Evolution Power Tools R255SMS+ Compound Saw with Multi-Material Cutting, 45° Bevel, 50° Mitre, 300 mm Slide, 2000 W, 255 mm, 220-240 V, (3-Years Warranty)

Built two sheds with it over lockdown and I am very happy with it.

I find this a very good saw, I just have two small niggles. (1) The dust extraction is quite poor even with quite a powerful dust extracter on it there is still a lot of dust about. (2) The laser light is also very poor, even with adjustment and keeping it clean it still doesn’t show up on your work very good. Other than that I’m very pleased with it.

Easy to set up and use, the only down side is it is heavy when moving around

Great saw. Worth every penny. Already been put to good use.

I have waited a few months before I give a review so here goes;

I was in a quandary, this or the Bosch, in the end I went with this one, arrived and quite easy to set up, adjusted everything and it is now close as I can get to perfect, it cuts straight and true, the laser is not really of any use as you cannot see it unless you fancy working in the dark.

Dust collection is bad, I have a dedicated power dust collector and on my old saw did ok, not brilliant but ok, on this one it is close to nothing, 90% is on the table or floor so you will need a mask but I use one anyway, so now I am thinking I should have bought the Bosch (and I still think it)

As a mitre saw it is good, as most of them are at this sort of price, but I wish I had bought the Bosch as it has two dust collection points which would have cut down on cleaning up, if you do not mind the dust issue and forget about the laser, then it is a nice saw. I would still buy the Bosch given a second chance.

Just remembered to say about the good ideas they have; carrying handles, and the two hooks for the cable even though the cable clip that holds the plug out of the way when stored broke on second use! Plus the Allen key is onboard for changing the blade.

Almost i didn’t write any comments once i received any iteam i buy untill i used it this saw is good to use it for wood and plastic and other thing but not for metal . The blade i used it to cut metal 3cmx3cm square thickness 1.8 mm just after exactly 22 cut the blade teeth was gone and canot cut any more . Really i am Disappointment from the balde even it written on it that it made in Japan. If you want to buy its ok but donot use it to cut metal i read comments before i buy it and some write that the balde will not stay long time for metal cut and other write that its ok but i am sure that thay didn’t use it for just little time . Hope thay can solve this and make blade more better than this.

My old mitre saw had seen better days and after 20 years of service it was time to renew. My main use of the saw is for private DIY projects, cutting a variety of materials including planks up to 30 cm wide. I read the reviews on a number of combination saws, very expensive to quite cheap, clearly all differing specifications. Based on the information I decided on the Evolution R255MS+ fitted with a quality multi material cutting blade.

The saw was delivered on time and in order. There was some self assembly to be carried out to bring the saw into service. The process took about 25 minutes and was a straight forward task using the enclosed instructions. (I did have a look on Youtube first to see if there were any snags to be avoided, there were none).

I tested the 2000 watt machine out on wood, metal and plastic. The blade cut very accurately and cleanly. There was no need to make any adjustments to the factory settings.

The saw is big, being some 70 cm wide and deep and when using the slide saw function the it needs 90 cm co make a 30 cm cut. So make sure you have enough room behind the saw when mounted on your bench.

Despite being fitted with a dust collection bag, I attached it to a vacuum cleaner but it still spread a lot of sawdust etc on itself and the workbench.

All in all I am very satisfied with its performance.

First thing is THIS IS NOT DOUBLE BEVEL, when I purchased the info stated double bevel, as does the model number (DB).

Other than that the saw is fine. One quirk which my old saw didn’t do is it will allow you to start the saw on the pull trigger without the guard trigger being pressed. I’ve you can start the saw with the guard still on. That seems odd to me as my last saw didn’t, but perhaps (hopefully) that’s how it is supposed to activate.

A lot more plastic is used in its construction compared to my old DeWalt saw, so not sure how long it will last after use.

It did need adjusting out of the box to square and straighten the cuts bit now is fine and fairly accurate.

This the best mitre saw for value I have had. It is quieter and more accurate out of the box then any previous model . I had to play with the laser guide, but I persevered, and it is now smack on .All other features work as advertised. I would advise getting another spare evolution blade for use on metal. They last well, but the wood cutting might suffer if after cutting a lot of metal a nice cut on hard wood is required.

working very good, cut steel and wood easy and precise

This is my first miter saw and i have to mention that I am not a profetional woodworker. Since you open the pack you can see that we have a good quality build miter saw. It can be easily adjusted and the accuracy since you make the right adjustments is excellent! I just can’t imagine how a more expensive saw would be so much better. I have already made a few projects and i am very happy with this purchase! Still haven’t used it for metal cuts but knowing that you have the ability to cut metal , tiles and stone is a big plus for this machine!!!

Very well made and great value for money.
Only issue is it is very hard to align the laser marker. I did my best but it can be more accurate.
Other then that, surprisingly good product.

Very easy to use, and get the hang of. I had never used one before but bought to do a lot of hard wood flooring in my house. This sped up the process considerably compared to just using my jigsaw. I had to use youtube to show me how to put it together, I’m not sure how much of that was the instructions weren’t that easy to follow or because it was all completely unfamiliar to me. Not sure how good the blade is at cutting other materials, as so far I have only used it on wood and plastic, but I have done three large rooms so far and the blades still sharp.

Excellent piece of kit, well worth the money, I also brought the stand, made life a lot easie

We got this for cutting straight lines in wood, which it obvs does. I’m looking forward to making a shed next.

It sits nicely on the Evolution bench which it fixes to perfectly. It was a bit of a faff to set up but it’s only one time. It’s pretty quiet and seems safe.

Purchased during Prime Day and the price was worth getting it early. Have only just use in anger as had to wait for the new shed to be erected and have space to work.

Easy to setup having read the instructions and watched the online videos as I went along. Checked the blade angle and did a couple of test cuts. Laser line makes knowing things are inline with the blade so easy!!

Now using in anger to build a new workbench so I can get on with projects in mind for the saw. Also got the saw stand again only just used it but how easy was that compared to the fiddling around I have done for years to support material.

Purchased during Prime Day and the price was worth getting it early. Have only just use in anger as had to wait for the new shed to be erected and have space to work.

Easy to setup having read the instructions and watched the online videos as I went along. Checked the blade angle and did a couple of test cuts. Laser line makes knowing things are inline with the blade so easy!!

Now using in anger to build a new workbench so I can get on with projects in mind for the saw. Also got the saw stand again only just used it but how easy was that compared to the fiddling around I have done for years to support material.

Got to build decking done great job, watch when you assemble slide rod engaged half way takes a lot of force to get ou

I’ve had a Makita mitre saw for a year or so. Great unit but this is the one I should have bought. The laser guide is one of the most useful features. I’ve been making garden furniture from steel pieces and this thing has made every cut so precise it’s impossible to make a mistake. So pleased with it. The sliding run on the saw means you can cut much larger pieces than a fixed saw. the quick positioning clamps are really useful and well designed. My only gripe is the laser mount is too fragile. Without realising a knocked it out of alignment with a piece of wood and it proved a real pain to re-align. It could be positioned better to avoid this quite easily. Otherwise I can’t fault it. Blade is incredible for wood or metal so far. I’m cutting mild steel about 2mm thick without effort. Very happy.

Bought an Evolution matching stand to go with it. Unfortunately the bolts supplied to fix the saw to the stand weren’t long enough to attach to the quick release runners. There were none in the stand I purchased at the same time. Looking for 4mm quick release bolts on Amazon to make it perfect. Still give it 5 stars despite this minor hick-up

Good product all round. Efficient for heavier work with good features.

I’m a DIY (forced enthusiast) I’m in the process of building a large pizza oven and without this saw I would not be able to do it without adding more to the cost of buying /hiring other equipment.

I bought this over 6 months ago, however it has sat in my garage waiting for me to get a bit more space, but today I had a project that required its use. It took a little bit to set it up but the instructions were clear, and even when I installed the slide rails upside down , it was easy to rectify the issue.

Once the saw was assembled, it took a little to get the saw setup correctly, but the adjustments were easily made. One point to note, is that if you need to adjust the laser, you will need to ensure the saw is plugged in and powered on. Once set up the saw is easily to use, is powerful and cuts cleanly.

I really liked the soft start up, the ease of use once running and the fact that the cord tidies away neatly. I paired it with the Evolution Mitre Saw Stand which provided a perfect base to work from, at a proper height. The use of the support rollers to provide a stop for repeated cuts was invaluable.

Overall, as with other my Evolution power tools, I have been very pleased with my mitre saw and I would recommend it.

The saw itself is great, step by step instructions to set up are easy to follow if you’re methodically minded.

The versatility and quality of the cuts are excellent, however the clamps it comes with leave a lot to be desired…

Mine came with the quick release versions; the locking parts of which are meant to “clip” round the thread of the spindle that pushes the clamp onto the work piece, rather than screwing something tight and loose, however the locking parts don’t clip down tightly enough resulting in a loose clamp. And a loose clamp ain’t a clamp.

It’s a shame to give such a good saw a 4 star rating over something as seemingly trivial as a loose clamp, but if the clamp doesn’t hold the work piece properly then the saw is useless, no matter how accurate it is; and it’s very accurate – after following the standard set up I measured the angle of the blade with a magnetic digital angle finder, which gave a vertical reading of 89.9 degrees, and works within a 0.01 % tolerance. I’ll take that all day long for the price paid.

Big box. A little straightforward assembly. I mounted mine on a piece of ply with a piece of 3 by 4 underneath so I could mount it in my B&D workmate. I’m not a pro but I’m not that good with a handsaw so I was keen for an accurate powerful machine.
Out of the box it’s square and all the cuts I’ve done since have been spot on. I purchased a wood blade and use that rather than the multi use blade that came with the saw. It cuts clean and square. The laser isn’t the brightest but works OK. I use an old Dyson to extract dust and it makes a lot of dust…
Trench cutting isn’t like a dewalt radial arm saw as the blade comes down in an arc so the cut gets deeper the further back you cut. So cutting a trench isn’t straightforward. The clamps work well and hold steadily.
As I said I’m not a pro carpenter but the way I figure it I won’t be wasting good wood with poor cuts so in the long run I will get the investment back.
Am I pleased with it and would I buy again? That’s a definite yes.

There isn’t much I can add to the previous reviews, suffice to say that this makes life far more easier. I make a few picture frames and some other bits and pieces, but it’s time consuming and I have to admit the cuts aren’t always accurate. (I enjoy doing it but don’t profess to be good.)

Now the frames are perfect and I’ve been trying out things with piping, metal and other materials, and the cut is perfect. It’s the first product of its kind that I’ve owned and it did look a daunting prospect but if I can set it up for use, anyone can. With a maximum cutting range of 300mm (11.8 inches) by 80mm (3.1 inches), it’s suitable for most projects. Yes, I guess it’s portable but I wouldn’t fancy carrying it around, so it’s better off in your workshop. Whether I’ll plump for the brick/concrete blade is something for the future. Value for money? It certainly saves time, so in the long run it has to be.

My only complaint is that I’m now being pestered to fill the walls with picture frames.

Well this turned out to be a bit of a surprise to be honest. When I got this to review I fully expected it to be a bit rubbish and unlikely to supersede my Bosch sliding chop saw – but ideal for a rough saw when working in my garden. The reason for this is I bought an Evolution table saw a few months back and frankly its low rent to say the least. My review was suitably scathing despite the fact it was my hard earned that had been wasted on it.

But no. When I opened the box I found a well packaged and solidly built bit of kit that compares more than favourably with other similar priced items. I should know as I’ve gone through five in the last 7 years renovating my house, abusing them along the way.

Going back to the packaging, whilst its well done, be careful as I found a couple of loose parts that could easily be lost if you huff everything out and don’t watch where everything is.

And one more thing which is that you do have a little bit of assembly work to do, which I’ve noted is not the case on other sliding mitre saws I’ve had. Means that Evolution can box it up in a more compact way for transportation I would assume.

So, you have to basically fit the siding bars into the tilting base and then lock them into place. This happens when the protruding tangs meet the locating holes and are pushed home. They release two locking buttons at the side – see photo. The instructions are not 100% idiot proof and whilst comprehensive lack a bit of clarity of description.

When assembled you have a study sliding mitre saw that is well made and smooth to use. The materials are decent for the price and should last a long time unless you really are a huge tool abuser. There’s easy access to the brushes for replacement – not included – and the handle falls nicely and ergonomically to hand. I particularly like the guard release bar which is well positioned for easy use by either your thumb or base of your hand – see video.

The chopping action is smooth and the sliding bars are located in linear bearings that allow easy operation back and forth.

A really nice touch is the soft start. This is the first saw I’ve had with one and the lack of a jolt as it starts is most welcome. I have had to slow down my use though, as previous saws started direct on line and I could start and chop in a second. On this one you have to allow a couple of seconds for the blade to speed up to cutting speed so that you don’t bog it down. Once I have got used to it I have to say its far more pleasant in use. I would also imagine that if used on site or with a lower amp rated MCB, the lower starting current would prevent tripping.

Accuracy is good and out of the box when checked against a 123 block it was near perfect. I then used the 123 block to get it bang on accurate at 90deg vertical and horizontal and set the indicators accordingly.

Speaking of the 123 block – my advice is to get one for easy and accurate on the job setting up. No matter how well the indicators are lined up, there’s always a bit of slop in this type of saw so if you really need to be accurate then having a 123 block to hand makes it easy to do so. These are machine tool items but cheap to buy on Amazon now. And as we are on the subject of accuracy, this saw comes with a lazer guide. Which is completely pointless. Its utterly inaccurate, impossible to adjust in any meaningful way and has zero quality with a flexible plastic base that just bends when you try to set it up. I’m not overly bothered about this as lazer guides are a gimmick and I’ve never relied on one ever. However, if you really want one, then forget this.

The unit comes with two holding arms with the horizontal one being quite well though through as it drops into place and easily lifts out when not needed. Once again, I’ve never, ever used one of these, but for some people locking in the item to be cut and then removing hands from anywhere near the blade is their chosen way of use in which case these work well enough.

I have used this on hard wood, soft wood and steel. All cut easily with the Evolution blade. This blade is of course a multi-purpose one so not optimised for any one thing. That being said on all three materials the cuts have been clean and precise. I cut a 25mm x 3mm steel bar for test purposes and it handled it easily. Not sure how long such a thin blade will last, but whilst in good condition, it works very well indeed.

Overall, for the money it would be hard to beat this saw. So much so, I have used it to replace my trusty Bosch one.

We (my husband) has it mounted on a stand and is very pleased with it. Works well for a variety of projects. Very easy to cut at a range of angles and depths. Its very manoeuvrable. Cons: dust extraction not good, and most irritating maintaining constant depth of cut, eg when repeatedly cutting into a joist to make a mortice, is not good. overall though a good tool, would happily get another one. Best getting widest blade and good power since you’ll always find a smaller compromise to be aggravating.

This is a solid, well designed and practical item well deserving of a 5***** review.

First thing on unpacking, you see a polystyrene insert which contains most of the bits you need to put the whole saw together. The saw blade itself is in a sleeve reminiscent to this ol’ timer of an LP sleeve. Read the instructions, which are actually not the best, and then apply some common sense and you should find building it is not difficult. There are lots of bits, but it’s all quite quick and easy.

I’m of the view that if you’re serious about an item like this then it needs to be attached to a suitable bench or stand. Stands are available separately and Amazon has a recommended double buy of the saw and stand that’s worth a think about, or shop around and see what else you can find. Just do the job right and don’t mess about. These tools can be very dangerous.

So you build the thing and what’s next? Well, it has to be having a go with different bits of scrap … I had some wood, metal bar and plastic pipe lying around. All were sliced through neatly and easily. Very impressive start.

My first ‘project’ was a planter made with some scrapped decking wood. Adjusted the thing and came up with with neat angled joints for the corners. Just a quick pencil design, worked out the dimensions and zip, zip, zip then screw, screw, screw and it was all done and dusted in 40 minutes. These things cost around 30 bought, so nice result from some scrap.

Talking about done and dusted … there’s a bag to attract the sawdust, or you can probably add the hose of a vacuum cleaner I reckon and apply some suck to the job. I don’t have a suitable cleaner to try that unfortunately. Overall, it was all pretty clean, but wear a mask eh! Wear ear defenders and eye protection too. Part of the cleanliness is the fine cut of the blade. It really is super neat and on my planter I needed zero sanding of the sawn edges. Still talking safety, the mains cable to tucked into a kind of channel which helps prevent it hanging loose. This is a neat and thoughtful practical feature, as is the ability to keep the Allen key neatly stored yet handy. It’s all the little bits of usability thinking that help make this a great piece of kit.

So all in, for a non-enthusiast DIY type like me I found this saw pretty inspiring. I’m sure I’ll get solid use from it. It’s so simple and quick that jobs you’d be tempted to put off can just get done. Use it within its capabilities, which are many, and you’ll be very happy with your investment.