A bench grinder is a benchtop tool, mostly electric-powered, which rotates abrasive wheels at very high speed to sharpen your dull tools.
This type of grinder is especially recommended for its ability to handle a wide range of tools that specialized grinders can’t. You can sharpen tools, deburr them, remove rust from tools, shape, and even clean different objects.
You can get a 6-inch or 8-inch grinder depending on the projects you require it for. For home and DIY projects, a 6-inch grinder is enough. Professionals may prefer 8-inch ones for their industrial application.
To learn what grinder to get for your grinding needs and budget, dive into our top 10 bench grinder reviews and buying guide.
In this post:
- 10 Best Bench Grinders – Review
- 1. WEN 4276 – Best Budget Bench Grinder
- 2. DeWalt DW758 – Most Advanced Bench Grinder
- 3. JET 577102 – Best 8-inch Bench Grinder
- 4. Rikon 80-805 – Best Light-duty Bench Grinder
- 5. Black & Decker BG1500BD – Best 6-inch Bench Grinder
- 6. Porter-Cable PCB575BG – Best Variable-Speed Bench Grinder
- 7. Sunex Tools 5001A – Best Lightweight Bench Grinder
- 8. Metabo DS 200 – Most Powerful Bench Grinder
- 9. DeWalt DW756 – Easy-to-Use Bench Grinder
- 10. Delta 23-196 – Powerful 6-inch Bench Grinder
- How to Buy the Best Bench Grinder
- Conclusion
10 Best Bench Grinders – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. WEN 4276 (Best Budget) |
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 | 2. DeWalt DW758 (Most Advanced) |
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 | 3. Jet 577102 (Best 8-inch) |
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 | 4. Rikon 80-805 (Best Light-Duty) |
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 | 5. Black & Decker BG1500BD (Best 6-inch) |
| |
 | 6. Porter-Cable PCB575BG (Best Variable-Speed) |
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 | 7. Sunex Tools 5001A (Best Lightweight) |
| |
 | 8. Metabo DS 200 (Most Powerful) |
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 | 9. DeWalt DW756 (Easy-to-Use) |
| |
 | 10. Delta 23-196 (Powerful 6-inch Design) |
|
PRODUCT |
|---|
1. WEN 4276 (Best Budget)
|
2. DeWalt DW758 (Most Advanced)
|
3. Jet 577102 (Best 8-inch Design)
|
4. Rikon 80-805 (Best Light-Duty)
|
5. Black & Decker BG1500BD (Best 6-inch Design)
|
6. Porter-Cable PCB575BG (Best Variable-Speed)
|
7. Sunex Tools 5001A (Best Lightweight)
|
8. Metabo DS 200 (Most Powerful)
|
9. DeWalt DW756 (Easy-to-Use)
|
10. Delta 23-196 (Powerful 6-inch Design)
|
1. WEN 4276 – Best Budget Bench Grinder
Photo: WEN
- Power: 2.1 ampere, 120 volts
- Wheel Diameter: 6 inches
- Speed: 3,450 RPM
WEN 4276 is the best budget bench grinder on our list. It packs some impressive features for its low and affordable price.
This model has a powerful 2.1-ampere, 120-volt motor, which is ideal for grinding and sharpening projects. You can use it to sharpen garden tools, mower blades, and knives.
With this model, you are getting two 6-inch grinding wheels. They have both 36-grit and 60-grit sizes, respectively, to accommodate different materials.
They may be smaller than the 8-inch ones on bigger models, but are still adequate for a wide range of grinding applications.
For ease of setting up, this bench grinder weighs less than 16 pounds. It also comes with a heavy duty-base to reduce wobbling while ensuring safe mounting.
Another useful feature that is missing in many other more-expensive rival products is an illuminating work light. This light is flexible and bright to provide illumination for the workspace, thus ensuring accurate sharpening.
Although WEN 4276 is the best budget bench grinder, it is ideal for home use and does not have as much power of large wheels as heavy-duty models.
Pros:
- Affordable and feature-packed grinder
- Powerful motor for home grinding and sharpening projects
- 6-inch grinding wheels for diverse use
- Work light to illuminate working space
Cons:
- Not suitable for heavy-duty grinding
2. DeWalt DW758 – Most Advanced Bench Grinder
Photo: DeWalt
- Power: 3/4 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 8 inches
- Speed: 3,600 RPM
DeWalt DW758 is the most advanced bench grinder we have reviewed. It combines superior power, advanced protective and durability features.
This grinder has a powerful 3/4 horsepower motor, which rotates the grinding wheels at 3,600 RPM. This is the fastest speed of all the grinders on our list.
It also comes with 2 large 8-inch grinding wheels of 30-grit and 60-grit. Their large diameter is ideal for heavy-duty grinding tasks, and for extending the wheels’ life.
Durability is key consideration by this tool. It comes with overload protection to maximize the life of your motor. It also comes with a rugged cast iron base and motor housing for durability and extended grinder life.
For safety, it is equipped with tool-free adjustable guards to protect you from metal shavings and sparks.
This grinder comes with a 3-year limited warranty, a year more than that of many other models on our list.
Although DeWalt DW758 is the most advanced grinder on our list, it is very heavy at 39 pounds in weight. Portability of this grinder can prove challenging.
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Pros:
- Powerful and fast motor
- Large grinding wheels for heavy-duty tasks
- Motor overload protection for extended grinder life
- Adjustable guards for operator protection
Cons:
- Very heavy grinder
3. JET 577102 – Best 8-inch Bench Grinder
Photo: JET
- Power: 1 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 8 inches
- Speed: 3,450 RPM
JET 577102 is the best 8-inch bench grinder on our list because it combines a powerful motor, large grinding wheels, and impressive motor speeds, all in one tool.
The bench grinder has a 1-horsepower motor, which is the second most powerful of all the models we have reviewed. The power turn two grinding wheels at the speed of 3,450 RPM. The two features combine to create a fast, high-performance bench grinder.
You get to large 8-inch wheels with this grinder. They are the largest of their kind. The wheels are 36-grit, and 60-grit, respectively, to accommodate a wide range of materials.
For your protection, the grinder comes with 1-piece quick adjusting spark guards, and large eye shields which allow for quick adjustment. A dust vent is also included to channel metallic dust away from you.
Stability is a key focus of this tool. It comes with rubber mounts to prevent vibration, and adjustable tool rests for optimal positioning. This grinder comes with a 2-year limited warranty to ensure a confident and risk-free purchase.
Although JET 577102 is the best 8-inch bench grinder on our list, it’s also the most expensive. This premium price may lock out budget buyer from enjoying the superior features of this tool. However, if the price is not an issue, this grinder is a worthy buy.
Pros:
- Powerful motor for heavy-duty grinding
- Large grinding wheels for durability
- Impressive safety and projection system
- Vibration reduction for stability
Cons:
- Very expensive
4. Rikon 80-805 – Best Light-duty Bench Grinder
Photo: Rikon
- Power: 1/2 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 8 inches
- Speed: 1,750 RPM
Rikon 80-805 is the best light-duty bench grinder on our list. It packs just enough power to get you through basic home grinding projects.
It comes with a 1/2-horsepower motor, which may be considerably smaller than many other models we have reviewed, but still powerful enough to meet the demands of carvers, carpenters, turners, and other crafts people who mainly work with hand tools.
The grinder channels its power to two massive 8-inch grinding wheels. One is a 60-grit, while the other is a 120-grit wheel. They both accommodate a vast range of materials.
To ensure stability and sturdiness, the grinder has a cast iron base with anti-vibration rubber feet for minimizing vibrations during operation. You are assured of fast and precise grinding.
For your safety, the grinder has adjustable safety eye shields, and spark resistors to protect you while working with this powerful tool. You can also use it to grind drill bits using the groove included in its design.
Although Rikon 80-805 is the best light-duty bench grinder, which runs on a slow-speed motor, we did note that it is highly-priced. Its price makes other brands more appealing especially for budget users. However, it is justified given the excellent quality of features that come with this model.
Pros:
- Moderate-power motor for basic grinding
- Large 8-inch grinding wheels
- Firm base and rubber feet for stability and vibration reduction
- Safety features for protection during grinder operation
Cons:
- Pricey for a light-duty tool
5. Black & Decker BG1500BD – Best 6-inch Bench Grinder
Photo: Black & Decker
- Power: 1.8 ampere, 120 volts
- Wheel Diameter: 6 inches
- Speed: 3,450 RPM
Black & Decker BG1500BD the best 6-inch bench grinder on our list because it is both very powerful, and fast for this category of grinders.
The grinder has a powerful 1.8-ampere, 120-volt motor, which rotates its wheels at the speed of 3,450 RPM. It is designed for sharpening and grinding tasks. It is ideal for sharpening knives, mower blades, garden tool, and many others.
Furthermore, it comes with two 6-inch grinding wheels connected to the motor using a 1/2-inch arbor.
Compared to other models, this grinder can be considered lightweight as it weighs less than 15 pounds. It is thus more portable than the heavier models. It comes with 2 mounting holes for easy mounting on a workbench.
Although Black & Decker BG1500BD is the best 6-inch bench grinder on our list, it is not ideal for heavy-duty professional uses such as polishing, buffing, and grinding specialized tools. However, it is an excellent grinder for home use.
Pros:
- Powerful electric motor
- High RPM motor
- Two grinding wheels with different grits
- Lightweight and portable compared to other models
Cons:
- Not ideal for heavy-duty professional use
6. Porter-Cable PCB575BG – Best Variable-Speed Bench Grinder
Photo: Porter-Cable
- Power: 3/4 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 8 inches
- Speed: 2,000-3,400 RPM
Porter-Cable PCB575BG is the best variable-speed bench grinder on our list. Variable speed grinders are useful for professionals who work with a range of tools in woodworking and other projects.
It comes with a powerful 3/4 horsepower motor, which has a variable speed of 2,000-3,400 RPM. This feature allows professional to use the grinder on a wide range of tools. You can use low RPM to polish or buff metals, and high RPMs for sharpening chisels or other tools.
You get two large 8-inch 36-grit and 60-grit wheels for heavy-duty sharpening, polishing, and grinding. For your safety, the wheels are shielded by two spark guards and two eye shields.
To achieve professional and accurate results while using the tool, it comes with a 40-watt work light that illuminates your workspace and projects. The lamp is the goose-neck kind for flexibility.
Although Porter-Cable PCB575BG is the best variable-speed grinder, it is very heavy at about 36 pounds. It may work best for you only if you mount it, otherwise it may pose portability challenges.
Pros:
- Powerful 3/4 horsepower motor
- Variable speed to accommodate a wide range of tools
- Spark guards and eye shield for protection
- Has a bright work lamp for workspace illumination
Cons:
- Very heavy with low portability
7. Sunex Tools 5001A – Best Lightweight Bench Grinder
Photo: Sunex Tools
- Power: 3/4 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 6 inches
- Speed: 3,450 RPM
Sunex Tools 5001A is the most lightweight bench grinder on our list. It weighs only 13 pounds, making the grinder significantly lighter than many other models in the market.
The light weight of this grinder makes it very portable and can be useful if you have some offsite work that requires you to carry the tool.
It runs on a powerful 3/4 horsepower motor with a speed of 3,450 RPM. This power is ideal for all your light-duty projects.
The grinder comes with two large mounting holes on its base for easy installation on a bench or any other desired workspace.
A 40-watt goose-neck work lamp is attached to the grinder to provide the best illumination for your projects.
Although Sunex Tools 5001A is a lightweight bench grinder, it is not suitable for heavy-duty and commercial projects.
Pros:
- Lightweight and compact for portability
- Powerful and fast motor
- Easy to mount
- Comes with lamp to illuminate the workbench
Cons:
- Not suitable for heavy-duty grinding
8. Metabo DS 200 – Most Powerful Bench Grinder
Photo: Metabo
- Power: 1.25 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 8 inches
- Speed: 3,570 RPM
If you’re looking for a powerful and powerful bench grinder, Metabo DS 200 is the tool for you. It is the most powerful and one of the fastest bench grinders on our list.
This model packs a 1.25 horsepower motor, which channels all its power to a wheel rotating at 3,570 RPM. This combination makes the bench grinder a high-performance tool, which can be used for commercial and heavy-duty grinding.
It comes with a massive 8-inch grinding wheel, which is durable and reliable, ensuring that the grinder serves you for years without needing replacements.
Since this grinder is designed for industrial applications, it has a superior induction motor, which minimizes noise, vibrations, and is maintenance-free. You are not only guaranteed of precision grinding, but the tool saves you a lot of money in maintenance costs.
Safety and protection are major priorities for this tool. It comes with die-cast aluminum protective covers over the wheel. These covers also have bayonet locks, which allow for quick and simple disc changes.
Although Metabo DS 200 is the most powerful bench grinder on our list, it commands a premium price for all the excellent features it has to offer. If budget is not a limitation for you, this tool will be worth every dollar you pay for it.
Pros:
- Powerful motor for industrial use
- High RPM for fast grinding
- Low noise and vibration
- Protective covers for safety and easy disk changes
Cons:
- Premium price
- Very heavy
9. DeWalt DW756 – Easy-to-Use Bench Grinder
Photo: DeWalt
- Power: 5/8 horsepower
- Wheel Diameter: 6 inches
- Speed: 3,450 RPM
DeWalt DW756 is a powerful grinder, which excels in its ease of use. It is a straightforward tool, which won’t cause any trouble or complexities when you want to use it.
It packs a powerful 5/8 horsepower, which powers two 6-inch wheels rotating at 3,450 RPM. This is one of the fastest grinders we have reviewed. It is ideal for high-speed material removal.
To ensure smooth operation, the grinder has rear exhaust ports. The tool also has a 12-1/2-inch distance between the two wheels for larger grinding applications.
This grinder simplifies accurate positioning of different grinding tasks by using precision-machined aluminum tool rests.
Although DeWalt DW756 is an easy-to-use bench grinder, we did note that tends to wobble and vibrate at maximum power, so some reinforcement may be necessary. However, it is still a high quality and high-performance grinder.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use grinder
- Powerful and faster motors
- Rear exhaust ports for smooth operation
- Aluminum tool rest for accurate positioning
Cons:
- May wobble and vibrate during operation
- Pricey
10. Delta 23-196 – Powerful 6-inch Bench Grinder
Photo: Delta
- Power: 2.5 Ampere, 120 volts
- Wheel Diameter: 6 inches (also available in an 8-inch option)
- Speed: 2,000-3,450 RPM
Delta 23-196 is a very powerful 6-inch bench grinder. It comes with an unrivaled 2.5-ampere, 120-volt motor, which packs more than enough power for all your sharpening and related projects.
The motor has a 2,000-3,450-variable speed, which favors professionals who own different types of tools with equally different grinding and sharpening requirements.
It comes with two grinding wheels which are 6 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. They are ideal for home projects such as sharpening gardening tools, and knives, among others. The wheels are 36-grit and 60-grit, respectively.
You get a long, 6-feet power cord with this grinder so that it can achieve extended reach especially if you’re using it in a workshop.
Although Delta 23-196 is a powerful 6-inch grinder, it is about 29 pounds in weight. This weight makes the grinder heavy compared to lighter models such as the Black & Decker BG1500BD. However, if you decide to mount, it will be a worthwhile investment for you.
Pros:
- Powerful electric motor
- Two powerful and efficient grinding wheels
- Variable speed for diverse applications
- Long cord to maximum reach
Cons:
- Very heavy
- No illuminating lamp
How to Buy the Best Bench Grinder
1. 6-inch or 8-inch Bench Grinder
Bench grinders tend to fall within two major categories: 6-inch, and 8-inch grinders. 6-inch wheel grinders tend to have regular speeds while 8-inch wheel ones can have low speeds.
6-inch bench grinders have their motors rotating at regular speeds. They may have motors producing power in the 2-4-ampere range, with RPM levels of around 3,400-3,600.
These grinders produce enough power to execute the most basic grinding, especially for home improvement tasks.
8-inch grinders, on the other hand, are designed for professional use. Heavy-duty grinding tasks, for instance, on an industrial scale, are best served by an 8-inch grinder.
Due to the increased size over 6-inch grinders, 8-inch ones tend to require fewer wheel changes. You will be doing less maintenance if you own such a grinder.
2. Types of wheel
Choosing the right kind of wheel for your grinder will make your work easier. The most common types of wheels include:
Straight: They are ideal for surface grinding. These wheels are the most common in bench grinders and are ideal for sharpening chisels. They also come in multiple sizes.
Cylinder: They are also known as hollow wheels. They work best with vertical or horizontal bench grinders. It’s worth noting that cylinder wheel grinder can sometimes prove to be large and heavy.
Tapered: This type of wheel is ideal for grinding gear teeth or threads. They are specialized wheels designed for use on specialized grinding tasks.
3. Speed
From the models we reviewed, bench grinders can have either constant speed or variable speed motors. You may notice that constant-speed grinders are the most common.
If you are a home or DIY users, a constant-speed drill is ideal for you because it is straightforward to the user and fixed speed will be ideal for all your domestic grinding needs.
Any grinder running a constant speed of at least 3000 RPM is more than enough for you.
Since professionals and commercial workshops may require grinders for different tasks, they are best served by variable-speed grinders.
For example, you may own a grinder with a speed of 2,000 – 3,450 RPM. You can use the lower speeds to polishing and buffing metals, while the higher speeds can be used for sharpening.
4. Weight
Weight is an important consideration when buying your bench grinders. As our reviews showed, some models we consider lightweight weigh less than 20 pounds while the heavier ones can weigh over 30 pounds.
Generally, heavier bench grinders tend to have more features than lighter ones. For example, 8-inch grinders have larger grinding wheels than 6-inch ones. Hence, an 8-inch grinder may be heavier, but the extra weight is justified by superior features.
A grinder’s weight may have an impact on its stability, and vibration-redaction capabilities. Heavier grinders tend to be more stable than lighter ones during operation. However, the lighter grinders may be easier to transport than heavier ones.
5. Extra Features
There are many extra features that come with bench grinders to add value to these tools or enhance their capacity for safe operations.
We recommend getting a grinder that prioritizes user safety with features such as adjustable spark guards for preventing sparks from meeting your body, and adjustable eye shields for preventing metal shavings from entering the eyes.
Dust vents are also important extra features, which can help channel metallic dust away from you and the grinder.
Other useful features we identified, which can transform your experience when using the tool, are the mounting hole on the device’s base. These holes are very useful when you want to mount the grinder on a bench or any other surface especially if you’re a professional who has a workshop.
Finally, for stability, rubber feet are useful features to have on your grinder for they help reduce vibration during operation.
6. Budget
There are bench grinder models available for both budget, and premium buyers. The good news is that you can get high-quality grinders for both categories of pricing.
Heavy-duty and professional grinders may be more costly because of their industrial build quality and extra features such as large grinding wheels. However, such high prices tend to be justified by the high performance of such tools.
Low-budget bench grinders also tend to be of excellent quality, especially for domestic and DIY projects. Hence, if you’re into home improvement and related projects, you can still own a decent grinder without paying a premium for it.
Conclusion
Having looked at the best bench grinder models in the market, you are well-informed to proceed with your purchase.
Remember some key factors to consider while shopping for a bench grinder. The type of grinder (6-inch or 8-inch) matters and may affect the kind of projects you want to use the tool with.
Ensure that you get a grinder with the type of wheel best suited for your projects. Other key factors are weight, speed, and how much the grinder will cost you.
Don’t hesitate to refer to our top 10 bench grinder reviews and buying guide to identify the best tool for your needs and budget.