How to choose an angle grinder: the most important tool functions, ratings and reviews What is an angle grinder, why is this tool called an angle grinder. How to choose the best grinder for your home. User reviews.
How to choose an angle grinder for your home or garden correctly
In order to make the right choice of a grinding machine that meets all the necessary requirements, it is necessary to determine the tasks that will be assigned to it. Most importantly, determine what you will be cutting with the angle grinder, and how often.
As practice shows, for home and summer cottages, household angle grinders with a working disc size of 125 mm and a power of up to 1.5 kW are best suited. These machines are lightweight and lightweight, easy to operate, and equipped with additional features. For a wheel diameter of 125 mm, many additional attachments have been released that turn the angle grinder into a universal tool.
The table shows the comparative characteristics of some brands of angle grinder from different companies on the electric tool market.
Table: rating of popular models of angle grinder
Scratch disk size
Disc diameter is the main indicator of the ability of an angle grinder to perform certain operations. The larger the cutting wheel size, the more powerful and faster the angle grinder should be. The diameter of the hole in the circle (landing size) is standard: 22.2 mm.
There are five standard types of discs available for the angle grinder, differing in size:
- Disc with a diameter of 115 mm. Designed for cutting materials of small thickness, for processing (grinding, polishing) small surfaces. The maximum cutting depth is approx. 30 mm.
- Disc with a diameter of 125 mm. One of the most popular sizes for household use. The cutting depth is about 40 mm. A wide variety of attachments and accessories are produced for this size.
- Disc with a diameter of 150 mm. Most often it is used in installation work as an auxiliary tool. Common size for cutting metal and plastic pipes for plumbing and electrical work.
- Disc with a diameter of 180 mm. Semi-professional size. Assumes non-stop operation. The cutting edge is 50 mm. It is widely used in repair and construction works.
- Disc diameter 230 mm. Used in professional angle grinders up to 2.5 kW. For household needs, devices that are too bulky are practically not used.
Disk rotation speed
In angle grinders, the rotation speed of the working shaft varies from 2.5 to 12 thousand revolutions per minute. The working range is in the range from 3000 to 6000 rpm. As a rule, the manufacturer sets the optimum rotation speed for his machine depending on the motor power, and sets this parameter at the design stage.
High-end angle grinders are equipped with a working shaft speed regulator. This adjustment is especially relevant when changing discs frequently. For example, when a disc with a diameter of 230 mm rotates at a frequency of 10 thousand rpm, it will be very difficult to hold the tool in your hands.
What parameters are important when choosing an angle grinder
Bosch is a renowned German manufacturer. It is one of those companies that introduced the so-called excellent German quality technology to the world. The Bosch angle grinder fully meets the world idea of the meticulousness and scrupulousness of the Germans, their assembly is ideal, everything is taken into account down to the smallest wiring and screw, everything works and is designed for a long service life.
Among the developments there are expensive models that allow you to perform work with the highest comfort and very high quality. There are also budget angle grinders, with a smaller set of additional functions, for example, without a speed controller. Such a machine works only at one maximum rotation speed, but all its other indicators (power, durability) are at the highest level. It turns out that you can save money and buy an excellent professional device with good technical characteristics for a low price. over, the inconvenience from the lack of a speed regulator arises only when grinding or when cutting very thin sheets of metal. And you can install it yourself.
The main advantages of Bosch grinders:
- A varied price range is how to choose both very expensive and very cheap practical models, without electronic bells and whistles;
- High quality materials and workmanship that meets European standards;
- Effective security systems and protection mechanisms;
- The functionality and power of solid professional tools.
Than one another better compare similar models
For a detailed comparison, let’s take the most popular models from both manufacturers with similar technical characteristics:
- Angle grinder Makita GA9020SF with a mains motor power of 2.2 kW and an admissible disc diameter of 230 mm.
- Bosch GWS 22-230 JH angle grinder with the same power of 2.2 kW and the same outer disc diameter of 230 mm.
As you can see, the power of the drives is the same, which makes it possible to saw and grind with large wheels with a diameter of 230. Bosch and Makita cost the same, the price is the same, about 3.5 thousand UAH.
What do we get for such a cost:
- Reliable brushed motor with excellent power, Makita has more revving 6600 rpm;
- Robust dustproof housing;
- Adjustable protective cover;
- Reliable fastening with a turnkey clamping nut;
- Two handles front, which can be installed and fixed in three positions, and the back without adjustment;
- Three-year manufacturer’s warranty;
- Automatic shutdown when the disk is jammed.
As for the set of electronic additional functions, both grinders have a soft start and speed control (spindle speed).
The German manufacturer took care of safety and ruled out unintentional restarting, the Bosch angle grinder has a lock button. But the Japanese angle grinder includes another very important function of maintaining constant engine speed. This means that the motor torque does not drop even when the unit is used at maximum load. Simply put, such an angle grinder will not stall, the revolutions will not drop, the power will not decrease, which is very important when cutting thick metal, with rough grinding.
When comparing the weight, it can be seen that the Makita angle grinder is slightly heavier, but it clearly wins in terms of comfort when working. She has an anti-vibration system installed. As a result, we get:
- Less vibration during stripping (2.5 versus 3.5 for Bosch) and when sanding (6 versus 7.5 for Bosch);
- Lower sound pressure level.
Makita about the brand and benefits
The Japanese brand Makita is known not only for quality technology, but also for constant innovation. There is no better technology in the world today than Japanese ones. The bright red Makita logo on the angle grinder indicates that it will function perfectly and will clearly provide comfortable operation. Japanese materials are known to be of high quality, factory assembly, strictly controlled. The service life is long, and the reliability has been proven by many decades of operation of Japanese devices, including angle grinders.
The assortment should be noted separately. Although we said at the beginning of the article which angle grinder is more suitable for the home, the brand’s catalog contains models for both domestic use and complex professional tasks. For household work, they are taken more for the simple reason that most angle grinders are compact in size, light in weight, and low in noise. And with a light and quiet machine, you can work for a long time and not get tired.
Among Makita grinders you can choose:
- Powerful networked machines for cutting metal, for grinding various surfaces. They are relevant for work indoors, or close to home. The power is excellent, but there is a network cable binding to the outlet.
- Small battery models. They are good because they are always ready to work anywhere, you just need to monitor the battery charge.
The design includes one-hand angle grinder and two-hand angle grinders.
A very generous arsenal of electronic functions is also pleasing:
- Adjustment of the spindle rotation speed, depending on what material is being processed;
- Smooth start (no jerk at the start);
- Support of constant speed (the engine does not stall under load).
Japanese angle grinders are safe to use because they are equipped with:
- Anti-jamming protection;
- Lock button against accidental activation;
- Spindle blocking when changing an accessory.
The more electronic lotions in the device, the higher its price, but it is a pleasure to work with such an angle grinder. But, to the credit of Makita, it should be noted that even the cheapest of their models are very ergonomic, with well-thought-out algorithms for protecting against injuries, and very functional.
Key Features of Angle Grinder
It is necessary to study hand-held power tools not only in order to use them better and more efficiently, but also in order to choose the right one before buying. Knowing the purpose of the work, it will be easier for you to understand its characteristics and technical features.
Angle grinder power
The heart of any power tool engine. Its power consumption ranges from 500 to 2600 watts. It affects:
- Type and time of work;
- Weight;
- Tool cost.
For example, when choosing an angle grinder for your home or garage workshop (for cutting and grinding a metal surface), a power of 600 to 800 watts is perfect. It will be light and easy to use.
If you want to cut or grind concrete, the power must be at least 1000 watts. It is perfect if you plan to work on a small area.
However, for a large amount of work, the power should not be less than 1400 watts.
Types of attachments for angle grinder
Grinding wheels (abrasive) for an angle grinder at the moment there are a lot. Distinguish:
- Cut-off bakelite discs
- Diamond discs (cups and crowns).
- Scrubbing brushes (bowl and radial)
- Flap discs.
When choosing a blade, pay attention to the dimensions and maximum speed of the cutting edge. Buy only specialized tooling!