After pondering between this model and the one without variable speeds, I decided to pay the extra $20 and go with this one. I'm glad I did! I bought this with the goal of refinishing a wood banister that had been covered in polyurethane, my goal was to get it down to bare wood so I could paint/stain it. I am female, and this was the first handheld power tool i'd ever used beyond a basic drill! There was almost no setup involved, and the sander felt very durable and easy to hold. I was able to find a variety of different sanding discs that will work with it, too. While using the sander, I had no problems whatsoever. At first, I only used the lower speeds out of fear of losing control, but it turned out I was worrying over nothing. Even at top speed, one hand will keep you on track (although I advise using two, and both hands will fit around it quite well.) I was even able to control it enough to sand the 1/2" sides! The lower speed was very useful when I used 60-grit discs to take off the initial layer. The wood was warm but nothing was uncomfortably hot. The material came off reasonably quickly and without much trouble - the banister had rounded edges and a wide, flat surface, and to date there is no evidence I used a power sander! The random orbit kept everything smooth and even. There was some dust left on the floor and floating in the air, but the attached bag did catch a great deal of the mess. I had been skeptical of changing out the pads, since some people have complained about the velcro, but I had no issues. Just be sure to hold the pad close to the sander as you pull it off, much like you'd remove a painful Bandaid. Now that my project is completed, I can't wait to find other uses for this sander. When you're done, it fits right back in the bag, ready to go again anytime!

NateS17

Thorndale, PA

I was in need of a new sander when my other one broke beyond repair. I chose this one due it's higher horsepower so it is much easier to use than my previous one and the quality is extremely better in this price range. I do many household repairs and use it when I am refinishing wood projects that I upcycle. I Recently learned that I can also use it with a buffing attachment to buff up the stainless steel on some of my projects. I love this sander and have had it about a year now with absolutely no issues.

cheeksmom

Dayton, OH

Easy enough for this housewife to refinish an antique vanity. Hand sanding was just taking way too long for me to perfect an antique vanity treasure that I had found at a garage sale. I actually stopped working on the project for six months because I didn't have the "extra" time to do the vanity justice. My husband surprized me with a DeWalt Random Orbital Sander which uses a/c power and has a number of splendid features. To name a few...the included bag catches the dust and keeps away from the machine which is critical to wear and tear and also away from your lungs; uses several different types of sanding disc's to get the finish you desire; has a 3.0 amp motor which delivers 12,000 opm which does not tire out like a human's wrist and the price if phenomenal! DeWalt made me a proud owner because I could never have finished my vanity without them. Do I recommend? You bet~I stand 100% behind this product!

dmdifalco

Fort Gratiot, MI

This item was okay. i could of found a better piece at a lower price. do not buy it was only okay for me. if i had a choice, i would rather use a generic brand one that is 5 times cheaper. only a fool would buy this expensive machinery.

addedbreak

USA

We have owned this router for a good five years and have used it constantly on many different projects from home remodeling to woodworking and all sorts of miscellaneous things. It does the job! It has had more than enough power to do whatever we've needed, but it's incredible torque (and weight) can also make it slightly harder to handle on certain jobs, like if you're sanding smaller peices of wood that are hard to handle. I've noticed my dad's less powerful sander is easier for things like that. This sander is heavy, but also heavy-duty. I love being able to push down hard and watch it grind through a tough peice of wood. We have had to replace the piece connecting the sander to the disc because it started rotating unevenly, but I would attribute that to our extensive use. The part was easy to get and replace, so no big deal. It keeps going strong. DeWalt really knows how to build 'em!

ValPal25

Salt Lake City, UT

I used to have a Kawasaki 5" sander and was happy with it before I used one of my friend's DeWalt sanders. And wow does this thing blow my old Kawasaki in the dust (pun intended). The motor on this Dewalt unit seems a lot more powerful even though on paper tha Kawasaki has 0.5 more Amps (3 Amps vs 3.5 Amps). The sander itself rarely looses any steam even when pressed hard against the workpiece. The hook and loop mounting system well made and feels pretty rigid. The sander itself is heavy and feels like quality in your hands. The dust collection system works fairly well and I am able to use it for medium sized jobs without hooking it up to a shop vac. The power cord is a reasonable length, however I use it with a 15 feet extension cord to get more reach. The carrying case is well made and makes it convenient to carry the sander, a few sanding sheets and the extension cable around. But the best feature of the DeWalt so far has been the reliability: Having used it occasionally for the last few years, never has it given me any trouble.

generalkickass

San Jose, CA