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The Spruce / Lecia Landis
If you work with metal, including auto repair, owning a bench grinder—which smooths and shapes rough edges, polishes and sharpens metal, and removes rust, paint, and other finishes—may be worth your while.
Deane Biermeier, a licensed carpenter and contractor, as well as a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board, says, "Bench grinders are surprisingly versatile tools. Once you own one, you’ll wonder how you made it this far without it. However, most DIYers don’t need to spend a fortune on a bench grinder for it to be useful. Unless you depend on the tool to make a living, most homeowners won’t require one that’s larger than 1/2 to 3/4 horsepower. The secret that makes bench grinders so useful is the numerous and varied types of wheels and attachments available."
We evaluated bench grinders based on power, versatility, reliability, construction quality, and overall performance.
Best Overall
DEWALT DW756 6-Inch Bench Grinder
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Amazon
Heavy-duty construction and performance
Reasonable price
No built-in worklight
A few complaints of wobble
The reasonable price and superior construction make this tool our best overall pick. The DEWALT DW756 6-Inch Bench Grinder is a great option for amateur handypeople as well as tradespeople who need a machine that can do some heavy lifting. Available in the classic DEWALT yellow, this grinder will look great on just about anyone’s tool bench. It has pre-drilled holes, so you can easily mount it to your bench to reduce vibrations. Use this versatile bench grinder to smooth down metal edges, sharpen lawnmower blades, grind away rust or grime from auto parts, sharpen knives and chisels, or even smooth or buff wood.
The DEWALT DW756 grinder is easy to use and reasonably quiet. This 15-inch long machine sports a 5/8-horsepower motor, which is quite a bit in this small body. It can run up to 3,450 rpm for high-speed needs. The motor housing and base are made of industrial cast iron, while the tool rests are aluminum. There’s 12.5 inches between the wheels for a less-cluttered feel, and the wheels have exhaust ports in the rear of their guards to prevent overheating. This grinder comes with eye shields, spark deflectors, and 36- and 60-grit grinding wheels. The whole thing weighs just over 28 pounds and includes a three-year warranty.
Price at time of publish: $100
Wheel Size: 6 inch | Power: ⅝ horsepower | Max. RPMs: 3,450 | Included Wheels: 36-grit, 60-grit | Worklight: No
Best Budget
WEN 4276 6-Inch Bench Grinder
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Amazon
Built-in worklight
Reasonably compact and quiet
Not for heavy-duty projects
Popular, simple, and inexpensive, the WEN 4276 6-Inch Bench Grinder is a great value pick. The WEN grinder is an ideal high-speed option for anyone who is looking for a quiet and compact bench grinder than can get the work done. It sports a 2.1 amp motor for a maximum speed of 3,450 rpm. It can fit grinding wheels that are 6 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch wide. It has extra-large eye shield and major wheel guards for added safety and worry-free use.
The WEN 4276 comes with both a 60-grit and 36-grit grinding wheel for general purpose and faster grinding, but it can be outfitted with a variety of wheels. It also sports a flexible worklight for convenient and precision work at any time. The machine is easy to mount with a wide and sturdy base, and WEN sells an optional cast iron stand for non-bench usage. This is a great choice for anyone who just needs a bench grinder occasionally for simple tasks like sharpening knives and tools, smoothing rough edges on metal or wood, or cleaning away rust or paint from metal items.
Price at time of publish: $75
Wheel Size: 6 inch | Power: 2.1 amp | Max. RPMs: 3,450 | Included Wheels: 36-grit, 60-grit | Worklight: Yes
Best for Sharpening Blades
WEN BG4270T 10-Inch Wet/Dry Sharpening System
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Amazon
Effective system for sharpening blades
Fairly quiet
A few complaints of wobble
Keep knives, axes, chisels, woodcarving tools, scissors, screwdrivers, and any other object that needs to have a clean and sharp edge in perfect condition with this highly effective sharpening system from WEN. The tool has a 10-inch, 220-grit wet sharpening stone on one side and an 8-inch by 1 1/8-inch leather stropping wheel on the other. The 1.6-amp motor keeps things spinning at a maximum of 115 rpm, which is speedy enough to get the job done with good control. You can reverse the direction of the spin with a flick of the switch as well, which can make various sharpening tasks easier.
The sharpening system comes with an angle guide, honing compound, water reservoir, and jig for sharpening chisels and planer blades. It has a handle for transport, or it can be mounted to your benchtop. You can also use the sharpening system with many other accessories from WEN, including their sharpening kit.
Price at time of publish: $141
Wheel Size: 10 inch | Power: 1.6 amps | Max. RPMs: 115 | Included Wheels: 220-grit, leather | Worklight: No
Best Professional
Jet 578008 8-Inch Industrial Bench Grinder
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Amazon
Super-powerful
Sturdy cast iron construction
Expensive
The Jet 578008 8-Inch Industrial Bench Grinder offers one full horsepower for your grinding needs; that's a lot of power. This grinder sports a heavy-duty motor and is CSA and CUS certified. It is ideal for small business owners, contractors, construction use, and tradesmen keeping their tools in sharp shape, as well as those who do auto repair or other metalwork. While more than what the average DIYer requires, this is worth a look if you need a bench grinder for heavy-duty tasks.
This 44-pound electric bench grinder functions at 3,600 rpm for real speed. It is set up with 115-volt, 11-amp, 60-hertz service but comes with a guide for rewiring for 5.5-amp 230-volt use. This machine is powerful enough for professional needs and durable enough for a professional setting, with full wheel dressings, a single dust chute, large sealed bearings, and adjustable safety shields. It also has a toggle switch safety key for added protection. This 8-inch grinder comes with one fine and one coarse grinding wheel.
Price at time of publish: $469
Wheel Size: 8 inch | Power: 1 horsepower | Max. RPMs: 3,600 | Included Wheels: 36-grit, 60-grit | Worklight: No
Best Combo Tool
Bucktool Combo Belt Sander/Bench Grinder
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Amazon
Two tools in one
Sanding belt can be used horizontally or vertically
Best for light-to-moderate sanding or grinding tasks, not heavy-duty projects
Combine a bench grinder and a belt sander, and you get this versatile tool from Bucktool Combo. It has a 1/3-horsepower motor, which gives it plenty of muscle for typical grinding/sanding tasks, such as sharpening blades, smoothing out metal or wood, or buffing away rust or paint. With a 6-inch, 60-grit grinding wheel on one side and a 2-inch by 42-inch sanding belt that can be used in either a vertical or horizontal position on the other, this is a great two-in-one addition to your workshop. There are a LED light and an eye guard over the grinding wheel, which spins at 3,450 rpm. The sanding belt has a top speed of 4,480 feet-per-minute and comes with two small work platforms: one cast iron for working with metal, and one aluminum for working on wood.
The base of the tool is cast iron with rubber feet to help reduce vibrations. All in all, while not a tool for a professional, if you're in the market for essential tools for DIY jobs, this is a worthwhile investment.
Price at time of publish: $276
Wheel Size: 6 inch | Power: 1/3 horsepower | Max. RPMs: 3,450 | Included Wheels: 60-grit wheel, sanding belt | Worklight: Yes
Best for Crafters
Central Machinery 3-Inch Bench Grinder with Flex Shaft
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Amazon
Flexible shaft for detail work
Variable speed up to 10,000 rpm
Only for small tasks and crafting
Some people, especially crafters, need a bench grinder not to tackle large tools or pieces of metal, but to polish, grind, or clean small items, such as metal jewelry, trim, or small hand tools. For those users, the Central Machinery 3-Inch Bench Grinder with Flex Shaft fits the bill.
This mini bench grinder has a 31-inch flexible shaft that accepts a variety of attachments—including most Dremel attachments—for use in grinding, polishing, deburring, cleaning, and sanding metal, including nuts and bolts, small automotive parts, jewelry, knives, small gardening tools, and other detailed metalwork.
Although small, this bench grinder has a reasonable amount of power, and variable speed control up to a whopping 10,000 rpm. It includes a 3-inch grinder stone and a 1/8-inch shaft-mount grinder stone. It’s a great addition to any crafter’s or metalworker’s workshop.
Price at time of publish: $64
Wheel Size: 3 inch | Power: 1.3 amps | Max. RPMs: 10,000 | Included Wheels: Grinding wheel, flex shaft with grinding stone | Worklight: No
Best Buffer
Powertec BF600 6-Inch Bench Buffer
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Amazon
Very effective
Good power
A few complaints that the included wheels aren't the best quality
If your hobby, job, or household tasks require you to do a lot of buffing or polishing of metal, then adding the Powertec BF600 6-Inch Bench Buffer to your workshop will make your life easier. This powerful tool isn't for grinding down metal, but rather for smoothing, polishing, or buffing various materials, including aluminum and chrome and also plastics or even wood. You can use it to polish silver or copper, get jewelry sparkling, buff up serving pieces, or sharpen blades, just for a start. It has a 1/2-horsepower motor that keeps the two 6-inch wheels spinning at 3,450 rpm. The cast iron base keeps the tool steady, so excessive vibration won't be a problem.
The tool includes two 6-inch cotton buffing wheels, one soft and one firm. While not as powerful as some other grinders, it definitely has enough oomph to quickly polish or buff away grunge, rust, and other undesirable coatings to bring back the shine and sparkle to your metal, plastic, or wooden items. It's reasonably quiet, as well.
Price at time of publish: $89
Wheel Size: 6 inch | Power: 1.5 HP | Max. RPMs: 3,450 | Included Wheels: soft and firm buffing wheels | Worklight: No
Best for DIYers
Skil BI9502-00 8-Inch Benchtop Grinder
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Amazon
Water tray
Easy to set up
Good power
A few complaints that the eye guards don't easily adjust
If you are a DIY metalworker, or just like to sharpen your own blades and keep your tools in good condition, then you'll appreciate the Skil BI9502-00 8-Inch Benchtop Grinder. It can handle just about any typical DIY task, including smoothing down welds and rivets, removing rust from gardening tools, sharpening your knives, or bringing a chisel back to life. The tool has a powerful 3-amp motor with 3,450 rpm. The tool rests are adjustable, so you can position whatever you’re working on just how you need it. The base of the grinder is pre-drilled to make it easy to mount on your workbench; this helps prevent vibrations.
Two 8-inch wheels are included: one coarse and one medium, so you can tackle a wide variety of materials. There’s a built-in work light positioned over each wheel, which makes it easy to see your progress as you work, whether you’re sharpening a blade, polishing metal, or honing a knife. There's even a built-in water-cooling tray to prevent excess heat and friction.
Price at time of publish: $149
Wheel Size: 8 inch | Power: 3 amps | Max. RPMs: 3,450 | Included Wheels: 36-grit, 60-grit | Worklight: Yes
Best Slow Speed
WEN 4286 8-Inch Slow Speed Bench Grinder
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Amazon
Excellent for sharpening tools
Reasonably quiet
Not for heavy-duty grinding tasks
While higher speeds are perfect for grinding and deburring, a bench grinder with a lower speed is best suited to sharpening. So if your main needs are keeping knives, scissors, gardening tools, and other bladed devices honed and ready to cut, the WEN 4286 8-Inch Slow Speed Bench Grinder is a great choice.
The tool has plenty of power, with a whisper-quiet 3-amp motor. Top speed is 1,750 rpm, which gives you much more control than is typically found with faster bench grinders. Eye guards are mounted over each of the 8-inch wheels, but as with any power tool—and especially a tool that creates a lot of fine, flying dust and particles, such as a bench grinder—additional eye protection is mandatory.
This WEN bench grinder includes two 8 x 1-inch wheels: one fine 120-grit for detail work, and one medium 60-grit for general buffing, sanding, and polishing.
Price at time of publish: $142
Wheel Size: 8 inch | Power: 3.0 amps | Max. RPMs: 1,750 | Included Wheels: 120-grit, 60-grit wheel | Worklight: No
Best Variable Speed
Delta Power Tools 23-197 8-Inch Variable Speed Bench Grinder
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Amazon
Powerful performance
Water tray to reduce heat
Some complaints of wobble
Most bench grinders have just one maximum speed, but a variable speed bench grinder offers you more control; go with the slow speed for careful sharpening of axes, gardening tools, knives, and other bladed tools, or speed it up to deburr, polish, grind, or clean your various tools or other metal objects.
The Delta Power Tools 23-197 8-Inch Variable Speed Bench Grinder gives you the control you need and the features you want. The 5-amp motor lets you choose variable speeds from 2,000 to 3,400 rpm. The two tool rests are independently adjustable, and the left tool rest has a drill bit rest so you can get the perfect angle every time. There’s even a removable water tray, so you can easily keep whatever metal object you are working on from overheating due to friction. Plus, this bench grinder has an adjustable work light to help you focus on your task.
You get two 8-inch grinding wheels: one 36-grit and one 60-grit, so you can choose the appropriate wheel for your needs.
Price at time of publish: $227
Wheel Size: 8 inch | Power: 5.0 amps | Max. RPMs: 3,400 | Included Wheels: 36-grit, 60-grit wheel | Worklight: Yes
Easy to use, a compact size, and 5/8-HP that provides effective high-speed grinding: that’s why the DEWALT DW756 6-Inch Bench Grinder wins our top spot for a tool suited to both the beginner or more experienced DIYer. But if you need professional-level power, you’ll appreciate the full 1-HP provided by the Jet 578008, which is durable and versatile enough for use in a commercial shop or at home.
What to Look for in a Bench Grinder
Wheel Size
There are two common sizes of bench grinders: 6-inch and 8-inch. That number refers to the size of the grinding wheel. You’ll also find smaller bench grinders—3 inches is fairly common—that are used primarily for crafts or other detailed work.
For the average DIYer, a 6-inch bench grinder is the right choice. These tools typically spin the grinding wheels at a set speed of anywhere from 3,400 to 3,600 revolutions per minute, and they are excellent for sharpening knives and tools, grinding away rust, paint, or grime, sanding metal and wood, and other light-to-moderate repairs around the house or garage.
Eight-inch bench grinders are standard in automotive, woodworking, or metalworking shops, but some DIYers like them for home use, as well, particularly if they do a lot of work with metal. The wheels typically spin more slowly on these larger grinders—around 1,500 to 2,000 is a common range. Some have both a high and a low speed setting, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs—slower for more control, faster when you don’t need as much finesse.
Wheel Type
Most bench grinders come with two installed wheels, and usually, those wheels will have different grits and be different types. Commonly, one wheel will have a grit size between 80 and 120 for handling light grinding tasks, and the other will be either a medium grit of 30 to 60 or a coarse grit of 20 to 24 for more aggressive work.
The most common wheel materials are:
- Silicon carbide: This common material is suitable for most grinding and sharpening tasks, but tends to heat up very quickly.
- Aluminum oxide: Another common material that’s especially suited to sharpening and grinding hard metals. Aluminum oxide doesn’t heat up as quickly as silicon carbide.
- Ceramic aluminum oxide: Excellent for a wide range of metals, ceramic aluminum oxide is long lasting, self-sharpening and not prone to overheating.
- Wire: These wheels are covered in steel or brass wire filaments. They’re used mostly for automotive repairs and bodywork, but if you do a lot of work with metal, this might be a useful choice.
- Buffing: These heavy cloth wheels are perfect for polishing, buffing, or shining up a wide variety of metals.
Power
You’ll find that some manufacturers state the power of their bench grinders in amps, while others use horsepower. As a general rule, 6-inch grinders have motors with around 2.1 amps of power—that’s around 1/4-horsepower. Most 8-inch grinders have around 5 amps of power, which is roughly 3/4 horsepower.
The most powerful bench grinders boast 1-horsepower motors, but these are generally used in industrial or professional settings, not for typical DIY projects.
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What is a bench grinder used for?
While not a must-have tool for every DIYer, a bench grinder is more versatile than you might think. Along with its major use of grinding down metal, you can also use a bench grinder to sharpen tools, buff or polish metal, remove hardened dirt or other grunge from tools, cut metal or wood, remove rust, smooth and shape the edges of wood or metal, and even work on crafts such as jewelry-making, model-building, or reviving rusted metal items.
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Why does a bench grinder have two wheels?
Just about every bench grinder has two wheels, which serves to increase the versatility of the tool. Typically, bench grinders come with one sanding/grinding wheel with a light-to-medium grit for light sanding tasks and one sanding/grinding wheel with a medium-to-coarse grit for tougher grinding situations. But there are many wheels available for these tools, some quite specialized. You can swap out one or both of the wheels for a finer or coarser grit, a wire wheel for shaping or cleaning metal, a buffing wheel for polishing, a cutting wheel for wood or metal, specialized wheels for grinding or cutting stone, or even a specialized wheel for cutting gemstones.
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Can a bench grinder be used on wood?
While grinding, shaping, and buffing metal are the primary uses of a bench grinder, you absolutely can use these tools on wood, as well. With the right wheel, your bench grinder can sand, cut, shape, buff, smooth, or polish a wide variety of woods. Typically, however, you won’t want to use a bench grinder for very soft woods; these tools are best used on hard materials.
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Can you buff with a bench grinder?
Yes. Most bench grinders come with multiple wheels that correspond to different tasks. Take time to consider the task at hand, and select the correct wheel for the job.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. For this roundup, she considered dozens of bench grinders, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and customer feedback. Deane Biermeier, a licensed carpenter and contractor as well as a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board, provided further information.
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