I have bought both cobalt and carbide grinders to see which I prefer and I am desperate. I can't decide which I like better and would say I would go with either carbide or cobalt over high speed steel anytime. The price of these cutters is not much higher and I will say that due to the downtime and the speed of the cutter they can be cheaper than HSS in this regard and extend the life before sharpening or replacing. I believe they are worth it. even more!