Makita GA4530R Angle Grinder Slim 720W 240V, Multicolour, 115 mm/S

I bought this to replace a non branded Angle Grinder which had essentially worn out after a couple of years intermittent use.This Makita is so much better, feels robust but not heavy.The motor is powerful enough for grinding through Sandstone paving.The operating switch was a little tricky the first couple of times but it makes sense how it operates, ensuring it cannot be accidently pressed when not ready to start.Great value for money.

Haven't even received my order yet but I know this tool well, which is precisely the reason I chose it for my own workshop.I use an identical grinder at work. It's several years old now & aside from the odd cable replacement due to operator error (it's a shared grinder & some people go through cords for a past-time!) it's as good now as when it was new.Having used & owned dozens if not hundreds of grinders by different manufacturers over the years, I can honestly say this model has been the nicest I've ever handled.It's extremely lightweight compared to a lot of grinders & fits in the hand beautifully,I have fairly small hands but have used this model one-handed for hours on end without any cramping or discomfort.The compact body size also means it's easy to manipulate & fits into gaps / corners that most grinders cannot.On the theme of comfort, the power toggle switch is also very comfortable to use. All you need is a thumb. Bearing in mind I'm right handed... I can imagine the switch being on the wrong side of the body for left-hookers, though it's possibly just a matter of preference. For clarity the switch is on the left hand side of the grinder body.The switch does feature something of a safety toggle and is difficult to operate accidentally, though I daresay not impossible. Balancing safety with ease of use I'd say Makita have it just about right here.The standard safety handle (for 2-handed operation) is minimally designed & features no shock / vibration absorbtion, as is required in certain industry for H&S purposes - it's just a moulded, stiff plastic handle. Frankly though, if you know what you're doing with an angle grinder you'll probably consign the handle to a toolbox somewhere & never use it.The handle can be mounted on either the left or the right hand side of the grinder body. There is no mounting point on the top of the housing as with some makes / models. I don't see this as a failing & have never in 25 years in the industry found a reason to need the handle mounted in that fashion.The spindle lock is a convenient feature & on this model is very easy to use - you don't have to jump up & down on the thing to get it to engage & keeping pressure on it doesn't create any discomfort. You can hold the grinder and operate the spindle lock at the same time with one hand - an index finger is all it takes to engage the lock.Also, there's no real need to use an arbor wrench to change discs, as the hub can be sufficiently tightened by hand. The same cannot be said of some grinders. This makes changing discs extremely fast & much less fiddly.During prolonged use this model handles & distributes heat very efficiently. You get no "hot spots" on the plastic body, even after an hour or more run-time & I've never known anything to melt through extended use... ever.It's also possible to hold this grinder one-handed by the gearbox (the metal bit at the end) and not have it overheat, even if your hand / glove is blocking the air intake. Not advisable to block the intake if you can help it but this grinder can handle it for short periods, which makes it all the more useable.The only feature I'd want for on this grinder is a quick release mechanism on the disc guard. As it is this model has the older screw-tight design. Although that woks fine and is long tried & tested, there are times it's just not practical to use a grinder with the guard installed. For those times it'd be nice to be able to remove it quickly without needing a screwdriver.As for adjusting the position of the guard - if you know what you're doing there's almost never any need. Angle the guard at 10:30 / 16:30 and it can happily stay there til the end of time in most situations.As for swapping the guard for one with a quick release latch - I can't say. It may be possible, though If taking a guard from another make or model I'd expect to need to do some modifications for the thing to fit.Build quality is very possibly the best of any 115mm grinder, including many more expensive makes / models... even dare I say the Bosch GWS / PWS ranges, which many consider to be the very best on the market (I can't disagree with that). The gearbox uses hardened metal rotary bearings in place of static plastic bearings as found in the GWS. It also features a cast aluminium covering plate in place of a plastic one as seen on most makes & models.As for the motor, 720W sounds low - and for the very heavy duty jobs it's advisable to have a more powerful grinder handy (something in the 1,000W range perhaps), though with that said, if you're doing work that requires that much power you probably already have a more powerful grinder anyway.Personally I find if I'm doing a job that requires a more powerful grinder, chances are it's a job for a 230mm grinder, not a 115mm. Very rare I'll ever find the need for more power in a 115mm grinder.A 1,000W grinder for example becomes slightly too much for prolonged one-handed operation - so if 2 hands are needed anyway, may as well make the job that much faster & use a 230mm.In summary, an extremely capable / versatile / comfortable / well made / long-living little grinder & well worth the money.As a professional metalworking / welding engineer I can wholeheartedly recommend this machine to the industry pro, hobbyist and first-time owner alike.It's comfy to use, more versatile than most and very much up to most jobs. With proper care & maintenance it should last a lot of years, if not a lifetime.Price-wise, expect to pay around the £50 - £60 mark & possibly a bit more for convenience of buying locally or having it shipped. Any more than £65 and you can get it cheaper elsewhere.Be aware that some GA4530s come in plastic carry cases and some come only in a cardboard box. Double check the listing before purchase if you want the carry case. Price shouldn't be affected by more than £5 or so.Also be aware that this model is available in either 230V or 110V. Again, double check the listing before buying. Picking the wrong one is easy done if you're busy comparing several machines.100% recommend without hesitation. You won't be sorry buying this.

Great and easy to use

Robust and decent power, long lead and have no issues with it. Used for cutting, rust removal and paint removal. Cannot fault it.

I am a diy enthusiast an have gotten through a few angle grinders in my time. I use them for stone work and metal work. I have never spent this amount of money on one before, hence probably why I have got through a few! I realise £50 isn't a great amount of money but usually go for the £25 specials that come with 50 million discs. I realise I may have exaggerated a bit but you get my drift? Upon delivery of said item I was keen to get to work on a metal project I had waiting. First impressions out the box was how well made it looked and felt. I feels a premium product. I have a DeWalt Multitool and it felt every bit as good if not better than that.Upon starting to use the tool I couldn't believe how easy it was to use. It made short work of cutting the various lengths and thicknesses of metal I had, it was so different to any other grinder I had ever had. Even though I have used more powerful grinders this one just felt easier to use. Even after cutting a substantial amount of steel bar the hand cramps I would usually start feeling didn't appear. This grinder cut like a hot knife through butter. Totally recommend it. I think it will be a very long time before I need to replace it and I have no doubt I will be replacing it with the same make.

Very happy with this. I have a lot of Bosch tools, and I was going to go Bosch again for the angle grinder. However, mixed reviews and comments about the power cord being stiff and hard to bend put me off. I went for this, and I'm happy I did. It worked perfectly for the job I bought it for, and with a cutting disc, it made very light work of cutting sheet steel. I'm only a light user, so I can't comment on it's durability long term if it's used in a hard working environment. But, for me, it's great, and the price is decent. It also came with a free grinding disc in the box. I'm also happy to report that the power cable is very flexible on this, so you won't be fighting that as you try and get on with your work. My only minor complaint is that it doesn't come in a plastic case, just the cardboard box it ships in. That's a shame, as the Bosch tools I have all have nice plastic cases to keep them safe. Other than that, this was a sold purchase.

Have two of these now for out garage and work a treat! Take the abuse well and the first one we have had for 3 years now and is still working perfectly 👌

This item is a well made, quality product, from a quality and recognised brand. Easy to set up and versatile.