Best Palm Sanders - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide

Palm Sanders: The Ultimate Buying Guide

Now that you have gone through our top five picks, you can see that we emphasized not only the positive, but also negative sides of all the models on this list.

Our aim was to show you all the possible features that you can find in a palm sander and which to pay attention to.

If you still think that all of this information is not enough, we offer you a buyer’s guide with some key considerations so you can make a decision which is a good hand sander for you.

How important is the comfort?

Many people would not think about comfort as significant feature, as they pay attention to other more important parts of tools.

However, if you spend too much time working with it, holding an uncomfortable and , buzzing handle made of plastic and metal would not be satisfactory and acceptable for experienced users.

That is why more and more producers are investing in comfort features and those products with an ergonomic handle would definitely be a better pick.

Whether those comfort features would be important to you depends on the amount of work you plan to do and how frequent you will use the tool.

You should look for a padded grip, an ergonomically shaped handle and a vibration reduction design if you want a more comfortable tool.

What about ruggedness?

When it comes to ruggedness, there are certain things to have in mind.

Palm sanders are making constant and high-intensity contact with the workpiece and a little attention distraction can lead to the damage of the work.

What you need is a good, rugged tool, being that it will last longer.

Furthermore, it is better than cheaper tools which will not be that tough.

Buyers have difficulties with the testing of a tool’s ruggedness and that is only possible once you have a tool in your hands and believing the manufacturer’s claims related to ruggedness would not be always wise.

If you are not in a position to interact with a tool in person, the other users’ reviews would be of great help.

The users will say whether a tool is well-built or not.

How many orbits per minute are considered good enough?

It is important than a sander produces the higher number of orbits per minute.

This will determine the type of surfaces you can work on, as harder woods would require more power.

Some project will need orbits per minute capability of 14,000 and you will have to have a very powerful tool to reach this.

However, the majority of tasks would not require that much power.

Many sanders are capable of operating under their maximum, but going higher is not possible, so getting a tool with a high maximum OPM would be a better option, but only if you need it for frequent and heavy-duty tasks.

Otherwise, it is wasting of money.

Is the dust collection significant?

Considering the fact that dust can harm both the worker and the tool, the better dust collection system a tool has would lead to the longer life of the device and healthier user as well.

The tool that is on a smaller side, like a sander, would not be considered as causing much damage when the dust is in question, but the fact is that it does.

Sanders have to possess a good dust port as they are fine finish tools, used when the project is almost over.

Those final touches on your wokrpiece cause a lot of dust left and this is a huge matter of health.

The main reason for a good dust collection system is that sawdust is a known carcinogen.

Without the proper equipment, you will be breathing the dust in and damage your health, and that is not what you are looking for.

So, palm sanders with a dust port, and possibly a collection pouch should be your only choice.

You are suggested not to work without gloves and goggles, even though the dust collection system is of a good quality.

Which one is better: a corded or a battery palm sander?

It cannot be determined which one is better as both corded and battery palm sanders have both advantages and disadvantages.

If we speak about battery powered sanders, we can say that they are more workable as you can move it freely wherever you like.

The length of the cord would not be something to worry about, but the problem is that this kind of tool will not run for very long.

The battery has to be recharged before you can use the tool again and that can prolong your work.

Furthermore, battery powered tools have a shorter life expectancy, as the batteries would stop holding power after a while and you will have to purchase new batteries or replace the sander.

You should know that power tool batteries can be very expensive, and replacing the sander is sometimes a more affordable option.

That is the moment when the corded tools come into play.

It does not have limited hours of functioning, but has limited maneuverability.

This kind of tool is useless when you are working outside and there is no place to plug in the cord.

So, neither of these two options is better than the other.

Your needs would determine which one to choose that will work best for you.

What to have in mind related to pleasure detection and dust seal?

A pressure detector can be a very useful feature and some palm sanders come with it.

They are designed to inform you if you press too hard with the sander.

At that moment, the tool will vibrate or the light will turn on.

More experienced users would find this feature significant while this is also great for beginners due to the fact that it will indicate them and prevent them from damaging their workpiece.

Another important feature when palm sanders are in question is the dust sealing.

Dust can have bad effects on your health, but can also damage your tool.

Dust flies and make a mess in our workshop, while entering the inner parts of your sander as well.

This can lead to the clogging up of the motor and damage your tool that it stops working.

This is a reason why you need a tool which includes a dust seal.

It will keep dust out of sensitive areas making your tool to last longer.

Conclusion

By gathering information from our palm sander reviews, you will be a well-informed buyer, which means that you will know how to determine the right model for your needs.

There are lots of good options out there, but of all five palm sanders mentioned, the DeWalt is the best of the best and you will not regret buying it.

It is durable build and its high-performance features make it stand out of all the others available on the market.

If you choose to buy the Black and Decker you will get both the value and quality as this is the best for the money pick.

The world of palm sanders is huge, and you can even do your own research, but we believe that our article included all the necessary information you should know.

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