Angle grinder buying advice

[Robin]

Just wondered if anyone can recommend a decent make - budget is around £60

 

Thanks

 

Robin

[mishmosh]

Dealt always seem to last. I get about ten years abuse out of mine. Parts are available too. Try screwfix. The last I bought used an Allen key to change disks. Better in a garage.

[AidanT]

If you mean dewalt I totally agree. I have had mine a few years now and it's an excellent tool. Still looking for an original box to fit it in though????

[Simon]

If its just for car body work then I would say get a cheap one. I got a 115mm sub £20 one 4 years ago and have used it a lot for big metal repairs and has been fine and still going strong.

If you wanting to cut stone then I would say get a more powerful one\bigger.

Also look at the design and size as some are bulky so you can't get them in small spaces.

[Rabbit]

I agree with Simon. I have bought expensive(ish) ones and they have blown up. So I tried Lidle ones at £20 with 3 year warranty and variable speed. Bought 3 about 4  years ago and still have 2 in boxes and the third working well still. You pays your money etc etc. Have seen them at £238 and didn't seem any better than my cheap ones. Also, if my Lidle one plays up I could take it back or just bin it. Hand tools I buy Facom usually as they seem good quality and have never let me down but got to say that Parkside tools from Lidle seem to be OK, probably not for workshop use but for mu use, OK.

[GT6M]

Aldi,s tek some beating

they got vari speed, soft start,  3 year warranty, got a v easy adjustable guard,

all of above, some of the v v expensive ones lack,

got 5 of em, all got diff cutters/blades in em, saves changing

 

20£,last one had 2 sets spare brushes too,

a decent lead lenth, so ye no ev to use an extension to get 3 foot away, !!

 

had 2 for 6 years noo, and they get some stik.

 

M

[ludwig113]

i bought 3 b&q cheap ones for £7 each in a sale, each one has different discs etc. i also have a more powerful silverline but dont really use it as its bulkier and heavier.

[Clive]

having had cheapies I bought a Makita a couple of years ago, and it is a delight to use i9n comparison. I have also used a bosh, belongs to a friend who is a pro mechanic. Nice bit of kit, a easy to handle. And he has had it a good few years giving it plenty of abuse. That would probably be my choice. Cheap from screwfix too:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-blue-professional-gws-600-professional-4-angle-grinder-240v/10664?kpid=10664&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Tools-_-Shopping%20-%20Tools&gclid=CNzR_-uEgs0CFfUV0wodJSsBOQ

[ian.osprey]

I have a Bosch which refuses to die. Any time I see an angle grinder in a sales bin (~£10) I buy one just in case, but the Bosch just keeps going! So know I have 4, one each with a wire brush, cutting disk, grinding disk and flap wheel. Extravagant, but sooooo handy.

I'd vote for Bosch, but the cheepies haven't let me down either.

[Ben Caswell]

If its just for car body work then I would say get a cheap one. I got a 115mm sub £20 one 4 years ago and have used it a lot for big metal repairs and has been fine and still going strong.

If you wanting to cut stone then I would say get a more powerful one\bigger.

Also look at the design and size as some are bulky so you can't get them in small spaces. Also the guards can be awkward, I tend to just remove.

If you have to remove the guard your using the wrong tool !! 

[Clive]

I could post the pic of a friends hand he cut badly using a grinder without a guard. Lucky to retain his index finger, needed a couple of nerves reattaching, plenty of stitches and they reckon he will be lucky. Should get about 90% of function back again.

[mishmosh]

WOAHHHHH.     NEVER remove the guard. Especially with the new thin bodywork discs( brilliant invention!)  ALWAYS use PPE. I had a bit of rust in my eye even using safety specs. It hurts. I used to use cheapos, but they always fail too early. Having said that, one as a back upis a good idea. I agree that having two on the go is way easier than swapping discs all the timed. The cheap ones seem to wobble too much. 

 

 

oh and yes I meant dewalt.  The switch is better than my Bosch and its heavier, which helps when cutting. 

[stoofa]

I too have several inexpensive grinders with different cutters, grinders and sanders, saves so much time and the wear is evened out across them all. Unless you are using them day in day out they should last well.

 

On the downside, I have more scars and lumps missing from "interaction" with angle grinders than any other power tool I own, and that's with the guard in place and safety devices employed, proceed with respect !

[Steve C]

I swear by Bosch, and mine has given years of faithful service. As stated though, these are powerful tools which can "kick" and I would not go near one without heavy gauntlets, eye protection, and a mask if grinding. I cringe when I see people on TV using them without basic PPE.

 

Regards

 

Steve

[Pete Lewis]

got through 3 diy brands when cutting the chassis on the Vit6 , they all gave up exceptionally quickly , so money back and  bought a Bosch and whilst it doesn't get much use these days it went onandonanon  

 

there's a saying you remember how good a tool is a long time after you forgot how much it cost

 

what about the nasty screwdrivers that look like a screwdriver but have incorrectly cut blades that cannot fit  properly in the screw  be it slot

or the pozidrive /philips 

 

side cutters that dont,  soft drill bits,  hacksaw blades for butter  ....

 

 respect good tools   they pay you back for years of service

[68vitesse]

Agree a good tool is a good tool a poor one is an accident waiting to happen. Keep them clean and sharp, a blunt tool is more off a hazard than a sharp one.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Robin]

Thanks for all the advice

[thescrapman]

I have had my Black and Decker 115mm one for almost 30 years now, still seems to be going strong, has helped rebuild at least half a dozen cars now.

 

Perhaps i am more gentle than other people.

 

I do occassionally borrow a 9inch grinder, for which I bought a 6inch cup brush for rapid rust removal. Only thing I think it wants to remove is parts of my anatomy, the gyroscopic effect of the cup brush is something to behold!

 

I will be keeping my eye out for a couple of cheap Aldi / Lidl ones so I can had multiple discs availabel when doing certain jobs. Just to save time and effort.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

 

p.s. on the subject of appropriate PPE... I watch a mates dad cut up an old Herald with a petrol powered slab cutter wearing just a pair of shorts and a flip-flops. The things we did when younger....

[stoofa]

There are too many power tools (and hand tools) out there from strange manufacturers that are built (and I use the term lightly) just to look like the real thing and are simply cheap rubbish and not fit for purpose.

 

The only purchase of one of these tools that I made based purely on the incredibly low price was an orbital sander. It lasted but a few days before it started vibrating more and more finally giving up when the centre hole in the offset cam bit, that was made of cheese, turned on the shaft.

 

Feeling aggrieved, I cheekily glued it back on with "Zap-a-gap" super glue and reassembled the thing and was able to finish the job !  In fact, although little used since, it is still holding out against the odds but I'll not bother with any more purchases based purely on price.

 

Buying "cheap" is not the same as buying "inexpensive" and luck does play a part.

 

Paul.

 

PS    Loved the story about shorts and flip-flops Colin, I'd have paid to watch that, (from a distance).

[PeteH]

Re-Boot. My old angle grinder gave up yesterday. Fancy a Cordless one this time. Any recommendations under £100?.

Pete

[Clive]

Do you only ever use it for short periods of time? I think the batteries have a very short life....

But for that sort of money get one from lidl/aldi, at least you get a 3yr warranty, plus spare batteries are cheap and OK.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/grinder-%26-20-40v-battery-charger/p/000000490219300

A proper make will cost at least £200 upwards....

But a decent 230V grinder is under £50, my Makita is a lovely bit of kit

[Badwolf]

Got two Aldi mains units. Handy when using different media, flap disc, stripping disc, grinding wheel etc. Variable speed, nice solid bit of kit. Sorry but I don't know about the battery versions other than all the Lidl 20v battery kit that I have is superb but I haven't got the grinder. I do have several batteries so don't have a problem when they run down. They take about an hour to recharge so a cycle of four meets my needs. The one battery fits all the other 20v tools in the range so I don't need a battery for every tool. Works well for me.

Beware, I don't think that the Aldi and Lidl batteries are interchangeable so your decision for which tool you go for commits you to the range unless you want two sets of batteries.

[68vitesse]

Have an 18V Makita which is OK for light use but put any pressure on and the overload protection stops the tool, there is a warning light to tell you to back off.

Having said that a very useful tool.

Regards

Paul.

[PeteH]

I note that Wike`s, are doing a "deal" at this time on Einhell tools. knocks about £20 off a battery pack. but only 20ah batteries?. Machine Mart do them as well. Anyone had experience of them. Allegedly German?. I`ve had (still got) a Corded Aldi one. But the the other was smaller and useful to run the flap wheel.

Pete

[Clive]

8 minutes ago, PeteH said:

I note that Wike`s, are doing a "deal" at this time on Einhell tools. knocks about £20 off a battery pack. but only 20ah batteries?. Machine Mart do them as well. Anyone had experience of them. Allegedly German?. I`ve had (still got) a Corded Aldi one. But the the other was smaller and useful to run the flap wheel.

Pete

Einhall are one of the OK cheaper makes. Not in the same league as makita/(proper) bosch etc. I think they are part of the group who make the aldi or lidl tools, but info is cloudy on that. But probably comparable quality.  

Just do not expect similar performance to a corded too. Cordless may be 18V, corded 750w. to make 750W 18v would need approx 40A, that isn't happening... (a 2Ah battery wouldn't last 3mins) but they are possibly 200w?