What is it with angle grinders…?

[Bluemotion]

Yet another hits the dust!! I’m referring to the 4 1/2 inch ones. This time and last its another Makita, 16months from new and a extended warranty that was such a **** to register the website put me in a loop and confused the hell out of me thinking I’ve logged it but nooooo as I found out today!!

That’s two makita, 9 Bosch and many more, all die similar durations. Best one I’ve ever had was a ****ty Netto one that had nine lives!!
Problem is I don’t want a mega powerful one that shakes its head and needs three arms to hold but just a simple thin bodied light one with the stop/start button ergonomically near my thumb for one handed operations to cut thin delicate sheet metal. I’ve come to the conclusion YOU DONT GET what you pay for at times.

 

[brightspark]

best grinder i have ever bought is a second hand dewalt 4 and a half grinder 240v for 20 quid. it got a decent powerfull motor and not too heavy

 

[Mark 2]

Have I got this straight, you've gone through 11grinders?

 

[nickk]

Race to the bottom now,when I started my business in the mid 80’s,the Bosch’s would do at least 6 years,maybe one brush set,slightly less for hitachi and makita,I also had the odd aeg and one Milwaukee,all shorter lives,particularly Bosch in early to mid 2000’s,now I find all of those makes(hikoki),are a shadow of their ancestors,may aswell buy cheap ones now.

 

[GRW]

I've a Makita corded 4.5" that's easily the best one I've ever had. Powerful enough, robust, switch where your thumb finds it easily, and usable one-handed.
(I do have one cordless which is very handy, but overall I think a decent 230v takes some beating, despite the extra faff with the plug lead)

 

[Morrisman]

Years ago I used to buy cheapie Screwfix grinders, £8 each, and with a 3 years warranty. I never did return one, but several died after a couple of years hobby use.
Nowadays their cheapest one is like £35 or so, so not quite the disposable product any more.
I used to always have 3 on my grinder rack, one with a flap disc, one with a proper grinding disc with a big radius on the edge for shaping and grooving, and one with a 1mm cutting disc.

 

[RichardM]

Netto - now that's a name from the past. Also the vendor of my digital calipers which are still going strong and it's over 20 years since I bought them! They did sell some good stuff.

 

[brightspark]

these are the ones a 750 watt motor https://www.toolstation.com/dewalt-...VC5JQBh3DRyJfEAQYAyABEgKLBfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[ajlelectronics]

16months from new and a extended warranty that was such a **** to register the website put me in a loop and confused the hell out of me thinking I’ve logged it but nooooo as I found out today!!

You don't need an extended warranty, you are covered by the CRA2015 for six years, without jumping through hoops as long as you bought it for personal use.

 

[Hitch]

My Bosch must be about 4 years old, used most days. No signs of giving up yet.

 

[grim_d]

You've broke 9 Bosch grinders?

I have a green one that is now about 15 years old and has had the snot kicked out of it, has always been my go to, has removed miles of my crap welds as well as some chunks of my face.

Blue one, about 5 years old.

Best of the bunch is the Metabo with the 900w marathon motor, if you really want to lean hard on stuff it really performs, the Bosch have slimmer bodies and are nicer to hold though.

One has to assume that perhaps the user is the problem here?

 

[Erie Fred]

One has to assume that perhaps the user is the problem here?

A ammeter or recording device on the line cord would prove fruitful me thinks.

 

[Brad93]

Buy german

 

[jimbo84]

Got an old clarke budget one, must be 20 years old by now, apart from brushes it just doesn't die, horribly noisy but it goes and goes and puts up with any abuse thrown at it.

Same for a B&Q value SDS drill, something like 15 years old, won't die and it's been well and truly battered and abused.

Both quite heavy for what they are, in which probably is the reason why they're so reliable.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I suppose the question is what are you doing with them?

If you are leaning on them and ingesting its weight in rust particles on a daily basis then I'd say its probably about par for the course, and simply the cost of doing business.
If you are doing an occasional slit in sheet metal, then there is something very wrong somewhere.

Do you run them continuously for a long period of time? They usually need a chance to cool off.

 

[premmington]

Workshop wise for corded ones - I used to buy blue Bosch ones - then moved to yellow high wattage Dewalt ones.

Got one green Metabo - that refuses to die.

Never had too much luck with Makita grinders...!

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I used to to do "grinder hospital" - new trailing leads and bushes - clean out - for the Bosch ones - now I just lazy and get a new spare out and order another one for stock.

 

[Bluemotion]

Have I got this straight, you've gone through 11grinders?

Probably more……
Obviously over many years

 

[Bluemotion]

Buy german

Like Bosch???

 

[Bluemotion]

I suppose the question is what are you doing with them?

If you are leaning on them and ingesting its weight in rust particles on a daily basis then I'd say its probably about par for the course, and simply the cost of doing business.
If you are doing an occasional slit in sheet metal, then there is something very wrong somewhere.

Do you run them continuously for a long period of time? They usually need a chance to cool off.

Plenty of serious rust. They have a hard time as I’m sure the rust/metal particles get regurgitated into the machine. The other thing I use often are those nasty nasty knotted wheels which are a little weighty on start up. It’s mostly always the armatures that go although this last one just won’t start and there’s power.
It’s not used every day and sometimes not even for a couple of weeks.
The thing is what is an angle grinder actually fit for? It’s a working tool.
The reason I’ve used Bosch is that they are the slimmest and comfortable for a one hand hold.

 

[premmington]

Probably more……
Obviously over many years

I gone thru more than 11 grinders in my lifetime at work.

From little red Wolf 4" ones in the early days - thru loads of Bosch/Makita ones.

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Bet I own nearly ten corded grinders - be 9" and die grinders in the mix - then I got air ones and battery ones now.