The abundant use of cutting fluids in surface grinding process and the corresponding costs and energy consumption have been a major sustainability concern. This paper identified the optimum depth of cut for surface grinding under controlled grinding parameters using compressed air cooling technique and dry cutting. The surface morphology and subsurface defects of the workpiece material (AISI 304 stainless steel) were measured and compared. It was observed that lower depth of cut had a better surface morphology than higher depth of cut. The effects of compressed air on tool life were equally evaluated. The heat dissipations on the grinding wheels were observed and analysed for both grinding conditions. In addition, the influence of compressed air on the surface integrity of the workpiece was also investigated. The results showed that lower depth of cut proved to have a better quality surface compared to higher depth of cut.