Angle Grinders Product Test

Inexpensive and versatile, an angle grinder will be a vital addition to your garage.

WINNER – Silverline Silverstorm

£19.92 Item: 123339

Contact: www.silverlinetools.com

We like…
Superb value for money. For less than £20, you get an 800-watt grinder with many of the features of a unit costing three times as much. It might be a lot longer than the other grinders here but it’s light and comfy to hold for most jobs. Three positions for the screw-in side handle. Performed well whether grinding or cutting, and there are plenty of extras available, from cutting discs to wire-brush attachments. Switch is very easy to operate and cuts out as soon as you let go of it, which boosts safety.

We don’t like…
That switch might have been easy to use, but if there was a lock on it, we couldn’t find it. That means you have to keep it depressed for the grinder to work, which soon makes your hand ache on longer jobs.

Switch 4/5
Comfort 4/5
Ease of use 5/5
Performance 4/5
Value for money 5/5
Score 22/25

Makita 9554NB

£40.10 Item: 9554NB

Contact: 01908 211678, www.makitauk.com

We like…
Comfortable to use, and switch lock means it’s easy to operate for extended periods. Switch is also intuitive to use. Performs well whether grinding or cutting. Not too heavy at 1.9kg, and the soft handle is a nice touch. Comes with a one-year warranty.

We don’t like…
Relatively expensive compared to some of the others on test. Screw-in side handle only had two positions on either side of the head. Discs needs to be removed to adjust the guard.

Switch 4/5
Comfort 4/5
Ease of use 3/5
Performance 4/5
Value for money 3/5
Score 18/25

Draper 89763

£25.52 Item: 89763

Contact: 02380 494333, www.draper.co.uk for stockists

We like…
Small and easy to hold thanks to the contoured handle. Even lighter than the Makita grinder at only 1.7kg. Switch is simple to operate. Parts are covered by a 24-month guarantee. Soft, comfortable feel to the main body of the grinder.

We don’t like…
Only rated at 630 watts, but in reality performed perfectly well on our tests. Side handle has just the two positions. Switch is easy to operate, but doesn’t feel as ‘positive’ as others here.

Switch 3/5
Comfort 5/5
Ease of use 4/5
Performance 4/5
Value for money 5/5
Score 21/25

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Sealey SG115

£63.39 Item: SG115

Contact: 01284 757500, www.sealey.co.uk

We like…
This is a heavy-duty 900-watt grinder, and it certainly performs well. Three positions for the side handle give you decent flexibility in use.

We don’t like…
It’s the most expensive grinder here. We just couldn’t get on with the switch at all – even though you might get used to it over time, it felt unnecessarily fussy.

Switch 2/5
Comfort 3/5
Ease of use 3/5
Performance 5/5
Value for money 3/5
Score 16/25

Draper 41453

£47.95 Item: 41453

Contact: 02380 494333, www.draper.co.uk for stockists

We like…
The soft-start mechanism means that there’s no nasty ‘kick’ to this grinder when you start it up. Powerful 900-watt motor – performed our grinding and cutting jobs with ease. Guard can be adjusted without tools. Feels robust, and offers decent value for money.

We don’t like…
This is a big angle grinder – if you’ve got small hands, it’s not very comfortable to hold. Switch is slightly fiddly to turn on, but quick and easy going the other way.

Switch 4/5
Comfort 3/5
Ease of use 4/5
Performance 5/5
Value for money 4/5
Score 20/25

All prices and availability correct as of 10th March 2010

This entry was posted on Friday, March 26th, 2010 at 2:48 pm and is filed under Product Tests, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.