Top Palm Sanders For Small Places
In this post were going to be talking about the best detail sanders for DIY projects and woodworking for beginners that will make any project easier for you to start and finish.
I have personally used all 7 of these hand held sanders for various projects either at home or doing work for clients and I can attest they are all great. I’ve provided a review and each sanders best qualities as well as cons so you can make the final decision on which palm detailed sander is best for your needs.
Let’s get started.
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Here’s a quick recap of our TOP 3 from the detailed list below.
| Product | Name | Quick Review |
|---|---|---|
  | 1. Dewalt 20v Max XR | 1. Powerful, great for small edges. Our favorite overall |
  | 2. Black + Decker Electric | 2. Fast, reliable, and easy to use. Our second favorite |
  | 3. Wen Electric Sheet Sander | 3. Best for beginner DIYers, good for a low budget sander |
What Type Of Sanders Are There?
There a few different kinds of power sanders out there. You can your random orbital sander and you also have palm sanders like the ones we’ll be discussing here.
Random Orbital Sander
A random orbital sander is one that moves in multiple directions while making rotations. Meaning it can move forward, backward. This actually leaves less swirl like streaks on the thing that is being sanded.
Orbital Sander
Orbital sander is a sander that moves in one direction while making rotations (orbits).
What To Look For In The Best Palm Sanders
Before purchasing a palm sander you should know what to look for to make sure you are getting a quality tool. Here are a few things that will make a difference in your palm detail sander.
Orbits Per Minute
You might see on the packaging a few different things on a palm sander. OPM is one of them. This means how many rotations your device can do in one minute. The higher the number the more power behind the machine. Low orbits however are also useful when you just need a quick light sand on certain projects.
A lot of detailed palm sanders now have the option of either increasing or decreasing orbits. Making them easier to use depending on projects.
Cord VS Cordless
In this review you will see a few palm sanders that are cordless while others have a power cord. Depending on where you will be using your power tool this one is up to you.
However if you go with a cordless sander you will need a power tool battery and to be able to charge the battery so you can get the full usage of your sander.
Pressure Detection
Now is the age of tech, with new pressure detection your sanders can tell if you are putting to much pressure on them. They either vibrate or a light will flash telling you to ease up. Let the tool work for you, not the other way around.
Dust Collectors
Many sanders now have built in dust collectors. Some are pretty small so if you are doing a lot of sanding you’d need to remove it and empty it out quite frequently. While others are larger and let you work more.
Weight
If you are looking for a portable, easy to use and handle detail sander, weight will play an important role on which you choose. Some that require more battery power tend to weigh a little more, while others that just have the bare essentials weigh less.
Now that we’ve discussed the features let’s get right into the best sanders for detail and small usage.
What Is The Best Hand Held Sander?
1. Dewalt Palm Sander
The Dewalt 20v Max XR is our favorite overall pick. With its easy to grip handle, it makes getting the job done easier on the wrist. It’s OPM (orbits per minute) can increase to 14,000.
The Dewalt 20vr Max XR Sander also only weighs 2.88 pounds. Something this light weight with such a punch is the reason we gave it the number one spot.
Dimensions: 9.34 x 5.96 x 6.21 inches
Why we love it: This little thing has power. Not only can it sand items that are a little more delicate because it can start off with 8,000 OPM it can bust out tough sanding jobs while increasing the OPM up to the max.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One-handed locking dust bag | Cordless, must have batteries for power tool |
| Can attach dust bag to vacuum to keep from constantly changing out the bag. Helps with dust control | Not a random orbital sander |
| Clamps sanding paper very good doesn’t come lose after multiple uses. |
2. WEN Electric Sheet Sander
Using the Wen Electric Sander is a lot of fun, it can get into small areas easily making it super easy to use and great for things with multiple edges where you’d normally have to hand sand.
It has 12,000 OPM power, it is also corded making it very strong with constant power. Requiring no need to charge the batteries.
Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 3.75 inches
Why We Love It: This is great cheaper alternative compared to the others. While also being super easy for a DIYer and newbie to use. The sand bag is a
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Only weighs around 3.6 pounds | is pretty loud while sanding |
| Velcro pad to adhere to sand paper makes it easy to use different brands of sand paper | |
| Has a hook and loop to attach sand paper |
3. Black And Decker Electric Sander
The Black and Decker Electric Sander is the runner up and the best overall if competing with the number one spot. This little power tool packs punch with its 14,000 OPM and it has a dust collector.
The Black and Decker Electric Sander only weighs 2.6 pounds. Making it very lightweight.
Dimensions: 10.25 x 4.63 x 5.44 inches
Why we love it: It is corded and has a dust collector. Making it easy to use non stop for projects. We also use this one and ran it for 4 hours straight and it is a champ. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to the number #1 spot.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Comes with a detail finger attachment (meaning you can get into really small spaces) | The tip has fallen off after multiple uses mentioned by multiple people |
| Can access small spaces in corners due to pointer edge | |
| Has 3 different holding positions to give your hand ease and comfort when using for long periods. |
4. Rockwell RK4246K Random Orbital Sander
The Rockwell random orbital sander has vibrafree technology that makes it so it vibrates less than your average sander. Making for a sturdier sand job.
Why We Love It: We love that this lightweight sander (only 0.71 pounds) is also a random orbital sander making it easy and tough at the same time. It is also corded meaning you don’t have to change or charge a battery.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has 15 different loops and hooks for multiple sand paper usage | very lightweight with a lot of power (slips out of hand easily) make sure you have a firm grip. |
| Cyclonic Dust/air Separator for faster material removal | |
| for a palm sander it is also a random orbital sander |
5. Genesis GPS080
This is a corner palm sander and it’s normally one of the least expensive items on this list. If you are looking for a small power tool to help with sanding this might be the one. Genesis GPS080 is perfect for beginners that don’t want to invest to much into a sander without trying it a few times.
14,000 orbits per minute for fast, efficient sanding.
Dimensions: 7 x 6 x 4.25 inches
Why We Love It: It is only 1.8 pounds, can hook up to a vacuum (make sure you take the correct vacuum dimension to attach the hose) and it is corded making it last for hours without stop.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Big enough and strong enough to sand even metal, and delicate enough to get into small spaces | Does not come with a dust collector |
| Very inexpensive | Even as a corded sander, power doesn’t give it its all |
6. Bosch ros2ovsc
The Bosch 5 inch electric sander might be one of my favorites. This is the one I usually go to when I have something small to sand and don’t want to do it by hand. It has No Load OPM: 7,500-12,000
What We Love: We love that it is another random orbital sander. Making it easy to get projects finished faster.
Dimensions: 9 x 5 x 6 inches
Includes
(1) ROS20VSC 5-inch Random Orbit Sander, (1) Soft Backing Pad, (1) Sanding Disc, (1) Vacuum Hose Adapter, (1) Contractor Bag.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Voltage: 120-Volts | Sanding pad not level on some of these power tools |
| Cord Length: 8 Feet |
7. SKIL 5 Inch Sander
Now we come down to the last of the best hand held sanders. The SKIL 5 inch is very close comparison to the Bosch. This brand is great, especially for any beginner. This power tool has a OPM of 13, 000. (meaning it can pack a punch)
Why We Love It: The speed control setting is one of the reasons why we love this random orbital sander.
Dimensions: 7.87 x 4.8 x 5.51 inches
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to clean dust container | More for light duty projects |
| Low vibration while using |
Frequently Asked Questions About Sanders
What Can I Use To Sand Small Areas?
To sand small areas you can use a corner sander (like the Black & Decker mouse ) to really get into the edges or small zones of anything you need sanded down.
The Black and Decker mouse also comes with a finger attachment that can help get into like the insides of items that are 1-2 inches small.
What Is The Smallest Sander
On this list the smallest sander compared in weight is: Rockwell Random Orbital Sander (0.76 pounds)
If you are comparing to length of size the smallest sander from this list is: Genesis GPS080 with its dimensions at 7 x 6 x 4.25 inches
Is A Round Or Square Sander Better?
A round sander is usually a random orbital sander making it a better finish sand. However a square sander can get up right next to a corner and sand it down great.
It is all a matter of what project you are doing and what you need your sander to do.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve gone over what to look for in a sander and which are the best as compared to this list here. I think you’re ready to choose and buy the one you want and will meet the needs for your projects best.
If you want to know which is our overall pick, is it’s this one right here.
Did we miss anything in the review that you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments below.
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7 Best Detail Sanders For DIY Projects & Beginners
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