Best Angle Grinder UK Review 

As you are probably aware, there are a lot of power tools available in the UK marketplace and here we are are looking at the best angle grinder reviews for the UK. The angle grinder is one of the most popular of those power tools, and it has, of course, plenty of uses. We’ve compared performance, features, build quality and cost to give you our top recommendations.

What is an Angle Grinder?

 It is used mainly by metal workers, welders, car restoration people and by those who take their DIY seriously, to remove metal mostly or smooth out rough surfaces. You can also use one for cutting brick or tidying up masonry and they are very handy if you have had your mig welder on the go and and need to do a bit of tidying up. They are also, it has to be said, one of the most dangerous power tools to use, so you need to be extra careful when using this tool.

In fact when it comes to workshop accidents, the angle grinder comes in at number two on the accident list, just after saws. These are one tool not to be messed around with, as they can do serious damage in the wrong hands.

One of the best ways to understand these is simply to know that they are available in two basic types. These are:

1. The corded angle grinder
2. The cordless angle grinder without a battery (Better known as a bare tool or body only)

Corded Angle Grinder

By far the most popular, and certainly the most used type is the corded version. That is where the grinder is plugged directly into a main’s electrical socket, or an extension lead , as opposed to being battery driven .

With this type, the distinct advantage is that you will always have a constant power source to drive the motor. The disadvantage is that you will always need an electricity supply, and you will always have a trailing lead. They will, however, not run out of power and you wont have to wait if your battery isn't charged up.

They are also cheaper than a cordless option. I am a big fan of cordless tools but if you have a full days work or if it's a heavy duty job then sometimes a corded model is better.

Cordless Angle Grinder

These will run off a battery, typically an 18 Volt battery. Most cordless angle grinders are sold as a bare tool only, so no battery is supplied. That is ideal if you already own a branded tool battery. They battery can be quite heavy and this usually makes this type harder to use for long periods than the corded models.

However if you don't own  a battery, then you will need to buy at least one, ad also a charger. That can make the overall purchase, an expensive option. The advantages though are that you never have to worry about trailing leads, and it becomes much more portable, and can be used anywhere.

The most popular and cheapest option is always to go with a corded product. Depending on which brand you decide to go for, then the price will vary from between £20-£70. That is affordable for a very useful power tool.

Brands like Dewalt and Makita will be more expensive than Wolf, Apollo and Silverstorm but of course, with all of these types of tools, there is a reason for the price difference..

Cordless angle grinders cost anything between £60-£160. If you then need to buy a battery and charger, the average cost for those is £70-£100.

 So as you can see, buying the grinder, battery and charger could set you back anything between £130-£230. That does get expensive.

We Compare and Review

We have done a complete buyer's guide below and we also have . We do understand though, that some of you may not have the time to read this, so directly below, we have shown a top 10 table of the best corded angle grinders on the UK market. 

Please note that if you click on the product name, you will be able to read our full and detailed product review. It will give you much more information.

You can however also click on the Amazon link, which will take you to the product page there, where you can read more reviews and check out their deals.

Underneath this table, we have also done a top 5 table on the best cordless angle grinders, if you prefer to own one of those.

Cordless Angle Grinder without a Battery (Bare Tool or Body Only)

Almost every power tool comes in a cordless version. In simple terms that just refers to the tool not having an electrical lead. With this type, a battery is used for the power.

You can buy an angle grinder that is known as a "Bare Tool." Essentially this is any type of power tool, that does not come supplied with a battery.

These are really only useful, if you own other power tools in a particular brand line. If for example you owned an 18 volt Dewalt drill, then you could use the same battery and charger with your new bare tool Dewalt angle grinder.

The distinct advantage with this type is that there is no trailing lead, and you do not need an electrical socket, so they are more portable. The disadvantage is of course, that you will need to charge the battery.

If you don't have a battery that you use with another power tool, that will mean buying one or more batteries and a charger. That can make a cordless choice quite expensive.

Please note that if you click on the product name, you will be able to read our full and detailed cordless angle driver review.

You can however also click on the Amazon link, which will take you to the product page there, where you can read more reviews and check out their deals.

Below we have done a few mini reviews on the top 10 corded angle grinders on the UK market. We have also provided a link to our more detailed review, for those who like to read the detail.

If you click on any of the images, you can see a larger version of the angle grinder.

It has machine bevelled gears, and it measures 26.6 x 12.8 x 10.3 cm and weighs 1.7 Kg. It is protected all over from dust, which will increase its life span considerably.

This one works off 50 Hertz but will also work on 60 Hertz if required. It has a 14 mm thread on the spindle and takes any standard 4.5" disc. The switch also locks into place for continuous grinding. I found this to feel quite cheap and not as well made compared the the more expensive models but I guess that is to be expected at this price.

Just be aware that this is a slightly bigger 5" model, rather than the standard 4.5" one. It is a very good choice for working on old cars, cleaning up railings or any cutting job.

You get the carry case which I think all grinders should come with, but sadly they don't. It also has a side handle which can be fitted on either side. Along with that you get two metal cutting discs, 2 grinding discs, and a diamond tipped disc.

You also get the wheel cover, the wrench and a spare set of carbon brushes.

It has a two stage on/off switch and this one is compatible with any 4.5" disc. This is a sturdy and robust tool, but it does divide opinion. Some users love it and some do not.

At the lower price point this one is OK for lighter work.It has a no load speed of 0-11,000 RPM. The cord is 2 metres long and it comes with a polishing disc.

Sometimes people just simply want to know which is the best value angle grinder. We did a fair bit of digging around to see which one would tick all of the boxes, and yet be at a reasonable price.

The one that caught our eye was the Von Haus 2,200 watt 9" angle grinder, currently available at Amazon.

This is a larger sized model, with a powerful motor, that can do any angle grinding job. It is tough well made, gets great buyer reviews and is affordable for most buyers.

Unlike the smaller grinders on our list this is a 9" grinder, and better suited for the bigger jobs, and will do the smaller jobs with ease.

As you can see, we looked at a lot of angle grinders in this article. However if you are after a really good 9" grinder, then we would recommend the Wolf 9" Industrial Angle Grinder, currently available at Amazon UK.

It comes with a diamond tipped cutting disc, and is powered up by a 2,300 watt motor. It has a soft start, and an airflow cooling system. The spindle lock is push button for quick blade changing.

Has a rotating rear handle to make cutting and grinding easier to do.

If you are looking for a grinder that is the best for cutting masonry such as concrete, then the one we would recommend is the Wolf Angle Grinder 115mm 850W for cutting masonry, currently available at Amazon UK.

It comes with a 2 year warranty, a two position side handle and comes with a diamond tipped cutting disc.

Some buyers just use a grinder for to clean up metal before welding, and also to clean the actual weld when it has been made. Any of the angle grinders on our list will do that job nicely.

Your choice will basically come down to which brand you like the best.

This is our main buyer's guide for angle grinders. An angle grinder is really nothing more than a motor inside a case, that can be easily gripped.

Attached to that is a spinning wheel. To that wheel you can add a number of attachments, such as a sanding wheel, a cutting wheel etc.

Each of these accessories allows you do do different tasks with your grinder. That is usually sanding, cutting or buffing/polishing of some kind.

Who Uses an Angle Grinder?

Metal workers use these most often to make repairs. Woodworkers use grinders for sanding or for cutting. You can also buy grinding discs that can cut through concrete.

They are not all exactly the same, and for your average DIY person it can get confusing.

Try walking down the aisle of your local DIY store, and see if you can decide quickly, which one is best for you. The purpose of this guide is to make your choice a great deal easier.

A normal home owner or DIY person will probably always use a standard 4.5" grinder. For thicker or deeper cuts, you will need a bigger disc.

Always remember that these discs are circular. So although it be a 4.5" disc, when used for cutting, it only has 2.25" of cutting depth.

That wouldn't be much use if you were trying to cut a concrete block, that is 3" or more thick.

Corded or Cordless?

One of the most important things to say at the beginning of this guide, is that almost everyone will purchase a corded angle grinder.

They are great for the heavy jobs, and you always have a source of power. The trailing lead is annoying for sure, but most people can live with that. You do however need to be really careful with trailing leads.

If I was writing this guide 5 years ago, I would have told you only to buy a corded angle grinder. Back then cordless batteries were what are called Ni-Cad batteries, and these were not the best option.

They simply did not last long, and they did not hold their charge for long enough.

These days, we have seen all the big tool brands start to use Lithium-Ion batteries. That has revolutionised power tools. These charge quickly, and hold their charge for ages.

So if you already own a battery, batteries and a charger that you use with another power branded tool, then a cordless angle grinder, will probably be the best choice for you.

However if you don't own a battery and charger, then you will need to buy the grinder, a battery and a charger. That very quickly pushes up the price of your purchase.

So that really is the first choice that you will have to make. Do you stick with an affordable corded one, or have the portability of a cordless one, at a much higher price?

The most popular size that buyers use is the 115 mm or 4.5". There are other sizes available, but this is by far the most popular choice. Most people who want an angle grinder to smooth out welds, will pick this size.

The general rule of thumb is, the bigger the job you want to do, the bigger the grinder you should use. You can also buy these in 5" or 7" or 9" sizes.

It is really important to understand that, the size of a grinder is actually measured by the disc size. It has nothing to do with the actual physical size of the grinder.

In this section we will look at the sizes of the motors, and also why the RPM is an important consideration. The general rule of thumb, when it comes to motors is that the bigger the motor, the more powerful the tool.

The same applies to the motors found on angle grinders. These range from as low as 500 watt motors and go all the way up to just over 2,000 watts. Now for the smaller 4-5" grinders anything between 500-1,000 watts is plenty of power to drive that.

When you move to the larger 9" models, you are going to need around 2,000 watts to drive the wheel, without stressing the motor.

In this section, we will look at what accessories are available that you can attach to your angle grinder, to make it a highly versatile tool.

These include, Grinding Wheels, Cut-Off Wheels, Wire Cup Brushes, Sanding Discs and Polishing Discs. You can also buy guards that have a dust extraction built into them.

One of the most popular accessories is the mortar rake. A popular choice for that is the Silverline 8mm Tungsten Carbide mortar rake.

One very useful accessory to consider is a stand for your grinder.

These hold your portable angle grinder in place, and allow you to use it in a similar way to a chop saw. They are a bit fiddly to set up, but they do work well when you get that initial set up completed.

Always be extremely careful when using these tools as they are very powerful and can be dangerous in the wrong hands.