The Festool sander was very easy to control. The included base required nine-hole paper but the standard eight-hole base is available so Engel tested both. To measure the sander’s aggressiveness, Engel sanded a poplar board for five minutes and measured how much wood was removed. The Festool sander removed six grams of stock over the five minutes and 11 grams with a vacuum attached.

In addition, Engel sanded clear Plexiglass to compare the sanders’ scratch patterns. The Festool sander had a good scratch pattern. Engel found that the machines with the most uniform scratch pattern tended to be the most aggressive. With vacuum attached, the sander collects 100% of external dust.

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Craftsman Random Orbit Sander

While this sander is among the least expensive models in the test, its performance ranks among the best. The stock removal was excellent, and dust collection was solid when used with a vacuum. It handles really smoothly, too, and has a tall body that fit my hand nicely whether I was holding it from above or around the waist.

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Milwaukee M12 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer

This tool is designed for convenience. The battery and pins are easy to load, and the safety lock operates with the same finger you use to pull the trigger. The depth of set is adjustable, there’s a work light, and there’s a hook for hanging the tool on your toolbelt. A gauge lets you keep track of when you’ll need to recharge.

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Festool Rotex FEQ-Plus Random Orbital Sander

The Festool Rotex is a top-of-the-line choice. On its coarse setting, it removed stock nearly twice as quickly as the second-fastest model. But that speed doesn’t mean you’ll have to wrestle with it. It’s no huge task to control it with two hands, and its long body gives you plenty of room to find a sweet spot while holding it.

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