The Metabo 6-Inch Angle Grinder Earns Their Seat At The Table
Metabo makes some of the best angle grinders on the planet and they have a huge range to choose from. The team behind the Metabo WEP 15-150 Quick 6-inch angle grinder set out to put together a full-featured, high-performing machine. We put it to work to see if they succeeded.
Pros
- Durable build with Metabo LongLife Motor
- Soft start
- Restart protection
- Overload protection
- Electronic constant speed electronics
- Tool-free wheel changes
- Torque-limiting clutch
- Generous 8-foot power cord
Cons
- No way to adjust the speed (available on the WEV 15-150 HT)
- No wheel brake
- People with smaller hands may not like the grip diameter
Metabo WEP 15-150 Quick 6-Inch Angle Grinder Performance
Metabo has an impressive range of 6-inch angle grinders from 12 amps to 14.5 amps. The WEP 15-150 Quick we’re reviewing is a 13.5-amp model with 9600 RPM on the top end and 900 watts of output power. That’s in the middle tier between the 17-150 series at 1000 watts and the 13-150 series at 830 watts.
Metabo uses what they call a LongLife motor. It features a dust guard, up to 20% more overload capacity, and 50% more torque. The bottom line is that this grinder is built to be more durable and higher performing than its competition.
We tested it side by side against a few other angle grinders around the shop to get a better idea of the power and vibration. Thanks to the high RPMs and muscle to keep them up, we quickly smoothed out some welds on one of our side projects here at the shop. Polishing duties are a piece of cake for this model and it’s a confident cutter.
While we can appreciate the need for the more powerful 17-150 series when you’re cutting thicker metal and digging hard into thick welds, this model handles the majority of what we need without any trouble.
On the vibration front, it’s consistently smooth and one detail that helps out is the vibration dampening buffer built into the side handle. Due to the nature of the job, it’s impossible to eliminate all vibration, but Metabo did a good job of reducing it.
Metabo WEP 15-150 Quick 6-Inch Angle Grinder Design Notes
Get a Grip
Handle design is largely a matter of preference and the large barrel grip felt very secure in my hands as I maneuvered around my workpieces. If you’re a fan of a slimmer handle or rat tail design, the 15-150 series doesn’t include any. However, take a look a the 1500-150 series for those options with similar performance.
Trigger
Personally, I really like this model’s large paddle switch trigger because of the safety factor. In addition to the dead man function of a paddle switch, there’s also restart protection built-in. If you plug the tool in with your hand activating it, the motor won’t kick on.
The other two models in this series (WEV 15-150 HT and WE 15-150 Quick) are both slide switches, so check them out if that’s what you prefer.
Ditch the Spanner Wrench
If you’re like us, spanner wrenches are something to tolerate more than embrace. Metabo lets you end your relationship with a tool-free flange nut. Just press the wheel lock button on top of the housing, thread the flange nut on until it’s tight, and get to work.
When it’s time to change wheels, reverse the process. No matter how hard we tried to tighten it down, it came right off without hesitation, yet never loosened while we were grinding.
Additional Highlights
- Tacho-Constamatic Full Wave electronics maintain speed while using the grinder in demanding situations
- Torque limiting clutch minimizes kickback when it senses a bind up
- Gear housing is specifically designed to take off and rotate to accommodate more cutting positions
- Tool-free guard rotation with seven locking points
- Auto-stop carbon brushes protect the motor
Metabo WEP 15-150 Quick 6-Inch Angle Grinder Price
The Metabo WEP15-150 Quick retails for $259.99 and comes with a grinding guard, cutting guard, and side handle. Metabo backs this angle grinder with its 3-year warranty.
The Bottom Line
After testing the Metabo WP15-150 Quick in our shop, it’s easy to understand why Metabo enjoys such a stellar reputation for its grinders. It has the performance to handle most of the duties we turn to 6-inch grinders for with a durable build you can be confident in and an excellent feature set.
Of course, it’s not going to be everything to everyone. The beauty of Metabo’s extensive angle grinder lineup is that if this model isn’t quite what you’re looking for, there’s a good chance they have another model that is.
Metabo 6-Inch Angle Grinder Specifications
- Model: Metabo WEP 15-150 Quick
- Power: 13.5 Amp corded
- Arbor: 5/8 in.
- Torque: 35 in-lbs
- No-load speed: 9,600 RPMs
- Max wheel size: 6 in.
- Noise level: 93 dB
- Tool-free adjustable guard
- Weight: 6.44 lbs. (5.77 lbs without the cable)
- Warranty: 3-year limited
- Price: $259.99
