JET 8-Inch Industrial Bench Grinder, Variable Speed, 1 HP, 115/230V 1Ph (IBG-8VS)

This was a little more than I had anticipated spending on a grinder, but I’m so glad I did. This is truly a work of art as far as a machine goes, but its functionality is the best I could have ever expected. It flows smoothly through various speeds. It’s virtually silent. The wheels were true out of the box and there were no noticeable vibrations or strange noises. Assembly was effortless and only took me a few minutes. I also purchased a wire wheel, buffing wheel and some finer grit stones, although the ones included have been doing the job just fine. I also added the led light to the machine and it’s definitely worth doing to brighten up your work area. I needed to be able to move it around so I purchased a Bora wheeled base to mount the Jet stand (not included). Because the stand is a 3-legged stand I just ran two 2x4’s left to right on the front and back rails of the Bora, bolted those down and then bolted the Jet stand to the 2x4’s. It turned out great. I couldn’t be happier with this setup. Oh, by the way…I didn’t have any issues with breakers because I took care of that in advance. I wired a 12g, 120v, 20amp, non-gfi dedicated outlet for this machine based on what many of the reviews said and no electrical issues. Unless something happens during shipping which is always a drag, I don’t think anyone would regret this purchase.

Very nice quality, Heavy duty. Variable speed is Sweeeeet! Very controllable operation. Taiwan quality, Not Chinese junk.

Prior to retiring our shop had some Baldor grinders and I would love to have one at my home shop, but alas, I can not justify the price. One other factor is that the Baldor was rated at .75 HP while this Jet is rated at 1.0 HP. Another huge factor in choosing the Jet was that it is variable speed. A 6" grinder is fine at 3600 rpm but an 8" (or larger) at that speed can be a bit much. I am planning on installing MultiTool 2x48 belt sanding attachment with an 8" contact wheel on the right side and I like the idea of being able to slow it down from 3600 rpm when working with thinner material or knives where the faster speed could heat the metal too much. After the MultiTool attachment shows up and I work with it I will edit this review. Others have posted that this grinder does not like GFI and I found that they are quite correct. I understand that it is because of the variable speed feature on this grinder. A tool with a simple rheostat won't pop the GFI but this is much more sophisticated than a rheostat in that it allows it to maintain its power even at lower RPM's. I have a 20 amp non-GFI outlet in the garage and I plugged it into that using a 12/3 extension cord. This grinder at about 60 pounds is a real beast and should last forever. I have some other Jet tools that also came out of Taiwan and I think that the Taiwanese do a far better job than China when it comes to metallurgy and QC. I can't recommend this highly enough. It is my first variable speed grinder and I am glad I spent the extra dollars to get the feature.

This thing.... is awesome. Incredible actually but that's relative to what I'm comparing it to which is apples & oranges. In itself, it's a quality machine but for my hobbyist needs it's overkill. I prefer too much over not enough and this one is just that. Backstory. I purchased a Multitool 2x36 sander in 2016 (another absolutely awesome tool) with a very nice, American made, Baldor .3HP grinder based on the sellers recommendation. That combo works but not to my satisfaction. I actually avoided using it at times and opted for the instant on grinder beside it due to the fact the Baldor took longer to spool up than my grind often lasted. Fast forward to this month and I decided to get a 1HP machine for the MT. Reluctantly, I purchased this $480 variable speed Jet thinking I don't really need vs but let's give it a try. This is one of those tools where your only complaint is that you didn't purchase it sooner. It's smooth. It's quiet. It's a beast. It's variable speed. And it's absolutely perfect for the multitool making that my goto now. So, whatever your needs, including spinning the MT, it will likely exceed your expectations. I'm thrilled with it and I encourage the purchase. And the warranty is great too. No affiliation to Jet or anyone else.

I had read a lot of grinder reviews and was very close to buying a Baldor grinder, at the bottom of their line and decided to take a flyer on this Jet 8" because I wanted the variable speed capability and can't get that on Baldor w/o a much larger $$ commitment. Initial impression very favorable. I've seen complaints about packaging but it arrived in good shape. Simple set up; only the eye shields and rest require any work to attach. Fit and Finish looks great to me. I haven't mounted it on my bench but it is vibration-free at startup. QUIET! Sorry, I'm shouting. Quiet it is. I can't hear it at 1800 speed over music in my garage. Barely audible at top speed (there is music playing). Hasn't blown my ultra-sensitive GFI in my garage yet but I haven't really stressed it yet. So far, instructions are clear and concise. I will post again if actual use changes my experience.

Yes, oh yes, the price is totally obnoxious however they are the best if you have money to burn.