Grinder Buying Guide:

Any workshop should have a grinder simply because they are versatile tools that shape, grind, polish, and cut quite a few materials. A grinder can also be used to maintain your other tools that may need sharpening with blades, cutters, or bits. Grinders come in a variety of designs with the ultimate goal of making repetitive tasks easy and efficient. You need to consider what your needs are before buying a grinder. Bench grinders are perfect for sharpening cutters, bits, blades and hand tools. Any piece that needs smoothing, shaping, or polishing can be done at the bench grinder. These are stationary machines which mount to workbenches or stands. The motors on a bench grinder are rated in horsepower and go from 1/3 HP to 1 HP. If you work with tough materials like carbide or tungsten, then go with the higher HP and more powerful motors. For more accurate shaping look for a bench grinder with a tool rest. The sizes range from 6" to 10" and the diameter of the wheel they accept is how the size is determined. Anyone who does detailed work and doesn't want to strain their eyes should look for a model with lights that mount near the wheels. Die, or cylindrical, grinders are handheld power tools that are specially designed to polish or shape the insides of cylindrical objects. The long thin shafts and spindles help them reach way down inside the piece you are working on. You will find die grinders in machine and metal workshops where the workers polish the interiors of plumbing systems, joints, and piping.

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Straight grinders or angle grinders are portable, handheld tools with wheels that range from 4 to 9 inches. They are the best grinders for working on pieces that may be too large to fit at a bench. 4 to 15 amps is what the motors offer and they spin at speeds from 4000-11000 revolutions per minute. Quality angle grinders will have variable speed options to help in shaping the work piece. Polishing is done at lower speeds and higher speeds allow for "rough shaping". Consider a high amp motor if you want enough power (torque) for heavy use without stalling or slowing. Having the right accessories will make your grinder so versatile that sanding, cutting, polishing, and shaping will never be easier. A pre-punched disc is great for sanding wood. For polishing and rust removal, try a wire brush. A cutoff wheel will go far when cutting metals and masonry. An abrasive disc sands light metal and woods with ease. A polishing bonnet will shine up wood or metal finishes. When shaping and cutting metal or wood and when sharpening blades, cutters, and bits use a grinding wheel for the best results. Lastly, a buff belt will buff out any blemishes on a wood surface. Some of the top brands of grinders are Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Hitachi, Neiko, Delta, Wilton, Ingersoll-Rand, Metabo, Mountain, and Porter Cable. Prices range from $100-$200.

Best Heavy Duty Grinder:

The DEWALT D28402K Heavy Duty 4-1/2" Small Angle Grinder Kit ($90) gets high praise from reviewers and experts alike. Users like the Quick-Change Wheel Release on the DeWalt which means no wrench is needed when removing the wheel. Vibrations are noted significantly less in this model versus others due to the removable side handle. Owners also say the one piece brush arm prevents brush hang-up due to dust ingestion. The 10 Amp 11,000 RPM motor allows for faster material removal and gives you a higher overload protection than lesser quality grinders. The Ingersoll-Rand IR308 Heavy Duty Air Die Grinder is another durable grinder that has ball bearing construction for a longer tool life. Amazon.com was the best site we found for buying a grinder with cheap shipping costs and most items were in stock at the time of this review.

Top Angle Grinder - Disc Grinder:

The BOSCH 1810PS ($80) is the best paddle/angle grinder on the market for the money. Users say the reduced vibrations on the latest model allow for more accurate cuts and shaping. Power is more than enough say all the users and the paddle switch is superior to all other models. For the DIY homeowner, consumers and experts say this Bosch angle grinder will perform just fine. Cutting brick and mortar joints are no problem with dry diamond blades or a 4 1/2" diamond tuckpoint wheel. Another feature that stood out was the shut off function when preventative maintenance is required so damage is done. The Hitachi G12SE2 4-1/2" Disk Grinder is another superb performer that sells for less than $90. It's considered a heavy duty model and weighs a touch more than other grinders, but it works great on removing concrete and mortar. Professional masons recommend this product since it's a quality Hitachi grinder that works great on work jobs or DIY homeowner projects. Other angle grinders worth mentioning are the Metabo W7-115 4-1/2" Angle Grinder 8 AMP ($100), the Makita 9553NBK 4" Angle Grinder w/Case ($55), and the Bosch 9" 3 HP 6,000 RPM Large Angle Grinder 1893-6 ($184).

Budget Bench Grinder:

If you want a bench grinder that doesn't cost too much, then look into the Wilton 17202 Bench Grinder 8" 1 HP for $100. Runs quieter than Delta grinders, has plenty of detailed features like eye shield adjustments, built-in star wheel and is smooth running. Some reviewers say the light is too dim but everything else works better than they had hoped for. The flexible shaft and adjustable blade can be positioned at any angle and the adjustable spark arrestor controls sparks. One other bench grinder in this class that also received many positive reviews was the Mountain (MTN5708) 8" Bench Grinder with Light ($50). Users say there is plenty of power from the 3/4 HP motor and it doesn't bog down at all. The light on this model does work just fine compared to the Wilton listed above.

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