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Cordless angle grinders


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I have been shopping for a cordless angle grinder.  I have always liked corded tools since they tend to have stronger motors and you never have to replace a battery.  Dragging a cord around the shop or home is not that much of a hassle.  However, a cordless angle grinder strikes me as a handy tool to have away from a power source such as a steel supplier or cutting up scrap where ever encountered.  Much faster than a hack saw.

So, there are a huge number to choose from and a wide range of prices.  I am wondering if anyone has any recommendation on makes and models to recommend or avoid.  I'm more interested in torque and battery life than a particular brand name.  Obviously, less expensive is good but I'm able to pay for quality.  Experience has shown me that high price does not always equal high quality or long life.  That used to have more validity but with off shoring of manufacturing sometimes the off brand is as good or better than the name brand.

Thanks,

George 

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If you already have other cordless tools then I would stick with that brand so you have extra batteries. Therefore, I would probably go with a Makita... but the model without that infernal X-lock system. Tool-less, sure, but then I have to buy those fancy wheels...

Anyway, if I were to start over again I would probably go with Milwaukee since their M18 line up is on average slightly less expensive and produces more torque than it's corresponding teal counterpart. Plus Makita is probably going to spend more time/money developing their xgt line (40V) now.

Most of the tool brands are owned by a small handful of parent companies and are just different tiers of quality within their lineup targeted at particular types of consumers. There are outliers, but generally tools made by a more affordable brand under the same parent company (i.e. Rigid vs Milwaukee) are less powerful/durable. That way they aren't competing with themselves.

The best way to assess which tool is the most durable is to look at what the tool rental places are loaning out. They want to make as much money as they can off that tool so they generally offer the one that breaks the least.

Just my 2c.

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I had a makita but it was so over protected that it had about no torque that an angle grinder needs. I ended up trading it in on a Milwaukee M18 grinder and love it. Milwaukee batteries seem to hold up good for me compared to older tool battery systems. 

I have both Makita and Milwaukee battery tools. I started with Makita but have slowly been switching over some stuff to Milwaukee. 

Here's a video from Project Farm on youtube. He seems to do some pretty unbiased tool reviews and is not sponsored. I love his videos because there's no fluff, just testing tools as equally as he can and giving the results.

So if you arent invested in a battery platform already maybe you can find this helpful. 

I will say that the Milwaukee grinder I have is the one without the brake system shown in the video and mine seems to be a tad less bulky than the one shown. The power seems the same, just without faster braking. 

 

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Yea Makita really takes their battery safety stuff seriously. I have heard that the CPU on the batteries remembers when/if the battery drops below a certain voltage. If this happens often enough it shuts down the battery and makes it useless. This is an issue particularly if they are run close to empty then left in the cold.

Plus they charge a small fortune for them, ~$100 a piece last I looked. Pricey considering what's in there. I guess they all do though since that is where the real money is.

 

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I am with Frazer in the school of thought that one should buy that which one already has more of the same batteries.  That being said, I have stuck with Black and Decker.  I had already a cordless weed eater and a couple drills.  Though you will likely not find a cordless grinder from B and D.  That being said, I have a bit of a rant to express and the reasoning for staying with B and D.  It was about a year ago, more or less, that I was thinking about getting a cordless circular saw and reciprocating saw.  I went to my local ACE, and, to my dismay, found that the current trend among most of the manufacturers is to just sell the tool by itself and the battery and charger separately.  WHAT!  It had been some years since I had bought any cordless power tools and I was incredulous.  It seems to me that they are really more into selling batteries now than to sell tools with batteries and chargers together.  Of course, they have such bundles, but I was not about to pony up that much cash for a tool, charger, and one battery.  So I shopped some more online, which confirmed that the trend is the same for most of the major power tool brands.  So I bought a four tool combo deal from Amazon, Black and Decker.  Came with, wait for it...a charger and battery.  I since bought another weed eater, same battery type, so I have 7, 20v Max batteries at my disposal.  I expect that some might express a disdain for that brand, as I was skeptical at first when I bought a cheap drill of theirs.  I thought at the time that I would be the crap of the thing and just throw it away.  Despite all the beating it up, I have not yet thrown it out, it is still going.

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24 minutes ago, LeeJustice said:

It seems to me that they are really more into selling batteries now

Yes. That is a big part of it IMO. The margins make up for loss-leaders, marketing, etc.

They still sell the kits for some models in some places, but there are more options for the bare tool in most stores. I guess they also want you to have all your tools be their brand so they figure you won't not need 5 different chargers for all your batteries.

I'll admit to a certain bias against Stanley Black and Decker as a whole, including Dewalt.

*Edit: Actually I take that back, some of the stuff from Irwin isn't bad.

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Some sell kits or bare tool. I know Milwaukee sells both bare tool or kits with batteries and a charger for most of their tools.

That can be a Good thing if you already have a bunch from that line so you can save money. Most of us hobbyists are running one tool at a time so if you already have some batteries you don't have to pay extra for a new tool for more batteries and another charger. 

Another good point Lee, when looking at a brand look at other tools you might want. Batteries Are the expensive part so sticking with a brand that offers the tools you want/need will really help you out. Plus you won't have so many different charging systems taking up space.  

I'm still using 3 different brands at work. Sometimes the better tool it just the better tool so you deal with having multiple brands. 

 

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5 hours ago, Frazer said:

Rigid vs Milwaukee

It's actually "Ridgid" -- they're based about twenty minutes from me, and one of the interesting geological features of the area is a series of ridges left behind by changes in the shoreline of Lake Erie after the last glacial period.

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Currently I'm running all Milwaukee on my cordless tools. I have a 1 year old M18 Fuel version, and a 3 year old standard M18, both 4 1/2". They live on a rack on my main work bench, and I have a pair of corded grinders on the bench behind me (Milwaukee & DeWalt.) I think both have their place and I wouldn't be without either type. I do like the M18 Fuel version better than the standard M18 as it seems to have more power, runs cooler, and is more comfortable to use.  I feel run time has been adequate with both, but it depends on the batteries. I like to use the smaller batteries as they are lighter, 3Ah's seem to be my go to as they are a good balance of weight and run time. The older 2Ah run them just fine, but the 6+Ah get a little heavy IMO. I'm only familiar with the big 2 (Milwaukee & DeWalt) and they both make comparable units, and I believe they both offer a 5yr warranty. I have had a couple of my Milwaukee tools replaced/fixed 3-4 years out without any hassle. I would plan on getting 2 batteries, my preference would be a smaller 2Ah & a larger 4Ah. I have been happy with both Milwaukee M18 grinders, and all of my Fuel M18 tools.

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All i can add is yesterday i used a dewalt  cordless it had 4 20v batteries i tried to cut out a 16x24'' piece of oil tank for a forge hood it went thru the 4 batts and it could not cut it out.I've used the milwaukee grinder on pipe not a real fan but its better than dewalt.I'M starting to become a fan of ridgid gear but i havn't used their grinder yet.

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I have a dewalt 20v cordless grinder and I haven’t had any issues with mine, 

but I also spent the money and bought the big batteries for it, 

I use the grinder, 1/2” impact, 1/4” impact, grease gun, work light, almost daily in my repair shop an only have to charge my batteries up every week, 

bubba686, what size batteries are you running?

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I love the fact that these cordless tools are so convenient these days.  However, it is a double-edge sword. (no pun intended)  A battery powered cutoff wheel is definitely a thief's best friend.  While I love convenience, I hate to see it made easier for a thief. 

As for the cordless stuff, my only experience is with DeWalt.  Honestly, I have no complaints with it.  Though, I have heard and read that comparable Milwaukee impact drivers have much more torque than their DeWalt counterparts.  

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Milwaukee 28V over here. I got a 28V impact to use at work and the batteries lasted way longer than my Dewalt. The 28V costs more but in my opinion is worth it. I keep it with a wire cup next to the mig welder to cut down on the amount of cords I have to trip over. 

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I will say the Bauer phillips bits hold their own. Been using a pack of them at work and home and they have held up great even compared to some big name brands.

Check out Project Farm on yt. He usually includes HF brands in his tests when applicable. 

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What I've heard is that the trick to getting a longer life with HF tools is to have several and swap them out before they get very warm as the plastic pieces will get soft and speed the self destruction if they get hot inside.

I wouldn't know as I prefer corded used industrial tools, my old Milwaukee angle grinder has chopped a lot of RR rail and Oxy Tanks; time to get it re-lubed, new brushes and a new switch and it will probably outlast me! (It's a 9"? and does try to break your wrists when you turn it on!)

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I typically use corded industrial tools also.  The main things I use that are cordless, are drills and drivers.  I've been using corded DeWalt angle grinders for over 25 years, and they have served me very well.  I've gotten them so hot that I couldn't hold them while wearing a single pair of leather gloves.  So hot, in fact, that the stickers on the side of the grinder came off because the glue melted.  The grinder itself, never missed a beat.

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I like the corded dewalt grinders for heavy work. I have two. You can't beat being able to have a cordless for the quick short jobs. Especially if they are outside or away from the shop. 

Having the cordless tools at work and not having to drag an air line around nearly as often is a Major time saver. 

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Those little corded 4 1/2" angle grinders literally changed the face of the industrial maintenance/construction world.  Of course, they can still be very dangerous, but not near as dangerous as the old 7" versions.  Probably 99% of the work I do in the field of industrial maintenance, does not require the size or power of the large 7" grinders.  The smaller ones are much, much safer, and much easier to work with all day, since they are so much lighter.  I always say that I was born too late.  Well, this is one case where I feel that I was right on time, because I would hate to live in a world without the small corded grinders.  They really help me do my job, as well as my personal projects at home.

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There are different tools for different jobs.  4-1/2 inch grinders can do a lot of work, but 7 and 9 inch grinders have their place when it comes to grinding larger work. Both require keeping your mind on what you are doing.  They are waiting for that one moment of inattention and they will show you just how dangerous they can be. 

It is no different than using any other tool.  If you do not feel comfortable using a tool, then DO NOT use the tool.

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