The Best Angle Grinder Reviews in 2018 – Perform Wide Array of Tasks
If you’re a handyman or simply a DIY weekend warrior, you know that you probably need a wide variety of tools to be able to do different tasks. Angle grinders are tools made with a very specific purpose in mind, one that most other tools can’t cover, while also having a wide variety of other uses. So, having one in your toolbox can be a great boon. The best angle grinders can level bumps in floors or walls, grind out rust from metal objects and more. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about these great tools.
Why Buying an Angle Grinder?
Angle grinders are simple machines at their core – they consist of a motor that drives multiple gears which rotate the head, placed at a ninety-degree angle to the motor. The disc that does all the grinding is attached to the head and rotates with it. You grip the back handle with one hand, the main handle with the other and press it against what you want to grind. Those are the basics, but there is more to it than that.
Onto that basic frame, you can attach a wide variety of add-ons and different discs that can significantly change how the grinder performs and what it can do. This is what makes angle grinders so versatile and essential to almost any toolbox.
This is one of the main reasons to get a best angle grinder – the wide array of tasks it can perform. With one of these power tools, you can do things like removing rust, polishing painted surfaces like the hood of your car, cutting pipes, sharpening blades, smoothing out concrete floors, cutting wood and much more. Because of how adjustable and modal angle grinders are there is almost nothing they can’t do, and the only big limits are the size of the disc that can fit on them and the power of the motor.
Overall, angle grinders are some of the most useful and versatile power tools around, which is why everyone’s arsenal of tools should contain one of them.
Of course, considering how many different products are on the market, there are bound to be some rotten eggs out there. Because of that, picking the right angle grinder could be difficult for some people, especially those who never owned one before. However, you shouldn’t be too worried – we are here to help you.
The Angle Grinder Can Perform the Wide Array of Tasks
In this article, we will present you with our thought and opinions on the best products out there, the result of our rigorous testing process, as well as the tips and tricks on how to find the perfect angle grinder for you. So, let’s get this show on the road!
Meet the Best Angle Grinders
The Good: A lightweight and sturdy grinder that comes at an incredibly affordable price.
The Bad: The on/off switch gets stuck, the disk wrench bends easily, and it lacks speed adjustment options.
The Bottom Line: You get a lot of bang for your buck with this product, and the deal it offers is difficult to beat. If you’re on a tight budget, this is a lifesaver, and it’s worth considering even if you have money to spare.
The Good: It’s a lightweight, compact and surprisingly powerful unit which is durable for the most part.
The Bad: The cord is incredibly poor and unsafe, the blade guard is difficult to adjust, and the case it comes with is shoddy.
The Bottom Line: If we were judging just by the quality of the core unit, this would be a clear winner. However, the complete package leaves a lot to be desired, and that’s what makes this product a difficult sell at this price.
The Good: One of the strongest angle grinders of this size around and one of the most durable.
The Bad: Holding it for long periods is uncomfortable, and it doesn’t come with a proper guard. It’s also expensive, and any extras cost more.
The Bottom Line: This is a quality product for the most part, but what hinders it a lot is the price – if it were lower, this would be the winner. However, due to how difficult to use it is and the cost, it’s difficult to recommend.
For our detailed opinions, go on and read the rest of the article.
All of the Factors Considered
Angle grinders can seem deceptively simple at first glance – it’s basically just a disc that’s spun by a motor, how complicated can it be? Well, there’s more to it than you might think and that’s why a lot of people get bad products – they don’t give it enough thought. Well, to make things easier for you, here are some of the most important things you should consider when purchasing an angle grinder.
Power Source
The power source of an angle grinder is the motor contained inside it. However, not all motors are the same, and they can vary in both the fuel they use as well as their power.
Most angle grinders made for home use utilize an electric motor, whether one powered by an electric cord or a lithium-ion battery – there are even some that can use either one of those two options. Corded variants are usually stronger but less portable, while battery-powered ones offer portability at the cost of work time. Gas powered variants exist as well, but those are mostly for industrial use.
The strength of the motor, usually expressed in horsepower or amperes, determines a lot of things about the performance of an angle grinder. It influences the cutting depth, the speed at which the disc spins, its ability to cut different materials and so on.
It’s one of the most important things you need to consider when getting a product like this.
Disc Size
The size of the disc is the second most important thing to take into account when purchasing an angle grinder. It affects both the cutting capacity and the cutting depth of the machine, as well as the area you can cover when you’re using a brush attachment.
For most tasks that you would do by yourself around the house and workshop, a disc size of 4-1/2 inches will suffice. That is the most common size as well, and some angle grinders of that size might take slightly larger five-inch blades, but that’s not common.
Accessories
Of course, since this is what gives an angle grinder its versatility, the accessories that can be attached to it are important. Most angle grinders will come with some accessories included in the package – usually some extra discs for different purposes.
Other accessories might include a host of different brush attachments that can be used instead of the wheel, dust extractors, protective guards, various handles and so on. Some of these can completely change the function of an angle grinder.
Some accessories might be built into the machine itself. Things like dust blowers or work lights, for example, can be incredibly useful.
Overall, it’s not a bad thing to have as many accessories as possible, as long as the machine can perform its base functions well and is not too cluttered.
Durability
Angle grinders can be expensive machines, and you should make sure that the one you buy will last for a while and won’t break in a matter of days or weeks.
To ensure this, you should look for an angle grinder that is mostly made out of metal and doesn’t have a lot of flimsy plastic parts. You should also check how it’s constructed and whether the bolts and screws are of good quality.
Looking at user experiences from those who have been using the product for a long time is also a good way to gauge the durability of the angle grinder you’re purchasing.
Comfort and Safety
Since you’re likely to use a machine like this for hours on end, having it be comfortable to use and safe to operate is important.
One of the most prominent safety features is a protective guard that you can shift around the disc to ensure that sparks won’t fly towards you. Another common feature is a squeeze trigger, ensuring that the grinder can’t turn on unless you are holding both handles.
This is useful when you’re using the tool in short bursts, but if you have to keep it on for extended periods, it will soon become uncomfortable. Luckily, some grinders have a switch that you can flip which will allow them to stay on at all times.
Another important factor when it comes to comfort is the weight of the unit. The heavier it is, the more difficult and perilous it is to use for long periods. Lighter units are usually easier to maneuver as well.
Now that you know all the relevant information check out how we ranked the top three products.
In-Depth Reviews of 3 Angle Grinders
Key Features
Small but Strong Motor
This is quite a small unit, but the motor inside of it still packs quite a punch with six amps of power. It allows the disc to reach an impressive 10000 RPM and it is powered by an electrical cord. Overall, it’s more than enough strength for this size, with a disc of 4-1/2 inches.
Surprisingly Durable
For the most part, this is an incredibly durable tool, and you won’t have problems with it. The only part that could potentially cause issues is the disk wrench since it is made of soft metal and can bend. It shouldn’t be a problem if you’re careful when tightening.
Quite Comfortable and Easy to Use
With its low weight of only 4.8 pounds, this tool is incredibly easy to hold. The adjustable handle also helps make you more comfortable while using it. You can also choose whether to have it on all the time or use a squeeze trigger. However, the on/off switch can get stuck, so be careful.
Lack of Accessories, Good Compatibility
This product doesn’t come with a lot of accessories included, but it is compatible with most that you can find on the market, and they can be easily attached to it. In that sense, it is good and since it doesn’t cost a lot, to begin with, you should be easily able to afford the add-ons.
Customer Reviews
Who Should Buy This Product
For people on a budget, this is an incredibly great deal. You get a decently strong unit that is quite durable and lightweight to boot. The motor it packs inside its housing is quite strong, and you will be able to perform most tasks that more expensive products can as well.
What to Watch Out For
While most of it is durable, the disk wrench isn’t. It can easily bend, so take extra care when tightening the disk. It also lacks speed adjustments, so if you want the disc to spin slower, you are out of luck. The on/off switch also tends to get stuck so be careful with that since you might get hurt if you leave it on by accident.
The Conclusion
Overall, this is one of the best deals you can get around. For quite a low price you get a quality power tool that will last for quite a while and cover most of your needs. There are some downsides to it, but the only significant one is the lack of speed adjustments. We still recommend this product highly, since you get a lot of bang for your buck here.
Key Features
Strong, Compact Electric Motor
This small unit features a strong,5-amp motor that allows the 4-1/2-inch disc to reach an impressive speed of 11000 RPM. With that much power, it won’t have trouble handling anything you might want it to grind.
Some Parts are Durable; some are not
The core of this unit, the motor, the gears, the housing – all of that is well made and durable. The cord, however, is a different story and you might have significant problems with it.
Mostly Unsafe
Sadly, this machine is not on the safe side. First and foremost, the cord is poor, and you can get electrocuted if you are not careful with it. The blade guard is also difficult to adjust, and you have to stop working to do it and use a screwdriver. It is a real issue.
Some not so Great Accessories
It comes with a few decent accessories, a couple of discs and an additional blade guard, but the most prominent extra is the carrying case. However, that case is of poor quality, and it will most likely break in a few days or even during Not worth the extra price it puts on the product.
Customer Reviews
All in all, I recommend this to anybody who wants a grinder for smaller jobs since this will do them incredibly well.
The case is great as well, and the included guard and the extra blades give more value to the entire package. Overall, I recommend it highly.
Who Should Buy This Product
If you want a compact power tool with more than enough power under the hood, this is the one you should get. It has a strong electrical motor and weighs next to nothing. It is exceptionally comfortable to use due to the switches which are easy to operate, and it will prove able to perform most tasks.
What to Watch Out For
Oh boy, where to start? The cord, most likely, since that is the largest problem. It is quite poor and can melt or spark easily, and it is difficult to replace. There are other issues too – the case it comes with might seem like a sweet deal, but it is poorly made. The blade guard on this unit also poses a problem since it can’t be easily adjusted.
The Conclusion
This is quite a mixed bag. The grinder itself is great, of course, it excels in most areas, but the problems are all the peripheral things about it. The cord that can melt or spark out, the blade guard that is difficult to adjust, the low-quality case it comes in which racks up the price and so on. It’s difficult to recommend at face value.
Key Features
Incredibly Strong Motor
The electric motor inside this unit boasts 11 amps of power, which is significantly more than other grinders of this side and the disc can reach 11000 RPM. That is quite impressive for a tool that works with a 4-1/2-inch sized disk.
Multiple Safety Issues
It is not an incredibly safe machine, due to a few factors. It is uncomfortable to hold due to poor handle design and a weight of more than 6 pounds. It also doesn’t come with the proper guard, so you have to buy one yourself.
Decently durable
Despite using a fair bit of plastic in its construction, this is quite a sturdy tool that is obviously meant for some more serious and heavy use. There aren’t parts of it that are suspect, and you will find that it can take a lot of abuse before it shows any signs of wear and tear.
Some Great Extras, If You can Pay
The only great accessory that comes inbuilt is the, admittedly, great dust ejection system. If you want anything else, though, you have to pay extra. That wouldn’t be a problem, but since the tool already costs a lot up-front, you would expect a little bit more than this.
Customer Reviews
Who Should Buy This Product
For people who want an incredibly strong tool for use in their workshop, this will be the ideal angle grinder. It offers more power than any product of a similar size does, and it can perform almost any job. You will also find that it is quite durable and can be used regularly without any fear of it breaking.
What to Watch Out For
The largest problem this unit has is the fact that it is difficult to use, especially for longer periods. The handles are difficult to hold, and it is heavier than average. Another issue is that it comes with a bad guard, meaning that you will have to buy a different one. This is a part of a larger problem – it is a costly tool with no extras, and if you want anything more than just the tool itself, you will have to pay a lot.
The Conclusion
At a low cost, buying this tool would be a no-brainer, but considering how much it costs and the fact that it comes with no extras, it is difficult to recommend. Sure, it boasts some of the best power around for a tool this size, and for some, it may be worth buying just because of that, but as a complete package, it doesn’t seem to be worth it.
The Best Pick – Black and Decker BDEG400
It’s difficult to pick just one of these great products as the best, especially because different people consider different things to be good or bad. However, after a lot of testing and deliberation, we managed to make a final verdict. For us, the best angle grinder out there right now is the Black & Decker BDEG400.
This power tool takes the cake because it offers the best deal for the price and it just can’t be beaten in that regard. It performs as well as grinders that are double the price while not having a lot of significant downsides, besides the lack of speed options. Still, it’s the best deal you can get and our best pick for today.
Video Review
The Conclusion
While we did choose to highlight one product over the others at the end, that doesn’t mean the rest of them are bad – far from it. We included them in this article because we thought they were some of the best and we stick by that. You don’t have to take our word for it – just carefully consider all the info we presented and make your own choice. Our only goal was to help you do that, and we hope we were successful. Share this article around if it helped you and good luck in your future projects. We hope to see you next time as well.
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Homyden
We are home and garden enthusiasts, we share our unique knowledge and expertise. If you have home and garden ideas, feel free to write for us. However, your articles must be unique, informative, made of short and straightforward sentences.
