle with a standard miter. The ease of pulling out this size however with the cordless convenience added, would make it more justifiable, even for simple stripping.
I probably wouldn’t trust this with a more extravagant application like Crown Molding. I always doubt the precision and accuracy on a unit like this. That’s especially true for detailed and expensive applications.
Jerry says
I think for the homeowner doing a remodel job, or a weekend trim carpenter, this sort of thing would be great. Lightweight, easy to set up with no cords to run, and even a dust bag to simplify cleanup. If executed properly, it has the potential to be a useful tool.