Makita GA4542C SJSII High Power Angle Grinder, 4-1/2"

As a homeowner, crafts sort of guy, I appreciate good tools. This angle grinder is well worth the money, the full-range variable speed is excellent, and the vibration dampening spring in the drive gears really does work as advertised. The angled handle really is great, and this thing has tons of power. Sure, you can go to some discount store and buy a $39 angle grinder, but control is everything when using a tool such as this. As a firefighter I once helped treat a victim who had an angle grinder get away from him. Not pretty. With a tool that can cut through 1/4 thick steel like a coping saw through pine, don't scrimp.

As a home DIYer, who does some occasional welding, this grinder is sublime. It is smooth, extremely powerful, and very well made. I have owned several grinders from the super cheap HF orange special, to a lower end Makita. This is by far the nicest and when grinding down my bad welds or removing mill scale, this grinder doesn't flinch.

I use this grinder to wire wheel ferrous metal at a boat yard . It's very powerful and heavy while it power away material with ease it's hard to grind over head because of the weight and girth of the machine . But other then that its beast of a grinder . The variable speed dial is also really nice to have so you can dial down the power when things get sketchy . Also it's assembled in USA .

The most positive aspect of this grinder is the lack of vibration...Smoother even than some Metabo grinders which are generally considered by tradesmen as the best in the World overall...The most negative aspect of this Makita is the air inlets on the side of the tool, right where a hand would be placed...These side inlets easily allow dirt and grime from hands and gloves to easily enter the grinder...The suction at these inlets in very strong...Obviously this grime intake could result in premature failure of the motor...Anyone that has welded or been around welders realize their hands or usually gloves pick up huge amounts of oily grime off of the metals they are welding...For this grime to be directly sucked into a tools motor is not acceptable...The power aspect is OK, but not quite as powerful as comparable Metabo's...The gearbox on the Makita has more lateral movement from gear to motor which means the gearbox could wear out prematurely as compared to comparable Metabo's...Plus the Makita is overpacked with grease which makes it run hotter...This extra grease is generally used to compensate for gears with a loose tolerance...Overall, these negatives might be considered lightly by most users...In fact, had I not used Metabo grinders I would have rated this Makita a 5 and the best grinder I've used..But I have used Metabo grinders so therefore the 4 rating...kd

I am a granite and marble mason and have used the Makita grinders for years. This is the first time I have tried the super joint system 2. The only noticeable difference is the angle of the handle and the slight increase in weight. Both of these changes I see as an improvement. The added weight seems to help hold the saw straight while starting a hole. The angle of the handle is greater than 90 degrees and feels comfortable. It has plenty power to cut anything at high speed and plenty of power to polish at low speeds. I strongly endorse this product as the leader in the industry

Replaced an old Ryobi 4.5" grinder with this Makita GA4542C unit.Fantastic to have soft-start feature and variable speed control. The variable speed makes this a much more versatile tool, as well as a safer one in some cases. Recent example: it's great to have to option to run a diamond blade at 3000 rpm instead of 6000 or 7000 -- easier to control the cut, less noise, less dust overall and what dust is created is not thrown as far, and the blade runs cooler when dry-cutting.When ramped up to max RPMs this tool has plenty of power for regular metal-working tasks like rough grinding, polishing, and cutting off metal parts.

This Grinder is the best small Grinder I ever had. Its smooth and very powerful, plus the variable speed control comes very handy for different jobs.I also have the big 7" Makita for big jobs, and the GA4542C SJSII replaced my old Dewalt. Its a night and day difference to my old Grinder. Not just performance wise, its also much quieter and Makita designed the airflow, so that it does not suck in any dust. Well done, I love this machine.

Four stars due to the weight and size only. This is an excellent product. You will need the five speeds. I use for woodworking and thus far have kept on the slowest speed which seems to me more than adequate. The guard can be a pain to remove and replace as the locking mechanism just doesn't seem to be appropriately placed. Does get very warm with prolonged use.