Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Summary: "Jack of All Trades, Master of none" Overall I would definitely recommend this sander for the DIY'er, homeowner, hobbyist, or even to a very budget conscious woodworker for light and occasional use. The key advantage is that it can switch between THREE modes: 1) Random Orbital Sanding(ROS) with 5" disks, 2) Orbital with a proprietary sanding pad (Which can get inside corners) and 3) Orbital with a detail pad (for sanding around spindles or intricate moldings, etc). All 3 modes use hook/loop (H/L) sandpaper. H/L sandpaper costs more than plain, but the convenience is great for swapping grits if you are a heavy userr, and the cost penalty is relatively small if you are an occasional user. For best results you should start with a coarse grit then move quickly to finer grades as the scratches come out. If there are deep scratches or blade marks I will start with an 80 grit. From here, to a 150, then 250, 330, etc. If I am staining (which is NOT often) then I will stop around 220-280. For an oil or natural finish I will go to 330. If I'm polishing aluminum, I will go to 400, 600, 1000, 1500. Why do you need different modes? ROS sands quickly with "no" swirl marks so it's preferred for doing large flat surfaces (There are in fact swirl marks, but since they're random it's much harder to see them). ROS however can't do edges, narrow pieces, curved surfaces and you can't sand inside corners. That's why a lot of people end up buying more than one sander. If you can only afford one, most people will get a "1/4 sheet" orbital. This gives you a square sanding surface and allows you to use regular (and inexpensive) sandpaper. The down side is that changing sandpaper is a hassle and it's a lot slower on large flat surfaces. The main drawback to this sander is that it isn't as balanced or isolated as the more expensive sanders - it's noisier and vibrates more and you have to get a better grip on it. Sanding freehand or sanding odd shapes is also harder. Not a big deal if you're doing smaller projects now and then. If you're thinking that you'll be using it more than an hour here or there or have a really large project (like refinishing all the cabinet doors in your kitchen) then you'll want a "Pro" level sander which is dedicated to a single purpose. For the price you can't go wrong. The "Pro" level ROS are $20 more and they don't do detail or corners. The cheapest ROS I saw at Home Depot was the Ryobi, but for $10 you lose the dust collection and the other two sanding modes. It's definitely not as smooth as my Porter cable sanders, but for about a third of the price you get more capability than I have with a Quicksand (ROS) and Speedbloc (1/4 sheet orbital) TIPS: You'll want to use the ROS 5" disks for most of your work, especially since the hook/loop disks cost about 1/4 of what they charge for "Mega Mouse" sanding pads. You can also cut up your ROS disks to make replacement sanding pads for the detail "Finger" Finally, to clean out the dust compartment I simply remove it and hold a shop vac nozzle against it. This helps clear out the filter so that it breathes again. LIKES: 3 sanding modes, 2 speeds. Dust collector actually works well (The cloth bags typically don't work on the exra fine dust, which is the most hazardous to health. This even when I used it with 5 hole disks which blocked all but ~2 holes). Fast spin down. can use inexpensive 5" disks (for ROS). Storage bag for accessories. Works when it's cold. My PC Speedbloc (super quiet and balanced but expensive orbital sander) won't start up when it's freezing since the rubber isolators are too stiff (see my related review) DISLIKES: More vibration and noise than I would be able to tolerate for long periods. Pricey "MegaMouse" paper. Switching to detail sanding mode requires removing and reinstalling a small screw (which I am leery of losing). For context I have been doing woodworking for >30 years and doing extensive home handyman and repairs for >15 (neither professionally) in addition to Habitat for Humanity and other similar volunteer work. B&D is targeted towards the homeowner and hobbyist but also make the majority of hand power tools used in manufacturing but they also make DeWalt. B&D is therefore good for someone who is more sensitive to price rather than wanting something which is bulletproof. I have a number of B&D tools and, price considered, am quite satisfied with them (Note: I panned a B&D cordless drills based on price - I paid 1/5 and was therefore happy overall) Disclosure: I received this through the Amazon Vine program. If you've found this review helpful (or have questions), please let me know!