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I’m always excited when I get a new power tool; I feel like a kid at Christmas. I can’t wait to take it out of the box and start working. Of course, I need to be more restrained when testing a product, but my enthusiasm stays the same.
The latest addition to my collection is the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder (available from Argos). Having previous experience with Black + Decker tools, I expected this device to be reliable. Aimed at DIYers, the set included everything I needed to start cleaning, cutting, and removing rust. But, as with all cordless power tools, how would the battery life hold up, and how quickly would it recharge? Time to find out.
Specs and features
- Battery voltage: 18v
- Battery type: Lithium Ion
- Motor: Brushless
- Max speed: 7600rpm
- Disc size: 115mm
- Weight: 3.6kg
- Guarantee: Two years
- Features: Soft grip handle, side handle, spindle lock, protective guard
- In the box: 1 x 2.0Ah Battery, 1 x Charger, 3 x 115mm cutting discs, soft bag, and a two-pin spanner
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Unboxing and first impressions
A good first impression is always positive, and straight out of the box, there was a crisp, clean, and hefty angle grinder. It felt like a sturdy piece of equipment. Accompanying the angle grinder was a handle, three cutting discs – strangely, two together and one separate in the box. These discs were all the same size –115mm x 65mm x 22.23mm – and were specifically designed for working with metal. It’s worth noting that a 115mm angle grinder sits at the smaller end of the market, making it a general all-rounder for DIYers. Larger 150mm/230mm grinders are more suitable for heavy-duty tasks.
Included was a two-pin lock-nut spanner – needed to attach and remove the cutting disc – a 2.0 Ah battery, a small, lightweight charger, and a soft carry bag. More about the battery later.
The handle was unattached but could be mounted on either the left or right side of the angle grinder, making it ideal for both right and left-handed users. Something DIYers might not spot immediately (I didn’t) is that the lock-nut spanner is neatly tucked away in the handle. A smart choice? We weren’t so sure, the spanner could have been packed separately in the box and labelled more obviously to avoid any confusion.
Once I found it, it was easy to remove, use and replace. How would I describe the spanner? Functional rather than fancy, but you can buy an adjustable angle grinder spanner – with a rubber-covered handle for extra grip and comfort – for less than a fiver. I personally have this xdg Angle Grinder Adjustable Spanner from Amazon, which does a good job.
Setting up angle grinder
There’s not a lot to do to set up the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder. Fit the side handle to your preferred side – left or right –, slip out the lock spanner, fit a cutting disc and insert the battery.
Fitting the cutting disc wasn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped. The spindle lock button needs to be fully depressed to engage (which I thought was the case the first few times, but it wasn’t), and you need to wiggle the disc to lock it. There’s a knack to fitting the disc, but it gets easier the more you do it. Locking the flange nut keeps the disc in place. This can be reversed for thinner discs.
There’s an adjustable guard that is quick and simple and move into position. A quick-release lever makes it easy to move from the default grinding position to a cutting position. Simply release the lever, move the guard and close the lever. Job done. It’s worth noting that you might need a larger guard (not supplied) if using a wire brush wheel. Once everything’s sorted, you simply need to slip in the battery and you’re ready for action.
How well did the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder work
To test the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder, we started with the three identical discs supplied. They are specifically designed for use on metal, which influenced how I initially used the angle grinder.
I began by cleaning a few rusty tools that needed a refresh, then removing old paint from a few metal posts that needed repair. All went well, and an easy-to-use locking on/off switch kicked the angle grinder into life. The grip was secure and the vibration was acceptable, but – not unexpectedly – in action, it was noisy, so you will definitely need earplugs or ear defenders (like these 3M PELTOR Optime earmuffs from Amazon).
Sparks were all part of the process, and the guard did a good job of redirecting them away from me. But, I still used googles and gloves (I’m a very sensible man nowadays, thanks to previous experiences). The supplied discs performed well. I only needed to use one to clean four or five tools and four or five metal posts, and it was still doing a good job.
The next test was removing mortar for a repointing project I’m working on and cutting ceramic floor tiles. I had to purchase suitable stone/masonry discs, which are typically thinner than metal discs. I simply flipped the fixing flange for a tight fit. The grinder powered through the tiles and mortar, no problem, but not for much longer than 20 minutes before it was time for a charge.
How was the battery life?
As with any cordless power tool, battery and charging times are a big deal, and the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder didn’t hit the heady heights we might have hoped. The angle grinder comes with a 2.0Ah Battery and a small, lightweight 1A Charger. Both are adequate for small DIY tasks, but we would have liked to see a larger-capacity battery and a faster charger. I’m sure this would increase the RRP, but it would definitely be worth it.
Straight out of the box, the battery took three hours to reach full capacity. Ideally, you want to charge overnight. Don’t worry, the charger can be left connected even after it’s fully charged. Charging times after this were less, but still took hours rather than minutes.
It has a single LED that flashes or stays on, depending on whether it’s fully charged or not. A quartet of easy-to-understand icons tell you what the LED status means. A few notable charger features we liked were charging suspension when the battery is excessively hot or cold, and diagnostics to check whether the battery is weak or damaged.
Fully charged, the battery lasts 20-30 minutes, depending on how it’s used, but it was still disappointing. Definitely consider investing in a larger-capacity battery and keep a spare on hand so you can keep a job going uninterrupted.
Final verdict
If you want to use the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder straight out of the box, you can remove rust from tools or cut through metal using the included discs. However, for other common tasks such as removing mortar, cutting tiles, or sanding and polishing, you will need to purchase discs designed for those specific jobs.
This isn’t a major issue, especially if you have lots of metalwork to tackle. But since Black + Decker supplies three discs with the grinder, I would have preferred a variety, such as a masonry-cutting disc, particularly since I was working on a repointing project.
However, my main concern was the battery and charger. They worked well when fully charged, but the charging times were lengthy and the battery life shorter than expected. An issue compounded by the lack of a spare battery. A higher capacity battery or a spare would have been a nice addition.
However, the Black & Decker 18V Brushless Angle Grinder is aimed at DIYers, not professionals, so the short working time won’t be such a big issue. But to get the most out of the angle grinder, I highly recommend investing in an extra battery like this 3.0Ah LBXR20 Li-ion Replacement for Black and Decker 18V Battery from Amazon for continuous use
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