Makita 9557PBX1 4-1/2" Paddle Switch Cut-Off/Angle Grinder

I wanted to clear up the confusion as to what exactly is included. It comes with: (1) 9557PB angle grinder (1) Side Handle Grip (1) Type-27 guard (1) Type-1 guard (5) Makita Grinding Discs for steel/stainless (1) Makita Diamond Blade plus owner's manual and the case of course. The case is aluminum with zinc coated hardware and latches. They should rust in no time. I spray nuts and bolts on floor jack and other zinc hardware to not rust, but I don't want to lube up these latches - I'd never be able to open the case. Oh well - better than a cardboard box. The case has eggcrate foam on the lid and tougher rubberized foam with cut outs for the tools and individual cutouts for each disc. Great protection for fragile wheels. Another thing I like is that the lid does not fully open. It goes a little past vertical and stops preventing damage to lid after a thousand times of throwing the lid open and it hitting the floor. This is my first Makita (M*lwaukee and R*dgid fan-boy here). It's a great value and works great. It ate through a Br*nks R70 disc-lock without blinking. Its small size allowed me to maneuver behind the weirdly shaped lock (enclosed hasp) butted up against a corner and melt through the lock one-handed. I have a 7-inch R*dg*d angle grinder that has waaay more power and lethality, but simply would not have been able to complete this job due to it's size. Another testament to having the right tool for the job. In this case, smaller is better. I'll admit it doesn't have the power of the big boys, but i'm not cutting through foundation or 2" plate. I'm also not melting extension cords or flipping breakers every few minutes. The included grinding wheels can handle mild steel as well as stainless and hold up way better than the Horrible Freight discs. Included discs must be precision balanced because the tool runs so smooth with these. The brand-new grinder and small diameter probably has something to do with that. It has paddle-switch operation (dead-man's) with lock-off and it can lock-on with a push button near base of paddle. Nice feature. Overall this grinder is definitely another great addition to my toolbox and wish I had it sooner. I might buy another one. It's a great tool and I would expect nothing less than the best from an industry leader in tool manufacturing. I haven't switched teams from M*lwaukee yet, but this little gem has definitely grabbed my attention. P.S. Wear a face shield if you like your vision. Safety glasses alone won't cut it. Wear both. With gloves and long sleeves.

The Makita 9557PB Angle Grinder holds 4.5” discs, runs 7.5 amps at 11k fixed rpm and is made in China. The kit includes a case that is too small, 5 grinding wheels and 1 diamond cutting wheel (useful when you want to cut thru a material). My biggest complaint is that the angle grinder won’t fit in the case with the handle attached (see photo). A slightly larger case could have accommodated this. Be sure to get a good pair of safety glasses and always keep the wheel guard on. Hand and eye injuries are the 2 most common emergency room accidents with angle grinders. The on/off paddle requires flicking a little lock off switch that is sure to break off at some point. Hidden is the lock on switch at the back of the paddle that lets you lock the power on when doing long grinds. It only works when powered and it is finicky. Really wish Makita would use a different color or text for buttons. I just add red tape. The wrench for taking off the disc is easily lost so if you don’t have extras zip tie it to the end of your power cord. The locking nut setup in angle grinders is wonky. Always put the disc in label side facing towards the tool. Take careful notice of which way the locking nut goes. It can be flipped depending on the disc. Use gloves when using the wrench as it is common for the lock button to release and sending your knuckles into the sharp edge. I went thru several cheap Harbor Freight Angle Grinders over the years before finally buying a quality Makita Angle Grinder that should last a lot longer. Powering on you can feel the torque of 11,000 rpm as the tool will literally twist unless you are using the side grip handle (left side for left hand so right hand can control the paddle). Be safe, have fun!

I had a hard time deciding whether I needed this and as a result spent a lot of time here and at Home Depot researching this. Angle grinders are simple tools. All the major manufacturers basically offer slight variation of the same design. For 4.5" grinders you're basically choosing these things: Switch: Thumb/paddle/trigger switch, locking/non-locking Motor: Usually 7/7.5A (~3.5lbs) or 10/11A (~4.5lbs) Miscellaneous: Tool-less guard adjustment etc Price That's about it. The closest competitors that I saw were the milwaikee 6130-33 and Dewalt D28110. Both of these have locking thumb switches. I thought milwaukee's switch is too small and flimsy feeling but I like the easily adjustable guard. The Dewalt has a larger and sturdier feeling switch but is heavier for a 7 Amp grinder at 4.1lbs. This tool has what I think is the ideal switch for a grinder - paddle switch. It runs the entire length of the tool so it doesn't limit how you can hold it but means that anytime you let go the tool is going to stop. It has a small latch, positioned in the middle that must be flipped before the paddle switch turns the tool on. This becomes natural after a few uses and prevents the tool from coming on accidentally when you put it down. Thumb switches by contrast, either require you to hold the tool in a very specific way, or force you to reach for the switch to turn it off. For a hand tool this powerful that's not ideal. So far I've only used it once to help a friend with rust on his car but given Makita's solid reputation (close or equal to Dewalt/Milwaukee) I expect this tool to last for a long time. On top of that of course, it includes a great case, 5 grinding disks and the diamond cutter. All round I think this is the best angle grinder out there.

I don't have a lot of experience with grinders, but I previously had a much larger (and more powerful) 7 inch grinder and my biggest complaint about it is that it was TOO BIG. It was heavy, it was very difficult to maneuver in tight spaces and it was so powerful, that too much material was removed in almost no time. This little grinder resolves all of those issues. It is very easy to maneuver in fairly tight spaces. It is also light weight so it won't fatigue the user. It is truly a joy to use! The included accessories store nicely in the included well-built case. I love knowing that all my accessories for it, like the spindle wrench, the removable guard, and the variety of discs, are all kept in the handy case so I don't have to go looking for them every time I need to use the grinder. The quality of the tool body, power cord, spindle and spindle wrench, and grinding discs are very high and it shows that the Makita brand is proud of their product. The grinding wheel guard is a bit flimsy, made from stamped metal, but it is certainly sufficient and light weight. PRO: quality materials and craftsmanship, small, maneuverable, light weight, accessories, storage case. CON: might be too small for large concrete or tile work

The tool itself is the usual Makita quality but they seem to be slipping on the small important points. First of all, this package looks like a great deal because there's a case included. Not quite. If you take the assembled tool with handle, as shown in the photos, IT CAN'T FIT IN THE CASE. You have to remove the handle and stow it separately and then assemble it back on every time. Really? They couldn't have made the case two inches wider, to fit the assembled tool? Then there's that case again. Every slot in it is full. If you want to add a wire brush or wire cup to the case, or a couple of extra blades? You can't, there's no room at all. This is a bargain--but you'll still need to go out and buy a bigger case if you want to keep anything else in it. Or keep the tool assembled. And then there are the blade guards on the tool. You'll need a #2 Philips to swap them, and that's not included. Sure, I've got those, but why not include a cheap one to keep stowed with the tool? Or better yet, why not stamp the collet tool with a bit that could be used for this job? That would make for one less tool to find and stow, a real no-brainer. Makita, I expect much better of you! This is not "shibui" this is...shamefully unconsidered design. Then there's the matter of the tool itself. I checked with Makita-US phone support, because there's no indication of whether this tool takes 5/8" arbor wheels or also takes 7/8"arbor wheels. They said very clearly, 5/8" accessories and wheels ONLY. Nope. The manual shows that both can be used, simply by reversing the inserts. REALLY? They couldn't figure that out up front? There are so many less expensive wheels that take 7/8" blades, guys. So, nice try, but disappointing in the details. There are a lot of nice grinders out there, some need no tools to change the blades or move the guard. I thought this would be a nice PACKAGE but if that's what you're looking for, keep looking.

Typically makita is high quality and lasts. I've only used it 1 time but it seems to be very nice. I would buy again. Onky regret is it on off switch not verable speed. But the paddle is comfortable and easy to use with glove on.

Solid grinder. Well made and functions well.

$109 US before taxes April 2025 Good price, comes with a case(love that) extra disks, half or full blade guard, side handle. Great power I've used it so far to cut some concrete where the crack joints didnt quite make it all the way to the edge and for old steel plumbing pipes. worked well so far.