Ease of Use: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Overall Value: 4/5
4.1/5 Out of 23 Reviews on Amazon
(Last Updated 7/25/18)
Right miter: 60°
Left miter: 60°
Right bevel: 48°
Left bevel: 48°
Blade size: 10″
Motor: 15 AMPs
RPMs: 3,200
Weight: 59.7 lbs
Makita has maintained a well-deserved reputation for manufacturing innovative and professional-quality power tools for decades. The LS1019L upholds this reputation well.
This powerful and precise miter saw was engineered with a specific focus on simple-to-execute accuracy. If you’re a woodworker looking for a versatile 10″ miter saw, keep reading.
Our Makita LS1019L Review
Cut Quality
The Makita LS1019L is branded as a miter saw made for accuracy. In line with this branding, it has been stamped with Makita’s DXT (Deep and Exact Cutting Technology) trademark. Makita defines DXT as “a series of features that give Makita miter saws more cutting capacity and out-of-the-box accuracy for superior cutting performance”. While this may very well be true, the “DXT” stamp is largely a marketing strategy.
The LS1019L comes with an impressive stock blade, ready to be put to work. As a chop saw, this Makita is in many ways accurate right out of the box. Trim work and other cuts that require absolute precision seem to be where this saw has disappointed buyers. The majority of this disappointment stems from issues with the blade not being parallel to the guides. This seems to be due to factory quality control more than anything else. In most cases, owners were able to have their saws serviced by Makita under warranty. Others were able to fix the issue themselves.
That being said, the cut capacity on this saw is great. It boasts a cut range of up to 6-5/8 for vertically nested crown and up to 5-1/4″ for vertical baseboard, not to mention it can crosscut a 4×12 at 90°.
Ease of Use
This saw was designed to deliver accuracy without much effort on the users part, and for the most part it does.
In fact, Makita designed the LS1019L with a variety of features for added usability. The see-through blade guard system lends itself to effortlessly clean cuts. And although the included stock blade is high enough quality for a variety of cuts, if needed, changing the blade is no problem due to the one-step blade change process design. To top it all off, this model comes with a built-in laser for added accuracy assistance.
Versatility is one of this saw’s strong suits. The LS1019L sports a miter range of 0° to 60° (left and right). It has positive stops at 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, 45° and 60° (left or right). Makita included a front facing bevel lock for added convenience, which allows users to easily make bevel adjustments from 0° to 48° (left and right).
Durability
Although this looks pretty enough to be the kind of saw that might put form over function, it seems to have been designed with longevity in mind.
The Makita LS1019L is powered by a 15 AMP direct drive motor that features soft start technology. This soft start-up ensures the delivery of smooth and consistent power. The direct drive motor has no belt, and thus is not vulnerable to slips or other damages. This saw also features electronic speed control technology, which helps to keep the blade at a constant speed while cutting to ensure smooth and precise cuts.
This is a power tool that you can count on working until the job is done.
Service
Makita is a trusted brand that offers an industry standard warranty to boot. As they should. If you have any trouble with your Makita purchase, you can have your machine serviced at one of many authorized service centers in the United States. You can find more information about Makita’s warranties on their website.
Included in the box:
- Dust Bag
- Triangular Rule
- Vertical Vise
- 60T Micro-Polished Miter Saw Blade
- Hex Wrench
See what questions other shoppers have about this miter saw.
Overall Value
This is not an inexpensive saw. But when you consider the quality of parts, list of features, and lasting performance this saw delivers, the value is there. The value of the LS1019L is especially apparent when compared to it’s competitors in higher price brackets.
Our Verdict
If you’re looking for something that’s compact, versatile, and accurate, this might be the saw for you. It could be put to good use in everything from general construction to D.I.Y. woodworking. This isn’t the project workhorse, but because of it’s portability and precision it could come in handy on a number of projects.
If you’re thinking about making a purchase, you should take a look at Amazon’s price on the Makita LS1019L. Or you can always compare and contrast some of the best miter saws available with our comparison chart.
I just purchased a Makita LS1019. I found after short use that the trailing edge of the blade was dragging in the cut, particularly noticeable on long miter cuts. Measured the blade sideways displacement at 0.5 mm (0.20″). Leaves a “stepped” and ragged cut on one side of the cut approximately 0.5 mm wide. Makita have offered to replace the saw but advise that this is within their specs which I think is pretty ordinary. Have you heard of any one else with this complaint?