Good operation, gadgets notwithstanding

The saw's operation is exactly what you'd expect for something in this price range. I was comparing the Hitachi with the ever-popular DeWalt DW708. Since they were sitting side by side in the store, I figured I'd be able to easily make a decision. Wrong! ^M
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Pros: ^M
Clean cuts. Smooth rail action. Good fine tuning of the miter & bevel adjustment. Relatively thin laser line. Easy laser adjustment. Good positive stops on standard angle settings. ^M
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Cons:^M
1) The space-saving statement by Hitachi is misleading. Even though the rails don't protrude out the back, the rest of the machine behind the blade is so bulky that it ends up being a wash. 2) No soft startup like Hitachi's smaller saws. Like the DeWalt, the Hitachi jumps when you pull the trigger. I don't know why they don't make this a standard feature on the larger saws. 3) The angle & bevel gauge, while not completely a gimmick, would have benefited from an extra decimal place. There's a lot of distance between, say, 10 and 10.5 degrees. ^M
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Conclusion: ^M
It's a chopsaw, and does a chopsaw's job well. Given that lasers are sprouting on more and more saws these days, the digital gauge is the only significant feature that differentiates this saw from the rest. The gauge's lack of super-fine accuracy doesn't make it a must-have feature. But considering the saw is at the same price point with other saws without the bells & whistles, it doesn't hurt to have them. That's why I bought it. And as far as the others' complaints about the saw's design, just look at the other tool manufacturers. Hitachi's not alone; everyone's trying to make their tools more trendy. Personally, I couldn't care less if it looks like a steroid-induced ninja turtle, as long as it does its job.

Best yet !!!

There has never been, to this date, a saw that comes close to this saw. Say what you want, but I've been in this business a longtime and I build custom cabinets, stairways, mantles and anything else you can imagine. I would not buy anything else. I have another review about another saw I tried for three days before buying this saw and I returned it to the store. If you notice, this saw is not in stock for the simple fact that, this saw became so popular that Hitachi can't handle the demand, I had to drive 150 miles to get mine and I'm definitley not sorry. So, to put an end to this, just try it, if you don't like it, I'm sure the store will take it back, if you have your receipt. May God bless.

too much slop

I played with this saw at my local tool store and I was unimpressed. You can actually move the saw from side to side about 1/4 inch each way with it locked down. It's the worst play of any saw I've ever seen. I do high end trim and stairs and I'm a perfectionist. There is no way to get an accurate cut with this much slop. I would like to see if other Hitachis would do the same.Bigskybob