Angle Grinders Buying Guide: 10 Important Features

Choosing an angle grinder is not an easy task. You have to take in a lot of information to get yourself familiar with this power tool and decide which angle grinder on the market to buy. Fortunately for you, we’ve come up with this angle grinder buying guide to help you through the process of making your decision on which angle grinder to buy.

Before we commence with our main task of the article, which is ultimately helping you choose an angle grinder, let me give you the mandatory monologue on what these exceptional products are and how they are used!

Grinders are tools used with abrasive wheels, mostly to grind or polish material, mainly stone or metal. Angle grinders are one of the most popular types of grinders. Along with rotary tools (die grinders), these tools are one of the most widely used types of handheld grinders. This angle grinder guide has different sections on various types of information you need to know about angle grinders. After a brief section about angle grinders in general, we will focus on features to consider when buying an angle grinder.

Safety note: Angle grinders are extremely dangerous tools. You could get easily injured if you don’t wear enough protection and follow the safety guidelines for this tool. Forgetting even the ostensibly least important safety tip can lead to disaster when working with angle grinders. We have written another guide for angle grinder safety and usage.

Here you can read more about angle grinder uses.

A General Introduction to Angle Grinders

Angle grinders are versatile tools. Their main applications are cutting, grinding, polishing, and cleaning metal. They can also be used to cut and grind stone and masonry. Professionals working in the fields of metal fabrication, welding, and masonry are the main users of angle grinders. Angle grinders are used with so many different types of discs, including grinding discs, flap discs, wire brush discs, and cut-off discs.

Grinding discs, flap discs, and wire brush discs can be classified in the same category of discs in terms of usage. These discs are used on the surface of materials for grinding, polishing, and similar purposes. Cut-off discs work fundamentally differently from the other discs mentioned. They are used at a 90-degree angle against the surface of the material, and the surface area of these discs cannot be used for grinding.

Angle Grinder Buyer’s Guide: Main Features to Consider

We’re going to talk about all the details you need to know to choose an angle grinder. So, if you want to get an angle grinder, this section will help you a lot. In this section, we provide a general guide for buying an angle grinder, focusing on different features to consider.

Types of Angle Grinders

There are two types of angle grinders: electric angle grinders and pneumatic (air) angle grinders. There are also two types of electric angle grinders: corded and cordless. There aren’t any general differences between electric and pneumatic angle grinders in terms of what they can accomplish. The major difference between air angle grinders and electric angle grinders is that air angle grinders are usually lighter and are considered to be more durable. However, you need an air compressor to justify getting a pneumatic angle grinder.

Corded vs. Cordless

The most powerful corded angle grinders are usually more powerful than the most powerful cordless angle grinders, although the difference is becoming less and less significant each year with the improvements that power tool companies constantly implement in cordless tools.

If you’re doing tasks that take a long time to finish and you have access to a power outlet, corded tools are probably the best choice for you. Another advantage of corded tools is that they are generally lighter due to the absence of batteries.

Sizes of Angle Grinders (and the Disc Diameter)

Depending on the work you want to do, you will generally need a different angle grinder size. The most popular angle grinder sizes are 4″, 4 ½”, and 5″ (and their metric equivalents, of course).

However, for cutting stones, you will generally need bigger sizes than 5″. Other sizes of angle grinders are 6″, 7″, and 9″ (and again, their metric equivalents). Angle grinders with larger sizes are more powerful in general and can cut through harder materials such as stone and masonry. Larger angle grinders also give you a larger depth for cutting material, but smaller angle grinders are easier to use and handle.

The size of the angle grinder usually corresponds to the size of the discs being used. Note that you should always use the same disc size as your angle grinder. Some angle grinders can accept various grinding discs, mostly angle grinders in the 4″-5″ range.

Note that the RPM of your disc should match the RPM of your angle grinder or exceed it.

Type of Disc

It’s worth mentioning again that, based on your application, you want to use different discs. Make sure to always use the right type of disc for the right purpose. Common angle grinder discs are cut-off discs (abrasive cutting discs and diamond cutting discs), grinding discs, flap discs, wire brush discs, and paint stripping discs.

Talking about different types of grinding discs is beyond the scope of this angle grinder buying guide. So, if you want to know more about angle grinder discs, you should read our other angle grinder guide, which focuses more on angle grinder usage.

Other Angle Grinder Features to Consider

If we had finished the article in the last section, it would have been just a general angle grinder tool guide! But, of course, we don’t want to do that. We want to provide you with a complete guide, along with all the angle grinder buying advice we can!

Power and RPM

The power of an angle grinder refers to the wattage of the tool. The higher the wattage of the tool, the more power it provides to cut through harder materials like thick steel. Larger angle grinders generally give you more power, but smaller angle grinders have a higher RPM.

Speed

Some manufacturers make angle grinders with a variable speed control. This function gives you more control over the work you want to do. This is a useful function for whenever your task is more delicate.

Safety

Even though this section is mentioned in the second half of the features to consider in our angle grinder buyers guide, that does not mean to undermine its importance! Some angle grinders come with various safety features. One of these features is a soft start. A soft start allows the motor to slowly come to full speed, helping the user start the operation more comfortably and avoiding kickback. Other safety features on angle grinders include anti-kickback features and restart protection. Having these safety features usually costs you more, but they are worth the price.

Ergonomics and Ease of Use

Angle grinders generally take a lot of effort and strain to handle. Having an angle grinder that has an ergonomic body and handle and is easy to use is an advantage, especially during operations that take a long time to finish. One feature that adds to the ease of use of angle grinders is how easy it is to change the discs. Some angle grinders have a locking pin mechanism for changing discs, which is a huge benefit.

Durability

One of the important angle grinder buying considerations is getting a durable tool. There are a number of qualities and features that add to the durability of a tool. One of these features is a brushless motor. Brushless motors generally put less strain on the motor. If an angle grinder has a brushed motor, it should be easy for the user to change the brushes. This is a feature that indirectly affects the durability of the motor.

 Affordability

Up until now, all our angle grinder buying tips were focused on saving you time. This last one will save you a lot of money as well. If you are able and willing to pay top dollar for the top brands in the industry, go for it! But keep in mind that you can find brands with nearly the same quality but a lot more affordability.

How to Buy an Angle Grinder (the Best Brand for You)

Hopefully, the previous sections have given you enough information on how to choose the best angle grinder. You should keep all of this information in mind whenever you want to get this tool for yourself or someone else. Now we get to the next step in choosing an angle grinder, deciding on a brand.

Angle grinders are popular power tools, and almost every power tool brand produces these tools. With the information we have given you, you can investigate for yourself and choose a tool that suits you. You can pay a large chunk of cash to get a tool from the top power tool brands.

Alternatively, you can buy angle grinders from a brand, like Ronix, that makes more affordable tools that have high quality and can almost compete with the top brands. Ronix, a German brand, is one of the fastest-growing power tool brands in the industry, making exceptional tools at prices that can’t be competed with.

And that concludes the end of our angle grinder purchasing guide. Make sure to visit our blog for more informative articles, and our main website to get all the information you need on our products.

FAQ

How do I choose the best angle grinder?

First of all, the best angle grinder for you depends on your application. All the factors to consider are the type, size, and power of the angle grinder, as well as its safety and ergonomic features.

What are the different types of angle grinders?

Angle grinders are either pneumatic or electric. There are two types of electric angle grinders: corded and cordless.

What are the different sizes of angle grinders?

Angle grinders usually come in these sizes: 4″ (110mm), 4 1/2″ (115mm), 5″ (125mm), 6″ (150mm), 7″ (180mm), and 9″ (230mm).

What is the best size of angle grinder for different uses?

Angle grinders in the range of 4″ to 5″ are easier to handle. Sizes larger than 5″ are more powerful and are reserved for harder materials like thick steel, stone, and masonry.