DeWalt 4 1/2 in. Paddle Switch Small Angle Grinder with No Lock-On

I put this DeWalt 4-1/2-in. paddle‑switch grinder through a week of weld cleanup, bolt cutting, and general steel prep in the shop. It’s a compact, straightforward corded grinder that favors control and safety over bells and whistles, and it consistently punched above what its size suggests.

Build and ergonomics

The first thing you notice is the slim body and low-profile gear case. The housing is easy to wrap a gloved hand around, and the jam‑pot (integrated) gear case keeps the nose short enough to sneak into corners and along fillets. At 4.7 lb and roughly 10-3/4 in. long, it’s light and balanced for a corded tool, which shows up on vertical work and overhead cleanup where fatigue normally creeps in.

The paddle switch is broad and well placed, with a dead‑man action that stops the wheel as soon as you release it. There’s no lock‑on, which I appreciate for safety around pinch points and cutoffs, though you do trade some convenience on long, uninterrupted grinding sessions. The two-position side handle threads in securely on either side. I did miss a top (90°) handle position for edge grinding, but the compact head shape still gave me decent control in those scenarios.

Cord length is a practical 8 ft with good strain relief. It isn’t a cord you’ll fight in cooler temps, and it didn’t coil memory into every move. The 5/8"-11 spindle accepts the usual 4-1/2 in. accessories—grinding wheels, cutoffs, flap discs, and wire wheels—and I ran all of the above without compatibility surprises.

Power and performance

On paper you get a 9-amp motor spinning at 12,000 rpm no‑load, and in practice it feels right for the size. With a 1/4 in. grinding wheel I could bevel 1/8 in. plate, dress welds on 3/16 in. angle, and blend corners without the motor bogging unless I leaned in far too hard. Cutting 3/8 in. Grade 5 bolts with a 0.045 in. cutoff wheel was quick and controlled; the grinder kept its speed under reasonable pressure, and the torque recovery after minor stalls was predictable.

It’s not a brute-force 13-amp grinder, so if you’re into heavy gouging or wide‑face grinding on thick plate all day, you’ll want more motor. For small fabrication, fence and bracket work, auto exhaust and body repair, and general shop maintenance, this feels like a sweet spot. The claimed high‑efficiency motor seems to pay off: after several minutes of continuous grinding the gear case got warm—as expected—but the motor housing stayed comfortable, and thermal fade wasn’t an issue.

Guard and controls

DeWalt’s One‑Touch guard rotates fully around the wheel, so you can deflect sparks where you want them without hunting for a key. It clicks positively into detents and holds its position under vibration. Out of the box, the release lever was on the stiff side; after a couple of repositions it loosened up just enough to be useful without losing security.

One tip: if you swing the guard too far past a detent, it can unseat from the collar and come free. Reinstalling it requires depressing the small lever and aligning the tabs carefully. It’s easy once you’ve done it a few times, but the learning curve is steeper than it needs to be—wear gloves and keep the open side of the guard facing away from the tool as you re‑engage it.

The spindle lock button is slightly recessed to avoid accidental presses. It’s easy enough to thumb with one hand when you’re swapping discs, and it engages positively.

Disc changes and included kit

Wheel changes are fast. The Quick‑Change feature allows you to remove certain flanges by hand when the wheel hasn’t been over‑torqued under use, and that worked fine with fresh cutoff wheels. After a few hot cuts, I more often reached for the included spanner to break things loose. The combination of the spindle lock and the pin spanner is the most reliable route, and it’s what I used for flap discs and grinding wheels that had heat-cycled.

A couple of practical notes for first‑time users:
- Accessories aren’t included. Plan to pick up a few grinding discs, cutoff wheels, and a flap disc, plus the correct guard for cup brushes if you use them.
- Seat the inner flange correctly for the accessory thickness you’re running; it’s reversible and that small detail affects clamping security.
- Always tighten accessories with the wheel held horizontally and the guard in place to keep your fingers clear of the edge.

Vibration, noise, and comfort

Vibration is well controlled for a compact grinder. I could run a 60‑grit flap disc for long stretches without the tingling hands that cheaper grinders can cause. The gear train feels tight with minimal chatter, and there’s no nasty harmonic buzz at typical working speeds. Noise is typical for a 12,000 rpm 4-1/2 in. grinder—loud enough that double hearing protection is smart on extended cuts—but the tone is less shrill than some peers.

The paddle action helps with grip comfort. Because you’re squeezing along the length of the handle instead of pinching a trigger, you can shift hand positions to fight fatigue. The trade‑off (again) is no lock‑on, which might bother anyone who lives on a grinder for hours each day.

Durability and maintenance

The jam‑pot gear case, metal guard, and general fit and finish inspire confidence. There’s minimal flex in the body under load, and the spindle threads are clean and durable. After several hot cycles, the flange faces stayed flat and didn’t gall.

Like any grinder that inhales grit, a little maintenance goes a long way. Blow the tool out with dry air at the end of the day, don’t coil the cord tightly around the body, and crack the flanges free while the wheel is still warm rather than waiting until everything cold-welds itself together.

The tool is AC/DC capable, which is nice if you’re running off a generator or a welder’s auxiliary output on site. I ran it on a standard 120 V shop circuit and a small inverter generator; startup was clean in both cases.

What it does best

• Tight-space work where a low-profile head and slim body matter.
• General fabrication: dressing welds, beveling edges, cutting bolts and light bar, removing rust and scale.
• Jobs where safety takes priority over endurance grinding thanks to the no‑lock paddle.

Where it comes up short

• No lock‑on means it’s not the ideal pick for continuous, wide‑face grinding sessions.
• The guard release lever is small and stiff at first, and unseating the guard accidentally can slow you down until you get the hang of reinstalling it.
• Only two handle positions; a top-mount option would help for edge grinding comfort.

Buying notes

This grinder ships as a bare tool. You’ll need appropriate 4‑1/2 in. accessories and, if you plan to run wire cups or wheels, the correct guard and flanges for those attachments. The included spanner and spindle lock make disc changes straightforward. If you’re new to grinders, the manual could do a better job walking through guard installation and wheel orientation; a quick search for a reputable setup video is worth your time.

Recommendation

I recommend this DeWalt 4-1/2-in. paddle‑switch grinder for metalworkers, DIYers, and tradespeople who want a compact, reliable corded grinder with solid power and strong safety manners. The 9‑amp motor holds speed well for typical 4‑1/2 in. tasks, the slim body and low‑profile head make it comfortable and precise, and the paddle/no‑lock switch is a smart choice around variable work and crowded shops. You’ll trade some convenience on marathon grinding sessions, and the guard mechanism takes a little practice, but the overall package is durable, predictable, and easy to live with day to day. If your work leans toward heavy plate and nonstop grinding, step up to a higher‑amp model; otherwise, this one hits a very practical balance of size, performance, and control.