Metabo W8-115 600259420 4-1/2-Inch Angle Grinder

First off, this is professional quality grinder. It is also extremely versatile. You can cut, grind, brush, clean, sand, and polish a variety of materials with this tool including metal, stone, brick, concrete, wood & more. You just need to buy the appropriate discs & wheels for those operations.

I've owned 5 angle grinders over the years and have used countless competing brands in other shops. Metabo makes the best grinders hands down. I'm a custom metal fabricator and reach for the grinder multiple times daily. I've owned the previous version of this same grinder for 6 years (W7-115) and was looking to buy a new one to keep in the shop. The old model still runs great, all I've had to do is change the brushes and replace the occasional nicked power cord. I was reluctant to buy a new one when I saw Metabo redesigned it. I thought there was no way to improve on the old model. But, I was pleasantly surprised. The new model is nearly identical in feel and operation to the old one. It actually runs smoother (presumably because the old one has seen years of heavy use.)

The only noticeable difference is in the switch. It has been slightly redesigned. It still operates like the old slider switch, but you need to rock it slightly forward to get it to lock on (I'm assuming for safety). But you get used to it after a day. And when I palm the grinder close to the head with one hand for detail work, I occasionally turn the power switch off unintentionally. This is a very unorthodox way to hold the grinder and will not likely affect the average user.

Many of the other manufacturers offer grinders with a large paddle switch on the bottom of the tool. Doing custom metalwork requires you to use nearly every nonmoving part of the grinder as a control surface. I see my grinder as a precision instrument. I've always found paddle switches clumsy and inconvenient. Once I was three stories up on an I-beam and the safety on an older Milwaukee paddle switch got stuck in the down position (turning half the grinder into a giant on button). The grinder turned on while I was trying to change a disk and I nearly ate pavement. The next day I bought the Metabo and haven't looked at another paddle switch since.

And for those deciding on the quick vs. the regular, I've always preferred the standard arbor nut (this model). A gloved hand and a strong wrist can release most disks. And there is a spanner wrench for jams. The quick nut has a knurled surface on the outer edge for gripping. I've yet to see how the quick nut saves me any time changing disks. But I might be set in my ways.

Power, torque, weight, size, and feel are all nearly identical to the W7-115. Previous Metabo owners won't be disappointed and newcomers are sure to be satisfied with the quality. I fully expect this new model to last just as long as the old one (if not longer).