Handheld Sanders Review

The features to look for in your hand sander depend on how and how often you use it. If you may only use your sander a few times a year, shop by price and you'll do OK.

If you use it often, say several times a month you will want to look for other criteria than price alone. Look for a good long cord that is sturdy enough to withstand lots of use. Check to see what size and shape of sandpaper is required - can you find refills locally or will you need to order every sheet? Quarter sheet sanders are the most economical type of sander because you can save money on full sheets and it is simple to fold and tear off on the sharp edge of a table. Each sheet costs pennies vs. the more expensive perforated and self stick proprietary sanding supplies. Brands do matter so you want a reputable brand.

In our experience we started out with Black and Decker: cheap sanders that lasted pretty long but developed problems pretty quick under heavy use. We went through four of them in the first year and then looked for something better. They were not intended for the workload we gave them.

We had other Ridgid equipment that worked well so we bought Ridgid Quarter Sheet sanders and they lasted better than the B&D sanders but developed the same problems over time. One developed a severe vibration when one of the corner "legs" broke off. Those legs distribute the pressure evenly so with each revolution of the motor it gave a kick and felt like it was pulling against the direction of sanding. It made the work harder on my old hands.

The last two sanders I bought were Bosch and they are still working just fine. They cost slightly more but are worth every cent. The difference was clearly noticeable both in handling and results. They worked faster and easier with less effort than any other sanders I had used. The results were smoother surfaces in less time. All the sanders I bought used ¼ sheet for refills which made using lots of sandpaper more economical than using a sander with proprietary sheets. Bosch does make their own sheets with holes for dust removal which is an excellent feature, but for my workshop plain sheets were fine.

Recommendations: For heavy use and years of service I would buy the new Bosch 1GSS20-40 Orbital Finishing Sander. The Bosch 1297D 1/4 sheet Orbital Finishing Sander was the last sander I ever bought for the shop. Actually I bought two of them because it was very convenient to have them each loaded with different grit and ready to use as needed. No regrets with this sander at all. Bosch has a newer 1/4 sheet sander now and I did buy one in May, 2023.

DeWalt DWE6411 Finishing Sander, which I can only rate as "Probably excellent" based on the scroll saw, saw blades, angle grinder and cut-off disks I have used with their brand. They make good reliable equipment. Porter-Cable is another workhorse sander brand that I have used but not bought. (they were going to be my next choice if the Bosch sander had been disappointing) I have Porter-Cable routers and they are top of the line. The local cabinet factory uses Porter-Cable sanders and they give the highest praise for that brand. I used to buy my laminates from them and they loaned me a Porter-Cable 330 Sander while I was waiting for my Bosch to arrive. Porter Cable Speed-Bloc Quarter-Sheet Finishing Sander, Model #330 was a reliable quarter-sheet orbital handheld sander with variable speed control. Unfortunately this brand is much more expensive and very hard to find today...

The bottom line is the bottom line: You get what you pay for, so assess your needs and spend accordingly. There is a big difference in performance and it is related to the motor quality and RPM rating. The extra money goes into a better overall piece of equipment that will last far longer and make you happy to use it.