Customer Reviews

Makita 9557PB 4-1/2-Inch Angle Grinder with Paddle Switch

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This paddle switch grinder is a step up from the cheap ones you will find at places like Home Depot. It has enough power and is easy to use. Our company goes through a lot of grinders, as we work on concrete only where they take a beating and suffer under the conditions. This grinder is better than most, while affordably priced. The metal case is cool, too.

On a side note, DO NOT buy any equipment here from "CPO Makita", as they are nothing but a bunch of crooked re-sellers pushing defective equipment that they refuse to return or replace. Buyer beware - they stole from me with no remorse whatsoever, and they managed to keep my feedback off the web page, thus this oddly placed warning! Please be careful. I've never had a problem with items purchased directly from Amazon!

Works great. The paddle switch is very nice and allows you to have a firm grip on the grinder before you fire it up. Excellent tool. Great price.

1yr update

Worked great for a year. Now the gears are slipping and the the grinding wheel does not turn. I was hoping to get more use out of it. I thought Makita's had better longevity.

Certainly not worthy of 5 stars. Maybe 3 stars.

Amazon shipped quickly. The grinder is a comfortable size and weight. The paddle switch is easy to use and is a nice safety feature. I've used it now for 2 jobs but it suddenly died on the 2nd job - after no more than 30 minutes total combined use. I used it when it arrived to cut cabinet openings into Hardieboard (concrete board), a 20 minute job. I used it again two weeks later to cut three 18 in square concrete pavers in half. After 5-10 minutes use, it just stopped working while I cutting the 3rd paver. I now have to send it to a factory service center and I hope they replace it with a new one without a hassle.

12/5/08
I had this repaired under warranty. I was told by the factory-approved service ctr that the problem was a broken wire. No further problems since it's been serviced.

Easy to grip - extended use is easy to do with the smaller size - these were requested by my shop personnel

I sold tools for a living in my recent past. The Makita grinders were the ones that got returned for repair the least. There are a few good grinders out there, they all cost more than the "one job junk" that some people are happy to have. I learned from my customers that Makita, with it's venting system to keep grit out of the motor, will outlast most any of them. The masonry contractors especially insisted on Makita; and these guys would wear out three or four a year, per man !
I like Bosch and Milwaukee too, but every one of these companies has a tool where they really got it right. I aim to wear out my Makita grinder doing the stuff I enjoy !
It works great, and that's what I demand.
Hank

I have only used this tool on one job so far. As an industrial metal worker I've been exposed to many different brands of grinders. This preformed better than expected. I wanted a good quality grinder for home use. It wont get used very often, so I couldn't justify spending $200 on the top model grinder. The paddle switch is a nice safety feature.

So far I am extremely happy with this purchase. Only time will tell, but I expect it to last for years.

I have owned several angle grinders and I believe this one to be the best one yet.I love the paddle switch and the way it handles.I have used it to sharpen lawnmower blades, cut angle iron and grind large bolt heads off.Bought from Amazon shipping was very fast packaging in good shape. I would recommend this product to anyone.

I ordered this grinder for my brother in law for his birthday. It worked just fine like basically any other grinder. I bought a Makita because a name I thought would last. The grinder came with a one year warranty. After 8 months of very light use, my nephew is 15 years old and welds some things for his lawnmower, the main gear wore out. The warranty service line was helpful but when we took it in the local authorized repair center refused service saying it wasn't covered because it falls under abuse. We called Makita and they said to send it to their factory service center because they have greater leniency. Well a couple of weeks after sending it in I got a call with the same song and dance, it's not covered but we'll fix it for $33. After arguing for a while they did repair it but I ask you, if it fails within the warranty period isn't that either a defect in material or a defect in workmanship? All said and done the grinder works fine but is likely to break on you with any significant use.

For the price of a home-use, store-brand grinder I got this Makita instead, and am very pleased with it. It's what you expect from Makita, but at a discount price. I'm going to get much more use out of it than I paid for, that's for sure.

The grinder side handle would not fit into either side. I had to use a tap to clean out the threads before the handles would fit. The semi-circular protector over the wheel had to be bent with a pair of pliers to be installed. It will not hold a metal cutting wheel without getting a spacer to put on the shaft. The nut will not tighten far enough to hold it. The switch is very good, good safety feature. It has plenty of power and light weight feel.