Bosch recently launched a new 12V Max cordless die grinder on Amazon, model GWG12V-20S, their first new compact cordless power tool in quite some time.
The new Bosch cordless die grinder features a variable speed trigger, “innovative user interface and speed buttons,” and a compact design.
It features a brushless motor and spindle lock for quick accessory changes.
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Bosch says that the tool’s constant electronics provide for uniform performance even at the highest speed levels.
- 1/4″ collet
- “Deadman” paddle switch
- 5 speed settings
- 4.5″ width x 7.5″ length x 2″ height
- Weighs 1.2 lbs (tool-only)
The USA version of the kit comes with (2) compact 3Ah batteries, a compact charger, and soft tool case.
Price: $229 for the kit (GWG12V-20SB23), $169 for the tool-only (GWG12V-20SN)
ETA: February 2024
Discussion
Images from overseas product listings show plus and minus buttons on the back of the tool for speed changes. I wouldn’t hail this as innovative, but the controls look straightforward and user-friendly.
Bosch has not disclosed the tool’s RPM specs, but 5 settings plus a variable speed trigger should give users fine control over the tool’s performance and material removal rate.
This is Bosch USA’s first 12V Max cordless power tool launch in what I would consider a long time, and from the looks of it, it’s only following the international release by a couple of months.
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In recent years, Bosch USA launched a 12V Max cordless angle grinder, following its overseas release by more than 6 years.
The grinder looks well designed with no glaring “gotchas.”
It’s puzzling why Amazon is breaking the news about the new cordless die grinder, but this is definitely a welcome expansion to Bosch’s 12V Max cordless power tool line.
Top Competition
I would say the Milwaukee M12 Fuel right angle die grinder is Bosch’s biggest competitor, featuring 4 electronic speed control settings and pneumatic-style variable speed lever-style throttle switch.
Tim
I think Amazon’s listing people get product listings and add them, and make them available before they’re supposed to be released.
Like right now there are 3 new Metabo HPT tools listed on Amazon that the company hasn’t “announced”
New Multitool.
New vacuum.
New Multivolt Metal cutting saw.
All are currently out of stock.
And I mentioned in another post I ordered the SK stacking boxes before I could even find them on the website.
Stuart
I’m just happy it’s coming to the USA.
I’m donating away the last of my purchased Bosch 12V Max tools – a mini circular saw and a rotary tool I had to order from Europe because they never launched here – and so I’m no longer personally invested in the 12V system. But, with enough new tools, that might change again in the future.
Nate
Here’s hoping Bosch is changing and bringing more of their 12v tools to the US. I’ll believe they are committed to that when I see a track record of adding new tools. That said, I’ve liked every one of their 12v tools I’ve bought.
blocky
I’ve got about 10 Bosch 12v tools, so I’ll probably pick this up eventually.
Incidentally, I was fed a really forgetable and wack Bosch advert on Insta yesterday. It seemed like they were trying to be relatable about battery tools, without spotlighting any tools. It featured some intentionally bad shot framing, and ultimately didn’t make any coherent statement. Could have been completely AI scripted and edited.
Dave
They also have Metabo’s new waterproof (resistant) Multi volt batteries, which I have never seen anywhere before.
Mnoswad
Any recommendations on a good burr and sanding attachment kit for these die grinders.
MM
I am not familiar with any good all-in-one kits but I use die grinders a lot, and my go-to attachments are:
-Carbide burrs: any American brand. The sets that McMaster-Carr sells are excellent, so is just about every American brand of burrs. I have bought individual ones from Morse, KnKut, Champion, etc, they have all been good.
-Quick-change disc attachments: “Roloc” style. You buy an arbor (inexpensive) and the discs swap out with half a turn. I have 2in and 3″ arbors, and a variety of discs. You can get discs with sandpaper, mesh abrasive like Scotchbrite, and abrasive-impregnated brushes, etc, depending on your needs. I rarely use the brushes, I use the sanding discs and scotchbrite often. Like any kind of sandpaper product you can get everything from cheap import knockoffs to advanced modern ceramic stuff. I mostly work on clean metal so I prefer the higher end 3M or Norton products, but sometimes I buy the cheapos off Amazon if I know I have to work on something dirty and I know the abrasive will load up with gunk instead of wearing out.
-If you don’t have a 3″ cutoff tool then you can quickly make one by getting an arbor and some discs, though there will not be a guard all around so be aware of the safety concerns. I’ve always bought no-name arbors and I’ve never had a problem so I don’t think there is a need to spend a lot for one. I prefer the thinnest possible, high quality, discs as they cut the fastest by far, like 1/32nd thick 3M Cubitron IIs. However, there is a bit of a learning curve to this kind of tool, and those discs are both fragile and expensive, so maybe not the greatest for a new user. The 1/16 3M Green Corps are a good balance between quality, price, and durability. I am leery of buying cheapo abrasive discs because of the safety hazard of flying fragments if they fail. Defective sandpaper just wears out fast or tears, but a defective grinding disc can shatter and hurt you.
-Mounted stones. I rarely use them, but when I do I buy cheapos. These are a consumable product, the “good” ones are hardly any better than the cheap stuff. Get a “wheel dressing tool” if you use these kinds of stones, that will let you quickly get the crap out of a glazed-up stone, or reshape a stone to remove gouges in it from use or to make a special shape your job might need.
James
Super helpful info. I have the M12 right angle die grinder and we have some burrs but I am in the market for some other accessories. Mint. Thanks!
MM
There is one more big one I forgot to mention! Get a 1/8-in collet. Now you can use standard Dremel or “rotary tool” size bits in your die grinder. Some die grinders come with this, for others it is sold separately.
Peter Fox
I will also give a big thumbs up for the 3M Cubitron series. As a close second the 3M silver series are pretty damn good for a lower cost. In a 25 pack on Amazon they are usually less than$2 each.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0781Z3KFM
At the end of the day low cost abrasives rarely end up being a good value. They usually take far more to do the same work and the time spent changing more frequently also cost something.
JR Ramos
Ditto on sticking with USA made burrs – it’s worth the money for performance, longevity, and safety. That last part is important and while there are some excellent burrs from China, so many of them use inferior steel for the shaft (remarkably easy to bend even in 1/4″), have balancing shortcomings, are not correctly sharpened in the difficult areas such as ball ends and corners, and there have been enough horror stories and photos of failed brazing with heads flying off the shaft that I won’t ever trust them for my own use. At low RPMs it’s still a risk but thus far most China-manufactured burrs and high speed bits just don’t seem to fully consider why 20K+ is a different game than drills and such.
In addition to the brands MM mentions, Norseman/Viking, Keo, Titan Tool, and Rocky Mountain Twist are all excellent. I’ve used some from Travers, which were China imports under their TTC house label, and they were ok but clearly not as nice as USA made. I don’t know if the popular import brands like HHIP, Anytime, etc have decent ones or curate them to ensure quality. I’d say if you don’t want to spend the big coins on a set of USA made, just pick up the 2-3 that you’ll use most of the time (straight cylinder with or without end cut, ball end cylinder or plain ball end, and perhaps a flame or straight vee).
I highly recommend the stupid expensive 3M roloc pads vs any of the imports I’ve tried. It’s hard to find them sometimes but if you check Amazon or perhaps local auto paint supply houses, you can probably find what you want and hopefully not have to buy a case pack. They seem to run $25 to $40 each but they’re quality.
Cheap abrasives just wear out sooner and sometimes don’t perform as well…they work but may not really be cost effective in the end depending on what you do.
Cheap stones seem to work ok…some of the same issues as with burrs but you can dress them if they’re bad. Most seem ok to me.
I don’t think the answer to everything is always buy the best, spend the most, but with high speed tools and abrasives it’s usually worth it. Sometimes not. Do keep your safety in mind, though, and that’s not some scare tactic!
Ken
I’m not a metalworker, but based on my woodworking experience I can say that the 3M Cubitron Roloc sanding discs are where I would start.
The Cubitron sanding discs for orbital sanders are so much better than anything else I’ve used (including high-end mesh discs by Mirka). I was shocked at the difference in speed and longevity when I first gave Cubitron a try.
DRT42
Rolocs are awesome. I use them quite often. Be aware there are two styles – one is like a metal button, and the other is a plastic screw. Both work, but I prefer the plastic screw style.
JG
I wish Dewalt would wake up and make on too!
AC
Very frustrated with the speed of development, but I really like my Bosch 12v tools. All seem really well made and designed in the way the best German brands are.
Ken
I saw this listed on Bosch’s USA website “new tools” section first, and on Amazon a couple days later. Regardless, the USA website specifies 16K no load RPM.
“Tools Tested” on youtube did a review/test of small die grinders a few weeks ago and included the Euro (not USA) model in that comparison. Note that he complained that a 1/4″ collet was not available, but it is standard on the US release. Overall, his test results showed that all of the 12V models performed nearly identically (although he didn’t make that conclusion himself):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKbpqoqfg80
The test results also showed that the Bosch was the lightest, most quiet, lowest vibration, and was the only model tested to deliver its claimed RPM. That all sounds typical for Bosch.
I’m glad to see that Bosch has not abandoned the 12V platform, and it is very encouraging that they seem to be releasing more of their Euro tools in the USA lately.
Tyler
This one is tempting for me. Are these “launch prices” typically pretty stable or will they go up or down a few months after the become available?
Ken
The last 12V Bosch tool to be released (GWS12V-30N grinder) started out in Jan 2022 at its MSRP of $139 and took just over a year to begin dropping in price. It is now available for less than $100, but that took almost two years to happen.
Lowe’s has also had pretty consistent “buy more save more” sales with Bosch tools (e.g., spend $200 get $50 off). That’s a good way to get new tools at a discount.
Tyler
Good tip. That’s how I’ve acquired a few Bosch 18v tools. Thanks Ken.
John E
Sadly, Lowe’s recently dumped their entire Bosch 12V lineup.
JR Ramos
Yeah, the deals at Lowe’s have often been really excellent and usually long-running. That seemed to diminish a little last year…see what 2024 holds. Keep an eye on Amazon, too. We got a rotary hammer on there for a *song* with stacked discounts and it was actually shipped directly from Bosch in Arkansas (that was with Amazon as the seller, not a third party)…so no worries with being genuine, unmolested, or warranty hassles.
Steve
$169 for the bare tool is high for Bosch imo. If they’re going to price things like Milwaukee does, then they’d better step it up in terms of their innovation and US presence. Maybe this is a sign of things to come.
John
I came here to say the same. I think this should be around $129 or so. I have a lot of Bosch 12V and Milwaukee 12V and own the Milwaukee die grinder which has been used heavily. No incentive to get the Bosch though if its bare cost is so close to the Milwaukee bare tool.
Brad
I prefer the Bosch 12V tools, but yeah, they’re pretty slow and scant on new tools in comparison to Milwaukee.
Saulac
I have the M12. But I am still hold for a true 3 inch angle grinder with the small head (angle gears) like the pneumatic one. If you have ever used the pneumatic one, you know these are not quite equivalent. The angle gear box seem to be difficult to do… or else I also holding out for a 12v equivalent of the Dewalt Atomic rat tail handle circular saw. Come to think of it the two things that I am wishing for are quite similar in principle. Only difference in speed and torque.
MM
I agree, that would be very nice. Snap-On has a 90 degree cordless die grinder which has a gearbox head instead of mounting the motor at 90 degrees but it is both expensive and not very powerful. Suhner has some attachments for their industrial flex-shaft die grinders which have a proper gearbox like pneumatic but those are in a whole different price class.
BigTimeTommy
This is something I’d pick up if Bosch 12v tools felt worth investigating in, their 12v line has been overpriced and underperforming in my experience. Worst batteries of all the major brands imo, too. I wish Bosch and Makita would step their game up, I’d rather buy from independent companies than TTI and SBD.
Saulac
Oh that finger on the trigger while fiddling with the moving parts. Could even be intentional to demonstrate the spindle lock… I have been conditioned to keep off the trigger…will need to keep up with new tech.
Steve
Battery looks very similar to the M12 Milwaukee…
Stuart
What’s your point?
Bosch (2006) came out with their battery first, followed by Milwaukee (2007) and later Makita (2008).
Dewalt was first to launch a slide-pack 12V-class battery system (2010) with Makita later switching to a similar form factor (2015).
Steve
I didn’t realize Bosch’s came out before Milwaukee’s. Looks like they could be compatible with each other, although; I’m sure they are not…
Joellikestools
They are two cells in front one in back, and milwaukee is the opposite of that.
Greg
After Lowe’s starting clearing out the Bosch 12v stuff for under $40 kits with two batteries and under $30 bare tools I became a collector I even bought the Green laser kit and flash light later on . And another cool thing the battery and chargers are the same as the newest 12v Dremel tools. The tools are all over Ebay and Marketplace being resold still new in the box . My philosophy on tools is just get them super cheap at pawnshops, flea markets and clearance racks and don’t get too serious about all the different wars of what tools best just have fun with what you find deals on.
Daniel
I just received mine in the mail. I already have the Milwaukee one, and I’ve lost so many wrenches that I just started making my own. Super annoying. So, Bosch’s spindle lock is something that tickles me in all the right ways.
But wait, there is more!
Bosch did us one better by including an onboard storage for the one collet wrench that you still need. Ok, fine, it’s more like, they inadvertently included onboard storage. As in, that’s not what it was meant for. Also, it requires a bit of chop-chop business. Ok, I’ll stop beating around the bush:
Take your collet wrench. Lop off about half of its length with an angle grinder. Use your new toy to deburr the cut. Then shove it into one of the two super-convenient vent slots just below the trigger bar. The rubber overmold holds it in place just fine.
You’re welcome 🙂