Angle Grinders

[treeman53]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

 

[Scott 730]

Been very happy with 6" Metabo's. Would never go back to a 4 1/2".

 

[old]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

I've got 3 or 4 of the cheaper ones and they seem to do as I need, plus I have a big one that gets used once in a while that I got 2nd hand and it needed new brushes

 

[RobCons]

I have 4 of the Makita brand hanging on my welding table. One each for a grinding wheel, flapper disc, cut off wheel, and wire wheel. No trouble out of them for several years now.

 

[Hdonly]

I have 1 Skil, 1 Bosch, 1 Wen. They are all three good ones and have worked good for a few years. I use them alot. Grinding wheel on one, wire brush on one and cut-off disc on one.

 

[DanielW]

+1 for the Metabo recommendation above. The good Metabos have much larger/heavier spindle bearings than many others. But you probably can't go wrong with any of the larger names: Makita & Milwaukee would both be good. My cordless grinders are both Milwaukee and are excellent.

 

[Zachary Hoyt]

I bought a DeWalt 4-1/2" about 12 years ago at Tractor Supply and have used it t cut a lot of steel with cutting discs, and with a Kutzall disc to carve about 40 archtop instruments tops and backs, mainly fiddles but some guitars and a cello too. It has outlasted my expectations by far. I don't use it every day, but it has a lot of hours on it by now and still works great.

 

[Red Dave]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

I have a Craftsman 4 1/2 that I bought 30+ years ago, still works fine, just used it yesterday.
Also have a Companion 4" (Sears cheapie brand) that I bought 20+ years ago that I use mostly with cut off discs, still works fine.
I bought a DeWalt 4" cordless a couple years ago. Kind of a funky trigger that I'm not wild about, but I've seen newer versions that have a different trigger. Might be better, or not, don't know.

I will second (or is it third?) the Metabo suggestion, if you want one that will last a long time.
I worked for awhile for a construction company that used Metabo grinders. If they held up the way those laborers abused them, they ought to last forever with even a little care.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

You are gonna pay well for this one, its in a league of its own.
Makita
Model # 9005B
I have brought cheaper Makita's with the steel head and had to repair them the good the parts were available and cheap. I am not a Makita fan the 9005B is what my fabrication bud uses he claims they are billet prof.

 

[timcasbolt]

I recently bought two Bauer 4 1/2" grinders from Harbor Freight. 20 volt. One with brushes, one brushless. Then I bought adapters to use them with my Dewalt batteries. The brushless definitely has more power and lasts longer on the battery. When working on a project I like to have several going at once with various wheels because I'm constantly switching back and forth.

 

[Janicholson]

Metabo is one that university students could not break (they do try hard to stall them from speed, and get the discs stuck in cuts etc. jim

 

[M-MAN]

Any of them will get hot when you work it hard. I've been using the little Craftsman for as long as I can remember. The last one is just a couple years old so it should outlive me. I do have a Milwaukee cordless that I use a flap disk on. It isn't good for heavy grinding. Gets hot fast.

 

[SkipperII]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

I have a 30+ year old Makita, and we used the newer models in our fleet shop, never any problems.

 

[chuck machinist]

Been very happy with 6" Metabo's. Would never go back to a 4 1/2".

Metabo 6" defiantly ! Chuck Machinist

 

[Steve@Advance]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

Got a Mikita at work, it's on the second set of brushes and still going strong. I think I bought it at Ebay, don't remember it being too expensive, but that was probably 15 years ago.

Used to be Milwaukee was the brand to have, but they sold out to China and so went the quality.

 

[T.R.K.]

I have 6 Dewalt 4-1/2" grinders in my shop (various attachments on them) and four Black and Decker (s) (B&DcCommercial models just like the Dewalts) at work in that tool box and even the very first Dewalt I got back in '93 is still working.

 

[Old560]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

I have two 5 inch Makita‘s, and one 4 1/2 inch Makita, they vibrate too much. I have a 4 1/2 inch harber freight that I leave out side after using because it gets so hot I don’t want a fire. I have a 4 1/2 inch porter cable that runs smooth and it’s a good grinder. And I have a 9 inch Milwaukee heavy but nice. If I was buying another one, would be Milwaukee or porter cable.

 

[treeman53]

I ordered a Metabo, seemed to have best overall reviews...

 

[Russ from MN]

Just curious if anyone has recently purchased an angle grinder. I've been using a 4 1/2 angle grinder I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago ( I think it was under $10). It still works, but I thought I'd buy a bit higher quality new one. I was hoping to spend $100 or less, but every one I looked at has some reviews saying that they ran hot, and failed after a couple uses. Sometimes reviews are not all that accurate, so I was hoping someone could recommend one of the newer ones that works well for them...

I have 4 of them, my first was a Ryobi, it's still a good grinder, but I was given a Metabo at work, and it's the best, but I'm sure it cost a lot more! I have a $14 one from Northern Tool that works fine too. Before I would spend a lot on one, I would buy 2 cheaper ones, so I didn't have to change attachments so often.

 

[504]

I have a Porter Gable,HF, and a pawn shop 4.5 inch in the shop. Buy a paddle switch ,and buy the cheapest you can find, unless you are going to use it daily. I take them apart once a year and grease the gear box and then run them. One has a cup brush.one has a cut off wheel and one has a grinding wheel. And for stupid stuff ,I have an old B&D 7 inch.