Customer Reviews

Makita BGA452 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 4-1/2-Inch Cut-Off/Angle Grinder Kit

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good CORDLESS Grinder. I emphasize CORDLESS because as we all know a cordless tool rarely has the power of a corded tool. In most cases the convenience of being cordless outweighs the loss of power. In this case it totally depends on your intended use. Cutting thick metal is slower and you can't push very hard or it shuts down. For me the few times I have to cut something especially away from an outlet, going slower and taking a few more minutes is still better than dragging out an extension cord or generator like I did in the past. But if you are cutting thicker pieces of metal (Rebar like another reviewer mentioned) and a lot of it I don't think this is the answer for you. I work outside and do a lot of miscellaneous metal work and grinding is just one small part, so this works great for me to remove some rust before painting or clean some metal before welding.

I believe Makita made it as powerful as they possibly could, unfortunately it needs all the juice you can get it. I have to use a new/freshly charged battery or it will not stay running even under no load.

So if you use a grinder remotely and not for heavy use this is a 4 or 5-star product. If you need something for frequent/heavy use this would be a disappointment.

Bought this to cut rebar and not have to carry a torch. I had been using a 110v grinder plugged into a car inverter and pulling the cord around was a pain. Number 6 rebar with a 110v grinder cut through in about two minutes. With this at least 4 minutes and after about 5 cuts it needs a recharge. Also, overload light comes on all the time. It would be ok for light duty, but it is not a 'real' grinder. Guess I need to get a torch after all (cuts #6 in 30 seconds). It is expensive as convenience tool. Don't expect it to work hard all day.

I really like this tool. As a cordless tool it performs well but it's not equivalent to a corded tool.

Makita put in a nice feature. There is a red light to indicate when you are bogging the tool down. If you press any harder the motor stops to prevent damaging the battery. Most people using power tools push too hard and wear out their blades early and waste the battery. If you see the red light just slow down a bit.

The battery will provide 15 - 20 minutes of continuous cutting or grinding then it's on the charger for 30 minutes. With two batteries you can work for 30 minutes continuously then wait for 15 for the first battery to finish charging. I recommend purchasing an additional battery or two to get full duty out.

The price of the tool with the charger and case is a bit high. If you already have the Makita 18V tools then this is a great addition but as a stand alone tool I'd recommend just getting the corded version for ~$80.

I have this tool and a larger set along with two additional batteries. So I have a total of 6 LXT batteries. With this setup I can work as long as I like.

We just finished our review of this grinder and it is very nice. As the other user noted that he was having problem cutting through rebar, we cut through it with no problems. He is right, if you are cutting all day, you might want to go with a corded version. We also cut some concrete and it didn't bog down. Overall a very nice grinder.