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With all my years of experience and the incredible amount of machinery that I’ve used, I can say with confidence that I’ve got to know some of the very best sanders on the market. While I’ve written in-depth guides for each type, detailing a selection of the best, I’ll show you the top rated winner of each category right here on this page. Every single one of them is a trusty machine that has been tried and tested by hard and continuous work over several years without ever giving in and due to their outstanding combination of superb performance, beastly power and tank-like durability, they’ve stood out from the competition as the undisputed best. Without further ado, I proudly present to you the:
Best Sanders Of All Time
Click the index to jump to the review of my personal choice of the winner for each category:
Index
Best Sander Reviews
Here you can read in-depth reviews of all my personal choices for the top rated sanders, letting you know exactly what they have to offer and why they are the winners.
Best Belt Sander
Makita 9903 Belt Sander
Powerful, easy to maneuver and unmatched in performance. The Makita 9903 revolutionized the way I work, bringing me back to loving belt sanders after not using them for quite a while. It has an outstanding build quality and the potent 8.8 AMP motor makes sure that it can take on anything. Easily a competitor for “the best sander ever made” award.
Very attractive price tag
Excellent performance
Powerful motor
For the full belt sanders article, click here.
Best Disc Sander
JET JDS-12B Benchtop Disc Sander
When it comes to benchtop disc sanders, the JDS-12B blows the competition out of the water. The large 12″ disc powered by the potent 1 HP motor turn hard tasks into quick and easy ones and the results are always top-notch. The cast-iron tiltable tabletop and miter gauge allow for precise work at any angle and the construction materials make sure that the machine will last a lifetime.
Huge sanding disc
Miter gauge included
Heavy-duty body
UNAVAILABLE: Jet has stop producing it. Thankfully, they’ve released a newer model that’s not only faster and even sturdier (it’s built like a tank) but also comes with its very own stand included and a belt sander to boot. You can see it below:
For the full disc sanders article, click here.
Best Belt/Disc Combination Sander
Powermatic Model 31A Belt/Disc Sander
The Powermatic 31A is an excellent belt and disc sander that has everything a professional could ever ask for and more. The heavy-duty construction and beastly power make it capable of easily taking on even the toughest jobs and the advanced features such as angle sanding make sure that every piece gets a perfect finish. The 12″ disc and 6×48″ belt truly bring you the best of both worlds and the tank-like build quality is there to give you its all so you can enjoy it for decades on end.
Superb quality
Unbelivably powerful
Will last a lifetime
For the full combination sanders article, click here.
Best Palm Sander
PORTER-CABLE 330 Speed-Bloc Sheet Sander
The Porter-Cable Speed Bloc is one of my favorite sanding machines of all time and deservedly so. I’ve had mine for more than a decade and it has endured hard work on the regular and yet it still runs and performs like it’s brand-new. Incredibly well-designed and well-built, the little 1/4 sheet Speed Bloc has been my trusty palm sander for a big part of my career and it will keep being so until the end. It’s simple, it’s effective and the finishing this thing puts out is hard to beat. Without a doubt the best palm sander I’ve ever had.
Minimal+smart design
Stunning finishing capability
Tank-like durability
SADLY UNAVAILABLE – PC won’t produce them any longer. As a replacement, take a look at the equally wonderful:
Makita BO4556K 2.0 Amp 4-1/2-Inch Finishing Sander with Case
Makita’s BO4556K is a truly wonderful machine in every aspect. From its rugged construction to the beautifully comfortable design, it screams quality and for a little 1/4 sheet sander it sure packs a punch – delivering 14,000 OPM with its 2 AMP motor. As a bonus it comes with its very own carrying case and 1 year of warranty included. Featuring great maneuverability and reduced noise and vibration, it’s the perfect side-arm.
A worthy successor to the excellent Porter Cable Speed-Bloc.
Impressively potent
Incredibly well built + designed
Will last a lifetime of use
For the full palm sanders article, click here.
Best Random Orbital Sander
Bosch 1250DEVS Random Orbit Sander
A true classic of the industry, the Bosch 1250 is known for it’s unrelenting reliability and jaw-dropping power. It’s been a favorite of wood and metalworkers all around the globe for years (such as my dad!) and it will certainly continue to be for many more to come. The revolutionary turbo-mode absolutely destroys even the roughest and toughest stock and the famous random orbital action that the 1250 puts out delivers a perfect, swirl-free finish to your pieces. I couldn’t work without it and in my opinion it’s the best electric sander you can get.
Wildly powerful turbo mode
Classic sturdy body
Tried and tested performance
For the full orbital sanders article, click here.
Best Sheet Sander
Bosch OS50VC Sheet Sander
Bosch offers with the OS50VC a powerful and meticulously designed 1/2 sheet sander that features advanced technology such as variable speed and vibration control – the result is a truly exceptional machine that dominates the competition and stands out as the king of kings when it comes to sheet sanders. It’s also considered by many to be the best power sander to ever hit the market, with good reason.
Large sanding pad
Very well-built
Unmatched vibration control
For the full sheet sanders article, click here.
Best Detail Sander
BLACK+DECKER BDEMS600 Mouse Detail Sander
Detail sanders (also called mouse sanders) are essential tools for finer and more detailed work and the BDEMS600 is the perfect embodiment of what a mouse sander should be like. It’s lightweight and easy maneuverable, delivers a fast 14,000 orbits per minute to ensure a smooth finish and it has an incredibly useful detail finger attachment that lets you sand even the tightest spaces.
Super useful detail finger
Great dust collector
For the full detail sanders article, click here.
Best Drum Sander
Powermatic PM2244 Drum Sander
The Powermatic PM2244 stays true to the brand’s slogan – “The Golden Standard” – by featuring sophisticated and modern technology like a LED control panel that automatically and accurately reads any piece’s height, the belt speed and the current power output. The enormous 22×44″ sanding capacity makes it capable of taking on insanely large pieces and the roaring 1.75 HP motor ensures that you have absolutely no problem sanding even the roughest stock. The build quality is second to none and so are the results, if you’re a professional looking to completely revolutionize your work in both speed and quality, this is the very best option. Easily the best sanding machine you can buy, in my honest opinion, if you want to get serious.
Incredible LED control panel
Extremely large sanding capacity and power
Heavy-duty long lasting construction
For the full drum sanders article, click here.
Best Spindle Sander
JET JBOS-5 Benchtop Oscillating Spindle Sander
JET delivers once again a first-rate machine with the JBOS-5 spindle sander. While it’s priced slightly higher than the competition, the features and overall quality of it more than make up for it. It’s expertly designed and built to last while also offering take-on-everything power and a tiltable tabletop that makes sure you deal with those pesky curves just right. When it comes to curve sanding, a spindle sander is king and when it comes to spindle sanders, the JBOS-5 is king. A wonderfully useful machine that makes the hard task of curve sanding a breeze.
Superb curve sanding
Smart and handy body design
Oscillating spindle
For the full spindle sanders article, click here.
Best Edge Sander
JET OES-80CS Oscillating Edge Sander
Nothing beats an edge sender when it comes to intricate bevel work. The JET OES-80CS sets itself apart by having a stunning price tag coupled with top-notch construction quality and high-end features. It’s large and powerful enough to achieve the perfect edge or bevel on any piece and the oscillation feature makes sure that you avoid any heat-damage and achieve a perfect result. The table is also tiltable and includes a miter slot and miter gauge so you can work on small details with spot-on accuracy.
Advanced angle sanding
Highly durable body
Miter gauge included
For the full edge sanders article, click here.
And that’s it for the best sander reviews. Keep in mind that while some of these can be used on metal with the right grit of sandpaper, they’re made for wood originally. This applies to the other units on my full articles, as I do wood sander reviews and not metal. Due to your suggestions though I might create a few articles that are dedicated for metalworking in the future!
Such a beautiful selection of machines. By having just 1 of these you’re already on the right track to build the perfect arsenal! As a side-note, remember that you can click the links below the power sander reviews to read the full articles of each type of machine – they include comparison tables and other excellent choices.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these electric sander reviews and that you’ve found your new unit. In my view, they really are the very best sanders on the market so no matter which one you end up getting, I’m willing to bet you’ll be happy.
Also, if you’re looking for a more budget-minded approach, then feel free to check out my personal picks for the best cheap sanders, it focuses on the more affordable tools that still deliver a quality experience.
Thanks for reading and be sure to leave your opinion below – I do my best to reply to them all!
Very, very good list you got here James. A truly remarkable feel for the machines that you can only get with years and years of experience. You just got a new follower!
Thanks for the kind comment Max, I’m glad this helped you – that’s my main goal. Have a great day!
While all of these are excellent, the Bosch 1250 stands in my opinion as the KING of all! Best machine I’ve ever had in my life.
Oh how I wish I could buy them all. Great bullet points by the way, thank you.
Now this is what I like, straightforward and effective reviews, makes it easy for me to make up my mind. Great work, you were the only one that was able to help me make a decision – keep it up!
Excellent choices all around James.
Fantastic list, you just made my Christmas shopping a whole lot easier James. Thank you!
Couldn’t agree more with this, I’ve had the Speed bloc for years and years so I had to check you had it in your top 10. Can’t get enough of your opinions James!
Both me and my dad agree on this list! (and that’s a hard thing to accomplish! haha)
Great work, and since I’ve been needing a new orbital sander, I got the recommended Bosch 1250DEVS. Thanks!
Glad I could help Marie! The 1250DEVS is an excellent choice, one of my favorite sanders of all time without a doubt, enjoy!
Hah, had to check out your top 10 and it doesn’t surprise me at all that yours is actually very similar to mine and you even have some improvements that I should consider making to my collection. Great minds think alike! Kudos for sharing this with us James.
– Mayfield
Indeed Tucker, real recognizes real! I’m glad I was able to improve your certainly already impressive arsenal. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
James, as an experienced craftsman myself your choices reflect your wisdom! This will surely help anyone looking to buy the best equipment possible, keep up the great work!
Much appreciated Larry, that’s my goal and I do my very best!