DEWALT 20-Volt MAX XR Lithium-Ion Cordless Brushless 4-1/2 in. Paddle Switch Small Angle Grinder REVIEW! (DCG413B)

Tool Review Zone got to put the Dewalt 20 Volt Max Brushless 4-1/2 small angle grinder (Model # DCG413B) to the test this week, and we were really happy with what we seen. See below for more…

Provided by the Home Depot Prospective Program

The 20-Volt MAX XR Angle Grinder was a fun tool to review. We put it up against some really heavy metal to see how well it would not only grind, but cut as well. The blades we used during these tests were the Diablo 4-1/2 Metal Cutting and Grinding wheels.  

First we did some cutting. We set up three railroad spike, and an old-school, heavy duty tow hitch. Each cut we made was through solid steel that was a little more than 1” thick, and wow were we impressed.

The first items that we cut through were the railroad spikes. They were intimidating at first, but we fired the grinder up and started cutting. The blade stated tearing through the spike like a hot knife through…. Well you know. It was fast! The 9,000 RPM was really impressive, and literally sliced completely through the steel in less than 8 seconds. I was actually taken back a bit as I did not expect it to cut so quickly.

Next we moved onto the tow hitch. Now when I say this sing was heavy, I don’t mean heavy like wow this weighs a few pound. No, I’m talking heavy like back in the day, American Made, solid steel heavy. The tow was off of an older model truck and had been sitting in the back for years, so I grabbed it and went to town. I started up the grinder and off I went,

sparks a fly’en and looking like the 4^th of July. I thought for sure that this hitch would me too much for the smaller grinder to handle, but I was wrong. It cut clean through a solid 4’ piece of steel like it wasn’t even there. Needless to say, I was happy

Features 

   

Now we already know it has power, but what else does this grinder offer the user? It has brake, E-Clutch System, and Kickback Brake. The brake quickly brings the wheel to a stop in two seconds or less when the trigger is released. The E-Clutch System automatically shuts down the motor when a wheel pinch in detected. These two features working together to shut the tool down without user interaction, called the Kickback Brake. Additionally, the grinder features a One-Touch Guard, which allows for single-action adjustments to change guard position.

• Brushless motor requires no brush changes
• Brake stops wheel in 2 seconds or less on average
• Kickback brake engages when a pinch, stall, or bind-up event is sensed and the electronic brake engages with maximum force to quickly stop the wheel, reduce the movement of the grinder and shut the grinder off
• Anti-wobble hitch pin
• 2-stage trigger requires 2 actions to activate tool
• Ideal for metal grinding and cutting
• Ideal for cutting bricks/pavers and concrete

Build Quality

The grinder feels light, and conforms nicely to the hand. It’s also really light at only 4.1 lbs, and balanced very well, even with the battery. I also really liked the rubber over mold that Dewalt uses as it is slip resistant, and textured in a way that will allow you to keep a firm grip on the grinder

As for wheel change, its rather simple to do, but you will need to use the provided wrench to tighten loosen the arbor. They also placed a lock button on the top of the using to prevent the disk from turning while replacing it. I do wish that there was an on-board storage holder for the wrench, but it’s not a deal breaker. I also really liked how easy it was to adjust the guard. You simply push a small lever/pin and turn the guard in the direction you want the sparks to go. It’s quick and effortless.  

As for battery life, it’s hard to give a precise estimate because of the different variables such as pressure applied, speed of the disk, material etc. but I can say that I was cutting and grinding for over 45 minutes and still had two bars on the 4Ah battery.  

At the end of the day, this is a solid, well-built grinder that is portable, easy to use and powerful enough to get any job done, and we definitely recommend.