Recommend me an angle grinder

I've never used an angle grinder that didn't work to be honest. Branded or unbranded. If you're worried about exploding discs splash out on those and use them correctly.

Cheap corded one from Screwfix works for the occasional jobs I need it for.

As above, as long as the cheap grinder comes with the necessary guards then that's not the part to worry about.

I've got a Titan variable speed one from Screwfix. Like most variable speed power tools it's really just variable power, but it does the job if you need to limit heat build up etc.

Always buy reputable disks though, and don't be tempted to think "ohh it's only a little grinding, a few seconds at most, I'll just use the edge of this cutting disk". Infact buy every conceivable cutting, grinding, masonry, paint stripping, flap wheel, foam/velcro, diamond and whatever else wheels you might ever need up front, just to remove the temptation.

Useful tools, but easy to do some very serious injuries with. Get into the habit of looking a the job, thinking is there a safer way to do it, and then do a dry run of it thinking about what the disk is likely to catch on, how it'll recoil, is the guard doing it's job if it does, etc. If it'll take 5 minutes longer with a hacksaw, use the hacksaw.

Makita one (battery ones are a bit less mental) + decent discs + GOGGLES

If you are going to do lots of grinding go mains power. If it is a bit of cutting and maybe a little cleaning up cuts etc around the place battery is fine.

The only ones that lasted at work were Bosch or Makita but they were 110v bits of kit used for up to 3hrs in a day

Safety features wise, our contracts at work require all grinders to have a rapid stop when the power button is released and a clutch so the disks are less likely to shatter if snagged

This might be on the larger 9 inch grinders only, not sure and I can't recommend any brands or models but I'll be looking out for this when mine needs replacing.

Clutches seem to be only on big buggers

I'd just get a clark or screwfix one.

Good discs are the key.

Ps don't take the safety Shields off to get to the last bit of the inner sill..
They tend not to bleed those cuts as they self cauterise

I've the makita lxt grinder. it's great. mostly used for small jobs, however did have to cut down a cast iron soil stack. in summer and my goggles kept steaming up and I wasn't going to grind without eye protection. correct answer would be to stop, however job needed doing and it was summer, so wouldn't be cold for a long time.

you can guess what happened. couldn't see what I was doing properly so must have stressed the disc and it shattered. proper scary. no injuries but a proper brown trouser moment. won't be doing 5hat again

Only get a battery one if you have 4ah plus batteries .... They will rinse a 2ah in seconds.

Fwiw if it's not in regular use a 240v will be cheaper and more useful for more tasks*

Ps I'd have a clear impact rated face shield before goggles. And think about what your grinding and use appropriate rated facemask

Used a makita 4in jobby today. Cleaning up a large steel work table. 3 x 5ah batteries in 1hr of flapp wheel use.
Go cabled, varying speeds are nice.
Buy visor and ear defense plus specs.
Gloves too, but will lull you into a false sense of security.
1.6mm blade for cuts, 6mm for grindr use

Where are you? I have a spare 240v you can have for free. It’s just a screw fix one I think but perfectly serviceable. DE15 area

my 18v makita cordless is only really used for drilling holes in hard tiles, much more controlable and quicker than doing them with a drill, battery life is ok doing that but when my corderd grinder brushes went i had to use the cordless for cutting for the rest of the day, it soon eats through 4/5ah batteries.

I had a 230v Erbreur (sp?) one from Screwfix, but the motor died after not a lot of use. Replaced with a mains Bosch thing, which was pretty cheap and that's still going...

also have an 18v Bosch mini one for cutting bike locks etc...

Erbauer 3 year warranty on grinders iirc, so you could have got it repaired or replaced if within time frame
Warranty runs from original purchase date so changing them every 2 years doesn't work

Magic,

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Thanks all - corded it is. </span>

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">db thanks for the offer, but I’m central belt so a fair whack away. </span>

Erbauer 3 year warranty on grinders iirc,

It was so cheap, I wasn't bothered and the replacement Bosch wasn't that expensive.

I don't buy cheap tools anymore. Had another Erbaur tool fail on first use, a void in the casting on the blade mount of an aligator saw. Blade touched the piece of wood and the head just fell off the tool!

Just buy Bosch now.

Pretty sure mine is just an own brand b&q thing (4.5” one) - just make sure you buy decent discs for it and as above - cutting disc for cutting, grinding disc for grinding etc.

I also have a big chunky 9” one - think from memory it’s an own brand Wickes one. That thing is monstrous - I’m very very careful with that. Great for cutting patio slabs etc.

The only tools I’ve got that I’m more wary of, are a petrol chainsaw and a mains powered circular saw. I think the latter scares me the most and I try not to use it for the most part if a normal saw will do the job or the little plunge circular saw which is more controllable.

and a mains powered circular saw. I think the latter scares me the most

Yep, I have a Festool Kapex and when the motor spins up you can feel the power and it scares the crap out of me...

Yep, I have a Festool Kapex and when the motor spins up you can feel the power and it scares the crap out of me…

you can feel the torque with a circular saw and the blades look vicious 😖

When I was doing a reasonable amount of DIY welding, I ended up with 2 cheap ones as changing from flap disc to cutting disc all the time got annoying. I replaced the cable with 4m of decent flex, so much easier.

Do not use a knotted wire brush without a face shield and leather apron. Or ever.

Circular saws are scary! Mate of mine has an odd shaped thumb after it was re-attached following a circular saw incident. Foolishly he was holding a plank while ripping along it's length when the blade got nipped. I had my own brown trouser moment while trying to plunge one into floorboards. Thankfully I had forseen the possibility so was kneeling and holding it to the side of me so it shot back without harm.

Blue Bosch is better than Makita corded - higher wattage motor and the trigger is better.

I wear Oakley MX/DH goggles over my usual prescription glasses as they don't steam up as easily as 'industrial' goggles

As said further above , safety specs and a full face mask .
I prefer to use a dead man’s switch type grinder rather than a switch on/off one

Helping out at a friends garage business where he does a lot of welding and fabrication on trailers his latest grinder is a DeWalt 4206 240v 1000w , its the smoothest least noisy small grinder I have ever witnessed apart from battery ones which are not nearly as powerful . If I needed a new corded grinder I would get one , not expensive and being corded a forever tool for occasional use. Ref safety and including the comments about circular saws it is absolutely vital to pay attention and have a commanding grip of these devices if they kick or bounce/skip you need to dominate/control the forces or they will jump skip and run away or worse into you , always use the guard and eye protection minimum.

nothing was a dangerous to use as the old 240v 12" stone saw i had to use at work about 30 years ago, ****ing thing was lethal. everyone was happy when it got chucked in a skip and replaced with a petrol one by the boss.

As above, price doesn't make that much difference to safety with grinders. Use a good disc, use it correctly, wear PPE, if you do these things it doesn't matter whether the grinder cost a thousand quid or you found it in a bin. The only real safety upgrade you get on some is a faster brake which could help in some cases but even that's minor.

I have a cheap wired ryobi which I use for longer jobs, everything else is cheapo makita knockoffs using genuine makita batteries, they all work basically the same.

I recommend one with a paddle switch, it makes it much easier and (I think) safer. I've got this one:
https://makitauk.com/product/ga4534

Also, most grinders only come with a grinding guard and not a cutting guard like:
https://www.buyaparcel.com/makita-4-5-115mm-angle-grinder-wheel-cover-safety-guard-tool-free-dga452-dga458/

Not practical for all cuts but good to have. Agree with all the PPE comments above.

Costco have a DeWalt 125mm with disc for 40 quid. Cant go wrong.

Agree with all the PPE comments above.

My leather walking boots have a mark across them where the angle grinder struck them - kick back from cutting paving slabs. Quite glad I had decided to change out of my normal DIY trainers.....

The paddle switch is a great idea.

Every time I start mine I think

"Just to clarify you want me to operate this little sliding switch with gloves on TOWARDS the bighty end?"

And latching switch a terrifying aswell.

I have a cheapy cheap one - Mac Allister MSAG750 750W.

100% would NOT recommend.

Motor is fine but the guards it came with had awful loose monkey metal quick releases to 'secure' them that shook loose and then stopped working at all.

Also the switch is on/off and gummed up with dust quickly so it's hard to turn on or off.

Hateful thing.

Makita corded on offer when i needed one plus decent discs, it's been very handy and not so expensive.
Definitely a face mask after i noticed lots of sparkly dust in the air when cutting metal, looked so so pretty but possibly not so good for your lungs!

Just popping in to say that angle grinders are one of the most useful tools out there. I'm tiling my bathroom and it replaces a whole raft of cutting paraphenalia all on its own. I can cut nice and straight but also sideways, I can nibble out complex shapes and even shave stuff off the sides And drill holes too. Not the neatest cut, mind, but these tiles are thick and strong and not easy to score and snap at all.

Mine's Bosch corded mid price job from B&Q.

@molgrips a decent blade makes a big differance to how tidy they cut, ones i use are about £50.

takes to long to do the straight cuts with a grinder though, just had to buy one of these https://www.protilertools.co.uk/product/montolit-131p5-masterpiuma-p5-power-5-manual-tile-cutter-131cm
as i'd had enough of having to cut anything over 800mm with the angle grinder and the wet saw struggles with anything over 800 also.
just doing a one of job though angle grinder is the only cutter you need.