To provide a grinding performance evaluating method capable of exactly and simply evaluating the grinding performance of a workpiece having a curved surface-shaped ground surface.

After forming a cylindrical surface 4b having the same curvature as a grinding wheel on a tip end surface of a test piece 4 by a cylindrical grinding wheel 2 equipped to a main shaft of a general-purpose lathe, the cylindrical grinding wheel is subjected to dressing. Then, while grinding of the test piece cylindrical surface by the cylindrical grinding wheel is repeated, grinding resistance added on the cylindrical grinding wheel is measured by a dynamometer. On the basis of the total number of grinding execution until the grinding resistance exceeds a predetermined value, the grinding performance of the test piece is evaluated. On the basis of the evaluated result about a plurality of test pieces structured from different materials, a structuring material of the workpiece having the grinding performance can be selected.