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We have reviewed our top 10 choices below and also done in-depth reviews by brands, but if you are in a rush:
Here’s our top choice: Metabo DS 200 8-Inch Bench Grinder (Click for Price on Amazon)
With the right tools, you can make whatever you damn well please. And for me, one of my top tools is the good ‘ol bench grinder.
You may find that you prefer a smaller, more compact model than a larger one designed for professionals, but whatever the case, you don’t want to miss our Best Bench Grinder Review below.
If you aren’t already familiar with these bad boys, bench grinders usually feature two spindles with a motor in the center that you can use for grinding off rust, adding a smooth finish to an item or even sharpening your own tools.
The top bench grinder is the Metabo DS 200 8-Inch Bench Grinder. With a larger arbor and a motor that produces 3,570 revolutions per minute, it will help with all the projects you have in mind.
Best Bench Grinders On The Market [2019]
How to Choose the Perfect Bench Grinder
Motor
Always look at both the motor speed and the revolutions per minute produced by the motor. Some manufacturers make bench grinders with a 1/2-horsepower or ¾-horsepower motor, and you may find some with a full one-horsepower motor. You want an RPM rating of at least 3,5000 too.
Guard Type
The guard on a bench grinder actually covers the grinders on the tool. This guard will protect your hands from the spinning grinder, but it should also come off or move easily when you need to adjust the settings on each one.
Anti-Vibration Features
Anti-vibration features are important because these features will keep the vibrations produced by the motor from making your own hands shake, which can lead to mistakes in your work. These features may include cast-iron feet that keep the grinder stable or wheels made from the same material that move more smoothly.
Spark Protection
Many bench grinders now come with protection against the sparks produced when the grinder touches metal or another material. Some feature guards that keep those sparks closer to the grinder and further from your face. Other manufacturers will give you safety goggles that you can wear while grinding.
Warranty
A good bench grinder warranty will cover both the motor and the grinders as well as any other built-in parts. You generally want to buy from a manufacturer that gives you a warranty that will last for at least one year.
Build-in Lighting
A feature found on some newer bench grinders is a built-in light or some type of lighting fixture. This simple light will come on with a touch of a button and let you illuminate your work area for more effective grinding.
Price
You can easily pick up a durable bench grinder that will help with all your projects for well under $500. We highly recommend spending in the $200 to $300 range and avoiding bench grinders under $100.
The 10 Top Rated Bench Grinders
1. Metabo DS 200 8-Inch Bench Grinder
The best bench grinder that we found is this DS 200 8-Inch Bench Grinder from Metabo, which has a one-inch arbor and a motor with an RPM of up to 3,570. We think this model is so great because it does not require a lot of maintenance like other bench grinders do and because it has a motor that produces less vibrations and less sounds to help you work at any point of the day or night. Though it comes with two grinding wheels, it also has a bayonet lock for more easily changing those wheels.
Each wheel has a die-cast aluminum cover that both keeps the wheels in the right spot but also keep any sparks produced from reaching you. Bright colors used on the power buttons, which you can see on the durable base, let you turn the grinder on and instantly turn it off at the end of a project.
PROS
- Durable and great for industrial use
- die cast aluminum covers
- bayonet lock
CONS
- normal grinding wheels does not fit the adapter
- concerns with the power buttons
- vibration issues
2. JET 577102 JBG-8A 8-Inch Bench Grinder
Though this JET 577102 JBG-8A 8-Inch Bench Grinder might look a little outdated when compared to modern bench grinders, it has all the features you need for polishing, grinding and sharpening. Clear eye shields sit on top of each wheel and let you get closer to those wheels while still protecting your eyes, and dust vents on the back force the debris produced by grinding to the back of the grinder. Each wheel also has guards made from cast iron.
A one-horsepower motor produces an RPM of up to 3,450, and once you flip the switch to the on setting, the motor responds and comes up to speed quickly. JET gives you a two-year warranty and two separate grinding wheels that include one finer wheel for polishing and sanding and one coarser wheel for grinding and sharpening.
PROS
- ball bearings are protected and enclosed
- fast adjustable guards
- pre-lubricated
CONS
- screws need to be regularly checked
- vibration concerns
3. Craftsman 9-21154 Variable Speed 6-Inch Grinding Center
If you trust the name Craftsman and the experiences that you had with the brand in the past, you can invest in the 9-21154 Variable Speed 6-Inch Grinding Center for your workshop. A switch on the top of the built-in light lets you turn that light on to see the grinding wheels and other items better, and tool rests let you rest your own tools near the wheels for improved grinding and sharpening. The base found on this bench grinder is larger and provides more stability while also reducing the vibrations that you feel as the motor runs.
Wide eye shields let you get closer to each wheel as you use the tool without sparks flying into your eyes. Craftsman made this bench grinder to accommodate a 1/5-horsepower motor that produces between 2,000 and 3,400 RPMs based on load size.
PROS
- great covering for eye shield
- spark guards are top notch
CONS
- average finishing wheels
- no guide arm for a sanding disc
4. Craftsman Professional Variable Speed 8″ Bench Grinder
This Craftsman Professional Variable Speed 8″ Bench Grinder actually comes with two different wheels that you can use for various applications. Its standard grinding wheel is suitable for sharpening tools and grinder metal objects, but its wire wheel is perfect for polishing and adding a nice finish to objects. Like the previous Craftsman bench grinder, it comes with its own work light that you can flip on and off via switch on the top of the light.
The eight-inch grinding wheel is suitable for most projects, and Craftsman gives you a one-year warranty from the date of your purchase. A guard on each wheel keeps sparks out of your eyes, but each wheel also has a clear eye shield that helps you get closer to both wheels to grind objects and materials without sparks flying off and reaching your body or face.
PROS
- integrated wiring and grinding wheels
- incandescent work light
CONS
- vibration issues
5. Eastwood 1/2HP 8″ Combination Bench Grinder & Belt Sander
The Eastwood 1/2HP 8″ Combination Bench Grinder & Belt Sander comes with a built-in coolant tray that actually cools down the motor to keep it from overheating. This combo set features a standard bench grinder wheel on one side and a belt sander on the opposite side that you can use for almost any woodworking project. The cast-iron base has mounting holes for more easily mounting that base to a bench or table, and the cast iron does a good job of absorbing all the vibrations produced by the motor.
A helpful work light sits in the center of the grinder and has a flexible neck for changing the direction or the angle of the light for better viewing. Eastwood gives you a number of accessories that you can use with this grinder too, including tools you can use to clean out stuck on debris.
PROS
- combination of sander and grinder
- belt can be vertically set up
CONS
- fixed speed
- small tool rest
6. Delta Power Tools 23-197 8-Inch Variable Speed Bench Grinder
A built-in work light, which sits on top and features a simple power switch, makes this Delta Power Tools 23-197 8-Inch Variable Speed Bench Grinder great for working on projects at night and when you have less light available. The variable speed motor adjusts based on what you need to grind and can produce an RPM of 2,000 up to a maximum of 3,400. Those variable speeds help you sharpen, grind, polish and even buff.
Capable of use with grit wheels, this bench grinder has guards that protect your body but come off easily for installing new wheels for sharpening and other applications. Built-in tool rests take some of the pressure off each grinding wheel and help you more easily adjust the angle at which your object touches the wheels, which can help you get the smoother finish you want.
PROS
- variable speed control (2000 to 3400 RPM)
- safety shields with thumb screws
- induction type motor
- sturdy machine
CONS
- wobbling concerns
- vibration issues
7. Porter-Cable PCB575BG 8″ Variable Speed Grinder with Work Lamp
The work light on this PCB575BG 8″ Variable Speed Grinder from Porter-Cable helps you keep a good view of any project, and its variable speed motor lets you tackle more projects. This motor can produce a lower RPM of just 2,000 up to a maximum of 3,400, and you can actually adjust that speed as you use the grinder with different materials. Built-in tool rests near each grinding wheel have grooves that let you rest drill bits and other tools inside for better grinding.
A removable water tray allows you to use water when polishing and sanding to get a better and smoother finish on almost anything. It also comes with a cast-iron base that significantly cuts back on motor vibrations, and this base comes with pre-drilled holes that you can use for mounting the grinder onto any bench.
PROS
- variable speed (2000 to 3400 RPM)
- cast iron base
CONS
- issues with work light stability
8. RIKON Power Tools 80-805 8″ Slow Speed Bench Grinder
A 1/2-horsepower motor that produces more than 1,700 RPMs makes this RIKON Power Tools 80-805 8” Slow Speed Bench Grinder a more practical choice for those who never used a bench grinder before. Though it moves at a relatively fast speed, this bench grinder has a unique design that actually reduces the amount of heat produced by the motor to keep it from overloading or overheating. Rubber feet placed on the cast-iron base absorbs most of the vibrations that the motor produces to keep your hands stable.
You’ll get two different grinding wheels with this bench grinder, and each one has a different amount of grit on the surface for both grinding and sharpening. Supports inside allow both grinding wheels to operate independently or at the same time without the grinder wobbling or moving as you use it.
PROS
- adjustable safety shield
- well-balanced
CONS
- questions with tool rest stability
- underpowered
9. DEWALT DW758 8-Inch Bench Grinder
Though DEWALK makes some of the best power tools out there, this DW758 8-Inch Bench Grinder landed near the bottom of our list because it doesn’t get the best reviews and because it doesn’t come loaded with the same features found on other bench grinders. It does come with overload protection though that extends the life of the motor and forces that motor to shut down as it approaches an overload. As with similar DEWALT tools, this bench grinder features guards that you can adjust without any special tools.
A base and motor housing made from cast iron cut down on vibrations, and a 3/4-horsepower motor produces 3,600 RPMs. This bench grinder increases the distance between the grinders for use with larger materials. It also comes with rear ports that keep any debris produced away from your skin and eyes.
PROS
- safety overload protection
- excellent for industrial use
- dependable tool rests
CONS
- movement of grinding wheel
- vibration
10. Sunex 5002A Bench Grinder with Light
The best bench grinder that we found for those on a budget is this Sunex 5002A Bench Grinder with Light that costs less than the other bench grinders we found but still comes with some nice features. One grinding wheel has a coarser 36 grit that can sand and grind down materials faster, and the second wheel has a 60 grit surface that is better suited for lighter sanding. The base uses cast iron for more stability and comes with both rubber feet that absorb vibrations and holes for mounting the grinder to your bench.
A work light located on this bench grinder has a flexible neck that you can move and adjust to direct the light where you need it. To protect your face and body, Sunex added an eye shield and a spark guard to each grinding wheel.
PROS
- two grinding wheels
- cast iron base
- safety eye shields
CONS
- no exhaust ports
- no mounting hardware
Our Best Bench Grinder Review Winner
The die-cast aluminum covers on both grinding wheels help the Metabo DS 200 8-Inch Bench Grinder stand out from other grinders in our review. It has a bayonet lock on the protective covers that keeps those covers locked but comes off quickly for changing out the grinding discs. You’ll also get safety goggles that protect your eyes from the sparks produced by the machine.
Though the motor has an RPM rating of 3,570, Metabo guarantees that the motor will run quietly to help you focus on your work without those noises getting in your way. That motor does not require routine maintenance like others either.