Over at Lowe’s, they have a deal of the day (4/6/2022) where you can get a Bosch X-Lock angle grinder for $69.
While this seems like a good deal, Amazon has the paddle and slide switch grinders for even less, and they’re also eligible for added $50 off $200+ savings.
Bosch has three 4-1/2″ X-Lock angle grinders on sale right now – GWX10-45PE, GWX10-45DE, and GWX10-45E.
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Bosch GWX10-45PE: 4-1/2″, X-Lock, Paddle Switch
Bosch GWX10-45DE: 4-1/2″, X-Lock, Paddle Switch with No-Lock-on
Bosch GWX10-45E: 4-1/2″, X-Lock, Slide Switch
Common Features
- 10A motor
- 4-1/2″ accessory size
- X-Lock tool-free wheel and disc interface
- 11,000 no-load RPM
Note: All 3 models are corded (AC) tools, in case it wasn’t clear.
The grinders ship with a Type 1A cutting guard and auxiliary handle.
Pricing is as of the time of this posting (4/6/2022):
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- Paddle Switch: $65.85 at Amazon* | $69 at Lowe’s**
- Paddle Switch No-Lock-on: $80 at Amazon (3rd party) | $69 at Lowe’s**
- Slide Switch: $59 at Amazon*
* Eligible for $50 off $200+ promo.
** Lowe’s deal of the day for 4/6/2022.
Other dealers have the Bosch 10A 4-1/2″ X-Lock grinders at $99 right now, with some also offering the same $50 off $200+ promo.
X-Lock grinding wheels are backwards-compatible with non-X-Lock grinders. X-Lock grinders are ONLY compatible with X-Lock accessories.
PETE
snag a x-lock grinder is the HD-DVD lol
John
I prefer having multiple regular grinders with variety of wheels installed, than constantly changing wheels. I consistently use 3 different wheels when doing steel work in the shop. I will slowly get more cordless grinders for even better workflow. Xlock never interested me, higher cost on consumables for the life of the grinder.
My other favorite is the M12 angle die grinder with 2” and 3” roloc discs.
Jim Felt
Thanks. I was wondering about those small Milwaukee grinder’s usefulness.
MM
I can confirm that the M12 right-angle die grinder is excellent.
I do the same as John, I have a few grinders in the fab area and it’s easier to just grab one with the right tool already on it than it is to change them. I don’t care for X-lock as I generally buy my grinding consumables from local welding supply shops. I find the industrial brands are much better value for money than what I see at the home centers. And they don’t carry X-lock.
Bruce
This feels like buying an ink jet printer for $49 and then getting to buy $100 ink cartridges for the life of the printer.
Mike
Yeah no kidding. I’d rather have a wrench and use common wheels.
PETE
I’ve used a wrench like 5 times only- when the wheel got caught and it self tightened. Otherwise you grab it with your gloves and give it a simple spin and your on to the next wheel
MM
Exactly. The only time a wrench comes into play, for me, is for the locknuts on thin cutoff discs. Any sort of wire brush, stone, cup wheel, etc, I just grab with my welding gloves and unscrew.
But that said, I still find it much faster to work with multiple grinders than to swap discs/brushes/flapwheels, etc around.
Lumpy Idle
YES! Bruce. exactly! This is not the better mouse trap. it is the inkjet cartridge scam. i have a bunch of angle grinders and all but one was relatively inexpensive. they all have a different attachments on them and there is no fussing around swapping out fitments during the work. there is no need for x-lok AFAICT.
Jared
Would you feel different if X-lock was just as ubiquitous as the standard nut and thread?
I’m not suggesting you SHOULD convert to X-lock, just that there isn’t anything scammy about it. I think it is a better system, but having multiple grinders also does the same thing.
On the other hand, if X-lock came first no one would use a threaded spindle and nut and multiple grinders. That would be like buying multiple drills so you could leave your 1/8″ bit in one, a 3/8″ in the other and 1/2″ in a third.
MM
I can say with certainty that even if X-lock was ubiquitous I’d still have multiple grinders. Even though the X-lock swapping is fast, it’s still more of a hassle than just picking up another grinder. Sometimes when doing steel fab work I might use one tool for an hour straight with no swapping. But quite often I might swap between a cutoff disc, a flap wheel or rigid disc, and a conical stone a dozen times in 5 minutes of work. It just depends on the nature of the project. I can’t think of a situation where I would need to swap drill bit sizes that frequently. But if I did, you bet I’d have multiple drills.
Jared
Alright, I was a bit tongue-in-cheek with that comment.
I use multiple grinders too – and it’s not unusual to have at least a drill and and impact close at hand when I’m working, so the analogy is imperfect.
I maintain X-lock is an interesting concept though. There are many times I could get away with one grinder if I could swap discs faster. If I’m not in the shop, it would sure be nice on a cordless grinder.
John
Bosch’s system opens up one really interesting area which is grinders that can turn in both directions. That’s something you can’t do with a regular threaded arbor. It might seem unnecessary, but being able to turn in both directions would let you work more safely in tight spaces. Grinding safety is something that is often overlooked (see how many people take guards off) but cut-off wheels on an angle grinder can be very dangerous, and having a bidirectional grinder would make it significantly safer.
MM
@John
That’s a good point about X-lock being bidirectional. The ability to choose where your sparks and debris fly is a nice thing, that’s one of the features I like about the new 3″ multi-cutter tools that Dewalt and Milwaukee have. The ability to reverse them makes them handier than an old-school air cutoff tool.
Franck B.
Bosch X-lock 80 grit flap disc… $11 quantity 1
Cubitron = $65 pack of 10
Norton = $85 pack of 20
Since I primarily use those two brands (quality, consistency, safety, etc), using X-lock I’d have to pay more to get likely less quality (although I find Bosch accessories generally tend to be OK).
Dave Brock
can the interface be changed to use non-proprietary wheels?
Stuart
Not that I know of.
Rog
There are adapters for Starlock to universal multi tool blades, maybe someone has created similar for X-Lock
joeK
ugh. the 50 off 200 page on amazon is a total scam. just wasted a lot of time in the customer service chat. all items listed on that page are already ‘discounted’ so the promotion doesn’t apply. anyone have a better hack for finding the items that DO qualify?
Stuart
Add 3 of one type of grinder and 1 of the other to bring the order total over $200. Check cart. $50 comes off automatically. Not a “scam.”
Here’s the $50 off $200+ eligibility page: https://amzn.to/3v21o9J
I checked 10 items. All are showing up as eligible for the $50 off $200+.
If you come across ones that aren’t, ensure that Amazon is the seller and shipper. Sometimes ineligible items might make it through the filter, and although I am not seeing that here, I haven’t checked every item on the list.
joeK
thanks for the link. here’s the problem page I was coming across https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=19471440011
Stuart
How did you get there? If you searched, could be an old landing page.
Juxtapose
Eh, not really a “scam”. Probably a procedurally generated automatic discount program with rules that happen to interfere with current sales.
Nathan
So it’s being or been discontinued or is there a replacement in the wings?
Otherwise I agree with the other comments when it came out – proprietary wheels more cost. yes there is potential benefit to more torque to wheel but has that been tested out as true? I’ve not looked but I’m curious.
eitherway if you don’t go though lots of wheels the pricing might be good for someone. WHile there isn’t an adapter right now doesn’t mean one won’t exist in the future it could be done fairly well.
MFC
Death to X-Lock! Figured I’d throw something useless out there.
Kidding aside, I find I am probably the target market for this, but I’ve already got 15 different types of discs/wheels and they’re all standard. If they included a 6 piece assorted X-Lock kit as a way to get people into the system, then maybe…
Vards Uzvards
Amazon price on Bosch GWX10-45PE changes all the time. On 3/31 it was only $47, so if you want/need one, might want to check the page from time to time, to find it at a better price than today.
lumpy idle
reading through all of the comments it does really seem as though the clever folks at bosch have designed a new mouse trap merely to upsell us into consummables that are more than double the price of the best (norton) out there. clever but i suspect ill fated unless the prices come down to a reasonable level – which is precisely the opposite of what this whole marketing misadventure is designed to do. this really isn’t a must have – the car with the first automatic transmission. its more like the baby carriage with headlights. do i really need that?