Ridgid R4123 12-Inch Dual-Bevel Compound Miter SawHobbyist

The R4123 is a 12-inch dual-bevel compound with an internally powered LED shadow line and Ridgid's lifetime service agreement, which owners cite as a reason to buy. It chops thick stock smoothly and comes in at a hobbyist price. It doesn't arrive dialed in, and there's no blade brake, so plan on setup time.

• Owners call it a great saw for the money and a solid alternative to the pricier 12-inch DeWalts
• It cuts a rough 2x8 with a breeze, with smooth clean cuts through thick stock
• Owners prefer the internally powered LED shadow line to a laser, since it needs no calibration and works with any blade
• The lifetime service agreement, with free parts and service after registration, is a common reason owners pick it

• One owner's miter detent-lock screw broke with hardly any force out of the box, compromising the positive stop, and the bypass instructions are vague
• It doesn't arrive dialed in, so owners re-square the blade to the base and fence before trusting it
• Owners report some blade wobble on spin-up, harmonic vibration, and cuts running a hundredth or two wide
• There's no electric blade brake, so the blade coasts, and blade changes are awkward behind the guard

It takes standard 12-inch, 1-inch arbor blades, and a 60 to 80-tooth finish blade cuts tearout. It bolts to Ridgid's universal or compact stands, and the 2.5-inch port runs to a shop vac. The LED is a fixed internal unit, so there's no laser to retrofit.