I Tested 6 Detail Sanders: These are the Best
Detail sanders are extremely useful for a variety of projects, but with so many to choose from – it can be difficult to find the best one for your project.
That’s why I put together this list of the best detail sanders so you can make the best choice.
I’ve tested countless different sanders and power tools in my years of woodworking so you can find the best one for your project.
In a hurry? The best detail sander is the SKIL Detail Sander. This sander is powerful, durable, and comes with a solid 1-year warranty. It’s great for woodworking projects, furniture, and other small to medium sized projects.
Best Detail Sanders for Your Money
- #1 Best Overall: SKIL Detail Sander
- Highest Quality Detail Sander: DeWalt Oscillating Sander
- Best Budget Detail Sander: Black and Decker MOUSE Sander
- Best Cordless Detail Sander: Ryobi 18V Cordless Detail Sander
- Best Detail Sander for Woodworking: Craftsman Detail Sander
- Best Detail Sander for Furniture: SKIL Detail Sander
1. SKIL Detail Sander – Best Overall
- POWERFUL – With a 1. 2 amp motor and 13,500 orbits per minute, it’s able to deliver a smooth performance over…
- VERSATILITY ON THE QUICK – This 4-in-1 detail sander comes with an additional 3 detail attachments for fine…
- TOUGH ON DUST – Between its micro-filtration system and the 1-1/4″ dust port for vacuum attachment you can…
If you’re looking for the best detail sander for your project, this SKIL Detail Sander is likely your best bet.
Overall, this corded detail sander is powerful, durable, and extremely comfortable. It can produce 13,500 OPM of speed with a power output of 1.2 amps – which makes sanding easier and more efficient.
With all of that power, you might be worried about cross grain sanding marks, but this sander did a great job of leaving a smooth surface.
The dust collection system is decent (I wouldn’t consider it the best, but also no the worst) and it’s also see-through, so you don’t have to guess when it’s full. Additionally, is has a micro filtration system that absorbs dust and makes sanding tasks effortless.
This sander even comes with sanding pads in the box, so you don’t have to purchase them separately which is a nice bonus.
The sanding sheets are super easy to change thanks to the hook and loop system and the additional sanding accessories were extremely handy.
What I Liked:
- Powerful sander that can deliver up to 13,500 OPM making sanding faster and easier
- Easily changeable sanding pads so you don’t waste time
- Decent 1-year warranty so you don’t have to worry about it breaking
- Affordable for the quality, so you can save money on your projects
- Comes with several detail sanding attachments for added versatility
What I Didn’t Like:
- No variable speed trigger
- Cords can get in the way
See it in action here 👇
My Thoughts:
If you want the best detail sander on the market, this SKIL detail sander is the best of the best, – especially considering the price. It’s powerful with a decent dust collection system and it does a great job of reaching tight spaces that other types of sanders can’t. This is one of the best sanders for furniture, cabinets, and a wide range of projects.
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2. Black and Decker MOUSE Sander – Best Mouse Sander
- COMPACT DESIGN – Allows access to cramped corners and tight spaces.
- POWERFUL MOTOR – 1.2 Amp motor supplies 16,000 orbits per minute for fast and thorough material removal.
- DETAIL FINGER ATTACHMENT – Interchangeable attachment allows access to hard-to-reach spots.
Another great detail sander is the Black and Decker corded MOUSE sander. It’s important to note that this one is very different than the cordless model that I don’t recommend.
This sander features a 1.2 amp motor that can deliver up to 16,000 OPM – making it a surprisingly powerful detail sander compared to others.
The dust collection system on this corded sander does a pretty good job. Although it didn’t pick up all the sanding dust, it got the vast majority. The dust box can be easily removed and emptied and because of the clear shell, you can see when it is full.
Just like with many other detail sanders, the sanding pad was simple to change because of the hook and loop system.
This sander also comes with a detail finger attachment that makes it easy to reach super tight areas that aren’t accessible with other sanding tools.
What I Liked:
- More powerful sander with 1.2 amp motor
- Handy detail finger attachment
- Good value for the price
What I Didn’t Like:
- Placement of the power button can make it easy to accidentally turn it on and off
- No variable speeds
- Not as comfortable as other models
My Thoughts:
Overall, this corded Black and Decker detail sander is a great sander for a variety of projects. It’s more powerful than the SKIL sander above, and it comes with a convenient finger attachment that makes reaching some tight spaces a breeze. My only complaint is the location of the power button. Because it’s on top of the sander where your hand is located, you can easily turn it off and on accidentally. Overall, this is one of the best mouse sanders you can buy.
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3. Ryobi 18V Cordless Detail Sander – Best Cordless Detail Sander
- Compact Triangular Base
- Compact size for precision and control in tight spaces
- Easy sandpaper attachment with hook & loop base
If you’re looking for the best cordless sander, this Ryobi 18V Detail Sander is a great choice. It can produce up to 11,000 OPM, but don’t let this number deceive you – it’s more powerful than you’d think despite being less than others.
This sander was super comfortable and easy to use thanks to the positioning of the grip directly above the sanding plate. The vibrations weren’t overly aggressive on my hand or wrist, so I was able to sand for hours without fatigue.
It’s great for tight spaces that other sanders can’t reach thanks to the triangular sanding pad.
It’s worth noting that this detail sander doesn’t feature a dust bag or collection system built in. You can purchase an adapter separately to hook up your shop vacuum, but that’s an additional cost and isn’t super convenient.
What I Liked:
- Cordless model makes it easier to sand without cords in the way
- Battery lasted longer than expected
- Extremely comfortable grip with little wrist vibration
What I Didn’t Like:
- No dust collection system can make it difficult to manage
- Cordless models weigh more
My Thoughts:
If you want a cordless detail sander, this Ryobi sander is a perfect choice. It has the perfect blend of power, comfort, and durability. My only gripes with this sander is that there is no built in dust collection system and it weighs more than corded sanders. You can purchase an external adapter so you can hook it up to your shop vacuum if needed. I loved not having to worry about cords getting in the way. Overall, this is one of the best corded detail sanders you’ll find.
4. Craftsman Cordless Detail Sander
- VARIABLE SPEED: Provides 9,000 – 12,000 OPM to help you tackle various projects
- HIGH-ENDURANCE: Dust-sealed switch provides durability
- RAPID, VERSATILE DUST COLLECTION featuring dust bag and 1-1/4 in vacuum connection
Another one of the best cordless detail sanders is this Craftsman Detail Sander. This sander has a strong battery that can deliver up to 12,000 OPM – making it great for both light and harsh sanding jobs.
The dust collector did a great job of keeping sanding dust out of the way which made sanding larger areas easier.
This sander was also one of the most comfortable sanders with a larger rubber grip with weight that’s dispersed evenly with the battery and sanding plate on both sides.
One of the biggest benefits of this sander over many others is the variable speed component. Variable speed is important when sanding to give you more control of how much surface is removed. If the sander is overly powerful, you run the risk of sanding marks destroying your surface. With a variable control sander, you can reduce the speed to ensure you’re only removing the top of the wood that you want to remove.
What I Liked:
- Variable speed, giving you more control of your sanding
- Good mix of power and versatility for a wide range of projects
What I Didn’t Like:
- Must purchase battery separately
- Heavier than other corded detail sanders
My Thoughts:
If you’re in the market for a cordless sander, this Craftsman sander is one of the best detail sanders you can buy. Overall, it’s a quality sander that is powerful and versatile. I’d recommend this sander over the Ryobi if dust collection or variable speed is important to you. The only downside is that you have to purchase a battery separately and it’s somewhat heavier than corded models.
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5. DeWalt Oscillating Sander Tool
- Powerful 3 amp motor of the oscillating tool provides strong performance for cutting and sanding
- Quick-Change accessory system allows blades and attachments to be changed quickly without wrenches
- Dual-Grip variable speed trigger gives users ultimate speed and application control
If you’re looking for a versatile power tool that’s not limited to sanding, this DeWalt Oscillating tool is worth a look. Simply attach the triangular sanding pad, power it on, and start sanding. It’s that easy.
This multipurpose tool can produce up to 22,000 OPM of speed – making it the most powerful detail sander on my list in terms of speed.
Because of its size, this tools is great for sanding corners and other tight spaces that larger sanders can’t reach.
This tool is very lightweight when compared to traditional detail sanders weighing in at 1 pound.
With this tool there’s no dust collection system, so you’ll have to remove dust manually – which can be annoying.
What I Liked:
- Versatile tool that can do more than just sanding like grinding and cutting
- Extremely powerful sander that’s great for tougher projects
- Small surface that’s perfect for detailed sanding
What I Didn’t Like:
- Only good for extremely detailed jobs because of the smaller triangular sanding pad
- No dust collection system
My Thoughts:
This DeWalt oscillating tool is one of the best detail sanders for tight corners and spaces that other orbital sanders can’t reach. There are several sanding attachments you can get for this tool that makes it perfect for furniture and other similar projects. This is an extremely powerful sander, but it doesn’t have any dust collection box – so you’ll need to remove dust frequently when sanding. If you’re dealing with rounded or curved surfaces, this is one of the best detail sanders for the job.
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6. Black and Decker Cordless Mouse Sander (Don’t Recommend)
- FAST MATERIAL REMOVAL – At 12,000 opm (oscillations per minute), this sander quickly clears away material.
- DETAIL FINGER ATTACHMENT – Helps sand hard-to-reach surfaces.
- 2-POSITION GRIP – Allows for enhanced control during a variety of applications.
Another cordless detail sander is the Black and Decker MOUSE detail sander. Honestly, this sander is not worth your money.
The battery was extremely difficult to attach to the device and it isn’t nearly as powerful as others.
Additionally, just like with the corded model, the position of the power button is inconvenient as you can easily turn the device on and off with your hand.
What I Liked:
- The price
- No cords
What I Didn’t Like:
- Battery was extremely difficult to attach and didn’t hold charge long
- Felt very cheaply made
- Power button poorly located
How to Choose the Best Detail Sander for Your Needs
Power
When it comes to sanding, the power of your detail sander can make all the difference between getting the job done in a few minutes or spending hours.
Power can be measured in either the amps that the motor produces or the orbits per minutes, also known as OPM.
But too much power can also be an issue for some sanding jobs. For example, if you’re working on a delicate surface – too much power can leave sanding marks on the surface of your project that will require more work to remove.
This is where variable speed can be helpful. This will allow you to adjust the speed of your sander depending on how much material removal is necessary.
Versatility
Some sanders are naturally more versatile than others. For example, the DeWalt oscillating tool is perfect for detailed work, but you can’t use it for larger projects.
Other detail sanders provide a good mix of versatility and functionality that can make them more useful for a handful of jobs.
If you’re working on medium sized projects, using a traditional mouse sander is versatile enough to reach into tight spaces while being efficient enough for larger areas.
Need help operating your detail sander? Check out the video below!
Size and Weight & Comfort
The size, weight, and comfort of your sander will come into play if you’re doing a lot of sanding.
Heavier sanders can be more difficult on your shoulder if you’re performing a large amount of sanding in a single day.
Ease of Use
When sanding, it’s crucial to change the sanding pads when they become less effective.
Most detail sanders will have a hook and loop system that makes changing the sanding pads easy.
Corded vs Cordless Models
When it comes to power tools, there’s often a huge debate between corded and cordless models, and it’s no different when it comes to electric sanders.
Corded sanders often feature more power and are often more budget friendly, but cords can get in the way of your work and you’ll need a power outlet close in order to work.
Cordless sanders are portable and keep cords out of the way when sanding, but they can be less powerful, heavier, and typically cost more.
So which is better? It’s up to you! I’ve used both corded and cordless models and it’s ultimately a personal preference.
Dust Collection
Dust collection is another critical component of any sander. When sanding dust gets in the way of your sander, it can limit the effectiveness, require more work, and cause sanding marks on the wood surface.
Most sanders will feature dust collection systems of some sort to remove dust and keep it out of the way.
Price
The price of your sander is always worth considering. If you’re on a budget, there are some great detail sanders that’ll give you a great bang for your buck. However, if you have some extra room in your budget – purchasing the best detail sander can make your job easier, not to mention it can last for years.
Durability and Warranty
The longevity of your sander is another important consideration. If you’re shelling out a decent amount of money on a sander, you want it to last longer than a few months.
The durability of your sander usually goes hand in hand with the warranty that accompanies it.
Some detail sanders can feature a warranty of up to 5 years while other might be limited to a single year.
Detail Sander vs Orbital Sander
There are a few different types of sander you can opt for, but detail sanders and random orbital sanders are two of the most common.
The main differences between these types of sanders are the shape and functionality of them.
Detail sanders are capable of reaching tight spaces and corners that aren’t accessible by an orbital sander.
Orbital sanders can be better suited for larger projects that don’t require a large amount of detail work.
FAQs
What are the advantages of a detail sander?
A detail sander allows you to access areas that are more difficult to reach with other types of sanders.
Should you use a detail sander for furniture?
Yes! Detail sanders are perfect for furniture, DIY projects, and many other woodworking projects. They are versatile sanders that are great for small to medium sized projects that require a smooth surface.
When should you use a detail sander?
Detail sanders are perfect for a wide range of woodworking projects, furniture restoration, and other sanding jobs that are small to medium size.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the best corded detail sander is the SKIL Detail Sander because of its mix of power, durability, and affordability. This is a great detail sander that doesn’t cost a fortune.
If you’re looking for a cordless model, the Ryobi 18V Cordless Detail Sander is one of the best sanders you can find.