It’s hard to imagine anything DeWalt could do to improve this saw. As with it little siblings, the DW716 and DW715, the feature at the top of our list is the fantastic miter detent override, allowing you to compensate for a world that just isn’t square all the time. Normally, setting a 44.7-degree miter would leave you with a fight on your hands with regular detents, because of that annoying tendency saws have to snap in when you get too close. But with the integrated override, you can cut as close to a detent as you need to without slipping in. The 718 miters 60 degrees to the left and 50 degrees to the right, with 10 zero-play detents, and all dead-on accurate. Of course, we like the miter cam lever, too, a great improvement over the old turnscrew knob.The tall sliding fence has a machined support that promises nothing but the ultimate long-term accuracy. We like the extra height because it supports crown molding beautifully, even up to 6-5/8 inches nested, and base molding up to 6-1/2 inches vertically. Need a bevel cut? The fence slides neatly out of the way for bevels, anywhere from 0 to 48 degrees both left and right. (If you’re in the market for this much power but just a single bevel, check out the DeWalt715 saw. A close second to this saw, without the slide, is available in the DW716 model.)
There are absolutely no complaints from this motor no matter what you’re cross-cutting, as it’s drawing 15 beefy amps and has a max rpm of 3,600, slicing through 2-by oak like it’s paper. What we found extremely impressive is the saw’s ability to crosscut a 2 x 16 just by adding an auxiliary base to bring the stock up to level with the back fence. At a 45-degree miter, you’re still able to cross-cut a 2 x 12.
If portability is a factor, understand that the slide function adds a little weight, so this saw tips the scales at 53 pounds, nine pounds more than the next model down from this. Still, easy-on-the-body handles built into the base offer a nice, wide, secure grip. This is more saw than most do-it-yourselfers need, but it’s a contractor’s dream. -- Kris Jensen-Van Heste
