The quality of this unit is immediately apparent when one looks at the heft of the tool rests. They're not stamped steel, but rather heavy cast steel that's machined smooth on one side -- these are tool rests you don't have to replace immediately (some of the stamped steel tool rests are so flimsy!). Next, look at the wheel guards. Again, cast and heavy... nothing's going to bend or dent these things! Inside, you've got a Baldor motor -- the recognized industry "best" for electric motors...

If you could compare this grinder side-by-side with one of the imports, you would quickly understand why it carries a higher price.

Highly Recommended!

Baldor Grinder: superb (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Extremely quiet, virtually no vibration, heavy and easily adjustable tool rests. The grinder just shouts (or should I say whispers) quality and is easily the most pleasant to use of any I've ever tried. If you need a grinder or buffer, do yourself a favor and pick up a Baldor.

A pleasure to operate (Rating: 5.00)
Review : This grinder is light years better than any Asian import grinder out there. The motor is vibration free and runs very strong for only 1/4 hp.

The box was very solid with the grinder shrink wrapped to a piece of wood that was the same size as the bottom of the box.
The shrink wrap had been torn around each grinding wheel. Since there was Amazon sales lititure in the box, I assume that the shipper at Amazon was checking for broken wheels. Since another reader complained of broken wheels, Amazon obviously reads customer reviews.

Since this is a low speed grinder (1800 rpm), it is really intended for sharpening tool steel, lathe chisels, etc. There are only a few low speed grinders available so this is really a specialty grinder. If you just want a general purpose grinder for sharpening lawnmower blades and such, you probably would be happy with the Baldor Big Red, 1/3 h/p 6" grinder as it turns at 3600 rpm, is cheaper and still has the same great Baldor quality.

The blade guards are heavy-duty cast iron and the exhaust chutes direct all of the waste out the back. This is a blessing or a curse depending on your perspective. The guards fit very close to the sides of the wheel so there would be maximum containment if a wheel were to disintegrate. The spark guards are very stout and adjust easily and stay put.

The wheel guards on all the imports that I looked at other than the Jet 8" have flimsy sheet metal guards with flimsy, poorly adjustable tool rests. I would much rather have the Baldor's heavy-duty guards in place if a wheel disintegrates rather than one of the imports guards.

I don't have a problem with the tools rests as one other reviewer did. They are very adjustable and very solid for what they are, basic tool rests. (If you are using this for sharpening lathe chisels, you will probably be installing an aftermarket jig anyway). I find them easy to adjust, just keep a wrench handy. My only real complaint was that the ground surfaces were protected by brown plastic packing tape. It required a razor blade and some solvent to get the adhesive off. All in all, a very minor complaint for such a high quality, solid machine.

The eye shields are very solid. They are large and made of 3/16 Lexan and adjust quite nicely. They mount high and out of the way. Time will tell whether they will stay on the machine or I will take them off, but as long as they hold up to the harsh environment, I will use them. The eye shields on all of the imports were pitiful.

The wheels included are high quality Norton Silicon Oxide general-purpose wheels. Not good for fine work like sharpening lathe chisels, but nice and round and balanced. Save them for sharpening your lawnmower blades and put on some Norton White Aluminum Oxide wheels for the fine work.

I could have bought an import 8" or about three import 6"s for less than this high quality 6" but after reading reviews of the imports, and looking at them at the store, I know that I will not ever have to worry - "Is this going to be the time that it will give up the ghost" before flipping the switch. My grandkids will be able to use this tool, and my kid is only 2!

Top of the line (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Bit of a grinder junkie here. I actually like these gritty little things. Ok, so there's not much to a grinder. Spinning stones and sparks and what not but this Baldor sets itself apart from the rest of them by the balance and quality of the motor. You can use it for hours and the motor will never overheat and it's smooth as silk. It has reasonable heft so it stays put on the bench pretty well without bolting it down. The tool rests are ok for general grinding but as with most grinders you'll still need a jig to sharpen chisels and plane blades accurately. The wheel covers are cast, not sheet metal. The casting work is so-so but what the heck, everything fits. This Baldor is to grinders what Bridge City is to tools...you could make a case that it's overkill and something cheaper would do just as well. Nevertheless, there's just something about having quality.

A disappointment (Rating: 3.00)
Review : The Baldor arrived with a cracked wheel so the honeymoon was very short lived. Since sparks fly out the rear unabated (along with bits of wheel and tool) I bolted the grinder to a small plywood box I built to contain the sparks and other detritus that spins off any grinder and set it on a non skid mat.

My main problem is with the tool rests. For this money I expect they should be solid and easy to adjust. They are neither. Unless I really crank them down, they will shift when pressing a tool down. Adjusting them with a wrench is difficult on a good day since the bolts are tucked down in between the wheels and the motor. I finally exchanged their bolts for some small plastic jig handles, so at least I can adjust them a little easier.

Otherwise, the Baldor runs smoothly and quietly, now that I have unbroken wheels mounted. For such an otherwise well made machine, it was disappointing to find it such a pain to use.