The best orbital sanders
Stripping a tabletop, smoothing new doors or taking a garden bench back to bare wood: the palm and random orbit sanders worth plugging in.
An orbital sander is the one for big flat surfaces. Four of these are random orbit sanders: a round 125mm pad that spins as it moves in tiny circles, so it takes wood down fast without leaving swirl marks, even across the grain. The Makita is a sheet sander, with a square pad that clamps a third of an ordinary sanding sheet and reaches into corners. For window frames, stair spindles and fiddly edges, a detail sander with its pointed pad is the better tool, and those have a list of their own.
After that, the differences are power, speed control and dust. A speed dial lets you slow down for paint, varnish and plastics, which clog the paper or soften at full speed; a bag or box catches much of the dust, and a port for a vacuum or extractor catches more. Work from a coarse grit to a fine one, and let the sander’s weight do the work rather than pressing down.
What matters
- Random orbit for fast, swirl-free sanding; a sheet sander for square corners.
- Variable speed, to slow down for paint, varnish and plastics.
- Dust collection: a bag or box, and a port for a vacuum or extractor.
- Weight and grip, for long sessions and upright surfaces.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Bosch PEX 220 A Random Orbit Sander
£72.16 RRP
Compact enough to sit in the palm and guide with one hand, so it suits tabletops and doors as well as curved chair seats, and a microfilter box on the back catches the dust as it goes.
What owners say: One hand is enough to guide it, owners say; sheets change quickly, and it covers all sorts of small and medium DIY jobs.
A closer look: The microfilter box comes off to empty, and it catches more when it’s tapped out into a bin every so often rather than left to fill. Keep the pad flat on the wood instead of tipping it onto its edge, which gouges dips in the surface and wears the pad unevenly.
- 220W, 125mm sanding pad
- Random orbit action
- Microfilter dust box
- Hook-and-loop sheets
- 3 sanding sheets included
Best for: Everyday DIY sanding
- Type
- Random orbit
- Power
- 220W
- Sanding pad
- 125mm disc
- Variable speed
- No
- Dust collection
- Microfilter box
- Weight
- 1.2kg
#2 of 5
Best premium
DeWalt DWE6423 Random Orbit Sander (280W)
£75–£100 Price range
Built for long sessions: a 280W motor with a speed dial from 8,000 to 12,000 orbits a minute, a counterbalance that keeps vibration down, and a switch sealed against dust.
What owners say: Owners are impressed by how much dust it collects and how little it vibrates, and say it takes material off quickly.
A closer look: Turn the dial down for paint, filler and plastics, which clog the paper or soften when it runs at full speed, and turn it up for bare timber. For bigger, dustier jobs like a floor or a whole door, the port connects straight to a DeWalt extractor instead of the cloth bag.
- 280W, variable speed
- 8,000 to 12,000 orbits a minute
- Counterbalanced for low vibration
- Dust-sealed on/off switch
- Connects to DeWalt AirLock extractors
Best for: Long sessions and bigger jobs
- Type
- Random orbit
- Power
- 280W
- Sanding pad
- 125mm disc
- Variable speed
- 8,000–12,000opm
- Dust collection
- Cloth bag, extractor port
- Weight
- 1.28kg
#3 of 5
Best sheet sander
Makita BO3710 1/3 Sheet Orbital Sander
£30–£50 Price range
A square pad instead of a round one, so it runs right up into the corners of panels, shelves and window frames, on a die-cast aluminium base. Makita started out in Nagoya in 1915, selling and repairing electric motors.
What owners say: Owners like how quietly and smoothly it runs, and say the clamps hold the paper tight.
A closer look: It takes a third of a standard sanding sheet, so paper is cheap: cut a sheet into three, clamp one in and press it onto the punch plate to make the holes that let dust through to the bag. The flat, square pad gets into the inside corners a round disc can’t reach.
- 190W, 11,000 orbits a minute
- Takes 93 x 228mm sheets
- Die-cast aluminium base
- Counterbalance to cut vibration
- Dust bag and punch plate included
Best for: Corners and flat panels
- Type
- 1/3 sheet orbital
- Power
- 190W
- Sanding pad
- 92 x 185mm (1/3 sheet)
- Variable speed
- No
- Dust collection
- Dust bag, vacuum port
- Weight
- 1.6kg
#4 of 5
Best budget
HYCHIKA 300W Random Orbital Sander
£20–£30 Price range
The most power here for the least money: a 300W motor with six speeds from 6,000 to 13,000rpm, and twelve discs in the box, from coarse 80 grit to fine 240.
What owners say: Owners find it punchy and easy to handle, and like having a choice of speeds for fine sanding.
Heads up: HYCHIKA gives it a 24-month warranty, so keep the receipt somewhere safe.
A closer look: Start with the 80-grit discs to take off old varnish or paint, move to 120 to smooth it out, then 240 before oiling or painting. On softwood and thin veneers, a lower speed gives more control and less risk of sanding through the surface.
- 300W, six speeds
- 6,000 to 13,000rpm
- 12 discs: 80, 120 and 240 grit
- Dust bag
- Soft rubber grip
Best for: A first sander on a budget
- Type
- Random orbit
- Power
- 300W
- Sanding pad
- 125mm disc
- Variable speed
- 6 speeds
- Dust collection
- Dust bag
- Weight
- 1.5kg
#5 of 5
BLACK+DECKER BEW210 Random Orbit Sander (230W)
£30–£50 Price range
Small and light, with three ways to hold it (a palm grip, a jug handle at the front and the body itself), so it’s easy to steer on a chair back or a door as well as across a flat top.
What owners say: Owners call it a handy tool that’s easy to hold, and several with smaller hands say it suits them well.
Heads up: It’s made for home jobs rather than daily trade use: let its own weight do the work instead of pressing down, which is easier on the motor and the pad.
A closer look: Hold the jug handle for long sweeps across a tabletop, and the body for more control on edges and upright surfaces. The pad takes 125mm hook-and-loop discs and only one comes in the box, so pick up a mixed pack of grits before starting.
- 230W, up to 13,000rpm
- Random orbit, no swirl marks
- Palm, jug-handle and body grips
- Dust bag included
- Lock-on switch
Best for: Smaller hands and quick jobs
- Type
- Random orbit
- Power
- 230W
- Sanding pad
- 125mm disc
- Variable speed
- No
- Dust collection
- Dust bag
- Weight
- 1.18kg
How they compare
| Feature | #1Bosch PEX 220 A | #2DeWalt DWE6423 | #3Makita BO3710 | #4HYCHIKA 300W | #5BLACK+DECKER BEW210 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best sheet sander | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 8.4 |
| Price | £72.16 RRP | £75–£100 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range |
| Type | Random orbit | Random orbit | 1/3 sheet orbital | Random orbit | Random orbit |
| Power | 220W | 280W | 190W | 300W | 230W |
| Sanding pad | 125mm disc | 125mm disc | 92 x 185mm (1/3 sheet) | 125mm disc | 125mm disc |
| Variable speed | No | 8,000–12,000opm | No | 6 speeds | No |
| Dust collection | Microfilter box | Cloth bag, extractor port | Dust bag, vacuum port | Dust bag | Dust bag |
| Weight | 1.2kg | 1.28kg | 1.6kg | 1.5kg | 1.18kg |
| Best for | Everyday DIY sanding | Long sessions and bigger jobs | Corners and flat panels | A first sander on a budget | Smaller hands and quick jobs |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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