20 Best 4 1 2 Angle Grinder (2022 Updated)

Bought mine last fall and was initially happy with its performance, but that didn’t last. I use mine frequently for cutting metal and grinding welds and my original Mastercraft one lasted more than 10 years of weekend cutting and vehicle repairs.

I expected a name brand one to do at least the same. I swap disks between cutting and grinding frequently, but was still only halfway through the supplied grinding disk cleaning up a sheet metal weld when the motor arched, slowed down noticeably and then died mid project.

At less than one year old, this is completely unacceptable.

Very handy little grinder. It can get into places bigger grinders can’t. The best feature I like is the removable protective shield. In fact that’s the main reason I bought it other than the great price.

With the shield removed you can still get the job done in very restrictive areas. Although this is a great feature be advised it can be much more dangerous to use by someone not familiar with grinders.

Wear plenty of protection especially for eyes and hands.

This is a fantastic grinder, well worth the sale price. This did not come with any grinding or cutting wheels, but is still a great deal. Ive used it with a wire wheel and there is very little vibration from the grinder.

My old 4. 5″ grinder vibrated so bad you couldn’t use it for very long and it didn’t have the power that this Skil grinder has.

I bought this on sale at Lowes and have used it a few time since. This is one of those tools that I don’t use frequently, so I did not want to spend a lot. However, it comes in very handy for those special projects that crop up from time.

It has worked well and definitely has been worth getting. The hard case and assortment of grinder disk is also a plus. For the price paid and versatility of the tool, I would recommend this grinder. The only drawback that I see is that the guard adjustment is easier on other brands as this one requires a screwdriver to adjust it, vs.

a quick release clip on others. Just for the record, I have gravitated to the Metabo HPT platform for most off my power tools, primarily cordless.

As a welder I need 2 corded grinders with m yay all times. One grinder wheel and one wire wheel. I’ve had 2 metabo grinders for a little over a year now as my daily use grinders and these things are tough as nails! I’ve put them to the most extreme durability test in my line of work and they perform as good now as day 1! For years I had two “yellow brand” grinders and they were ok.

My grinders are now green and I couldn’t be happier ! I think in the future a lot of my yellow power tools may be switching to green if you know what u mean 😉 but seriously , these grinders are the real deal, tradesman approved quality power tools and I can’t say one bad thing about em ! Thanks metabo !!! – karl abramson.

I’m a carpenter by day and a woodworker by night and I picked up this grinder a couple months back for cutting small brass inlays for some picture frames I made for Christmas. It’s not exactly feature heavy, it is their cheapest grinder after all.

But, it does exactly what I need it to and I didn’t have to spend a whole lot of cash to do so. I’m normally cutting soft metals and every so often I need to cut through some conduit or other light duty steal things.

It gets through every time. It’s really well built as well. I’m prone to dropping tools an this thing has taken a thrashing. If you are a hobbyist or just need a grinder for a random task here or there, this is the one for you.

I really like this angle grinder. I have cut 2-1/2″ tube steel with it and it had plenty of power to do that. The weight is good, the reversible handle and guard are easy to use, the cutting/grinding discs are easy to install with the included tool, there is no vibration during use, and the cord is reasonable size (not real short like on some tools).

I bought this tool primarily because it had good user reviews, but also because the instruction book includes a complete break-out of all parts – several other grinders I looked at only listed a couple of parts, so good luck if one of those grinders breaks and you need to repair it! Very happy with this grinder so far, and at these low prices I would highly recommend.

So far, seems pretty durable. Fits standard grinder discs and blades. Easy to disassemble and modify.

Handy grinder,fits good in hand,It has good power for a 7 amp tool. Hav’nt ground any metals with it. I’ve used it with a wire wheel,it works at this pretty good and does’nt get hot. I can be hard on these small grinders when I use the wire wheels.

This grinder has past the rigors of me. So its a pretty tuff grinder.

Dewalt has upped their game with the Flexvolt Advantage line of tools. These are 20v tools that have a little extra oomph when the 20/60 Flexvolt batteries are used. I was skeptical at first but the batteries DO make a difference (see test results below).

It seems they’ve made improvements to the braking. My older DCG413 doesn’t coast long but the new one stops almost immediately. The arbor is ‘keyed’ with a pressure plate, that is similar to a slipper clutch, that applies nice even pressure across the disk surface.

No more spanner wrench to get the disk off; if needed, any 1/4″ Allen can get the Arbor Nut off if it gets over tightened. It is hard to say but it does seem just a little bit heavier in your hand over the older DCG413 model.

TEST: I compared a new 20V/60V MAX Flexvolt 6. 0Ah against a brand new 20v MAX 5. 0Ah battery in my new DCG416 grinder and there was a VERY noticeable difference! You could apply more pressure (so much that I was afraid I might break the disk if I pushed any harder) for longer without kicking out.

To be sure, I tried a series of battery tests in two nearly identical grinders, one being my new DCG416 (FV advantage) and its predecessor the DCG413. I tried two different sized 20v batteries, a 2. 0 & 5.

0Ah, as well as one new 20/60 Flexvolt 6. 0Ah fully charged and one older 2/3 charged 20/60 Flexvolt 6. 0Ah battery. Both 20v batteries performed the same in both grinders; the 2. 0Ah doing equally BAD and the 5.

0Ah doing equally WELL in both cases. There was no noticeable difference in how much pressure I could apply and for how long before the grinders would kick out except that the 2. 0Ah batteries are simply not suited for grinding.

When the new Flexvolt battery was paired with the DCG416 the difference was obvious; the DCG416 seemed as though it wasn’t ever going to kick out. The older DCG413 behaved basically the same as it did with the 20V 5.

0Ah battery. When I tried comparing both grinders using the older, partially charged Flexvolt battery the difference was not nearly as noticeable but there was still a subtle difference in performance.

All in all, there are improvements over the older DCG413 and the Flexvolt advantage does what it says. Hopefully Dewalt comes out with a Flexvolt Advantage version of the DCG405 (slide switch) as Paddle switches can be a pain for long periods of grinding or in awkward positions.

I used this Angle Grinder recently for a variety of projects. I had a FlexVolt 6AH battery for power. WOW is the first reaction. great balance and power. I used the angel grinder with and without gloves.

I found that the gloves, though comfortable and used for having a little protection between me and my work, were not needed as I initially anticipated. This Angle Grinder was nothing but smooth and with the Flex Volt 6AH battery powered through all my related projects.

I started with rebar cutting for a fireplace project and it went through like butter without any bogging down. I then went to a tiling project and this is where I noticed the smooth power and comfortable balance while cutting tile for a doorway area installation.

Finally, I used it on a masonry project I was doing and this tool never failed me. Again, the balance. even with the Flex Volt 6AH battery on it. I was able to complete my projects without feeling any fatigue with each of my projects.

Very happy and satisfied.

I mainly use this grinder for coping wood, with flap disk. I was wondering about the installation of the flap disk, since I saw an Allen key and a lock button. Thought it might not go smooth, but was rather surprised to find it much easier than my corded Bosch grinder.

The attachment handle is plastic, but it does help to reduce weight and makes me more aware of minor bumps. The actual coping went by super smooth and clean, no gripes there. I was very concerned about the noise level, it was surprisingly decent.

Some angle grinders really grind the bearings away, not with the Dewalt. Also, to finish it off I was concerned about the weight since for maximum performance I put on the flex volt battery. Yet, again it was surprisingly well balanced, and the weight that I did feel gave me a sense of reassurance when it came to any unexpected kick back.

So in if I were you and had your money, I’d buy two. There’s no hander power tool as you can do pretty much anything with them. Just don’t do anything stupid, because they are very powerful and depending on the disc can f you up too quick.

Dagg I’m telling youall stay healthy!!.

Great small grinder, very powerful given the size, and nicely balanced in use. I have been using it to even out poorly finished concrete and my only issue, and a minor one given the price of the unit, is the lack of any option to control the dust when working with cement and masonry.

Works great ! Just like my older one. I am tired of smoking Milwa$$$$’s products ! The last two couldn’t handle the load this old man gave them.. they .also were purchased new. A brand change is on !

As I embarked on what will be a long term remodeling of our house, I knew that I would definitely be needing a grinder for a variety of uses. Nothing large, but I also thought I could probably use two grinders to have one setup for cutting, and the other with a grinding wheel or wire cup.

I had looked at the various models DeWalt offered and was thinking of purchasing one corded and one cordless grinder. However, while at Lowes picking up some materials, I decided to look at the grinders and I purchased the DeWalt 4-1/2 inch 7.

5 amps Paddle Switch Corded Angle Grinder DWE4012-2 two-pack set on sale at a reasonable price. These DWE4012 grinders are well made and the 7. 5-amp motor has been powerful enough to work well for several projects that have involved both cutting and grinding.

Each has a removable side handle that can be attached to either the right or left side, as well as a guard that can be spun to position it as needed. The paddle switch makes it easy to control the power.

The threaded clamp nut can be removed and tightened with either a spanner wrench or an allen wrench, the latter which is included with each grinder. It is easy to change accessories when needed. The DWE4012 grinders have been dependable and I do recommend them.

This is my first grinder and have just started welding again. My hands do not get tired from previous grinders that i borrowed. It has a very strong motor for cutting, grinding, polishing and sanding.

I haver had it for 6 month and have not experienced a problem. Please remember i only use it on weekends for repairs and small projects.

I have had the Dewalt 4012 for two weeks and I am not impressed with it. I do not like the allen key used to tighten the spindle. Right now I have a sanding disc for wood that I can’t get off. I am regretting buying this grinder.

You can’t get the disks off easily. Do not buy this grinder.

I bought this last month to cut quarry tiles for the outside of the house, along with a diamond cutting blade. I could not have done the job without it. The angle grinder cut through the quarry tiles like butter, with virtually no chipping.

The angle grinder was easy to use and not heavy, so it was simple to make accurate cuts to the quarry tiles. I also used the grinding blade to smooth down some concrete which was protruding underneath the door facia.

Again because the grinder is both light a robust, it make short work of this despite the tricky angle. All in all this is now an indispensable tool in my tool kit.

This is my first time both buying and using an angle grinder but my very blunt small hack saw just wasn’t cutting it! The instructions are not overly clear but after a large coffee and no distractions I managed to work out how to put it together.

The handle is simple enough but fitting the safety cover and blade took me a while. The instructions are for serval different types of grinder which I didn’t think was immediately obvious. Once fitted properly (make sure you have the securing nut on the correct way up so the blade doesn’t move) this glided through the pipe and brackets I needed it to.

Very pleased.

Be very careful when ordering this item! There are two versions 110V/240V, on the website they both carry the same number MAKITA GA4530R on the Website only the picture differentiates between the two.

On Screwfix’s computer system they differentiate by using GA4530R/1 for 110V, and GA4350/2 for 240V. Guess who ordered the wrong one, as soon as I opened the box I realised I had the 110V, not the one I wanted! Fair play to screwfix, they changed it for a 240V with no problems.

If only all companies were that easy to deal with, this is why I always use Screwfix they look after their customers, which in turn deserves loyalty, they’ve certainly got mine.

I have bought anywhere from 30 to 40 + grinders a year. The “standard” commercial brand wasnt holding up. I had brand new out of the box grinders be junk in a few weeks. I tried different brands that just werent cutting it.

I ordered a few of these Milwaukee 4 1/2″ grinders with the motor overload and clutch protection. Couldnt be happier, they work beautifully. I’ve never looked back!! I’ve bought about 10 more since and they are still going strong.

They are just replacing all the “Yellow and Black” brand grinders that we were using. I literally have 20 junk grinders that are taking up space. I used to keep the burned up grinders to try and replace the motors but no need.

I have a replacement now!.

INDUSTRIAL GRINDING OF WELDMENTS WITH THE RECOMMENDED ABRASIVE WHEEL AND HAS LASTED 320 DAYS SO FAR WITH 4~6 HOURS PER DAY AND 5 DAYS A WEEK

I’ve had this model of grinder for about 6 or 7 years. If I were to purchase another grinder, I’d probably get a larger one, but this one has been up to the task of cutting most things that I’ve needed it for.

It’s super noisy, but what grinder isn’t? The safety shield does tend to get in the way a bit, which is a bit of a hassle, but at least the shield can be swiveled a bit if needed. I like the way they’ve set up the power switch; you have to intentionally switch it on, with a deliberate push.

But it only requires the slightest touch and the switch will almost shut off on its own. This is a good safety feature, as you don’t want to accidentally switch it on.

If there is a grinder that can bring joy then this is it! It is small but powerful, with well thought of details like power switch that turns off the grinder (in case of emergency) with a slight touch, shield that rotates with a latch and so on.

Ergonomic design, lightweight, powerful, pure joy!.

I bought this grinder to replace my old De Walt that died. I needed a small grinder to do a lot of concrete grinding in a small space and this grinders performance was flawless. Like all Milwaukee tools I highly recommend this tool if you are looking for quality and durability.

inexpensive tool works good but Brush Springs last only a couple of months with steady drive grinding. No problem and remember to cool off, too. … yeahyus

I purchased my #58089 angle grinder in 16 Jan 2022. Today is 6 March 2022 and the very first day that I have actually used it to some extent since the 30 second test shortly after purchasing it. The slide switch which is located on the left side of the grinder I have, failed today after about the fourth time sliding it to the on position.

The switch is seated terribly and felt like it was lifting up more so than sliding and on the last attempt to turn it on, it clicked a little as it lifted and the grinder never turned on, and has not since.

I’m getting ready to take it back right now and swap it out for the same grinder, because the picture above for the same grinder reads “New” and the switch is now on the top side instead of the side.

Hopefully the problem has been corrected. It it gets the job done otherwise as long as you can get it to run. Okay 20 min later and I’ve made the exchange. Unfortunately they still have the old version on hand at the store I visited in Winter Garden FL and although it’s the same arrangement, the switch feels like it’s spring loaded this time, however, still flimsy so I’ll be sure to put some time on it to see if holds up.

I’m also going to keep my open for the newer model to arrive hopefully while I still have warranty. The replacement works so far, but for how long. I know it’s cheap, but it still needs to at least work the best it can when summoned.

I purchased this angle grinder because I lost the blade guard on my Harbor Freight Drill Master branded grinder. I was cutting rivets on the frame of my truck and this Warrior grinder smoked the motor while grinding the second rivet.

I was not applying excessive pressure or overloading the grinder in any way. I have had my Drill Master grinder for 10 years now and never had a problem. The Drill Master cost me $9. 99 and still runs perfectly after years of heavy use.

The Warrior grinder was $14. 99 and just couldn’t handle a light cutting job. On both grinders I used Bauer 1/16 inch cutting disks which cut great and hold up very well. I had to finish the job of cutting 14 more rivets with my 10 year old Drill Master grinder.

I cannot recommend the warrior angle grinder, it is not able to handle simple cutting jobs. I returned it the same day for a refund. Gonna have to look for my Drill Master grinder guard in the garage.

Bought this for a job on the thanksgiving day weekend. It even shows that they paired it with a type 1 disk online, such a fail, well major warning on the inside of the box saying not to use type 1, major fail no info on the box outside or anything online in the description I have to return it now my project is also delayed.

This tool is meant for do it yourselfers not a good idea to not have the info on the box.

I am a huge fan of all Ryobi Tools. Great value even at full price but I scored this two grinder pack at a reduced price. Could be one for home and one for the cottage or as I did, split it with a Home Depot coworker.

Employees using a product says everything! Cheers.

Bought this to help take down a very old, rusty shed in our backyard. Found that it worked, but also found it is very particular about how you mount the wheel on it. First time it looked like it was on properly, but after turning it on, it went elliptical and dug into the protective barrier.

After that I found it worked well at cutting through the sheet metal – just be sure to always wear proper eye, head, and ear protection, as well as proper clothing and shoes. Seems good for light duty so far.

We use 4 1/2 grinders for concrete prep. Lots and lots of different brands over 30 years. This gets a 3 because the on-off switch is hard to operate & the grinder burned up in 20 minutes use. CPO is A#1 in responce to replace it.

Variable spped worked great. Ergonomics is comfortable and power was satisfactory. If the next one last it is a 4. Fix the switch and it is 5.

We use these for polishing welds on stainless food processing equipment. We love them. There are others that last longer but if you are going to be using a grinder for hours these are balanced, have power and are always the go to for all of my employees in the shop.

First off, WOW on amazing and blazing fast Delivery. We use these in our sheet metal fabrication shop and our guys just love the ease and durability. Will be recommending you to our customers as well.

Thank you.

You’d think a grinder would only be used once in a while. yet I probably use this more than my drill or impact gun. The fact that it is cordless is FANTASTIC: I will never go back to a wired one again.

By nature you always end up doing things at weird angles, or in inconvenient locations no cords makes this super easy. It works reliably with no issues at all. The wrench is thin, and will bend if forced too hard, but that’s to be expected for how cheap this is.

The fact that the wrench fits in the handle is fantastic. Never lost it yet. I routinely use this with cutoff wheels, flapper discs (strangely fantastic for rough sanding wood on a treehouse I made for the kids) and sometimes the grinder wheels.

I’ve never had it not be powerful enough, but I’m also not one to force a grinding disc. Put a big battery on it or don’t bother. I normally run mine with a 6Ah.

This is worth buying just for the free battery and charger, amazing price. But it’s a sad excuse for an angle grinder. 6500 rpm? That’s not even an angle grinder. But you can spend $30 and get a corded grinder that spins at 12k, and spend $80 on this, and now you have 2 different speed grinders, and a free battery, for less money than it would cost to buy a single corded variable speed grinder.

So that’s not bad.

After going through a dozen different descriptions of grinders and options I wanted one that would work with my current 18v Ryobi tools. Decided to go with this one as it comes with a 4 ah hour battery and charger and you can check the status of the battery right on the battery.

Definitely recommend this plus the removal tool is conventionally located in the handle. All around win win.

I picked up two of these to use light sanding of metals for weld prep. I’ll keep a wire wheel on them and clean up mill scale and miscellaneous debris before any TIG work. There are perfect, I can use them one handed without worry about them snagging an edge and running off on their own, they don’t take up much space so I can have on at my side without being annoyed by a huge clunky grinder stabbing my in the elbow while I work.

I haven’t used this much beyond that, but I can say if you were going to grind that dark mutant scale off hot rolled steel or cut through a ton of masonry, this tool would not be the best choice. Get something that draws more amps.

This tool really is a niche tool. The ideal usage for this slim grinder would be short burst work that happens frequently. And Bosch really needs to work on the detents in their arbor lock, they never want to catch! But this is true of all my Bosch grinders so it could be a case of user idiocy! Either way, nothing to deter you from this purchase.

If you have need for a small grinder to get in tight spaces, or use one handed in uncomfortable positions, don’t hesitate to buy. I wish they hadn’t discontinued it, but the refurbished versions I’m running have been excellent so far.

If they didn’t have the refurb sticker on them I’d never know.

I am a finish carpenter and use this with a flap wheel sanding disc when materials are scribed to fit. I really appreciate the thin body of this grinder, as it makes it very easy to grasp and control one-handed.

However, the grinder leaves my hand a bit tingly whenever I use it for long scribes (approximately 3-5 minutes). My Metabo grinder—which is a heavier 5″ model—has much less buzziness and vibration. It’s still easy to control, and removes material accurately, but it’s definitely buzzy.

Aside from the noise level (all grinders are noisy—nature of the beast), it sounds like a good, tight grinder; it doesn’t spin down with a rattling caucophony like it’s about to fall apart or blow up! But watch your hands on the gear housing: it runs hot.

VERY hot. I’m a bit concerned about durability in that regard, but—hey—I’ve got a little P-C belt sander (2-1/2×14, IIRC) that will flat out blister you in short order! Bosch really skimped on the cord.

This cord would be expected on a homeowner-level tool, but is out of place on a professional’s tool. It is plasticky and stiff, with a thin pronged plug that comes unplugged too easily. This is not the quality, rubber cords that are on Milwaukee, Fein,.

even DeWalt tools have decent cords. For that matter, depending on the tool, Bosch tools generally have decent cords, although they do deteriorate faster than Milwaukee’s. And the cord’s length is too short; it’s listed as 8′ in the specs, and maybe it is, but with its stiffness and inability to remain plugged into an extension cord, expect a lot of power interruptions.

I’ll be replacing this with at least a 10′ rubber sheathed cord immediately. Minor complaints, really, but Bosch could really have a killer grinder here if they upgraded a few details.

This is a great grinder, good power 7. 5a. Has special slots for the guard for a secure connection; well balanced can easily use it with one hand. Like the placement of the switch good thumb usage access.

Only negative is the screw on handle should be on a adjustable collar I find the angle that it’s sits out uncomfortable.

Performance is better than price would suggest, and good for a small/light driver. Great if you already have others so can use batteries. Fairly quiet compared to some, and vibration not too bad. Ideal for wheel nuts as torque is enough for what’s needed (what I bought it for – to replace old Clarke one).

I bought this as a treat to myself following using a colleague’s at work. The ‘work’ one is the same model and is a few years old, typical Makita quality, reliable and dependable. It has more than enough grunt to deal with almost all car and light goods needs.

The body is slightly bigger than others but to me this reinforces its power and quality. I expect this one to last year’s based on the work version.

Good solid wrench. Plenty of grunt. Nice forward and reverse paddle switch action. Fairly heavy if that’s an issue. Quite long in the body too if access is limited. Uses the standard lxt battery. Good for slackening tight and rusted heavy duty nuts and bolts.

Overall a handy , good solid tool ,ideal for the car mechanic as it has plenty power for the heavier duty fastenings.

I’ve had one of these for about 2 years and it’s been used near daily. I already had the plastic case and housing for discs and tools, so this was exactly what I wanted as it’s very much the ‘barebones’ kit – you get the grinder, guard, handle and wrench.

The only accessory is a cardboard box – but for the price, this is superb. You’re getting exactly what you WANT to pay for – the kit, and not the fancy packaging and pretty coloured packaging. Already turning and burning and has paid for it’s self already.

Pro tip, keep a small paint brush in your box/bag and give it a good 60 second dust out every time you change the discs and it really extends the life of the motor.

After my 40 year old Makita was damaged on a project I had to send it in for a rebuild and purchased this one as a back up. While I don’t think anything will last 40 years any more, I really like the features on this one.

Good features: It doesn’t ‘kick’ on start up, making it much easier to handle for small hands. It maintains its RPM’s much better than the older grinder, again making it much easier to handle. I use thin cutting wheels frequently and it seems to be more efficient there as well.

I find myself using the variable speed feature more than I thought I might, especially with the heavier ‘roped’ brushes, which work better on the slower speeds. Features I’m not so hot on: the ‘paddle’ switch on the bottom is clumsy.

I’d prefer a thumb switch. The wheel lock button for unscrewing the wheel nut is WAY too stiff, making it difficult to lock up. All that’s needed is enough spring to hold the button away from the locking mechanism, not hold up the back of a pick up truck.

The nut design for attaching unthreaded wheels requires one to use the wrench simultaneously with that stiff wheel lock button to tighten. My older grinder could easily be tightened by hand and there was more thread support for the grinding wheel.

This machine appears to be primarily designed for threaded wheels and this doesn’t make using them so convenient as I’m accustomed to. Overall tho, good machine and I feel well worth the price.

Purchase to replace 15 year old Bosch that had given great service but had reached the end of it’s useful life. Like some previous comments why put on a plastic Earth pin? For a few extra pence it would have been better to leave it as a metal pin, can see it breaking during normal service.

The guard I noted was altered by a screw clamp arrangement, my old model was much better in using a cam lock to loosen/ tighten so it was much easier to change the guard orientation as required. I can see that if you are grinding awkward shapes that may require the guard to be adjusted to suit, some may be tempted to remove it as the new system isn’t as user friendly.

Never a good idea! Apart from that it feels sturdy enough for domestic use and has a decent enough storage box included plus a universal blade thrown in for good measure.

I’ve owned this grinder for 3 1/2 months and have really put it through its paces since then. I’m working on a flagstone patio where every stone has to be cut (since I’m a die-hard perfectionist, which isn’t helping this project’s timeline.

) All too many have 5 or more sides. But yesterday the grinder sparked, almost jerked out of my hand and looked like it might catch fire, so I immediately turned it off, went down to Lowes and bought a replacement.

Although DeWalt will take care of repairing or replacing my original one (which is excellent!), I felt I couldn’t wait around to get it back, since there’s no telling how long that will take. So now I have 2 of these.

From the way the new one sounds, there’s a problem with the ball bearings, and compared to the first one, it winds down in about 1/3 of the time (3 times the resistance. ) Even though DeWalt claims otherwise, these grinders were made in China, with “Tool Made in China” right on the box it came in, which I’m not at all happy about.

But it does explain the quality issues I’m having. The only reason I am giving this grinder 4 stars is because of DeWalt’s excellent warranty.

Nicely constructed with features I wanted. Quick release guard, paddle switch. Odd that mine and other TSC on-hand inventory had an Allen wrench instead of a Spanner wrench. Mine also was puking the flat spring behind the guard flange.

Every movement of the guard clamp pushed the spring out of the keyed slot and I wasn’t able to feed it back. TSC people were GREAT! and searched for a unit with the proper wrench. I came home with a Bosch.

This angle grinder is a little difficult to handle. IT just doesn’t fit into your grip comfortably. That said, the switch lock does help as you can adjust your grip and the tool angle without having to worry about a trigger.

One main downfall is the location of the on/off. I do trip it occasionally and shut the device off while grinding. Overall, a very strong tool. I burned out 2 other grinders in short order and I cannot seem to break this one.

Tough, reliable, and strong enough to the get the job done. I will buy a second one when this one finally bites it (even with the grip comfortability issue). Overall, this is a great product. Do not let the grip issue deter you.

Just pick it up and see if it will work for you.

Love everything about it except the switch. It has plenty of power to cut/grind anything I can throw at it. The extra airflow is great. That switch has almost made me return it on several occasions. It is extremely awkward to activate.

Once you get it activated it’s not too bad but if you have heavy gloves on it’s a real chore just to get it depressed. I’m looking at jumping out the little switch stop on the front of the paddle just because I can’t stand it that much.

I have used milwaukee tools for 25 plus years and have seen very good designs and some not so good from them. This switch design has to go!.

I use a small grinder to grind off welds, grind metal, wire brush paint and oxidation, cut off small profiles of metal, grind concrete and rock, polish rocks for lapidary applications, and much more.

The Good: Most of the time one is limited to a single r. p. m. , which invariably is in the higher range. This tool, where it is variable speed via a “dial” on the rear of the tool just above where the cord emerges covers a good range of r.

p. m. s. It is the variable speed that enables one to use the tool for so many different applications. High r. p. m. s for grinding steel or other metals; slower for sanding, wire brushing, and grinding concrete/ceramic; and slower yet for polishing.

I purchased this unit as a reconditioned grinder. Not only is there a savings, but I believe the technicians who service the units take extra care that everything is fully optimal. The Bad: While this is really not the fault of Milwaukee, especially where the tool has to be thicker to accommodate the power needed; but I am older with gout and arthritis.

While the thicker body of the tool is probably fine for you youngsters, I find it more difficult to grasp and control. To counter this I “jury-Rigged” a handle that comes off the right side of the tool and is secured opposite the threaded handle hole on the left side of the head of the tool.

(See the photo attached. ) In addition, the auxiliary handle allows for the grinder to draw more air into the motor and gear assembly to keep it cooler. For you lefties, one just transposes the handles.

The Ugly: I have purchased Milwaukee tools for years. I was a little concerned when I cranked up this tool to hear an oscillating sound atypical of other Milwaukee grinders I have owned. A I performed some wire brushing the noise diminished, but is still there.

Perhaps it just needs to be broken in.

I bought this from my local hardware store and unfortunately misplaced my receipt so I was unable to return this for a replacement. I used this grinder 1 time to sharpen my push mower blade. After 5a couple minutes of use the entire gear case was on fire and too hot to even touch by hand.

What’s sad is my 11 year old Skil brand grinder never gave me an issue until the spindle lock broke. I have tons of Milwaukee tools hence why going with them for a new grinder. I have all the M18 Fuel brushless impacts, ratchets, and drills.

This product was definitely a letdown.

When I first started using this to grind wood, some smoke was coming from the motor. That concerned me because it smelled like a motor overheating. But I persisted anyway, and it worked. No more smoke after the initial use.

After grinding for about half an hour, I noticed the grinder had become VERY HOT. I hadn’t noticed just how hot while using it because I was wearing heavy gloves. Without my gloves, it was too hot to touch.

Because of this issue, I cannot recommend this product. Although this isn’t intended to be a heavy-duty tool, it shouldn’t get so hot. The fact that there is no automatic shutoff for overheating means it may not be safe to use.

P. S. After writing this review, and thinking about it for a while, I decided to return my grinder. I had been planning to keep it since it did finish the task I bought it for. But considering the serious overheating, I felt very uncomfortable lending my tool to a friend as I had planned.

So if I wasnt willing to let someone else use it because of safety concerns, why should I keep it fot myself?.

Bought this angle grinder to grind things like lawn mower blades. But when you leave it on the shop bench and still don’t sharpen blades it’s hard to rate. It looks pretty sitting there. I’ve moved it around in the bench a few times and that’s all the experience I have with it.

Maybe this review will help others who procrastinate too!.

Good quality for the price, much better than similar priced “generic” chinese grinders. I like everything about it accept for 2 things: 1; the gear head housing gets extremely hot compared to other similar grinders I’ve used.

2; Cheap thick & waxy chinese grease that didn’t coat the gears, I changed it out to better quality grease to see if it would cool the gear case down, it did not, turns out it’s just heat put out from the electric motor shaft.

However it did run a little more quiet and smooth. 4 things I like: 1; U. S. brand with long reputation for good power tools (even if it is made in china). 2; Good quality at a fair price. 3; You can rotate the housing to put the switch on top, bottom or side and the switch is much easier to opperate than some other more expensive brands.

4; Good power (which may be why the motor & gear head produce excesive heat).

Brilliant Grinder in price & ruggedness. We buy these grinders all the time. They are ideal for the type of metalwork we do as we are laser profile & fabrication company. The price and availability of reasonably priced spare parts make them ideal.

They take a far bit of abuse at the hands of both skilled & non skilled works. We must have buy at least 5 of these grinders a year as we rotate their usage around the factory.