Good Angle grinder?

[bsa0021]

I stopped in TSC today to check on my log catcher for my splitter and found a Kawaski 4.5" angle grinder on sale for $20 (4.2amp). I've been wanting one for around the house/car. Is this enough power? I don't want a large grinder but I want one powerful enough to grind metal or cut off a bolt. Do I need more amps or am I better w/a air cut off tool? Thanks!

 

[Dune]

I suppose if you don't have a grinder then a kawa or anything else would be O.K. I use only Metabo grinders and I have 8 or 9 of them at the moment. The cost a little more, but they outlast all others by a huge margin. Hilti and Fein also make a real good angle grinder.
For homeowner use, a makita, or milwaukee would be O.K.
If you do invest in a good grinder, go with a 5", quickly becoming the industry standard.

 

[webbie]

I second that makita holds up well for home use - I even used it for a lot of grinding on the chimney extensions and stainless steel.

For around the house almost anything will do.....but you do get something for the extra money. Yeah, I also have a $15 Harbor Freight one which is still working after 3 years!
But no doubt the makita is a finer tool.

 

[ironpony]

for home, cost vs quality makita or dewalt
metabo definately the best I have one
price kinda high for home use

 

[pybyr]

I am usually a junkie for high end tools and believe that if you are going to use something more than a few times, then the good stuff is worth it and will work better and last longer--

-- but in the case of an angle grinder, I don't own my own, and end up borrowing my dad's, which is a standard hardware store "master mechanic" from about 15 years ago. It works perfectly fine and he and I have gotten a fair amount of use of it with it displaying plenty of power for anything that I've tried to use it for (which includes some actual cutting and not just grinding). No signs of it wearing out; it is not used daily or even weekly, but I have no basis now, or any foreseeable one, to go buy a higher end one. My gut sense is that the basic design and operation of these things is such that there is not a lot of torque load on the bearings or motor, so that they work and last pretty well even if they are not built in battleship grade (which is my usual preference).

 

[jebatty]

I think an inexpensive grinder from a major retailer likely will be OK for intermittent or occasional use. I have a Makita, then found it a hassle to change from cutting to grinding wheels frequently, and bought a Tool Shop from Menards for cutting, Makita for grinding. The tool shop works fine but does heat up quite a bit after moderate use. The Makita runs cool all the time. Yet the $20 Tool Shop brand does the job.

I might hesitate buying an unknown brand off the internet, only because I did that with a close quarters angle drill and it lasted for one 3/8" boring into steel before the gears stripped. Fortunately I bought it only to drill one hole, and again the $20 was worth it for that. But wouldn't do it again.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

I have the 5" grinder from TSC. I like it because its light and has a handle trigger rather than a on/off switch. I am thinking of getting a second one so I don't have to change between the grinding wheel and wire brush. For my heavy grinding I have a dewalt 7" grinder that really cuts but gets heavy real fast.

Billy

 

[btuser]

If all you're going to do is grind/cut a little here or there then the cheapest is going to last you a long time. I've got a 5" Metabo that has been through some pretty sick stuff but still thinks its brand new. I cut/posished a 55 sqft granite countertop with it, and cored through a 12" concrete floor using a drycore bit. In bewteen there's been the usual stuff. I re-ground a clean surface on about 200 sqft of concrete, sharpen blades, cut an oil tank in 1/2, body work, ect. At times it was too hot to pick up, so I put on some damp gloves. When I though it caught on fire it was only steam coming off my gloves. No, I don't suggest it, but I was in a hurry. You can tell by the weight its a real tool

 

[Dune]

for home, cost vs quality makita or dewalt
metabo definately the best I have one
price kinda high for home use

Be very carefull with dewalt and other cheap grinders. The vibaration can be so bad as to cause/exaserbate repetitive motion injuries in the wrists and or hands and fingers. That is why I tell everyone to buy metabo or at least makita/millwaukee quality level.

And yes, Dewalt makes junk metal working tools, kind of like how makita used to be. Good for wood, absolute garbage for metal.

 

[savageactor7]

I had a cheep auction barn one that lasted for years. It was such a labor saver that when it died I upgraded to a 4" Craftsman model that was on sale...the safety shield is easy to remove. While you're there get a few metal cutting wheels too.

 

[Battenkiller]

I'm only an occasional user. I have two Makitas, a 5" (12.5A Japanese made) and a 4 1/2" (6.4 A made in China). They are OK and suit my needs, but Metabo is definitely the king. Bomb proof, powerful and much less vibration. I have enough nerve damage in my hands that I really shouldn't be using one at all, but if I had to make a living with one it would be a Metabo. I have a small 3 1/4" RO sander by Metabo and it is a little hog for wood removal, but it just purrs like a kitten in your hands. Their tools are worth the extra $$$ IMHO.

For just one grinder, I think you have to go with a 5" 12A unit. Anything smaller won't be enough for heavy grinding. Anything larger is way too much gun for the occasional user.

 

[Capt]

I agree with Dune, Metabo are the best, hands down. A good friend of mine that owns a fabrication shop turned me on to them, he uses his for hours at a time, everyday.

 

[computeruser]

Another vote for Metabo. Got an older square-body 6". It gets used almost as much as my cordless drill. I use the .040" thin cutting disks almost exclusively for cutting, grinding, and surface prep for welding. Wire cup for paint removal and de-scaling metal. It's a great tool. I've been able to get by with mine, and without a sawzall or a metal blade in a circular/miter saw, for many years of cutting metal. Love it!

 

[bsa0021]

I appreciate the feedback but I should have clarified my use for the grinder in question. I probably will only use a grinder a half dozen times a year if that much. I typically buy better quality stuff that is used quite often. If I buy something for rare occasions I will buy on the less expensive side but I stay away from something that will break on the first or second use.

 

[TreePapa]

I bought a Makita 4" angle grinder, probably about 10 years ago. Intermittent use, up to and including using a diamond wheel to cut paver blocks - not the fastest way to do it, but it worked. The tool is just as good today as it was when I bought it. I'd love to have a 7" grinder, but can't justify the $$ for a Makita or Miluwaukee, and the HF ones just look like carp. I keep an eye on C/L for a bargein, but nothing so far.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[Whitebread]

Let me start by saying I'm an industrial maintenance manager and can't stand cheap tools.

That being said, for the amount of use you're looking at, go buy a Habor Freight grinder for $15 and have fun. It'll last several years of light/moderate use. I personally know of a friend that was building bumpers, skidplates, and a roll cage for his landcruiser with one. He ran it non stop for several days. When it got too hot to handle he unplugged it, dumped it in a bucket of water, blew it out with compressed air, and went right back to using it. He still had it a couple years later and still used it occasionally and it worked fine. HF angle grinders are one of the few gems in a mountain of sh*t.

 

[madrone]

No question Metabo's the best, but not in this case. Too expensive. On the other hand, I'd always rather have a little too much tool. 4.2 amps is too small, even for the occasional user. Nothing's more annoying than a grinder bogging down in the middle of a cut. No one's mentioned Bosch, which is my second favorite. A little cheaper, but well designed, and reliable. Milwaukees and Makitas are the only others I ever buy, but it depends on the specific tool.
I know plenty of people who buy the HF grinders and just replace as needed. You might come out ahead in $, but what a waste. I'd pick up something just a little bigger and with some kind of reputation for lasting longer than a year or 2.

 

[Dune]

No question Metabo's the best, but not in this case. Too expensive. On the other hand, I'd always rather have a little too much tool. 4.2 amps is too small, even for the occasional user. Nothing's more annoying than a grinder bogging down in the middle of a cut. No one's mentioned Bosch, which is my second favorite. A little cheaper, but well designed, and reliable. Milwaukees and Makitas are the only others I ever buy, but it depends on the specific tool.
I know plenty of people who buy the HF grinders and just replace as needed. You might come out ahead in $, but what a waste. I'd pick up something just a little bigger and with some kind of reputation for lasting longer than a year or 2.

True, Bosch makes a good tool, and in fact recently bought Metabo. I expect Metabo's quality to drop as a result.