The 10 Best Bench Grinders of 2023. Wen bench grinder

18.05.2023 Boath 2023, bench, best, grinders

The 8 Best Bench Grinders For Sharpening And Grinding

Be it for removing rust, sharpening the blade, cutting metal or smoothing the rough edges, bench grinder is a must-have tool for professionals and DIY’ers.

They are like a spinning grindstone and available in different wheel sizes (6-inch and 8-inch) with different power ratings.

Though they are simple tools, bench grinders have to be purchased with careful consideration. With so many options, it is can be tough choice to settle down with a choice.

If you are experiencing the same, we recommend checking out the main factors mentioned here.

Wheel Size: Different bench grinders differ from each other in terms of their wheel size (diameter of the grinding wheel). A 6-inch and 8-inch are two common wheel sizes available for bench grinders, in which 6-inch is designed for DIYers to sharpen, clean, polish and repair gears and tools. 8-inch is meant for professionals for complicated grinding tasks. 8-inch is a bit expensive, yet slower than the 6-inch model.

Motor Power: The inside motor of a grinder will affect its overall performance. The higher the motor power rating, the better and faster the machine will perform.

A grinder with ½ or ¾ HP is required to perform low-intensity jobs, while a grinder with a 1 HP motor is essential to do heavy-duty projects.
A 6-inch grinder has a motor with ¼ HP (around 2.1 amps power), whereas an 8-inch grinder has ¾ HP (around 5 amps power).

Speed: It is measured in terms of revolutions per minute (RPM), which depends mainly on the motor power. For cutting hardened steel or stronger metals, you need a grinder having a faster speed wheel with 3000 RPM, while for working with wood, you will require a slow speed grinder with 1750 RPM. Choose it wisely as per your work requirement.

For more information and detail specifications, we recommend you to read our “Buying Guide”. Using the same information, we are here with a list of some top-notch bench grinders after thorough analysis. Read on to know how to choose your best bench grinder as per your requirement.

Best Bench Grinders

Bench GrinderMotor PowerWheel SizeWarrantyBuy Now

Best Bench Grinders Reviews

1.Wen Bench Grinder

WEN is known for making affordable and budget power tools of all kinds, including a bench grinder for users who are on a budget.

The WEN 4276 bench grinder is present in the 1st position in this article as it is the cheapest option present here. Although, unlike other budget bench grinder options out there, this offers various handy things to the user. As a result, you get a high value for money with this bench grinder as it is decently powerful for a lot of users with its 6-inch grinding wheel size. It also means that the overall form factor of this bench grinder is quite small and compact.

As for its electric motor, it uses a 2.1 amp electric motor that is to be expected for the given price. This motor offers a decent motor speed rating of 3450 RPM that should be more than enough for the given grinding wheel size. Even though this is a budget bench grinder, you still get a 2-year long warranty with it that is always great to have. That being said, its build quality could have been certainly better.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 2.1 amps
Grinding wheel size of 6 inch
Motor speed rating of 3450 rounder per minute
2-year long warranty
Small and compact form factor
40-watt power consumption rating
Affordable price tag with various features for a high value for money
Offers decent performance for a small and compact bench grinder
Easy to use controls for adjusting grinding wheel speed

DeWALT Bench Grinder

DeWALT is one of the oldest brands of power tools out there that is known for making powerful and heavy-duty power tools of all sorts.

DeWALT’s DW758 bench grinder is present in the 2nd position in this article as it is one of the most powerful options present in this article. This is due to the reason that it offers a highly powerful 4.2 amp electric motor for powering its grinding wheel. As a result, you get a high 3600 RPM motor speed with this grinder wheel. And it offers this along with a large 8-inch grinding wheel size.

Since DeWALT is known to be quite reputable, you also get a 3-year long warranty with this bench grinder. Its build quality ensures that you can keep using it for a long time without facing any issues. Unfortunately, this bench grinder is on the larger side and quite heavy as well. It is large because of the 12 ½ inch distance between its two grinding wheels for ergonomics and ease of use.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 4.2 amps
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
Motor speed rating of 3600 rounds per minute
3-year long warranty
Great build quality for longevity
12 ½ inch distance between two grinding wheels
One of the best performing bench grinder models
Offers easy to use controls for easily adjusting grinding wheel speeds
Powerful and efficient 4.2 amp electric motor for a proper balance

Rikon Power Tools, Bench Grinder

You can find a wide range of power tool options from Rikon that are highly durable and reliable, just like its bench grinder model.

The Rikon bench grinder is the most durable and reliable option present in this article that is much better than all other options out there. This is possible due to the fact that it offers a 5-year long warranty to the user for peace of mind. You also get an excellent build quality with it that is great for longevity. You get all of this without paying an extra premium price.

Talking about its performance, you get a large 8-inch grinding wheel in this bench grinder. This grinding wheel can easily perform at decent speeds with the help of its 3 amp electric motor. Unfortunately, this electric motor has a high power consumption that can be an issue for a lot of users out there. It’s motor speed rating is also quite low at just 1750 RPM.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 3 amps
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
Motor speed rating of 1750 rounds per minute
5-year long warranty
Excellent build quality for peace of mind
Most durable and reliable bench grinder present here
Good performing 3 amp electric motor
Small and compact design with 2 grinding wheels for high flexibility

Bucktool Bench Grinder

When compared with other bench grinders and their brands mentioned in this article, Bucktool is a much smaller brand that makes powerful models.

Bucktool’s bench grinder is one of the more premium bench grinder models out there. It uses a 60 grit and a 120 grit oxide wheel that reduces heat build-up. Both of these grinding wheels have a large size of 8 inches that is more than enough for most users out there. You also get a 3.1 amp electric motor in this bench grinder that is quite similar to the Rikon bench grinder mentioned earlier in this article.

A great thing about this bench grinder is that it has various adjustment options that ensure that you move and change things as per your needs. Unfortunately, this one is nowhere as reliable as the Rikon bench grinder. Not only is the build quality on the average side, but you only get a 1-year warranty with it. This also makes this bench grinder quite expensive when compared with similar options out there.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 3.1 amps
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
Motor speed rating of 3450 rounds per minute
1-year long warranty
Multiple adjustments for flexibility and precision usage
Small and compact form factor for ease of use
Silent and efficient ½ HP electric motor
Great performing 8-inch grinding wheels
Highly stable with case aluminum base and support structure
Only a 1-year long warranty
Build quality could have been much better
Highly expensive price tag for the given features

Jet Bench Grinder

Jet is another brand of power tools that is quite small and new in comparison to others that also make similar bench grinder options.

This Jet 578008 bench grinder can be a great pick for a lot of users out there who are looking for a highly powerful model. It offers a highly powerful 4.1 amp electric motor to the user that should be more than enough for most users out there. Just per its name, this electric motor powers a large 8-inch grinding wheel for optimum performance.

Just like most other options out there, you get a 1-year long warranty with this 1 HP electric motor. While the build quality offered by this bench grinder is quite decent, it is slightly large and bulky, and that is something that you should keep in your mind. It uses heavy-duty cast iron construction for peace of mind.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 4.1 amps
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
1 HP electric motor
2-year long warranty
Cast iron base for extra stability
Efficient and silent electric motor for silent operation
Comes with CUS and CSA safety certifications
Offers great performance from 4.1 amp electric motor
Large grinding wheel for heavy-duty applications
Easy to use bench grinder with simple control scheme and options

Delta Bench Grinder

If you are familiar with powerful and heavy-duty power tools, then you must have heard about Delta Power Tools, as it also makes a highly powerful bench grinder.

The Delta Power Tools 23-197 bench grinder is the most powerful option present in this article. This is possible due to its large-sized grinding wheel. It uses an equally powerful electric motor for power that is rated at 5 amps. Due to this, you can go up to 3400 RPM motor speed while using the 30 grit and 60 grit grinding wheels offered by this bench grinder that is more than enough even for industrial and heavy-duty usage.

Another great thing about this bench grinder is that it is highly durable and reliable. It offers an excellent build quality that means that this bench grinder can easily last for a long time. You also get a 5-year long warranty with it that is the best when compared with various other bench grinder models out there. Its inbuilt water tray allows you to use fluid coolant along with it to get proper performance without any overheating issues.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 5 amps
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
Motor speed rating of 3400 rounds per minute
5-year long warranty
Excellent build quality for longevity
Inbuilt water tray for ease of use
Best performing bench grinder present in this article
Highly durable and reliable option with a 5-year long warranty
Inbuilt shield and water tray for ease of use while using coolant

Ironton Benchtop Grinder

If you are familiar with powerful and heavy-duty power tools, then you must have heard about Ironton, which is one of the best brands manufacturing highly powerful bench grinders to tackle various tasks like grinding, sharpening, paint removal, and deburring quite easily.

The Ironton variable speed bench grinder is the most powerful option present in this article. This is possible due to its large-sized (8-inch) grinding wheel. It uses an equally powerful 3/4 HP electric motor for power that is rated at 5 amps and has a cord length of 6 feet. Due to this, you can get variable speed adjustment from 2000 RPM to 3400 RPM motor speed while using 8-inch 60-grit aluminum oxide grinding wheels offered by this bench grinder which is more than enough even for industrial and heavy-duty usage.

Another great thing about this bench grinder is that it is highly durable and reliable. It offers an excellent build quality with a cast iron base to reduce vibration, an 8-inch wire wheel for versatility, a wheel dresser, light bulb to illuminate the work area. All these will make this bench grinder last easily for a long time.

You also get a 1-year long warranty with it that is a bit less when compared with various other bench grinder models out there. Its inbuilt water tray allows you to use fluid coolant along with it to get proper performance without any overheating issues. Also, its adjustable eye shield will let operate the machine safely.

Best Features:

Powered by 3/4 HP, 5 amps 110V motor.
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
The motor speed rating of 3400 RPM
Inbuilt water tray for ease of use
Comes with a 1-year long warranty
Decent build quality for longevity
Best performing budget-friendly bench grinder
A highly durable and reliable option
Silent and efficient 3/4 HP electric motor
Highly stable with cast iron base and support structure
Inbuilt water cooling tray and wheel dresser for ease of use

Genesis Bench Grinder

At the end of this article, we have Genesis, which is another power tools brand that should be considered before buying a bench grinder.

Genesis’ GBG800L offers a decent performance when compared with other similar options out there. Just per its name, it offers a large-sized 8-inch grinding wheel to the user. This wheel is powered by a 2.1 amp electric motor. While it could have been certainly better, you cannot expect more at this given price tag.

As you would expect from any other budget offering, it comes with a 2-year long warranty. Thankfully, its build quality is quite great for the given price tag and offers decent strength. Its ½ HP electric motor is quite silent and reliable.

Best Features:

Motor power rating of 2.1 amps
Grinding wheel size of 8 inch
½ HP electric motor
2-year long warranty
Small and compact design
Decent build quality for peace of mind
Large-sized bench grinder for a budget price
Decent build quality for the price
Good performance from the 8-inch wheel and ½ HP motor

What to Consider Before Buying a Bench Grinder:

One has to choose the best bench grinder based on their type of grinding, sharpening, polishing or cleaning task. If not sure about what features to look for while shopping for a bench grinder. Here are the factors that have to be taken into account when purchasing a bench grinder.

Types:

Bench grinders are used widely to grind away rust from steel or sharpen a blade, which makes it the most essential tool in the auto-mechanic workshops, DIYers, woodworking craftsperson or others using lots of hand tools. They come in various types and a few most commonly used types are mentioned below.

Automotive –

Automotive workers (both mechanics and auto-body workers) use the bench grinder on regular basis for removing rust from bolts and nuts and for polishing chrome engine, steel, and body parts. However, a bench grinder built for the automotive industry will feature quick spinning speeds of up to 3450 RPM. Cleaning and polishing auto parts on a bench grinder will save a lot of time and effort over done manually (by hand).

Woodworking –

Usually, craftsmen and woodworkers rely on sharp hand tools like chisels and planes to create well-fitting dovetail joints and to smoothen the rough wood. Bench grinders made for woodworkers have a slower spin speed compared to the above automotive ones. Here the tempered steel in hand tools gets damaged due to high heat resulting from fast-spinning grinding wheels. Go with a grinder having a slower spin of 1725 RPM wheel to sharpen tempered tools.

Variable Speed –

Choose a variable speed bench grinder when you want to dabble both woodworking and car/auto-body repair. This grinder will let you operate the tool at its highest speed when cleaning car bolts and nuts, while still, it let you reduce the speed to sharpen hand tools like chisels. Though is a bit expensive than single-speed counterparts, yet it is worth rather than buying two separate grinders for low and high speeds.

Portable –

Generally, standard bench grinders are heavier, which weighs up to 50 pounds and they perform well when mounted to a workbench to prevent its movement. While looking to carry a grinder along with you to various worksites, then purchase a small, lighter grinder (about 10 pounds) featuring rubber feet to prevent sliding when positioned on a worktable.

Wheel Material:

The wheels are made of different types of materials that include silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, wire wheels, ceramic aluminum oxide, and buffing wheels. However, the type of material used for its construction will let you know the tool’s performance.

Mostly, bench grinder wheels (exclude buffer wire wheels) will have one of these two grits – 36 grit (for aggressive grinding) and 60-grit (for finer grinding). Let’s get into its details.

Silicon Carbide –

It is a common type of grinding wheel suitable for a wide range of grinding tasks like sharpening cast iron and lawnmower blades. With its quickly heat up nature, they may ruin the temper in high-quality woodworking tools, such as hand planes and chisels.

Aluminum Oxide –

Since they won’t heat up as faster as silicon carbide wheels, they are specially designed to grind hard metals like alloy steel or carbon steel, which we found commonly in hand tools.

Wire Wheels –

This type of wheel is made of brass and steel bristles, which makes it quite useful for faster cleanup of gunk and grease from auto valves and fittings. You can absolutely see this type of wheel mostly in a mechanic shop for automotive repairs and body work.

Ceramic Aluminum Oxide –

It is an abrasive wheel that is mainly used to grind away material from steel and other hard alloys. For instance, you can use this wheel while grinding off half of an axe head.

Buffing Wheels –

Since it is made with a variety of thick, brushed fabrics, they are meant for polishing steel or other metal items to offer a high shine. They are mostly used by auto-body workers to accomplish high shines on chrome automobile features like hubcaps while restoring a car.

Wheel Size:

Generally, these bench grinders are labeled by their wheel size, and this size is the diameter of the grinding wheel used by the bench grinder. The most common sizes are 6-inches or 8-inches in diameter. Even though both these sizes will perform in the same way, yet with small differences. Check which one suits best for your requirement.

Parameters	6-Inch Grinder	8-Inch Grinder
Best Option For	DIYers	Professional Mechanics or Woodworkers
Motor Speed	3400 – 3600 RPM	1500 – 2000 RPM
Suitable For	Grinding off grime, paint or rust, Sharpening knives tools, Sanding metal or wood, Light – moderate repairs	Automotive, Metalworking, Woodworking, and DIYs.
Price Range	65 – 175 (less expensive)	100 – 500 (or more).
Weight	10 – 25 pounds	20 – 50 Pounds
Speed Settings	Low or High Speeds	Low or High Speed
Portability	Portable tool or mount to a workbench	Must bolted to a worktable
Size	Smaller	Larger

Note – You can also find a 3-inch smaller bench grinder, which is mainly used for crafts or other detailed works.

Motor Power:

A motor is a crucial part of any power tool, including the bench grinder. It determines the device’s working and thereby affects its overall performance. Its power rating is measured in terms of horsepower (HP). However, if you pick a grinder with a larger and powerful motor, then it can spin larger wheels at high speeds and thereby make it a perfect option to use for a variety of tasks/jobs.

For low-intensity jobs, make sure to use a grinder with motor power of ½ or ¾ HP. For heavy-duty tasks, pick a grinder with a motor power of 1HP.

The motor power as per the wheel size is as follows – For 6-inch grinders should come with motors around 2.1 amps of power, which is approximately ¼ HP. While 8-inch grinders can go with motors around 5-amps of power, which is approximately 3/4 HP.

A bench grinder with 1HP motor power is considered the most powerful, yet they are used mostly in professional or industrial settings but not for DIY projects.

Motor Speed:

Though the speed of a grinder will rely on the horsepower of the motor, and it is measured in terms of revolutions per minute (RPM).

A grinder wheel with a minimum speed of 3000 RPM will spin at a faster rate that let you cut through stronger metals and hardened steel. While choosing a grinder with a speed of at least 1750 RPM (slow speed) to cut through wood, mostly softer woods.

Few models feature dual speed settings that let you choose a minimum RPM to a maximum RPM. Some models let you customize the speed within its range with its variable speed options. It is a flexible option that allows for a wide range of project applications.

Grit:

Usually, there are 3 main grit abrasive wheel sizes – 30, 60, and 100. However, the coarse 30-grit wheels are ideal for general sharpening, yet if looking for smooth and accurate output, then go with fine wheels of 60 or 100 grits.

Choose a coarser 30-grit wheel to sharpen or grind tougher materials, while going with a less coarse 60 or 100 grit grinding wheel for softer materials. So, always pick the right type of wheel as per your project requirement.

Size:

The size of the grinder will determine how powerful it is and what work it lets you do with the grinder. Small-size bench grinders are constructed for low-intensity grinding, shaping or sharpening metal. Alternatively, larger bench grinders are ideal to use for cutting, grinding, or sharpening larger tools and objects.

Ensure to check the size and form factor of the bench grinder and also go through its detailed description to know for what jobs it suits to perform well before buying. A bench grinder with a smaller grinding wheel (or single grinding wheel) is small and compact that takes less space on the bench.

Safety Features:

There is a risk factor involved in operating all power tools (not excluding bench grinders). For instance, grinding iron will create sparks and send shards of metal flying. This makes it essential to wear safety glasses while using a grinder. Usually, these bench grinders have some safety features that reduce the risk, yet they won’t eliminate the overall risk associated with their operation.

Here are some of the safety features to be followed for the safe and effective operating of grinders.

Eye Shields –

One can find these transparent plastic covers above the opening through which the grinding wheel touches the workpiece. It prevents any scraps from flying off and hurting the eyes. Upon regular usage, these eye guards get scratched or dirty, which means you have to replace them with a new one.

Spark Arrestors –

These are small steel plates that are placed between the eye guards and wheels. They are intended to avoid sparks from flying all over the workshop. There still have sparks, which means you have to keep flammables at a distance of few feet away from a bench grinder when using them. However, the spark arrestors keep the sparks from flying too far.

Dust Exhaustion –

One has to use dust exhaustion systems, ports or vents to get rid of dust and debris that forms during the grinding process and if inhaled may harm your health. Also, it maintains visibility that let you see you working with the grinder.

Cooling –

If your grinder is a wet grinding machine, which comes with built-in cooling systems to keep the machine cool. Or else, if the grinder is not a wet grinding machine, then you need to use a pot or bucket of water to dip the workpiece in it to deter the machine from overheating.

Color:

The wheel’s color will let you identify the type of job you can do with the grinder. Here are some suggestions you have to follow for doing perfect work.

Brown wheels are perfect for heavy fettling and trimming.
White ones are suitable for sharpening
Grey ones are ideal for every day grinding.
Green ones are for fine grinding and they work well with blades and drill bit or anything made from silicon carbide (like carbide tools).

Mounting:

Most of these bench grinders are directly mounted to a pedestal stand or bolted to a worktable surface. However, a model mounted on a separate stand is quite beneficial, why because it won’t take up any worktop space.

Portability:

When it comes to portability, this bench grinder won’t offer lots of flexibility and the workpiece has to be carried to it. While looking for a portable, handheld option, you have to choose an angle grinder.

Wheel RPM Rating:

The maximum RPM rating of the wheels are given on a label, and for a safe and effective operation, the RPM of the grinder should match with this value. Also, you may find a tag with a note that states the maximum operating speeds that specified on the wheel’s label should not be exceeded. However, over-speeding the grinding wheel will result in it to explode.

Durability and Warranty:

The durability and reliability of a bench grinder will ensure its longevity, and to know its durability, you have to look at its build quality. A grinder using cast iron for its base is highly stable and sturdy. Also, check the warranty duration offered by the manufacturer on their products. While most options out there come with a 1-year or 2-year warranty, some are reliable and durable options that offer a 5-year long warranty that lasts easily for a long time.

Accessories:

There are some add-on features that are specially designed to make the grinder use with ease. Here are some of the common accessories that you have to check while purchasing the grinder.

LED lights in a grinder will illuminate the work area for a clear and better vision of the workpiece and what you are working on.
Tool rests, where the operator can brace a blade or knife to keep it steady when grinding. It is a common accessory found in all bench grinders.
A water tray near the grinder’s bottom to dip a chisel (or other items) after grinding will cool it off.
Rubber feet (especially on portable models) will prevent the grinder from sliding across a worktable while operating a grinder.

How to Use a Bench Grinder?

One can easily gain expertise or skill on its usage with a bit of practice. All you need is steady hands and precision to make it use correctly. Or else, you may sharpen the tools in the wrong way or make oddly or uneven shaped workpieces. Ensure to wear proper work gear like safety goggles or gloves before starting a bench grinder.

It is essential to know the type of wheel you need to use for your task. Usually, wheels vary in coarseness levels, which makes them suitable for various applications. After determining the required wheel, you need to turn on the bench grinder and wait till it starts rotating at its maximum speed.

Then pick an item or object you are looking to grind by getting in contact with the spinning wheel. Ensure to maintain at an acute angle to the wheel – 25° or 30°. Initially, avoid pushing or bringing the object too close to the wheel. Now move the object slowly towards the wheel, so that you won’t end up overdoing it.

While grinding the metal, the grinder tends to get hot in the process, and this heat might damage the tool or object, which is quite essential for proper usage of the bench grinder. So, you have to keep a pot or bowl of water handy to stop the grinding often and dip the tool into water.

If dealing with small objects, make sure to use pliers to hold them to prevent fingers from getting close to the spinning wheel. Also, it is a bit difficult to handle small objects while wearing work gloves. So, prefer to use pliers for a better grip over those small objects/items.

While sharpening the tool’s blunt edge, the sparks will fly downwards. Alternatively, the sparks will fly upwards when the tool gets sharp enough.

Mounting Tips of a Bench Grinder:

If there is a space available on the workbench, most people like to mount a new bench grinder to keep them stable when smoothing or sharpening the parts and tools. Generally, bench grinders are heavier, which means bolting them to worktable within the holes given in their base is ideal.

Here are some tips that let you know how to mount a bench grinder properly.

Locate the bench grinder where you want to place it on the workbench.
Mark all the four base holes of the grinder on the workbench by using a pencil.
Then use a drill machine to drill through those pencil marks.
Insert bolts via its base holes, and you drilled holes in the workbench to attach the bench grinder. Finally, secure the bolts in place with provided nuts.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Ans: One should know for what a bench grinder is used before they invest in it. Even though it is not an essential tool for DIYers, yet it is a more versatile tool that can be used in various applications (beyond your thinking).

Apart from grinding down metals, they can be used to sharpen tools, polish or buff metal, cut metal or wood, remove hardened grunge or dirt from tools, remove rust, smooth shape the edges of metal or wood, and be used on craftworks like model building or jewelry making.

Ans: For a razor-sharp edge on the kitchen knives, the best to use a medium-fine 60-grit wheel.

Ans: Shaping, grinding and buffing metal is the main purpose to use this bench grinder, but you can use this power tool on wood as well. With the usage of the right wheel, you can easily use a bench grinder to cut, shape, sand, smooth, buff, or polish a wide range of wood varieties. Keep in mind that not to use a bench grinder for very softwoods. They are best to use on hard materials.

Ans: Usually, a bench grinder has two wheels to increase the tool’s versatility. Here the grinder with one grinding/sanding wheel having a light-medium grit is used for light sanding tasks, whereas the other grinding/sanding wheel having a medium-coarse grit is used for tougher grinding works.

However, there are various wheels available for these tools, of which some are specialized. You can switch to use one or both of these wheels for a coarser or finer grit, a buffing wheel for polishing, a wire wheel for cleaning or shaping metal, a cutting wheel for metal or wood cutting, specialized wheels for cutting or grinding stone and a specialized wheel for cutting gemstones.

Ans: Bench grinders are mainly used to sharpen and polish with their two wheels, in which they can be changed to do various tasks. For example, swap out a solid wheel with a metal brush/wire wheel to clear rust from tools. They are restricted to metal and has to remain fix to their surface.

Belt sanders come with two drums on which a sanding belt is stretched, and they are mostly used on softer materials like plastic. Its speed will damage the material while not used carefully. Thus, using this to sharpen the tool will cause them to overheat quickly and thereby damages the tool.

Ans: It is a must to bolt down the grinder on a worktable or bench. Or else they tend to strongly vibrate while the grinding wheel turns at a high speed. So, you have to secure the grinder with the provided bolts for its efficient working.

Ans: Angle grinders look like a lightweight sibling to these bench grinders. Yet, not powerful as bench grinders, these are portable and can hold one to make it more accurate. Due to its versatility, there are over 100 different uses of angle grinders. The single wheel is another key difference, as you need to switch wheels more frequently on angle grinders, which means it lets you cut and shape metal or remove paint from large surfaces with ease.

Ans: A bench grinder with a 6-inch diameter is designed for DIYers for multi-functional usage (like to sharpen, grind, polish and repair various gears). While an 8-inch diameter grinder is meant to use for professionals who perform complicated grinding tasks/applications.

Though the 8-inch bench grinder wheel runs slower, it needs fewer wheel changes than a 6-inch grinder, which means 8-inch require less maintenance, yet expensive than 6-inch models.

Conclusion:

Whether you want to sharpen a knife or sand down a given surface, a bench grinder is a highly powerful tool to do so. These offer highly powerful electric motors for powering their large grinding wheels without any issues.

You can learn more about the best bench grinders listed above in this article since we have even mentioned their major features and options. You can also find a detailed buying guide in there that will take you through the various important aspects and factors of such bench grinders. If you are still confused, then you can pick up a bench grinder from our recommendations:

The Delta bench grinder is the most powerful option present in this article. It comes with a highly powerful 5 amp electric motor that is more than enough for powering its 8-inch grinding wheel. You even get a 5-year long warranty with it.
But if you just want a highly reliable and durable bench grinder without paying a lot of money, then you can go with the Rikon bench grinder. Apart from offering a 5-year long warranty, you also get an excellent build quality with it that should easily last for a long time.
You can also consider the WEN 4276 bench grinder if you are on a budget as it is the cheapest option mentioned in this article. Even though it is an affordable option, you get a 2-year long warranty with its 6-inch grinding wheel that is powered by a 2.1 amp motor.

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The 10 Best Bench Grinders of 2023

Michelle Ullman is a home decor expert and product reviewer for home and garden products. She has been writing about home decor for over 10 years for publications like BobVila.com and Better Homes Gardens, among others.

Johnathan C. Brewer II is a licensed general contractor specializing in kitchen, bath remodels, and general construction with two decades of professional experience.

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

WEN 4276 6-Inch Bench Grinder

Do you have a small shop that you do occasional work in? If you do, then maybe you have decided it is time to get a bench grinder, but you find yourself asking what the best bench grinder is. Well, bench grinders can make so many task easier from making smooth edges on things to being able to repair old tools and get longer life out of them. Due to all the positive aspects of a bench grinder it is a good idea to get quality one, but if you aren’t going to use it a lot you don’t want to break the bank. That is where the WEN 4276 6 inch bench grinder really shines. It is small and affordable, but will still last a long time and has some great features which you will learn about in this bench grinder review. Check latest here

Top Features of the WEN 4276 6-Inch Bench Grinder

Staring off the WEN 4276 bench grinder is small at only 16 pounds and total dimensions of 14x10x15 inches. This means it can fit on nearly any bench without any problems. Even though it is small however it still has a solid motor in the housing. The motor in this little bench grinder is 2.1 amps which if you read more bench grinder reviews you will find is a pretty standard size for 6 inch grinders. The motor allows the wheels to spin at 3450 rpm under no load which is plenty quick enough to work on drill bits or mower blades, and even fast enough that you can remove material on wood quickly.

The WEN bench grinder comes with the standard 36 grit and 60 grit wheels and they measure six inches by three fourths inches. The arbors are a half an inch which is a good size to help keep the wheels on. The motor housing is quality metal and the cast iron base is strong to help keep the table grinder anchored solidly to your bench. Changing the wheels on this grinder isn’t a challenge either. The eye guards and housings were designed to be easily removable so you can change your wheels quickly, but they still provide maximum protection so stray material does not end up in your face.

The tool rest on the WEN 4276 Bench Grinder are adjustable which is great for making it easy to work on many different things. It helps you get the tool in the right position so you can easily grind on it without damaging it or getting tired. Another top aspect of this bench grinder is it comes with a flexible light to help make your work easier. While a light attachment isn’t an uncommon feature for bench grinders to be able to get one in this price range is a nice little bonus. While the light may not be LEDs or as nice as some others it still works well and any extra light to help you see what you are grinding on is useful light.

One question you may have though is what if I don’t have a work bench, but still want a bench grinder? Well, this particular model has a pedestal that you can buy to go with it. This is an added cost, but it can allow you to get a bench grinder without having a bench and it is also cost a lot less than a bench. Another perk of mounting the grinder to the pedestal is it makes it easy to move it around. If you work on location a lot, but still want a mobile unit, then you might want to consider going this route.

Customers Opinions on the WEN 4276 6-Inch Bench Grinder

So, reading bench grinder reviews can be helpful, especially for finding out the features of a particular bench grinder, but the most useful information is what real customers think about it. Currently this table grinder has excellent reviews over all. The star rating on Amazon is 4.3 and that is with over 300 reviews meaning that the majority like this grinder.

One of the main aspects they point out about this grinder is the price. It is one of the most affordable on the market, but still packs decent grinding abilities. You can work on mower blades, and small tools without any problems. Many people comment on easy setup is, which is really good especially if this is your first bench grinder. The motor also spins up quickly to get the wheels at full speed and the motor is quite. The fact that it is quite is nice if you work in a small garage in a subdivision or along those lines.

Also, the grinder functions well and there is not a lot of vibration. For being smaller sized and weight vibration might be a concern, but when mounted properly the cast iron base does a great job of keeping it anchored to the table. The motor housing is made well also so this bench grinder is durable and will last for years.

Some complaints on this grinder though is the wheels it comes with aren’t the best. They can be out of round which causes them to wobble, and they also don’t have the best grit surface causing a lot of heat and stress on the motor. Also, this bench grinder isn’t meant for really heavy work. Some people have complained about the motor bogging down and dying, but that could be from improper use. If used properly this bench grinder is great for the price.

Conclusion

After reading this bench grinder review you can probable see why most people put it on their list of best bench grinders. It is a great option for simple work and by buying on Amazon you get their protection on top of WEN two year warranty. If your unit is dead on arrival or breaks Amazon will help in the return process if you can’t get help from WEN. Also, buying on Amazon makes it convenient to get the grinder. So, if you need a small bench grinder for simple task and aren’t looking to break the bank, then the WEN 4276 6-Inch Bench Grinder is a great option for you. Read more here

WEN Bench Grinder Reviews: Which One to Get?

Handyman’s World is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

When it comes to bench grinders, WEN, a well-known power tool company, has worthy competitors, such as the WEN 4276 and the WEN 4280. While both of them look similar, they have distinct features, which I will review in this article.

If you are considering getting a WEN bench grinder, check out my comparison below as I point out what makes these two powerful units similar and different from each other. This will help you decide which one you should buy for your needs.

A Quick Review of the WEN Bench Grinders

These two WEN bench grinders have varying wheel sizes (6-inch and 8-inch) so they cater to different purposes. They both have work lights and other convenience features and both will be ideal for most sharpening tasks in your garage or workshop.

Before we dive into the similarities and differences between the products – and their resulting advantages and disadvantages – let’s start with a brief review of each.

WEN 4276 2.1-Amp 6-Inch Bench Grinder with Light

A small but powerful at-home bench grinder with 3,450 RPM. This lightweight model is ideal for beginners or those who are looking for a grinder simply for home repairs. It comes with a flexible work light to illuminate your work material for better accuracy, and a wheel guard removal feature to move your projects along quickly and smoothly.

This 6-inch bench grinder has a 2.1-amp motor that runs up to 3,450 RPM on its no-load speed. With its work light, you will easily see your material even in a dark garage or work area (you do need to buy a 40-watt bulb separately). Each of the 6-inch wheels has a 3/4-inch thickness and 1/2-inch arbor size.

Because of its lightweight design, at only 16 pounds, it is a decent choice for beginners or those who only want to use them for home repairs. Since the light is flexible, it is easy to position your material for accuracy.

The 36-grit and 60-grit wheels are supported by a heavy-duty base for stability while the eye guards will protect the operator during the sharpening process. If you already have a cast iron stand compatible with this bench grinder, it is easy to set up and will make your job fuss-free. I like that it has a pair of adjustable tool rests for your material.

WEN 4280 5-Amp 8-Inch Bench Grinder with Light

A heavy-duty, variable speed bench grinder. Great for working on larger materials, this unit can handle your typical home and garden tool sharpening, while it’s slower speed function and higher grit is applicable for knives, chisels and other delicate tools. It comes with a flexible work light to illuminate your work material for better accuracy, and a wheel guard removal feature to move your projects along quickly and smoothly.

As an 8-inch bench grinder, WEN 4280 is equipped with a variable-speed feature that lets it switch between 2,000 and 3,400 RPM. This makes it ideal for both slow-speed operations, such as with woodworking chisels and low-grit sharpenings, such as with lawnmower blades and metalwork. Like the 6-inch model, it also has a flexible work light that you can bend for ease of accuracy.

It has a cast iron base that makes it sturdy and less likely to tip over. What’s more, this one has an 80-grit and a 36-grit, making it ideal for removing material from sensitive tools. With its 5-amp motor and its 1-inch-thick grinding wheel, it will cater to larger objects that need to be sharpened.

over, this unit weighs 41 pounds, measures 17 x 18.1 x 13 inches, and has a 5/8-inch arbor size. I also like that it has a wheel guard removal mechanism for quick changing of discs depending on your needs.

WEN 4276 vs. WEN 4280: Similarities

As both bench grinders are from the same manufacturer, it makes sense that both of them have major similarities. Let’s have a look at some of them:

Work Light

A bendable light is included with these two bench grinders – a feature that provides better accuracy for the user. It is a convenient plus point for both WEN bench grinders because you don’t need to add a work light to your desk, reducing the footprint on your table.

By having a work light in your grinding area, it will assist in avoiding accidents and also help attain the right sharpness that you want to achieve for your material of choice. Garages and workshops are often dim (and sometimes gloomy!) so having a work light to guide you will help save errors and keep you and your material safe from harm.

Wheel Guard Removal

Having a wheel guard removal feature on both bench grinders will help to speed up your task at hand. This is especially useful when you are trying to meet a deadline and you want a safe way to remove the wheels to replace with a different grit or brand.

Warranty Policy

Both of these WEN bench grinders are backed by a 2-year warranty, as long as they have not been misused or repaired by someone else. They can be taken to any WEN factory for repairs without charge to the purchaser.

WEN 4276 vs. WEN 4280: Differences

Although they are both from WEN, these two models have distinct differences, which we will discuss below:

No-load Speeds

While the WEN 2476 has a speed of 3,450 RPM which is fixed, the WEN 4280 has a variable-speed feature between 2,000 and 3,400 RPM. This makes the WEN 4280 more ideal for delicate steel such as knives and woodworking chisels.

Choosing the appropriate speed for your needs is important because it can make or break your material in question. High speeds are okay for lawn mower blades, metalwork, and the like. However, for sensitive materials such as knives, you need slower speeds to avoid burns. Consider what material or tool you want to sharpen before getting a bench grinder.

Arbor Size

While the WEN 4276 has a 1/2-inch arbor size, the WEN 4280 has a 5/8-inch one instead. This is a likely case due to their difference in wheel size.

Wheel Size

Although I’m sure I already gave it away in the intro, these two WEN bench grinders differ mainly in their wheel sizes. The WEN 4276 has 6-inch grinding wheels while the WEN 4280 sports 8-inch wheels.

The 6-inch and 8-inch wheels have different applications. For instance, smaller objects are okay for 6-inch wheels but they usually have a faster speed and are ideal for high-speed removal of material. For finer sharpening that will not burn the material, a slower speed is needed and it is often seen in 8-inch units. over, bench grinders with 8-inch wheels will cater to bigger objects easier.

60-grit vs. 80-grit

While the WEN 4276 has a 60-grit and a 36-grit in its set of wheels, the WEN 4280 has an 80-grit instead of a 60-grit, making it finer in terms of sharpening capability. This means it is more applicable for knives and very sharp and delicate tools.

That said, the wheels can easily be bought later on and exchanged.

Which of the WEN Bench Grinders Should You Get?

I’d also recommend the WEN 4280 if you prefer to sharpen different kinds of metals and if you also want to use them for knives and woodworking chisels, which require slower speeds and a higher grit. If you will only use a bench grinder for general sharpening of gardening tools such as lawnmower blades then the WEN 4276 is already sufficient.

Summary

In the long run, you should decide which WEN bench grinder you want to get. The most important factor to consider is that it fits your needs since not everyone works under the same conditions or works to sharpen the same sets of materials.

I hope that this guide helped you somehow in choosing which bench grinder will work for you. Both of them are worthy competitors but their features make them ideal for different situations.