A DIY'er may like this saw to build a dog house or fence, as $149 is not going to get you much more saw than this. For a few dollars more, not even a fist full of dollars, you can get much better.
Why do they make a place to keep the wench and hex-key they give you and then tell you to always be sure to remove them from the holder before using the saw? Is it because they may come in contact with the blade?
Why is the lazar on the one I HAD so hard to adjust that I never did move it in fear that it would break? Is it because you can still use the saw without the lazar that is going to break someday anyway?
The saw I HAD came pre-set to build Toontown. All the angles were off just enough for Goofy and Daffy Duck to do just fine with it.
I have Hitachi's hand-held circular saw and it works OK. Their nailers are tops. Perhaps I would be pleased with their 12" miter saw, but I replaced this one with a DeWALT.

I bought this item as a gift and right out of the box it had a busted handle. After contacting them they told me to contact the manufacturer and order a new part. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND I ALREADY HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING TO FIX IT!!!! AMAZON SHOULD REPLACE THE BROKEN PART!! I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND BUYING AN ITEM OF THIS SIZE AND VALUE FROM A HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE WHERE THEY STAND BY WHAT THEY SELL AND GIVE YOU WHAT YOU PAY FOR. A NON DAMAGED ITEM!!!!!!!!!

I purchased my C10FCH about a year ago from Lowe's. Out of the box it has been great, though I give it pretty light jobs. I overstressed the vise assembly arm (pot metal) and broke it. I don't blame Hitachi for this, but getting any help to purchase a replacement part is impossible. The C10FCH is made for the US/Canadian market. The manual list no parts dealers/phone numbers or e-mail addresses. Calls and e-mails to Hitachi USA found on Google seem to be quickly discarded. So, keep it working the best you can--there will be no back-up from Hitachi to fix something for you. Charles Beattie

For the price this is probably the best laser-guided compound miter saw on the market. It ain't perfect, but it's definitely cost-effective. I do remodeling, so I'm cutting everything from 2x12 to fine molding. The cross-cut blade that comes with the saw is fine for #2 lumber, but any woodworker knows to buy a finer blade for finish material. I bought the 70-tooth Hitachi blade for $38 at the same time I bought the saw, and have never taken it off, cutting everything from MDF trim to quarter-round cove molding to 2x material. Couldn't ask for a cleaner cut. Everytime I pull that chop handle down I feel great for making this purchase. That said, be prepared for some little glitches: The miter guide needs to be glued down (if you want it to stay put), but you have positive stops at the major angles, including 22.5 degrees, so it's not a huge issue. My laser works fine, but has begun to drift slightly. It has not affected the precision cut; I'm still within a 64th of measured, but the bright red line is a hair skewed. This may be a result of trying to calibrate it. When I tried to calibrate the laser so I could put the saw blade on the left instead of the right of the line, the adjustment screw gave out and the light wouldn't move. After reading some other reviewers I might take a shot at opening up the enclosure. Finally, I've decided it would be really nice to have double compound miter capability, but then again I don't think it's worth the extra money. Just flip the material.

I originally purchased for some base boards and some crown. After about a year of usage I think I can post a usefull review. As others have said, a dual laser would be useful, but honestly, once you get the hang of it, a single laser is really not that much of a handicap.

I have put built-up crown in 3 rooms + 1 hall now, baseboards in 4 rooms, chair rail in 2 rooms and 2 hallways, chair rail up stairs (probably over 200-250 linear feet of chair), and 3 rooms + 1 hallway + 1 stair way in wall frames. All of this was used with this saw and the only thing that did not work perfectly was my poor measuring.

Add to that, my neighbor borrowed my saw and put in chair and base board in two of his rooms as well.

Now I am building some cabinets and am using this to cut exact lengths for my face frames. I recommend this w/o reservation for a great beginner's - Intermediate saw (I now consider myself an intermediate). It has a good amount of power and spins a decent finish blad fast enough to put a razor sharp edge on MDF molding. (NICE).

I am giving the saw 5 stars for the dollar-performance ratio as it does a TON for how much it costs.

Negatives:
- The Bevel scale is a sticker and mine is beginning to come off.
- After a years worth of usage, the miter angle was getting a little tight. It seems that the fine dust was getting into the cracks and was binding up. I took it apart and cleaned it out in about 15-20 minutes. Lubed it up with Silicone and worked like new. I tried blowing it out with compressed air, but no dice. I assume this is an issue with all saws of this sort, but have nothing to compare it to since this is my first compound miter.
- Singe laser... said before, but for the beginner, knowing where both kerfs are is a big help.
- No saftey. Actually I really LIKE this feature. I don't like setting up my cut only to have to fumble with a safety switch. Some may think the lack of a saftey is bad, I think it is just fine.

Overall great purchase. This thing has paid for itself after the first project, now as I see it, I am making money off this thing! Buy it, you won't regret it.