Kielder Direct Drive™: A New Generation of Cordless Angle Grinder
Kielder Direct Drive™: A New Generation of Cordless Angle Grinder
Brand-new to the market. Gearless. Brushless. Direct Drive™.
Cordless angle grinders have become an essential part of the modern workshop, but for all the advances in battery technology and brushless motors, the basic principle behind the grinder has remained largely unchanged.
Until now.
Kielder has introduced its new Direct Drive™ 18V Angle Grinder, bringing an entirely different approach to cordless grinding. At the heart of the new tool is Kielder's innovative gearless Direct Drive™ motor, designed to transfer power directly to the spindle rather than through a conventional gear system.
The result is a cordless grinder that doesn't simply aim to improve on what's already available – it takes a fundamentally different approach.
And it's brand-new to the market.
No Gears. Just Drive.
The defining feature of the new Kielder is its Direct Drive™ technology.
Traditional angle grinders use a geared drive system to transfer the motor's power to the spindle. Kielder has removed those conventional gears and developed a system where the motor drives the spindle directly.
That means fewer mechanical components between the motor and the disc, with power transferred directly where it's needed.
More importantly, it gives the tool a noticeably different character.
Smooth. Responsive. Refined. Powerful.
It's one of those tools that makes you realise how familiar you've become with the feel of conventional equipment – until something genuinely different comes along.
A Gearless Approach to Cordless Grinding
Direct Drive™ is not simply a marketing name attached to a conventional cordless grinder.
The technology is at the heart of the tool's design.
By eliminating the traditional gear arrangement, Kielder has created a grinder with a distinctly different operating feel, while the combination of Direct Drive™ technology, high-current electronics and a professional digital brushless motor is designed to maximise power delivery and battery efficiency.
The result is a tool designed around direct power delivery rather than traditional gearing.
No gears. Just drive.
Cutting-Edge Brushless Technology
The Direct Drive™ system is paired with a professional-quality digital brushless motor.
Brushless technology has transformed cordless power tools, offering smooth operation and efficient power delivery without the conventional brushes found in older motor designs.
Kielder takes this further with its digital brushless system, designed to provide smooth, frictionless operation while optimising power delivery and battery run-time.
For anyone who spends serious time in the workshop, the difference is immediately relevant.
A cordless grinder needs to deliver power when you need it, but it also needs to make sensible use of the energy stored in the battery.
The Kielder is designed to do both.
Three Speeds. More Control.
More power isn't always the answer.
Different materials and applications can require different speeds, which is why the Direct Drive™ features three selectable speed settings between 4,000 and 10,000rpm.
That gives the user much greater control over how the grinder behaves, whether you're cutting, grinding, removing material or carrying out more controlled finishing work.
Instead of one maximum speed for everything, you can select the setting appropriate to the job.
Compact, Powerful and Built for Work
Despite its technology and heavy-duty construction, the Direct Drive™ remains surprisingly compact.
The tool measures just 273mm in length and weighs 2kg with a 5.0Ah battery.
The durable aluminium headstock is designed for demanding applications, while the auxiliary handle can be fitted to either side of the grinder for right- or left-handed operation.
It's the kind of specification that makes sense in a professional workshop, but it also makes the tool particularly appealing to automotive and motorsport users.
When you're working around a race car, rally car or engine bay, a compact cordless tool can be considerably easier to use than a conventional corded grinder.
Designed with the Workshop in Mind
Kielder hasn't concentrated solely on what's happening inside the motor.
The Direct Drive™ also features a range of practical details designed to make everyday use easier.
The dual-function switch can be used as a conventional trigger or with lock-on operation, while the sprung-detent CNC-machined guard provides quick adjustment around the disc with a positive locking action.
Disc changes are also tool-less, meaning there is no need to reach for a spanner every time you need to change a cutting or grinding disc.
These might sound like small details, but anyone who uses an angle grinder regularly knows that it's often these details that make the difference between a tool you tolerate and one you actually enjoy using.
Built Around the Kielder TYPE18 Battery System
The Direct Drive™ is part of Kielder's TYPE18 18V Li-Ion battery system, giving it another major advantage for existing Kielder users.
If you already have compatible TYPE18 tools and batteries, the grinder can be added to the collection without having to start again with another battery platform.
The TYPE18 batteries have also been designed with automotive use in mind and feature drainage holes in the base, helping fluids to drain away should oil or other liquids find their way into the battery area.
For automotive workshops and motorsport users, that's a thoughtful touch.
Bare Unit or 5.0Ah Kit?
Kielder has also kept the buying options straightforward.
Bare Unit – £89.99 inc VAT + delivery
Already using the Kielder TYPE18 battery system?
The bare-unit grinder gives you the Direct Drive™ tool without paying for another battery.
At £89.99 including VAT, it represents an extremely accessible way to add this new technology to an existing TYPE18 setup.
5.0Ah Battery Kit – £131.99 inc VAT + delivery
New to the Kielder TYPE18 system?
The complete option includes the Direct Drive™ Angle Grinder and a 5.0Ah TYPE18 battery for £131.99 including VAT.
That gives you everything you need to add the grinder to your workshop battery platform.
Why Does Direct Drive™ Matter?
The obvious question is: why change something that already works?
The answer is that cordless power-tool technology continues to evolve.
Battery technology has improved. Brushless motors have transformed efficiency and performance. Electronics have become increasingly sophisticated.
The next step is to look at the mechanical drive system itself.
That's where Kielder Direct Drive™ comes in.
Rather than simply producing another conventional cordless angle grinder with a brushless motor, Kielder has taken a clean-sheet approach to the drive system.
The result is a grinder that feels different, operates differently and offers a glimpse of where cordless power tools are heading.
Made for More Than Just Grinding
Although an angle grinder might sound like a relatively simple tool, its applications are almost endless.
The Kielder Direct Drive™ is suited to:
- Cutting metal
- Grinding welds
- Fabrication
- Removing excess material
- Surface preparation
- Automotive repairs
- Restoration work
- Motorsport preparation
- Race and rally workshop work
- General workshop fabrication
- Finishing applications
And because it's cordless, you're not restricted by where you can find a power socket or where you can route a cable.
Pick it up, fit the appropriate disc and get to work.
A New Generation of Cordless Tool
The Kielder Direct Drive™ isn't simply another addition to an already crowded cordless angle-grinder market.
It represents a different approach to the way a cordless grinder transfers power.
With its gearless Direct Drive™ motor, digital brushless technology, selectable 4,000–10,000rpm speeds, compact 273mm design and TYPE18 battery compatibility, Kielder has created something genuinely interesting.
And because it's brand-new to the market, you're getting in at the beginning of a technology that could well change what people expect from a cordless grinder.
No gears. Just drive.
Kielder Direct Drive™ 18V Angle Grinder
Bare Unit: £89.99 inc VAT + delivery
5.0Ah Battery Kit: £131.99 inc VAT + delivery