PBo conclusion

All the cordless grinders on test performed the task of making 40 cuts through rigging wire with ease. None performed any better or any worse than the others – all were impressively good.

So, as is often the case, it’s horses for courses – it really depends what you intend to use your angle grinder for. If you do only occasional boat DIY and really want it as an emergency rigging cutter, then there’s really no need to pay any more than necessary, in which case the Erbauer fits the bill and could claim to be best on test. It’s also lighter and slightly smaller than the rest, which can have positive advantages on a boat. Its slower no-load speed didn’t make a scrap of difference in the rig-cutting test – but might if you have more sustained grinding work in mind. So, if you plan to do a lot of grinding, then any of the bigger, weightier, faster speed and more powerful machines may well be more suitable.

The Hitachi has the best rubberised handle for grip, the Makita seems slightly quieter when under no load and, along with the Bosch and Hitachi, has an LED indicator on the battery to tell you how much charge is left. They have bigger batteries for longer endurance, too.

It may simply be that your angle grinder choice is determined by the make of battery drill you have – and any other cordless tools from the same manufacturer range that use a compatible battery. That being the case, a ‘bare’ grinder that fits your existing batteries and charger will see a huge saving in price. Whichever one it is, you won’t be disappointed.