Best angle grinder

[Ttrees]

Hello folks
I think my angle grinder has kicked the bucket.
Only pondering to myself why that latest fireball tool video about getting dozens extra life from your cut off disc
by not plunging into the work hasn't been mentioned, whilst I thought I might be as well heeding that advice
and try,
so took a photo of possibly a more suitable candidate 8mm steel plate, for a lesser skewed test..
(and also my pivoting apron which might be comical for some, as I haven't so far came across a damaged leather couch to make one from.)

Well considering I was going very lightly, my cheap ROK 630w angle grinder might not be fecked,
but likely as it lit up like a bulb, and let out some puff.

Might be because I replaced the grease with some new grease in a crevice on one of these old ones from the recycle center, (was thinking they would come in handy for something shyte you might find on youtube)

Maybe the extra resistance done the trick, although it was worse for wear shaking a bit recently.
I might try and fix it, as I've these two, and another new Hilka one at the folks which burned up in 5 mins.
Might be handy should it only need brushes, haven't opened the yellow one up to see, as it was a bit smelly.

I reckon I can likely throw all away, but am a bit skint at the mo, so might have to try.
I'll be looking around for a replacement, new or lightly used by someone reputable, so most likely new.

Just asking as to what brand is the best, I've used quite a few new Makita, Bosch green, some battery ones and also cheapies, but I don't recall any being jump out better,
The battery one seems nice as the cowl can be moved, but not sure if it can be whipped off easy, as I use 5" discs
from liddlealdi and don't think they fit.

Seen ones now with 5" stated, so presuming this is becoming a bit more common.

Just putting it out there, couldn't find anything in the archives, but sure I came across this before,
maybe the goalposts have moved since then.

Not interested in cordless tools, and I'm sure my thread is likely to get barraged by battery tools,
nice to see also.. just for to see any new features "not in my shed!"

What would you're choice be?
Bosch blue, green, Makita, DeWalt, Hitachi, Hikoki seem to be the the top tier
Not looking for anything fancy like variable speed, seems likely to cause trouble,
just reliability, and possibly the chance of getting one which can shroud a 5" disc, but that's not important.


Thanks
Tom

 

[t8hants]

I worked in a fabricators where our angle grinders were going all day every day. They were all Metabo, when they died, on average after about three years, we re-built them from bits. When we closed I had four, they are still going and will out last me now I have retired. Goood 2nd Hand should do you.

 

[Ttrees]

Aye @t8hants , they seem a good brand also and also a good tool, my auld fella has a battery one.
For some reason, I would be more inclined to go for a bit more familiar of a brand, maybe due to interchangeable spares, as some do look a bit similar.
I think I would like the Bosch blue, as I've gave a green one a good run for it's money and still holding up.
Either that, Makita, or Hitachi as maybe some might be on discount due to the name change?
(If I am to believe what the internet said)
That's probably a bit assumptive of me, but could it possibly be the case I wonder?

Tom

 

[Ttrees]

Looking around, it seems most of the good brands don't have a vertical handle mounting option
I think it may be the deal breaker in the end.

I suppose it'd be nice not have to hold the button on, although it didn't seem to bother me much.
(better with the clamp on both sides of the tool)

 

[TFrench]

We've got a Bosch at work that must be 25 years old and still going. I've bought a few of the dewalts with the metal gearbox casing and they're holding up well. Any of the big brands will be good for hobby use though.

 

[johnnyb]

I've got a dewalt one that is actually a bit better. it's a fair bit more powerful. using it at the top of a ladder to chase out mortar for lead with a wide disc was a doodle. also it's great for using the turboplane. another heavy disc.its just much less likely to stall.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

We've got a Bosch at work that must be 25 years old and still going. I've bought a few of the dewalts with the metal gearbox casing and they're holding up well. Any of the big brands will be good for hobby use though.

I have a 4 1/2" Bosch that's 34. I paid £70 for it new in a sale in 1987.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's the same with all power tools - beware of people giving advice on the basis of having very old tools - the QC of all brands has yoyoed over the years and all you're really interested in is who is doing best now.

 

[Terrytpot]

Got an 18v makita that’s been crap since the day (long regretted) that I bought it, got one of the cheaper red corded makita’s to use in a chop stand thingy which seems ok although it has a ludicrously short cable on it and also have a nice corded Dewalt on which the cable is nice and rubbery and very long which makes putting it away a bit of a chore. If I had them all nicked and had to start again, I’d get the same Dewalt… I also always replace the disc locking nuts on them to those Bosch ones that you don’t need tools to release but can still use standard discs (not the weird Bosch only ones)

 

[clogs]

my grinders get used day in, day out.....all mains powered.......
each one has a diferent blade /disc....I won't waste time swopping disc's out.....
90% are Hitachi, bought when on offer at Screwfix years ago, £85 for a 9and 41/2" set in one box..I bought 10 boxes....sold a 2 and kept the rest.....
they still run great....
Hitachi has had a name change to Hikoki not had any of the new stuff yet....
I buy/bought a lot of tools from diff workshop clearouts....keep a few bits to upgrade and sell the rest....
the few odd ball makes that I use are DeWalt 41/2", it's like new but so noisey and vibrates badly which is almost a carbon copy of the Bosch even with the same faults.....when they fail they wont be replaced, I'm suposed to be retired.....hahaha..
I only ever used to buy Bosch but since they are assembled (made in China ....?) they are def NOT as good....hence the change to Hitachi.....
I will say that if Makita was on offer instead of Hitachi I would have bought them....
All hand/mains powered tools in my workshop are Japanese.....
except 1 Metabo hand drill (110v) that will not die......
Be careful tho some Metabo are not so good anymore...need to study all info.....
anyway,
Especially grinders those old (years) models don't compare to the newstuff at all.....
most were heavy old clunky units with horrible switches that were a pain to use all day.....
things have moved on for the better......
I supose for short use DIY jobs u could do worse than Lidil/Aldi gear....

 

[johnnyb]

the dewalt one I've got is 1010w. seems to make a difference on

 

[Spectric]

When it comes to angle grinders there is not a lot really between the Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee and Bosch but worth handling them because you may find you prefer the ergonomics of one over the other. Also having 1100 watts is better if you are doing a lot of grinding rather than just cutting and I expect to pay around the £100 mark but saying that if it is site work then getting something cheaper and look at it as disposable which I know is not an enviromental answer.

 

[Oakay]

Got an 18v makita that’s been rubbish since the day (long regretted) that I bought it, got one of the cheaper red corded makita’s to use in a chop stand thingy which seems ok although it has a ludicrously short cable on it and also have a nice corded Dewalt on which the cable is nice and rubbery and very long which makes putting it away a bit of a chore. If I had them all nicked and had to start again, I’d get the same Dewalt… I also always replace the disc locking nuts on them to those Bosch ones that you don’t need tools to release but can still use standard discs (not the weird Bosch only ones)

Very happy with my cordless Makita for handy light work, especially in hard to get to places or up a ladder. I have a corded one for heavier work.

 

[Jake]

Fein are nice.

 

[Sideways]

I have found the small 4.5 and 5" corded Makitas to be cheap and tough. Great value. Fein are v nice - smoother, quieter and soft start is good, but they you pay for it and the guards at least upto a couple of years ago have the prehistoric screwdriver adjustment. Yuck !
Metabo are great. Their lever lock guard adjustment is just excellent.
The new Bosch 18V brushless is a super tool for quick cuts, weld dressing and the like , but no battery is going to work if you have a long job to do. 2-3 hours is not unusual if you are stripping an old machine back to bare metal during a renovation. That needs a corded tool.

 

[Terrytpot]

Very happy with my cordless Makita for handy light work…

I’m guessing yours is a brushless model, unlike mine. I heard after I’d pretty much given up using mine that the newer brushless types were actually worth having and capable of considerably more than mine is.

 

[LJM]

I prefer a paddle switch (which I have on a Makita 5”), but that may be due to the ergonomics of most tools, to a left hander.

ive no compelling reason to change from Makita but of others I’ve used, Bosch was a comfortable tool to use.

 

[Keith 66]

Metabo, excellent, AEG used to be good, De walt are a tarted up black & Decker, over rated, I have a fairly recent one & it has always had a tendency to run very hot, I would not buy another.

 

[Spectric]

always had a tendency to run very hot,

Not a bad thing if you are using it outside on a cold day, nothing worse than cold fingers.

 

[Ttrees]

Hi again folks
Been reading your suggestions and it seems you need youtube the dismantling of them to be safe.
Take Keith's comment about the B&D
The heat (I'm guessing) is from the lack of needle bearings at the back of the arbor, there is a bronze bush there instead, and rather annoyingly it's one of the only ones which have a vertically mounted handle option.
There's a Ryobi which has this option, but not in the UK yet, likely old stock still on the shelves.
Homebase has stopped supplying Ryobi.
The same deal with the handle option on the Stanley fatmax tool, all the new range of those IS in homebase, but no mains power angle grinder amongst them..yet.

I think I can forget about this handle option, and make my own attachment for that.

Not buying another cheapie, but still yet to see the difference between the regular Bosch and similarly priced Metabo from the likes of Makita.
55 quid compared to 90ish
Power or soft start seem to be the extras you get.

I'm not up a ladder or doing anything like that, strictly workshop engineering, i.e...
that plate will likely be entirely used up to make tools, and
I might turn some more stuff using it, those would be about the hardest work I've got to do.

I shoulda said I can't afford Festool, and likely the same deal with Fein, and haven't even searched for those, although it's very nice to read what a "really good" one offers.
That noise comment should make a difference in longevity, I'd not be too miffed about replacing bearings, but I'd guess there's better tolerances and balancing done on that class of tool.

Seems everyone is catching onto the design of the shroud, had a look at the cheap Bosch (under sixty quid) didn't get to see the guard as it had gone walkies, but the rest remaining which looked to be something better than the bad old ways of the older ones at least.
The DeWalt was there which appeared to have a hinged clasp.

More notably and importantly for some, I've been using mine guardless for a long time
is the guard/shroud is larger on some than others!
Seems one would have been on the right track on questioning the supply of 5" discs
which those German supermarkets have been selling for years now.
Why were those discs and guards ever 4.5" in the first place? Doh!

Think the best value is to find a lightly used brand of something at least half reputable, and failing that, as a used grinder is actually very very difficult to find on our Gumtree's...
I think I might just weigh up the options of the better value reputable brands compared to the benchmark Makita, which would actually appear to be blue Bosch now , if you want to go by that pay for what you get rule,
so that's under 60 for a tool which might need be nursed, like Bosch, Metabo,
Nearly a hundred for a Makita,
I can't afford any higher than Makita, and the similarly priced DeWalt.
Think I need to watch more videos of both, now that I've given up on looking for something with a handle on top.

I haven't used me old mans Makita for long, but have a feeling that the guards are due a revamp
and that might be why they are a lot cheaper in the real tool shops than in the sucker shops.
I recall the switch being very very stiff, and that could be another reason why they could be due an update.
The switches on the Bosch seemed a bit flimsy by comparison, but at least might not require a tool to eventually likely break the thing.
Maybe like a pair of sturdy boots the switch might loosen up a bit in time though.

Still undecided, but I think I've figured the larger or easy mount guard is the feature which will likely
be the factor in shopping.
Since my old one was 630w, I'm not concerned about power.

Still holding out and waiting for something local for the meanwhile
Thanks folks for your suggestions and comments so far

Cheers
Tom