The 9 Best pad sanders (2023 reviews)

These dewalt rotary sanders are much MUCH more powerful than the random orbital sanders that folks are familiar with. Ergonomically it is fine, it feels good in the hands. This sander can really remove material fast. It comes with a powerful motor and 5 inch discs so you can cover a lot of area in a short amount of time. It is used for wet polishing concrete counter tops. The variable-speed feature is easy to use.

The sander sands and has enough power, and the dust shroud works well with a shop vac to keep most dust out of the air. It is perfect tool for medium to large jobs where you need to remove a lot of material, where orbital sanders get bogged down and slow you down. It will create a very uneven surface where this dewalt leaves the surface flat and smooth.

Why We Like This:

Easy to handle and easily stand up to the roughness of a job site
Blows the pad sander and belt sander out of the water
Feels well built and works great at low rpm
Has great power, the velcro attachment for the pads works great

Best With Sanding down smaller pieces: Blackdecker handheld Sander

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The black+decker electric 1/4 sheet orbit sander offers a lot of power for such a compact design. It is a good electrical cord power tool that serves its purpose as a handy-dandy little palm sander. This sander works flawlessly and is easy to change sheets of sand paper.

The sheet orbital sander is ideal for finish sanding and detail work around the house. This sander features paddle switch activation for easy on / off during application. It is compatible with sanding rolls. It is good for a hobby or for a few minor projects. It is great for all the diy projects around the house.

Why We Like This:

Works quickly and contains most of the dust
Works great with very little pressure
Compact enough for easy storage as well
Easy to handle, works well on bot large and small projects

Best For fine Sanding: Skil pad Sander

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The skil pad sander's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. Great sander, dust collector works well and easy to clean with a vacuum hose. It includes a plastic template that pre-punches holes in the sheet of sandpaper before you start the sander. It comes with starter sand paper. It has a design for added comfort and control. The micro-filtration captures and contains fine dust particles to keep your work surface cleaner clean. The sander is a touch heavy. It works well and easy to clean with a vacuum hose.

Why We Like This:

Works like a charm and can handle the rockings you push it to
Does a fantastic job, keeps cool and barely vibrates
Makes work easy, quite, affordable,very nice
Easy to use and not too heavy

Best For projects: Blackdecker pad Sander

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The Black+decker bdeqs15c 1.5amp 1/4 sheet sander is ideal for finish sanding applications such as sanding doors, building furniture, refinishing table tops, and crafts. It features a dust sealed power switch and built-in dust collector which protects internals and extends life of this tool. The sander picks up sawdust by sucking it through holes in the sandpaper which if perfect gets about 75% but, punching the holes weakens the sandpaper breaking it upon use.

This little sander is comfortable in your hand BUT the little sandpaper pieces that are recommended to use on this sander don’t stay in place. They hold together perfectly and worked just as if they had been cut from a full sheet. The sandpaper grasps are tricky at first but work quite well, even on pieces slightly too small it still holds on. This is a good sander for small jobs.

Why We Like This:

3 good long cord of almost 6 ft along with a sturdy construction
Delivers what they promise

Best For Sanding boards: Makita terrific Sander

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The makita terrific sander should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. The sheet of sandpaper that comes with the sander makes a great template. It is designed for quick process on large horizontal surfaces. The edge of the sanding pad has air holes to vacuum dust from the two long sides of the sander without the punch plate. The center holes are 4 1/2 inches from the end, so it's easy to align it to mark the holes on your base board. It is almost vibration free, very well balanced.

The vibrations are very low and make it easy to sand all day. It is best for in between coat sanding applications.

Why We Like This:

Powerful, quiet, and easy to load
Flawless function, vertually no felt vibration, does not chatter or walk
Well constructed, smooth, and has superb fit and finish
Works really great on hardwood flooring, and stair treads and risers

Best For wood: Bosch pad Sander

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The bosch pad sander is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily purpose. The vacuum hose attachment is very handy, especially if you're working on a bench top with small pieces. It has six speed options, and allows for continuous operation so that you don't have to hold down the switch to sand. The Bosch is compatible with adhesive sheets and includes a simple plastic punch plate to open up the air holes. The Filter works pretty well and is easy to remove and clean.

The tool is very smooth, heavy enough for any type of sanding, with any sand paoer grit. The dust collection is excellent and it includes the punch template for making the holes in the sandpaper. Its removal power is great and it transfers minimum vibration to your palms. A case is also a perfect place to store your manual and some sandpaper.

Why We Like This:

Excellent sander with very good vibration reduction
Covers a large area fast, dust collection pretty good
Lot of satisfied buyers

Best cordless Sander: Festool pad Sander

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The festool pad sander's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. It provides the same functionality of its corded counterpart but with hybrid power options. It protects the pad and adjacent surfaces from damage. It provides up to 30 minutes of runtime at full power. It provides corded or cordless operation without compromise. It provides protection to abutting surfaces as well as the pad for up close sanding applications.

Why We Like This:

Effortlessly transition from corded to cordless without compromising performance
Balanced with a unique ergonomic battery for optimum performance and handling
Minute run time that all combined offers you the ultimate sanding performance
Jetstream dust extraction for cleaner surfaces and work environment

Best fine finish Sander: Mirka pad Sander

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Mirka is known for creating pragmatic and minimalist sander for people on the go, and its line of mirka pad sander definitely falls in line with that reputation. It is a traditional wholesaler with a strong presence on the digital market. It is a high quality abrasive paper roll with aluminum oxide grain and resin over resin bonding. It features an integrated vibration sensor and bluetooth connectivity. It provides a fast, efficient and dust-free sanding solution. It is far superior for fine finish work vs. the rotex 90/150 combo.

It has design for precise sanding performance and high maneuverability. It comes with one pad protector and about 6 sanding sheets of different grits.

Why We Like This:

Low profile allows for easy maneuverability
Super lightweight and ultra low-profile design for precise sanding performance and high maneuverability
Ideal for sealer, filler and primer sanding applications
Comparable pneumatic power with just 110v

Best Easy to use: Makita pad Sander

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The makita pad sander is capable of outshining several other sander featured in this list in overall features for the price point. The Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Batteries have the fastest charge times in their categories, so they spend more time working and less time sitting on the charger. It features an efficient through-the-pad dust collection system with a built-in dust port making it easy to connect to a makita vacuum system for a cleaner work environment. It offers fine finish sanding for a variety of applications.

It’s part of Makita’s expanding 18V LXT System, the cordless tool system powered by 18V lithium-ion slide-style batteries. The battery and motor locations are engineered to reduce flutter for a more evenly finished surface.

Convenience features include an ergonomically designed rubberized grip for increased comfort and control, as well as a large clamping lever for quick and easy paper installation.

Why We Like This:

Compact lithium-ion batteries with the star symbol on the battery indicating star protection inside
Ergonomically designed rubberized grip for increased comfort and control
Efficient through-the-pad dust collection system with built-in dust port
Large clamping lever for quick and easy paper installation