7 Best Cordless Angle Grinders of 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks
- Pete Ortiz
- Last updated:
Cordless angle drivers are useful tools. You can use them to grind, cut, file, and sharpen, and their portability allows you to use them anywhere. However, the technology that creates the batteries that operate these devices is just now getting good enough to compete with corded units. Therefore, there is a large number of underpowered brands for sale, and finding good products amongst all the bad can be a challenge.
We’ve chosen seven modern cordless angle grinders to review for you. We’ll go over the pros and cons of each brand and let you know how they operate in the workshop, as well as if they had any special features. We’ve also included a short buyer’s guide where we take a close look at how these devices work and what can affect the price.
Join us while we look at cordless angle grinders and discuss RPM, safety, battery life, recharge time, and more to help you make an educated purchase.
Quick Comparison (updated in 2024)
Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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Makita Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder |
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CHECK PRICE | |
Best Value
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CRAFTSMAN CMCG400B Angle Grinder |
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CHECK PRICE | |
Premium Choice
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Metabo 613074620 Cordless Angle Grinder |
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CHECK PRICE | |
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Bosch GWS18V-45 Angle Grinder |
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CHECK PRICE | |
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Skil AG290202 Angle Grinder |
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CHECK PRICE |
The 7 Best Cordless Angle Grinders:
1. Makita XAG04Z Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder – Best Overall
The Makita XAG04Z Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder is our best overall cordless angle grinder. Pictures automatic speed change technology that adjusts the speed and torque depending on the job it’s performing. Active feedback sensing technology automatically shuts off the motor if it detects a blade jam, protecting you and the tool. The brushless motor gets more torque and uses less battery power, so you get a more powerful tool with longer battery life than those without brushless motors. The rubberized soft-grip handle is comfortable to hold and reduces vibrations so that you can work longer. The soft-start features help prevent the grinder from bouncing unexpectedly when you begin grinding.
We enjoy using the Makita XAG04Z and get a lot of use out of it. The only thing we don’t like is that you need to purchase the battery and charger separately, and they can be quite expensive if you don’t plan on using other Makita tools.
- Automatic speed change technology
- Active feedback sensing technology
- Long battery life
- Brushless motor
- Rubberized soft grip handle
- Soft start
- Battery not included
2. CRAFTSMAN CMCG400B Angle Grinder – Best Value
The CRAFTSMAN CMCG400B Angle Grinder is our choice for the best cordless angle grinder for the money. Its powerful motor can reach up to 8,500 revolutions per minute (RPM) driving its 4½-inch grinding wheel. Its metal housing is durable and comfortable to hold. The tool-free guard is easy to adjust, and a spindle lock allows you to change wheels quickly.
The CRAFTSMAN CMCG400B is great for smaller jobs, but the battery dies pretty quickly. You will also need to purchase the battery and charger separately because Craftsman does not include them.
- 8,500 RPM
- 4 ½ inch grinder
- Metal housing
- Tool-free guard
- Easy wheel changes
- Battery not included
- Battery dies quickly
3. Metabo Cordless Angle Grinder – Premium Choice
The Metabo 613074620 Cordless Angle Grinder is our premium choice cordless angle grinder. This tool has a 4 ½ inch grinding disk and a brushless motor that can reach 9,000 RPM and can quickly remove and unwanted material. It features unique air-cooled batteries that can go right in the charger without any cooldown time like many other brands, and each battery charge can last more than five hours. The battery pack swivels a full 360 degrees so that you can move it out of the way or better balance the tool. The quick lock tool makes changing grinding disks quick and painless, while the fast brake wheel provides safety for you and your project.
Since the Metabo 613074620 often comes in a kit with a charger and two batteries, it is extremely expensive and will easily cost more than most of the other brands on this list.
- 4 ½ inch grinding disc
- 9000 RPM
- Long battery life
- Air-cooled batteries
- Swiveling battery pack
- Quick-lock nut
- Fast brake wheel
- Expensive
- You May Like: The best 7-inch angle grinders – Our Reviews!
4. Bosch GWS18V-45 Angle Grinder
The Bosch GWS18V-45 Angle Grinder features a design for longer tool life. It’s durable and well-balanced. A two-position handle with vibration control makes it very comfortable to hold, and a battery charge lasts a long time. The motor can reach up to 10,000 RPM, and a burst-resistant wheel guard helps protect you from any jams. The tool-free nut makes changing wheels fast and easy.
The main downside to the Bosch GWS18V-45 is that the guard is challenging to install and to use properly. It took us several tries before we got it to work correctly. Also, like most of these cordless grinders, the battery and charger are not included.
- Designed for a longer tool life
- 10,000 RPM
- Two-position vibration control handle
- Tool-free
- Burst-resistant wheel guard
- Battery not included
- Hard to work guard
5. Skil AG290202 Angle Grinder
The Skil AG290202 Angle Grinder features a three-position slide handle for maximum adjustability and comfort while you work. The lock-on switch is handy, especially when doing a large job because you won’t need to keep your finger on the trigger, while the soft-start feature reduces the risk of jumping when starting the tool. A spindle lock makes it easy to change wheels, and tool-free guard adjustment makes it easy to protect yourself. The engine can reach up to 8,500 RPM under a light load.
The biggest problem we had with the Skil AG290202 was that it wasn’t very powerful and bogged down easily. The batteries get extremely hot and trip the overheat protection feature, and they wear down after not much more than about twenty minutes.
- Three-position slide handle
- Lock-on switch
- 8,500 RPM
- Spindle lock
- Tool-free guard adjustment
- Soft start
- Short battery life
- Batteries get hot
- Not very powerful
6. KIMO 7601 Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder
The KIMO 7601 Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder features a brushless motor for more power that uses less energy. Brushless motors typically run about 50% longer than standard motors, and they often reach a higher RPM. This model reaches 9,000 RPM, which is suitable for most work around the home. The ergonomic hance is coated in soft rubber that comfortable to hold and absorbs vibrations. It adjusts to two positions to fit your body style. One of the best things about this brand is that it comes with a 26-piece accessory kit that includes a battery and charger. It also comes with grinding wheels, cutting wheels, sandpaper, and more.
Despite the many positives, there are a few downsides to the KIMO 7601 as well. Ours was continuously locking up for seemingly no reason, and the battery would get concerningly hot. The batteries were also among the slowest to recharge on this list.
- Brushless motor
- Long run time
- 9000 RPM
- Ergonomic two-position grip handle
- 26 pc accessories
- Battery gets hot
- Locks up
- It takes a long time to charge
7. Milwaukee Electric Tool M18 Grinder
The Milwaukee Electric Tool GIDDS2-2473523 M18 Grinder features a brushless motor for increased torque and longer battery life. Its thin body construction is lightweight and easy to hold while you work, and the guard plate and grinding wheel attach to the machine without tools.
The downside to the Milwaukee Electric Tool is that it doesn’t come with a battery, battery charger, or even a grinding wheel to get you started. During operation, the battery dies quickly in only a few minutes, and it takes several hours to recharge. It also bogs down easily and doesn’t have a lot of power, so it’s only suitable for small jobs.
- Brushless motor
- Thin body construction
- Tool-free accessories
- Does not come with a grinding wheel
- Battery dies quickly
- Not a lot of power
- It takes a long time to recharge
See: The best angle grinders under $100
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Cordless Angle Grinder
Let’s look at some of the most important things to consider before purchasing a cordless angle grinder.
Battery
The heart of the cordless angle grinder is the battery. The Lithium-Ion battery has come a long way over the last few years and is finally ready to be taken seriously as a source of energy for a power tool. You must purchase the battery and battery charger separately in most cases, and they can be quite expensive, but if you choose a line of tools to stick with, like Makita or DeWalt, you can reuse the same batteries for your whole line of devices.
You want to stick to Lithium-ion batteries between 18 and 20 volts, and you may want to consider purchasing more than one if you have a lot of work to do; otherwise, you will run out of power quickly.
Motor
Besides the battery, the motor has also come a long way over the last several years. In particular, the brushless motor has made cordless tools much more powerful while using less energy, resulting in longer battery life. These motors create no fiction, so they run a lot cooler and generally last longer than brushed motors.
Unfortunately, brushless motors are not yet as widely used as the Lithium-ion battery, so you will need to check the packaging to see if a model your interested in has a brushless motor. We tried to let you know during our reviews if the model has a brushless motor.
RPM
You will need higher RPM to cut through harder materials like steel or concrete. If you are going to be working with these materials, you will want to use a grinder that can reach at least 9,000 RPM. Tools that produce fewer RPM can still be useful for grinding and may be able to cut softer materials like wood.
RPM are also a sign of quality, and many tools that cannot reach at least 8,000 RPM are usually too low quality for any serious workers.
Weight
A heavier tool will cause fatigue to set in much quicker than a lighter one causing your hands to get tired and cramp. It can also be harder to control and maneuver, leading to accidents. The battery can also add significant weight to the tool and can throw it off balance. Unfortunately, no one weight is right for everyone, so you will need to try out a few tools to see what is more comfortable for you.
Disk Size
The grinding disk or blade size will determine the size of the job you can complete. Smaller disks are for precision grinding, and bigger discs are for large surfaces. Most of the wheels on our list of reviews are 4 ½ inches, which is about the largest size the motor can comfortably spin. It’s big enough for most jobs around the house, and we also know a lot of pros that use these wheels regularly, but you may find larger wheels on corded grinders if you need them. We only recommend smaller wheels for detail work.
Other Features
Cordless angle grinders are not very feature-rich, but there are a few things you should try to get.
Guards
Guards are important for your safety. They keep the dust down, protect the grinding wheel, and help you work more accurately. Many guards are completely adjustable, and we recommend looking for ones that don’t require tools to make the adjustments.
Self Locking Chuck
Another feature you should look for on your cordless angle grinder is a self-locking chuck that allows for tool-free grinding wheel changes. Tool-free is much more convenient than using a key, even though many models provide a key compartment.
Adjustable Handle
Many models provide a handle that you can adjust in two or three positions. These adjustments can be helpful to get a better balance when you are working at hard to reach angles. We find ourselves adjusting it all the time while we grind and cut. It’s not something you only set once.
Conclusion
When purchasing a cordless angle grinder, we recommend picking up at least one extra battery to have as a backup. Two spare batteries are probably better because grinding can take some time. If you already have battery-powered power tools, you will probably try to get the same brand. Otherwise, we recommend our top choice. The Makita XAG04Z Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder is our pick for best cordless angle grinder. It features a brushless motor, and automatic speed change technology makes sure your only using the power you need. It also has a comfortable soft-grip handle. The CRAFTSMAN CMCG400B Angle Grinder is another great choice if you only have small jobs, and it is our pick for the best value. All tool-free adjustments and durable metal housing make it a great choice for any home.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over these reviews and found a brand you like. If we have helped you make a new addition to your workshop tools, please share this guide to the best cordless angle grinders on Facebook and Twitter.
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