The UK's bestBench Grinders2022 Review

One of the best-known tool makers to come from Sheffield, the heart of the British steel industry, is Record Power. Famous for their woodworking machines, the RSBG8 8” bench grinder is an ideal addition to any workshop.

Its small footprint might lead you to believe it’s not powerful. However, the big 500 Watt induction motor is just that. It can spin the pair of wheels up to 2,800 rpm in seconds and won’t be slowed down when you’re grinding or polishing.

Weighing in at 14 kg, this is a heavy bench grinder. Usually, weight works against power tools, but it really helps to keep the vibrations down during use. The chunky rubber feet work like shock absorbers to reduce vibrations even more.

What makes this one of the best bench grinders available right now is the width of the right wheel enclosure. It’s large enough to fit wide wheels, mops or other attachments and makes this a much more versatile grinder. The included 40 mm wide fine grit wheel is brilliant for sharpening jobs and should last for a long time.

The German tool brand with the red tools, Einhell have made a name for themselves since 1964 by making quality kit without the big brand price tags. The TH-BG 150 bench grinder is a good example because it’s a decent and quiet small grinder for DIYers that don’t want to break the bank.

The onboard 150 Watt motor isn’t the biggest, but it can still crank up the grinding wheels to an impressive 2,950 rpm. The pair of wheels you get are both 150 mm in diameter and 16 mm thick – one is coarse, and the other is for finer grinding work. The 12.7 mm bore is a standard size too.

There’s a pair of anti-spark shields that sit above the adjustable tool rests, so you don’t need to worry about shooting sparks all over your workshop. The power switch has a dust shield on it, and the four rubber feet help to keep vibrations down.

Axminster tools have an excellent reputation and for good reason. Their range of tools is impressive, and their customer service is legendary. The Axminster Craft range of power tools is ideal for anyone who wants quality kit without shelling out for professional-level gear.

The AC1502WSG is a wide stone bench grinder. That means it’s got a 20 mm wide coarse grinding wheel for the rough stuff, and a 40 mm wide fine white stone for sharpening up all sorts of tools and other blades. The 250 Watt motor is powerful enough to spin the wheels up to 2,950 rpm, and the 12.7 mm bore is standard size for a bench grinder.

There’s a pair of circular spark guards on top of the adjustable tool rests, and you get a flexible work light to make sure everything is nice and visible.

British tool brand Draper is a familiar sight to DIYers as well as professional tradespeople. The 05097 heavy duty bench grinder is a big and sturdy piece of kit that will make short work of any grinding job you have in front of you.

Starting with the hefty 550 Watt motor, it can spin up the 200 mm grinding wheels to 2,850 rpm. These 25 mm thick wheels are good for coarse as well as fine grinding, depending on which wheel you choose. They have a 15.8 mm bore in case you want to swap them out for buffing mops or wire wheels.

What makes this one of the best benchtop grinders is the work light on top. It sits on the end of a flexible stalk so you can position it wherever you need light the most. And seeing as it comes with a grinding stone dresser, you can keep the surfaces in top condition easily.

Producing an incredible range of inexpensive DIY tools and accessories, Silverline are an easily recognised brand today. The 263511 is a handy little bench grinder that is great for light DIY work and doesn’t cost a lot either.

Sporting a lightweight 150 Watt motor, this 5 kg bench grinder can still spin up to 2,950 rpm. There’s a pair of 16 mm wide grinding wheels to choose from, and each measures 150 mm in diameter. The slightly smaller 12 mm bore means you can swap out grinding discs for polishing mops if you like as well.

Although this isn’t the biggest or most powerful bench grinder on my list, for the money it’s a handy tool to have in your workshop. For light grinding or polishing, it’s the right tool for the job.

Budget tool heroes KATSU make some surprisingly good kit for a brand you probably haven’t heard of before. Perfect for hobbyists and small scale jobs is the KATSU SLM93 multi-function bench grinder.

Don’t mistake this bench grinder for one of the beefy 500 Watt ones on my list. This is a small grinder designed for delicate work and intricate polishing. The 150 Watt motor is more than powerful enough to spin the small 70 mm grinding wheels though. They’re driven up to an astonishing 10,000 rpm, an ideal speed for light work.

What makes this an astonishing bit of kit for hobbyists and model makers is the flexible attachment though. Using the power throw off spindle, the long flexible shaft can take different types of bit for any job. It transforms this bench grinder into a versatile tool that any hobbyist will make good use of.

British heavyweights Sealey have been in the tool game since 1978. Their BG150XWL combination bench grinder and wire wheel is a seriously handy bit of kit. If you need a wire wheel more than two different grit sanding wheels, this is the best bench grinder for you!

Starting with the motor, it’s 250 Watts, so not as powerful as some of the competition. Bear in mind though that the wheel is smaller at 150 mm, so it doesn’t need quite as much power. If you’re using the wire brush, there’s nowhere near as much friction and this little grinder will power through whatever you’re cleaning up.

I like the fact that this tool comes with a built-in wheel dresser. It sits on top of the unit for when you need it. And if that wasn’t enough, you also get a brilliant little work light on a flexible stalk. Getting a good look at what you’re working on really helps, so I’m glad to see it here.