A reader emailed in with a tough question, asking for our thoughts as to whether Dewalt would be coming out with a new cordless miter saw soon.
Houston wrote:
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What’s the latest on a new Dewalt cordless miter saw? A 10″ 60V Max FlexVolt, or possibly just an updated brushless 20V Max XR 7-1/4″ (or 8-1/4″)?? The DHS716/790 12″ saws are great, but monstrous and expensive. Have you heard rumors of them coming out with something a bit more midrange in both size and price?
Unfortunately, I haven’t heard any rumors yet. I can only speculate, but it’d be unsubstantiated guessing. Houston was okay with that, so I gave it some thought.
With Dewalt’s 20V Max cordless 7-1/4″ miter saw, Dewalt was insistent at the time that it didn’t need to be brushless. If its power was sufficient, and runtime decent, why add a brushless motor?
Could they come out with a brushless 7-1/4″ saw? Sure. But consider the pricing of their current offering.
Dewalt 20V Max 7-1/4″ cordless miter saw: $279 via Amazon for the bare tool.
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 7-1/4″ brushless miter saw: $399 via Acme for the bare tool.
If the current model still sells well, why come out with a pricier brushless one? It wouldn’t be a good idea, unless they can match the pricing, but can they?
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While Dewalt could potentially come out with an 8-1/4″ saw, would they? That blade size is used in cordless table saws for power and portability considerations. In a miter saw, it’s possible, but it could be a headache when it comes to blade selection and availability.
Can Dewalt come out with a FlexVolt 60V Max 10″ cordless miter saw? Yes.
Dewalt came out with 10″ and 8.5″ FlexVolt miter saws overseas, but the last time I checked, they indicated that they will not be bringing those designs to the USA/North American markets.
Can Dewalt come out with a new FlexVolt 60V Max 10″? Yes. A non-slider 10″ saw? I’m not so sure they’d want to. Sliding? What benefits would it present compared to the current 120V Max slider? Maybe lower cost of entry if it only requires one battery.
The Dewalt 120V Max 12″ compound miter saw is discontinued, or at least the kit SKU DHS716AT2.
The Dewalt DHS790A, their 120V 12″ sliding miter saw remains extremely popular. The last time I compared cordless miter saws, the DHS790 was king of the hill.
I would say that Dewalt might be in a position to respond to industry trends and developments, but they’re leading in the cordless 12″ category, offering something that other brands don’t have.
Also, consider that Dewalt knows how many of their miter saws retailers sell in North America, corded and cordless, 10″ or 12″, sliding or fixed. They’re going to leverage that data when determining whether to expand their cordless miter saw lineup or not.
Given their current offerings, anything Dewalt might come out with in the cordless miter saw field could potentially take away from their existing offerings, rather than generating new purchases. There will have to be something new or changed before we’ll see any new cordless miter saws from Dewalt. It’s not knowing what new developments might be going on behind the scenes that makes it difficult to predict their plans and activities.
Milwaukee, on the other hand, has a hole in their lineup, with no red counter to one of their fierce competitor’s top cordless products, but their battery technology can now help them fill that hole.
But for Dewalt, will a brushless 7-1/4″ saw generate more sales? A brushless 10″ saw? An updated 12″?
Without fresh insight or industry developments, it’s hard to predict what Dewalt is working on. Will we see new cordless miter saw sizes? I don’t think so.
Updated cordless miter saw models? Ooh, that would be a different question and a different answer.
The new Dewalt FlexVolt vacuum has wireless tool control.
Wireless Tool Control allows for wireless ON/OFF capability when paired with the included remote or a Wireless Tool Control-enabled tool.
That’s an area I think Dewalt is more likely to expand into, with new dust extractors or vacuums featuring wireless automatic activation. If or when new Dewalt Tool Control vacs hit the market, we might see Tool Control-enabled or connectable miter saws to pair them with.
But right now, until anything new comes to light, it’s just a guessing game.
BenV
I would love to see Dewalt expand their dust control story with wireless on/off as an add on for all their tools.
George Gallo
Expanding on that Ben, I would love to see better hose connectors from the tool to 4″ hose connecting to the dust extractor. Better connectors for their standards hose to 4″ hoses and such. Maybe a counter so after so many cuts, this could be an indicator to clean or switch out the blade.
Steve
The only one I could see them making is the 10″/60V (brushed or brushless, could go either way but probably not both) as they have nothing in the middle of the lineup. A 10″/60V however would probably come at the the expense of 12″/120V sales, so for that reason they might not do it.
John Fal
Yea, I would consider buying a Flexvolt 10″ brushless sliding miter saw in 60v.
Nathan
well – I could see an 8-1/2 inch blade flexvolt mitre saw to use the blade size family from the small flexvolt table saw – both are single battery flexvolt.
Meanwhile I would love to see a new 10 inch slider that was cheaper than the 12’s and maybe still dual flex/corded. as I would consider one.
However I could see an XR brushless 7-1/4 portable saw just so they have one on the shelf next to the others. WHy not today.
Mike
Their71/4 brushed has plenty of power don’t need a overpriced brushless, I would like to see a 120v 10 inch slide miter saw with the plug in option I would rather have more power than less and I hope they make a 120 v table saw too with the plug in
Mosh
I was thinking lately if we’re going to see updated Dewalt drills and impacts?
It’s almost 3 years (not including tool connect)
Stuart
In what area could they stand to be improved?
Mosh
The trigger on dcf886 I liked better than the 887
josh Morris
Or not burn up when bring used harshly
Add a self tap mode
Or come out with oil impulse driver for a nice mid power quiet option
john
Not Dewalt related, but Tools in Action went to Bosch USA HQ and revealed that they have a new 18v 8 1/2″ miter saw in the works…
I wish they would do an 18v version of their axial glide saw, but I have the corded 8 1/2″ miter saw and enjoy it for the most part.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOwKrEHktvA
beginning at the 2:38 mark or so
The What?
Why would they need to? What they have out now is great. It really wouldn’t serve a purpose to come out with a new line of miter saws being that what is currently available has the latest tech and flexvolt is currently gold standard for cordless miter saws. The only thing that I can think of is a 10″ 20v or flexvolt miter saw. I would really like to have a 7¼ flexvolt miter saw. But if not, I’m perfectly fine with my 20v.
Stuart
Frankly, I don’t think that a 20V Max 10″ saw is likely, due to the real potential of it being starved for power. A FlexVolt 7-1/4″ saw? That’s possible, but not very probable. What don’t you like about your 20V Max miter saw that a FlexVolt version would remedy? I think that if more power is needed, Dewalt would sooner move to a brushless motor than going with FlexVolt and locking out 20V Max users.
Mike
Power wise brushless isn’t more powerful, the concord carpenter did a test on the 71/4 miter saws and the Dewalt was more powerful than the Milwaukee which is brushless the only real advantage of brushless is runtime and that is usually with drills and impact driver where you don’t need to use full power but with saws they use full power all the time so you don’t even see a huge advantage in runtime if any
Corey
I’d see a 10″ being a sure bet for at least 60v. An “us too!” 10″ in 18/20v might be fun, but the bet they’ve made (wisely in my opinion) is that Flexvolt’s much greater remaining development potential is what’s going to inevitably put the FV vs HDHO quarrel to bed. Milwaukee’s HDHO is arguably the top of the 18v performance game right now, so why not put the flagship development efforts into the platform that’s almost assuredly already going to surpass that? Maybe a DeWalt 20v xr 10″ miter saw would blow Milwaukee’s out of the water, maybe it would stink out loud. But odds are high that it would land between “just as good” to “not quite as good”. Odds are even higher that even if they made one in 20v, that it would eventually be followed by a better 60v/120v version down the road. So without the incentive in winning 18v pissing contests, why not just make the better saw first? Then again, a drawn out and revenue focussed road map could encourage making redundant tool releases, pre-planned well in advance. Who knows lol
Chris
I picked up the DHS790AT2 during black Friday for $519 shipped. Sold the batteries and dual charger separately, brought the saw down to like 299. No complaints at all, the saw is awesome.
Dang
If they can significantly improve the 20v 7-1/4 with a brushless option, I could see that happening. I don’t think I’d want a bigger version though, to me the point is a fairly portable tool that can get in knock out a quick job and move on. And I like sharing circular saw blades. Just my limited viewpoint though.
A little off topic, but I’m curious if they’ll be updating their cordless vacuums. If I’m not misunderstanding the devices they could benefit from brushless motors, and the 2 gallon one is getting a little long in the tooth.
Big Richard
I’ve heard a couple say that the DCS361 has plenty of power and runtime and they don’t NEED to update it to brushless. Which is true. But, by that logic the old 18v NiCad platform offered plenty of power and runtime for most tools and they didn’t NEED to update every tool the 20v MAX Li-ion platform (especially since an adapter for the Li-ion batteries exists). But they did and I’d say it worked out quite well. That’s the way the industry was going and they were right to go with the trend. Right now the trend is everything is going to brushless. There is nothing wrong with brushed motors, but next to a brushless motor they seem archaic, almost like a non-turbocharged engine in a car today. The fact is that when it comes to power tools, people want the latest and greatest.
As for possibly taking sales away from existing products, that is inevitable with any new tool release. They also could gain just as many buyers. Buyers that cannot justify buying a $700 120v FlexVolt miter, could justify buying a $400 20v XR.
They really could cement themselves as the industry leader for cordless miter saws if they had a lineup like this:
– 20v XR 7/14″ small and portable for trim work
– 60v 10″ medium sized, multipurpose
– 120v 12″ heavy duty, construction site capable
John Fal
I agree with you Big Richard. Plus it would keep more customers loyal to Dewalt instead of them having to buy multiple brand platforms. I’d rather a have portable powerful miter saw that I can carry with me without it being a big behemoth.
ToolJunkie
I think DeWalt fell down on their 7 1/4″. It’s not brushless and it does not double bevel. I have a lot of DeWalt; however, I purchased Milwaukee’s 7 1/4″ as it has both and is about 25#. Perfect for about 80% of my work. If DeWalt had done it right, I wouldn’t have dropped buying any new tools from them since a year ago.
But, once I had the Milwaukee, I just kept adding other red tools. Now I have a dozen red batteries to go with the half dozen new tools.
If DeWalt had the 7 1/4″ with the same features and say a 10″ slide (like the Makita) and put it on the FlexVolt, I’d get it right away.
Chance
The DCS361 7 1/4” miter saw does bevel. What basis or testing have you done to show that it would benefit from being brushless?
ToolJunkie
Yes, it does bevel, but only to one side (not both, as does the Milwaukee).
Most tests show longer run time on brushless motors.
Joe framer
Why change the 887 and 791 ? Because they need an update. Tighter tolerances,better precision like the Makita xtd16.or more power like the new Milwaukee….the dewalt 996 is still one of the best out there…
…yes dewalt needs a 10″ sliding mitre or 8 1/4″..( the 7 1/4″. should be dual bevel also) flexvolt version for power and everything should have an AC adapter.
.. a better flexvolt sawzall, without plastic levers to change blades(see Milwaukee)…the flexvolt is a POS.
..we don’t need new versions of the same tools like Milwaukee does but it’s time for upgraded, why? Because construction companies
are buying into Makita and Milwaukee for these upgrades.
….
Mosh
?? on target Joe framer!
John Fal
??Well said! Framer Joe.??
Matt
I’d like to see a dual bevel & brushless 7 1/4 mitre saw. I know this is a DeWalt topic but I’d want the red Craftsman version of that. Every time I see the Rigid 7 1/4 saw that’s dual bevel & brushless, it makes me want to switch to Rigid stuff even though I just bought into the V20 line . Then I could get a brushless 1/2 inch impact and brushless jigsaw too.
Concerning DeWalt though, I agree with the above. Sure, the mitre as is right now is fine but it could be better. The guys with the DeWalt battery platform would no doubt buy it even if they have the current model IMO. I know if I had the Craftsman version, and they updated it to be brushless and dual bevel, I’d be all over it. Just sell the old one…
Altan
DeWALT 10″ Fexvolt mitre saw is made in Italy and the blade guard is metal and not plastic, for the ones who do not want to replace the plastic guard always…
Chance
The new DWS713 and DWS715 miter saws have been released.
JayT
I would love for DeWalt to bring a version of the DCS778 to the US market — Flexvolt 10in slider with front rails.
JOhn
I would buy a Dewalt 717 outfitted in the hybrid configuration in a heart beat
Hoser
You, me, and many others.
John
Ive got the cordless 7 1/4″
It doesnt need brushless. It lasts forever and all the power it needs. The only thing it needs is to be dual bevel. It’s usage is too limited as a single bevel. It blows my mind why anyone ever builds single bevel saws
Phil
I agree completely I am a dewalt user and this saw is terribly outclassed by most others . Hell even ridgid has a brushless dual compound in 7 1/4 . If they dont make one with those features or at least dual compound I’m going to.get the ridgid . At direct tools they go for 149.00 with a charger and battery . And dewalt is 279.00 I think for the bare tool .
Big Richard
We just need that DCS727 60V 10″ slider to come stateside.
https://products.dewalt.com.au/powertools/productdetails/catno/DCS727N/