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Cordless or corded DeWalt angle grinder

Updated: October 2026

The £59.99 grinder and the bare 18 V body can sit in the same basket, and they are not the same machine. A cordless or corded DeWalt angle grinder choice, in this set, is the DWE4036-GB beside a socket against a 125 mm tool-only body. The corded tool is 115 mm, 750 W and 230 V. The cordless titles are 18 V XR, and the carton does not include a battery. The [DeWalt angle grinder comparison](/hub/tools/de-walt-angle-grinder) lists £59.99, £107.50, £131.90 and £188.05 from the amazon.co.uk listings of 19 October 2026. A qualifying amazon.co.uk purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

The £59.99 grinder and the bare 18 V body can sit in the same basket, and they are not the same machine.

Our top picks

DeWalt DeWalt DCG406N-XJ

Best overall

DeWalt DeWalt DCG406N-XJ
8.9/10about £131.90
View offer
DeWalt DeWalt DCG407N-XJ

Alternative

DeWalt DeWalt DCG407N-XJ
8.1/10about £107.50
View offer
DeWalt DeWalt DWE4036-GB

Best value

DeWalt DeWalt DWE4036-GB
7.7/10about £59.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What you are actually comparing
  2. 2.Where a 230 V grinder is the wrong pattern
  3. 3.Runtime versus the lead
  4. 4.Which to buy

What you are actually comparing

The DWE4036-GB is the only mains tool: 750 W, 115 mm, £59.99, and 4.5 from 41 ratings. The manual states 230 V AC, 11,800 rpm, M14, and 1.64 kg with the handle and guard. Match discs to 11,800 rpm, not a marketing line of 1,800 rpm. The bullets name a no-volt release and both guards. Declared sound power is 102 dB(A). The three cordless bodies are 125 mm and brushless, from £107.50 to £188.05. A 125 mm disc does not belong on the 115 mm spindle. The DCG406 manual’s 800 W output is a different quantity from the DWE4036’s 750 W input. The DCG406 lists 1.74 kg without a pack, so a 5 Ah pack adds mass the corded figure never included.

Where a 230 V grinder is the wrong pattern

Use the DWE4036 beside a UK 230 V socket: a garage, a workshop, or a driveway within reach of a sound lead. On a construction site the Health and Safety Executive prefers cordless tools, or a 110 V centre-tapped supply so the voltage to earth stays at 55 V. HSG141 puts battery tools first, then reduced low voltage. The DWE4036 is not a 110 V site grinder, and a yellow site transformer is not what the manual describes. Buy a bare 125 mm body, or use the site’s own 110 V grinder. Cordless removes the lead. Grinding from a ladder is a poor stance either way. The mounting steps are on the how to use a DeWalt angle grinder page.
DeWalt DeWalt DCG406N-XJ

Testsieger

DeWalt DeWalt DCG406N-XJ
8.9/10about £131.90
View offer

Runtime versus the lead

Beside a socket, the DWE4036 keeps cutting until you stop or the disc is done. Cordless removes the lead and adds pack changes. UK reviews push people toward 4 Ah or 5 Ah. One DCG404 reviewer reported about 10 minutes from a genuine pack in professional cutting and went back to a mains grinder. That is one report, not a rating for the DCG406 or the DCG407. A watt-hour sketch such as 18 V times 4 Ah is arithmetic, not a test. Which Ah to own is on the DeWalt angle grinder battery life page. Declared noise is 102 dB(A) on the DWE4036 and 93 dB(A) on the DCG406. Both mean hearing protection.

Which to buy

Buy the DWE4036 when the work stays next to a 230 V socket and 115 mm discs are enough. At £59.99 it runs on arrival. Buy a bare 125 mm body when you already own 18 V XR packs and the lead is the problem: the DCG407 at £107.50 if you accept the slide switch, the DCG406 at £131.90 if you want the brake named in the bullets. The DCG404 at £188.05 has 13 ratings. Skip the DWE4036 on a construction site. Skip a bare body if you still have to buy the first 5 Ah pack and the job never leaves the socket. The order of those choices is in the DeWalt angle grinder buying guide.

Common questions

Is the corded model more powerful?
The DWE4036 title states 750 W of mains input, and the manual states 11,800 rpm. The DCG406 manual states 800 W output and 9,000 rpm. Those are different kinds of figure, so 750 against 800 does not crown a winner. The corded tool keeps going beside a socket. The cordless tool stops when the pack is flat.
Will the DWE4036 run from a 110 V site transformer?
The DWE4036 manual states 230 V AC. That is a UK domestic supply, not the 110 V centre-tapped system the Health and Safety Executive wants on construction sites. On that site, use a cordless body with the right packs, or the site’s own 110 V grinder. A 13 A socket at home matches the manual.
Is cordless always better on a ladder?
Cordless helps when the lead is what stops you reaching a clamped job on the ground or on a proper platform. It is not a reason to grind from a ladder. The tool wants both hands, and Electrical Safety First expects the work clamped. A pack does not give you a third hand.
Why is the cordless disc 125 mm and the corded one 115 mm?
Because that is how these four listings are built. The DWE4036 is a 115 mm, 11,800 rpm tool. The DCG406, DCG407 and DCG404 titles are 125 mm. A 125 mm disc on the corded spindle is the wrong wheel. Wire wheels are capped at 115 mm in both manuals.
What does the bare cordless price leave out?
The battery and the charger. The DCG407 row says no battery, and the DCG404 page says batteries are required and are not included. UK reviews call the DCG406 a bare unit. £107.50, £131.90 or £188.05 is the body. Add a 4 Ah or 5 Ah pack before you compare that price with £59.99.
Can one person own both?
Yes, when the jobs are actually different. The DWE4036 suits long cuts beside a 230 V socket with 115 mm discs. A bare 125 mm body suits work away from that socket if the XR packs already exist. You then own two disc diameters and two guards.
Which noise figure is higher?
The DWE4036 manual declares a sound power of 102 dB(A). The DCG406 manual declares 93 dB(A). Neither is a reading at your ear, and both mean hearing protection for the cut. At work, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 set action values at 80 and 85 dB(A). Surface grinding in the DWE4036 manual is given as 6.2 m/s².

Related pages

Best DeWalt angle grinder

DeWalt angle grinder

DeWalt angle grinder battery life on a bare 18 V body

DeWalt angle grinder buying guide for disc and box

How to use a DeWalt angle grinder: guard, disc, PPE

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are from the four amazon.co.uk listings captured on 19 October 2026. PUWER, vibration and noise limits apply at work. They are not a certificate for a domestic grinder. There is no laboratory test.

  1. HSE, HSG17 Safety in the use of abrasive wheels (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. legislation.gov.uk, PUWER 1998 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. legislation.gov.uk, Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. legislation.gov.uk, Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. HSE, Electrical systems on construction sites (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. DeWalt, DCG406 instruction manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. DeWalt, DWE4036 instruction manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)