Best angle grinder for £60

[Mr Classic]

Need an angle grinder for my resto, and general DIY. Any recommendations for around £50/60? I hear Makita is quite good.

[OldSkoolRS]

I've used Black and Decker ones over the years with no issues, just the standard 5.25" disc type as available in B&Q/Screwfix, etc.

However I would save some of your budget for a full face mask, ear defenders and thick gloves too if you haven't already got some. I had a silly slip with an angle grinder a few years ago when it 'kicked back' at me and brushed my face with a wire brush attachment fitted. Even though I had goggles, ear defs and gloves on it didn't protect my mouth and gums...took quite a long while to heal up and I'm still very nervous of using it now (been doing welding and other car DIY for over 25 years too).

[TheRealFingers99]

I'd go with the poster above. You're going to struggle to buy rubbish at more than £30 (although there's an argument to be made for buying two cheap ones, so you can swap from cutting to grinding, linishing etc. more quickly). Buy the protection stuff, then pick a grinder.

[DrDeAtH]

Buy 2 30 quid grinders. They will probably last forever

[Mojooo]

what size do you want?

I have a set liek this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hitachi-g12ss-g23ss-9-4-...

I use the smaller one for cutting metal and bits

I use the bigger one for cutting paving stones

though TBF I hardly ever use them

[droopsnoot]

Last week Aldi were doing their £19.95 grinders, they come with a three year warranty and a spare set of brushes. If you're doing a restoration, as well as face mask and gloves, two grinders will mean that you're not forever swapping between cutting and grinding discs, or cutting and flap discs, or whatever. I've been doing mine for a few years, and it's amazing how much time that saves.

[TheRealFingers99]

Damn, I missed that!

I blew up my last cheap one cutting a Cinquecento into 4 so we could scrap it.

Must say (though I like the quick swap option) that the more expensive ones somehow feel better and have less vibration. My local engineer's merchant sometimes does the Makita ones for £30, though.

[gazapc]

I got a 115mm JCB one from B&Q about 3 years ago, done some pretty heavy car resto work and still working great, 5 year warrenty as well. Just seen it is still for sale on their website for £54, think i got it in a sale for around £40.

Previous one before that was a cheapo own brand job from B&Q and lasted about 2 months and the one before that was a trago mills special and lasted all of 20 minutes!

[rambo19]

I got mine from aldi or lidl, can't remember, been brilliant.

[irish boy]

Buy a proper one and be done. Metabo.

[ch427]

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-blue-professional-...

As good as it gets for the money.

[_bryan_]

Absolutely agree with the poster above, Bosch blue. My old man has had one for 20 years and it's not required any maintenance apart from the odd clean out with an airline every now and again.

[B'stard Child]

DrDeAtH said:

Buy 2 30 quid grinders. They will probably last forever

Agreed - I occasionally dabble with 3 because changeovers are a bit of a pain when you are getting stuck in so one set up for cutting one for grinding and the last with a zip wheel

Cheap ones last OK if you aren't abusing them but what I do notice v more expensive options is they are rougher in use.

I have a Matika which has outlasted quite a few cheaper ones and because it's nicer to use it gets a lot more use.

[Mr Classic]

Is it worth investing in an air compressor and buying a variety of tools to suit? This will be first lot of power tools so im not going to need to replace a load of current tools.

[ch427]

Depends on the work your doing, i have a small compressor i use for just inflating tyres and blowing dust out of things. Handy tools but not great for doing lots of work with heavy demand air tools unless you go big.

[Mr Classic]

Ok I'll stick with decent electric then. Will probably buy one decent one then in a month or so I will get a cheap one as well, means if the cheap one breaks I still have the decent one to use.

[DrDeAtH]

Out of the 5 cheap grinders I have bought in the last 20 years. I still have 3 working ones. They get abused and haven't broken. I don't see the point in spending fortunes o.e grinders. They all come with a warranty... If it lasts past the warranty then it's pretty safe to say it will give long service

[kambites]

I think I paid £15 for mine about six years ago and it's still going fine despite having had some fairly hard use.

[fatjon]

I have 3 sub £20 ones that have been going for years without a problem and 2 hitachis which were rather more with cracks in the gearboxes.

[one eyed mick]

Bought a chinese ,unknown make with 10 grinding discs 10 cutting discs and a dianomd tip brick stone blade plus aspareset of brushes 10 years ago for E15 in Leclerc in Lemans still going strong !!!