Festool Kapex vs. Milwaukee M18 Fuel Miter Saw

In the world of tool reviews most are comparing the Milwaukee M18 miter saw to the Dewalt Flex Volt miter saw, or the Festool Kapex to the Bosch Glide saw. Those reviews are all over the net, but these are the only two saws I own, so lets compare them! The Festool Kapex is considered the ultimate miter saw, reviewers and Festool fans have been saying it for years. I bought my first one back in 2011 paying almost $1400.00.  I used it almost every day until this last summer when I sold it on Craigslist. The Kapex used in this review belongs to my shop mate and is only about two years old.  The Milwaukee is brand new to the market, it has only been out since the middle of October. A few early reviewers said it was too flexible and tended to cut off angle, we have had no issues with flex, or cut quality.

 First let me explain my experience with the Festool.  Like I said, I owned mine since 2011. I have actually owned two, my first Kapex failed within the 30 day trial period and was replaced with a completely new saw. My second had to be sent back to Festool twice in my 5 year ownership. The first time it went back was in 2013 as the motor was failing and bearings in the table had to be replaced. The second time was in 2015 when the bearings in the table went out again and you couldn't turn the table.  The left fence had also become lodged in the track due to the tolerances in the fence track being too tight and sawdust jamming in it. My disappointment with the Kapex goes beyond having to send it back to Festool.  I found that when you cut 45 deg miters the wood would move away from the blade, since it didn't spin fast enough.  Also, I had to make multiple passes at 0 deg due to the blade speed not being fast enough to push through hardwood without stalling. 

Milwaukee M18 in foreground, Festool Kapex behind

Both of these saws are basically 10" saws.  The difference comes when you purchase a blade. The Milwaukee uses a standard 10" blade with a standard arbor, which is sold at any Home Center or Hardware store. The Festool uses a 260 mm blade with a 30 mm arbor, which means you have to use a Festool retailer or an online retailer to buy a blade. The cost is also a huge difference, the Milwaukee's blade can be had anywhere from $25-$150.  In recent years more manufactures have started making blades that fit the Kapex.  The Festool brand finish blades start at $144 and a Tenryu can be bought for about $75. Advantage: Milwaukee: For more selection of blades and lower cost, plus the ability to walk into any Home Center and get a blade. 

The two blades, notice the difference in the arbor size.

The two blades stacked on top of each other, notice the Festool is slightly larger.

Another aspect where both of these saws differ is how the saw slides.  The Milwaukee has slides mounted down low and the entire head and rails come out of the bottom. This causes a problem since you need a large clear area behind the saw.  We measured 32" front to back with the dust bag attached. The Festool on the other hand has fixed rails that are mounted high and the head slides back and forth on them allowing you to put the saw up against the wall.  The dust collection is also up high. We measured and front to back you need 24" of clearance.  Advantage: Festool: for rear clearance.

The Milwaukee with the head pushed back

The Milwaukee, the black thing is the dust bag

The Festool with the head pushed back

The Festool 

Cutting aids are now standard on all high end saws, most saws come with lasers and lights. The Milwaukee comes with dual lights that shine on the blade that create a shadow line. The Festool comes with dual lasers, one on each side of the blade so you know where the kerf will be. Lasers are very particular, they don't like being jostled around and bringing a saw to a job site everyday can throw the laser out of adjustment. Advantage: Milwaukee: You can't uncalibrate a shadow.

Milwaukee's shadow line

Festool's dual laser 

Portability and flexibility are what most contractors are looking for when shopping for a job site saw. The Milwaukee weighs in at 45 lbs and the Festool comes in two pounds heavier at 47 lbs. The Milwaukee is also fully cordless, running a M18 9.0ah battery you can get up to 400 cuts in 3 1/2" base board.

This 9.0ah has about 75 cuts on it, stored in a non heated garage and hasn't been charged in over a week

The Festool on the other hand is corded, so run time and cuts don't matter.  You are limited by your power supply.  Throw 5 or 6 contractors in a house with one or two temporary outlets and you could be resetting breakers all day.  Advantage: Milwaukee for cutting the cord.

Dust Collection is probably the Festool's biggest selling feature.  When you hook it up to the dust extractor you can get about 80% collection. The Milwaukee does come with a dust bag and has a vacuum port on the back that you can actually use with the Festool hoses, however the dust collection is only about 50%. What you have to realize is in order to get the Festool to perform, you need to purchase a $650.00 dust collector, and the larger anti-static hose at a cost of $165. Don't forget to buy the Festool dust bags! The Milwaukee can be used with any shop vac as well as the Festool dust collector. Advantage: Draw

Now we'll address the flex issue.  Early reviews of the Milwaukee noted the head had excessive flex and this caused the blade to track off angle. I haven't noticed this issue on the Milwaukee but instead I noticed it on both of the Kapex's I have used.

This is the cut in 4/4 x 6 yellow Birch with the Milwaukee, hard to see with the shadow but the cut is square

This is the cut in 4/4 x 6 yellow Birch with the Festool, hard to see but there is about 1/64th gap by the head of tri-square

The other issue noted with early reviewers of the Milwaukee, is you can actually make the head flex if you push it to one side or the other. This I found to be true, however I also found it on the Festool. Advantage: Draw, they both flex.

What I like and what I don't. The Milwaukee's bevel release is big and easy to use especially with gloves on. However the Bevel gauge is small and hard to read due to the location, it becomes harder to read if it has dust on it.

Milwaukee's bevel release

Milwaukee's bevel gauge

The Festool has a similar lever, but due to everything on the back of it, it is hard to flip up and almost impossible with gloves on. We also feel there are too many adjustments to be made just to make bevel.  With the knob that has 4 settings, and lower adjustment on the rail to do a bevel, we just feel it is too finicky. Advantage: Milwaukee, not as finicky and easy to use with gloves.

 The Festool bevel lever and upper adjustment, the knob has 4 detents that controls how far you can tilt the head

The Festool's lower adjustment, with this you can pivot the whole head.

With both saws you can lock the head and make it into a chop saw to increase cutting capacity.  The Milwaukee has a single switch out front by the table lock. With the Festool you'll need to pull the head all the way out, reach around the back, flip a lever that lowers a lock arm, slide the head back until it catches. Advantage: Milwaukee, easy to use.

    The Milwaukee, the little button on the right is the chop saw lock

The Festool, the green switch (left side under the rail) lowers the lock which is the angled bar in the picture, the green switch (right side under bar) on the other side releases the lock. 

We feel the Milwaukee is the winner here, and we know if you're a Festool fan nothing we say is going to change your mind. But, if you're in the market for a saw, especially if your already invested in the Milwaukee M18 system, this saw is a quality built tool. If what I said hasn't swayed you yet, let this soak in.  The Milwaukee retails for $599 and comes with a 9.0ah battery and a rapid charger, The Festool Retails for $1475, the CT26 dust extractor retails for $675, and the larger anti-static hose retails for $165.   

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