The best detail sanders
Window frames, stair spindles and the corners of an old chest of drawers: a detail sander gets into the places a bigger sander can't, and saves a lot of work by hand.
A detail sander has a small, pointed pad that reaches into corners and along narrow edges, which makes it the one for doors, skirting boards, window frames and furniture. For a big flat tabletop, a sander with a larger plate gets through it faster.
Power and speed decide how quickly it takes off old paint and varnish; dust collection decides how much of it ends up in the room. Start with a coarse sheet and work up to a fine one before painting.
What matters
- A pointed base that reaches right into corners.
- Dust collection: a box or bag, or a port for a vacuum.
- Power and speed, for stripping old paint and varnish.
- Sanding sheets in the box, from coarse to fine.
#1 of 5
Best overall
BLACK+DECKER Mouse 55W Detail Sander (BEW230-GB)
£10–£20 Price range
The mouse-shaped original: its pointed tear-drop base gets right into the corners of door and window frames, and the tip comes off so other profile tips can go on. BLACK+DECKER brought out the first Mouse in 1998, shaped after a computer mouse.
What owners say: Owners say it takes the hard work out of sanding by hand, is light and easy to steer, and is great value for smaller jobs like door frames.
Heads up: There's no dust bag: the port takes a vacuum hose (the adaptor's in the box), so sand near a hoover or outdoors.
A closer look: The rocker switch stays on, so your hands are free to move round the body for the most comfortable grip. At under a kilo it's light enough for upright surfaces like doors and skirting boards.
- 55W, 11,000rpm
- Tear-drop base for corners
- Removable tip for profile tips
- Hook-and-loop sheets
- 6 sanding sheets included
Best for: Corners, doors and window frames
- Power
- 55W
- Speed
- 11,000rpm
- Dust collection
- Vacuum port
- Variable speed
- No
- Sheets included
- 6
- Sanding plate
- Tear-drop, removable tip
#2 of 5
Runner-up
VonHaus 140W Detail Sander
£24.99 RRP
More power than the classic mouse at 140W, and twelve hook-and-loop pads from coarse 60 to fine 320 grit, so it can take off old paint and then finish smooth. The 3m cable gives more reach round a room.
What owners say: Owners find it well made, easy to use and punchy for its size, and handy for door frames and skirting boards.
A closer look: Start with the coarse pads to take off old paint or varnish, then work up to the fine ones before painting. VonHaus says it works on metal, painted and plastic surfaces as well as wood.
- 140W, 13,800rpm
- 12 pads, 60 to 320 grit
- Two dust bags and a 32mm vacuum port
- 3m cable
- Pointed plate for corners
Best for: Stripping and finishing
- Power
- 140W
- Speed
- 13,800rpm
- Dust collection
- Two bags and a vacuum port
- Variable speed
- No
- Sheets included
- 12 (60 to 320 grit)
- Sanding plate
- Pointed, 140mm
#3 of 5
Best premium
Bosch PSM 200 AES Multi-Sander in Case (200W)
£101.20 RRP
A step up for bigger jobs: the dust goes into a microfilter box, six speed settings suit everything from bare wood to paint, and a second, rectangular plate clicks on without tools for flat panels before the pointed one goes back on for corners.
What owners say: Owners say it's well made, works on all sorts of surfaces and makes light work of preparing wood for painting, and they like how light it is.
Heads up: Only two 80-grit sheets come in the case, so pick up a pack of finer ones for finishing.
A closer look: Bosch's advice is to turn the speed down on painted surfaces so they don't get too hot. The pointed tip is a separate piece that turns, so when one point of the paper wears you can turn it to the next.
- 200W, 6 speed settings
- Microfilter dust box
- Pointed and rectangular plates
- Tool-free SDS plate change
- Carry case
Best for: Bigger projects
- Power
- 200W
- Speed
- 6,000–26,000opm
- Dust collection
- Microfilter box
- Variable speed
- 6 settings
- Sheets included
- 2 (80 grit)
- Sanding plate
- Pointed and rectangular
#4 of 5
HYCHIKA 200W Detail Sander with Dust Collector
£30–£50 Price range
At 200W and 14,000rpm it's the fastest of the mouse-style sanders here, and a six-hole dust system feeds a box that comes off to empty.
What owners say: Owners find it well worth the money and handy for DIY and furniture work, with plenty of power and a smooth finish.
A closer look: The soft-grip handle lets you use it one-handed. HYCHIKA says it also strips paint and takes rust off metal, as well as sanding wood.
- 200W, 14,000rpm
- Six-hole dust collection
- Removable dust box
- 12 sheets: 80, 120 and 240 grit
- 2m cable
Best for: Furniture projects
- Power
- 200W
- Speed
- 14,000rpm
- Dust collection
- Dust box
- Variable speed
- No
- Sheets included
- 12 (80, 120, 240 grit)
- Sanding plate
- Pointed, 140mm
#5 of 5
DEKOPRO 180W Detail Sander with Dust Collector
£20–£30 Price range
The most sandpaper in the box here, fifteen sheets, plus a dust collector, and a 180W motor running at 13,000rpm for quick work on furniture, cabinets and gates.
What owners say: Owners say it works well, isn't too heavy, and makes quick work of bigger jobs like wooden gates.
A closer look: A soft rubber cover over the switch keeps sanding dust out of the works, and the small body reaches into the corners of drawers and cupboards. With fifteen sheets in the box, there's no need to buy more before starting.
- 180W, 13,000rpm
- Dust collector box
- 15 sanding sheets
- Hook-and-loop pad
- Dust-sealed switch
Best for: Lots of sandpaper included
- Power
- 180W
- Speed
- 13,000rpm
- Dust collection
- Dust box
- Variable speed
- No
- Sheets included
- 15
- Sanding plate
- Triangular
How they compare
| Feature | #1BLACK+DECKER Mouse | #2VonHaus 140W | #3Bosch PSM 200 AES | #4HYCHIKA 200W | #5DEKOPRO 180W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best premium | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.3 |
| Price | £10–£20 Price range | £24.99 RRP | £101.20 RRP | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range |
| Power | 55W | 140W | 200W | 200W | 180W |
| Speed | 11,000rpm | 13,800rpm | 6,000–26,000opm | 14,000rpm | 13,000rpm |
| Dust collection | Vacuum port | Two bags and a vacuum port | Microfilter box | Dust box | Dust box |
| Variable speed | No | No | 6 settings | No | No |
| Sheets included | 6 | 12 (60 to 320 grit) | 2 (80 grit) | 12 (80, 120, 240 grit) | 15 |
| Sanding plate | Tear-drop, removable tip | Pointed, 140mm | Pointed and rectangular | Pointed, 140mm | Triangular |
| Best for | Corners, doors and window frames | Stripping and finishing | Bigger projects | Furniture projects | Lots of sandpaper included |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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