The best drywall sanders can be a huge help when it comes to finishing your project.
There are so many different types of them, and picking the right one for you may seem daunting at first. But with these reviews, we'll make sure that you pick the perfect one!
Image | Name | Editor's Comment | Features | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
Our Best Pick | RPM: 920 Watt: 400 Hose: N/A | |||
Best Value For Money | RPM: 1500 Watt: 600 Hose: 15 ft. | |||
with Dust Collector | RPM: 1750 Watt: 750 Hose: 6.5 ft. |
A Word About Drywall Sander
Drywall Sander is a popular machine among home improvement professionals. This tool is used for smoothing the drywall surfaces to make the surface ready to be primed and painted.
Since this is an automatic electric machine, you need less strength to do this work comparing to the manual sanding. The dust management and efficiency are two great advantages of using dustless drywall sanders.
Our 10 Best Drywall Sanders Reviews:
Here are the top 10 handpicked products that we feel are the best of the best in the market-
1. Porter-Cable 7800 Dustless Drywall Sander Review:
The Porter Cable 7800 gives you a perfect ready-to-paint wall in minutes effort.
This lightweight sander is convenient for both professionals and amateurs since it has variable speed controls. You can decrease its speed as low as 1400 rpm and can speed it up to 2000 rpm.
Importantly, When most of the cheap sanders weigh more than 14 pounds, it comes with only 8.5 pounds, making it one of the most lightweight contenders in its category.
Its long vacuum hose makes your work easier as it disperses almost all the dust out of your work area.
The sander comes with a mounting hook to make it easy to mount. Its accuracy is another advantage worth mentioning.
Now, about drawbacks!
Though it can be used for both light and heavy works, it is made for heavy works. It is not convenient for small repairs or bathrooms.
Porter Cable drywall sander is best for professionals and perfectionist DIY guys. This is a great product within a reasonable price range compared to other premium quality products.
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2. WEN 6369 Variable Speed Electric Drywall Sander
The WEN 6369 is our best value for your money. This is cheaper compared to the Porter-Cable 7800 and does the work close to its contender.
It comes with a variable speed control feature from 600 RPM to 1500 RPM.
This WEN model consists of a 360-degree revolving head which automatically adjusts to the surface wall.
Its 9-inch sanding pad allows you to sand faster and easier through the surface.
It has quick sandpaper changing feature too which is a good point to consider for the professional handymen. WEN call it as Hook-and-Loop feature.
It automatically eliminates dust from the surface area with its whopping 15 feet long hose. This hose keeps your work area clean and makes dust removal an easy task.
A drawback, this 6369 model is an 11.5-pound drywall sander. Which can be a problem for the weaker people. Professionals will not face any challenges with this weight.
If you consider the expense to result ratio, there is no close contender to this WEN sander. It will feel like a premium machine yet priced at a very affordable rate. Best for any DIY handyman. Professionals can use this as a secondary tool as well.
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3. ALEKO 690E Electric Drywall Sander
If you are on a tight budget and can't go for more than a hundred bucks or want the cheapest drywall sander, this ALEKO 690E electric sander will do the work for you.
This sander is strong enough to sanding ceiling or polish your walls.
It comes with a motor speed control feature allowing you to slow it down to 1000 RPM and making it faster up to 2000 high RPM.
It has a telescopic handle of 43 inches which can be extended up to 65 inches.
Though this is a powerful sander in a significantly lower price point, this is not a convenient one for professional use.
Its 14.7-pound weight is a drawback to its easy usability. You have to be really strong to hold it in place for a longer period when sanding drywall.
Though you can sand and polish your ceiling with it, it's not recommended for ceiling works for its painful weight. This machine is perfect for floor and wall finishing.
Only thing that sets this apart from other products is its double digit price point. Other than that, there is hardly any feature that can attract you to buy this.
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4. Festool 571935 Easy Drywall Sander
The Easy to Use Festool Drywall Sander is our best pick for this sander buying guide.
It weighs only 7.93 pounds making it one of the easiest to use automatic drywall sanders.
Its flexible sanding head allows you to sand the surface with more freedom.
It removes the dust at its source when connected with a dust extractor. The design made it super easy to connect an extractor with it to keep the environment safe from the sanding dust.
This Festool model has a unique feature allowing its user to sand in the tightest corner of the surface.
The only drawback we have found is its higher price point. It costs you almost 1.5 times higher than our best pick Porter-Cable 7800 Sander.
Festool is Best for professionals who want great features with premium service all the time. Compared to Porter-Cable and WEN, it's an overkill, I should say.
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5. ZENY 800W Electric Drywall Sander
The Electric Sander from ZENY is our pick for the people looking for occasional home DIY works.
This product is not convenient for professional use for its over-weight and unavailability of spare parts in local hardware shops.
It has a good speed adjustable feature which can make the speed as low as 1000 RPM and as high as 2000 RPM.
This comes with a rubber grip on the handle which is, in my opinion, is a good addition. Rubber grips allow you to handle it more easily.
With that, the manufacturer added the control buttons near the grip so that you can operate it easily without pausing your works.
As I said earlier, this is not a professional grade sander as it comes in cheap. Its build quality is not so good compared to the other drywall sanders we have reviewed here.
Its weight is another concern for the people buying it. If you are not so strong, you will face difficulty using it.
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6. POWER-PRO 2100 Electric Drywall Sander
The Power-Pro 2100 is a classic all-in-one pack. You can use it for DIY home or professional use. Its price is reasonable enough and at everyone's reach.
This decent sander consists of a powerful motor, an adjustable sanding head, and a long removable extension handle.
It has 6 different speed control by which you can adjust the speed of the motor from 1000 to 2000 RPM.
Its 13 feet extraction hose is another positive thing deserves mentioning. You can sand the surface without thinking of the extra hassle of cleaning it.
The feature I liked in this sander is its adjustable sanding head. It can adjust to the surface pretty easily by rotating in all directions. This will certainly reduce pressure on your arm and shoulder.
The only thing that will create a problem for you is its 15-pound weight.
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7. Festool 575219 Planex LHS 225 Dustless Drywall Sander
This sander is a cool machine you are looking for but we did not place it at #1 for its unbelievably higher price point.
If you are not in a tight budget and looking for a high-quality drywall sander with excellent build quality, you should think about this beast.
With this sander, you can make your surface look smooth within minutes.
This tool is completely dustless when connected with Festool Dust Extractor.
There is literally no clean up needed after you finish up with this tool, according to the manufacturer.
But in our experience, we see around 5% dust accumulates in the room and you need to do a 2 minute clean up work here.
There is a unique feature in this portable sander. You can extend this to reach higher spaces and collapse the extended portion for lower spaces.
This handy feature will certainly save the time of setting up the ladder.
It allows you to sand in the tight corners with its Near-Edge sanding technology.
Adding that this comes with a three-year warranty which is unusual in the drywall sander industry. The warranty ensures its durability and good build quality.
The only shortcoming we noticed is its weight. It is a 19.5-pounds heavy drywall sander and sanding for a long time with it can be painful to your arms and shoulder.
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8. Best Choice Products Drywall Sander
The best choice products easy-grip drywall sander comes with an aluminum frame which makes it one of the strong sander in its class.
Its handle can be easily gripped, hence there will be no risk of slipping it out of your arms for the vibration.
Its powerful electric motor is one of the few things that made it into our top 10 dustless drywall sanders list.
The sander comes with a vacuum hose and attachment tubes but there were some reported cases where we have seen that does not work properly sometimes.
This reasonably priced sander has adjustable speed settings just like other good drywall sanders. There are 6 different speed controls, you can use that for efficient sanding.
The weight is a concern here. Its 16 pounds heavyweight can be painful when used for long term. The price point it comes with the heavyweight is unacceptable.
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9. COMIE 750W Commercial Drywall Sander
Compared to the price point and the value it provides for this price point, it is a very close contender of our best value for your money category.
This commercial Sander comes with a portable handle which grips really well. This ensures that you can move the sander easily without taking any extra pressure in your arms.
Its dust collection feature is also handy for doing a hassle-free home improvement work.
Its adjustable pivotal head is also a considering factor.
As the name suggests, you can use this product for both home and commercial purpose.
Its variable speed will serve your purpose on both occasions.
With its 10 pound weight, it is one of the best drywall sanders in the market now.
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10. ZENY 750W Electric Drywall Sander
The 18-pound ZENY electric drywall sander is not a product everyone dreaming about. You can only buy this product if you can not manage money for any other expensive products.
You get variable speed control mechanism in it and it works well from 1000 RPM to 2000 RPM.
Due to its 18 pounds weight, you will feel real difficulty using it on the ceiling. But the product can work well on walls and floors.
Its portable grip is a good thing in my opinion for easy handling. The slippery handles can cause problems when you start touching the ground with it.
Good grip handles are must for this type of heavyweight machines.
Though it has all the features you get in an expensive drywall sander, it lacks durability. Its build quality is a thing to be concerned about.
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11. Orion Motor Tech Drywall Sander with Integrated Vacuum
The 850-watt electric sander by Orion Motor Tech is a great option for those who want all in one package.
This sander comes with a swivel head that adjusts with the surface. So, you will not feel pressure on your hand when sanding uneven surfaces with this.
Its telescopic handle is another great feature to consider! It extends up to 82” saving your money from spending money in ladders to reach the ceiling.
Importantly, it comes with a dust collecting bag that allows you to work without bothering about cleaning. It will work without making your home a dirty mess.
You can work after sunset without managing external lighting, thanks to the unique dual LED integrated lighting system.
This sander for drywall ships with six 180 grit sanding disks and six 240 grit disks which allows the buyer to start working from the moment he receives it.
On top of all that, the sander comes with a one year warranty!
So, if you are looking for something great yet at an affordable rate, this product is one of the best suits for you.
Best for people looking to save money without compromising the quality. This can go head to head against our value pick WEN and you'll hardly be able to pick one, if told.
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12. Ginour 360° 750W Drywall Sander With Vacuum Attachment
The Ginour 360° sander is a great buying option for those who are searching for a suitable drywall sander that can reach corners easily.
Its 360-degree rotating mechanism and the extensible handle make it easy for the user to have the work done in a quick time.
This machine is easy to use and comes with a long dust collecting pipe and a dust bag. So, you do need external equipment to collect dust and manage it.
Its seven different speed variation is another feature that comes into our attention. You can adjust the speed from 1000 rpm to 1800 rpm to make things easier for you.
Like the #11 of the list, this also comes with LED light that allows the user to work in low-light conditions effectively without spending time on light management.
Its sanding head is made with a great technology that reduces the pressure from the user with its floating mechanism. It adjusts perfectly with uneven surfaces to make your sanding job smooth and pressureless.
When you are sanding a particular type of surface and need not the variable speed settings, you can lock the speed so that the sanding works go on evenly on the whole surface.
One bad thing that comes to our notice is that its floating head can stop working sometimes and you’ll feel the sander vibrating on your hand. Although this is not a problem for the professionals, new users can face difficulty controlling the machine.
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Features of The Best Drywall Sander
Here are the must have features in a quality drywall sanding device-
a. Lightweight
The weight is the core concern for me in picking up the drywall sander. Lightweight drywall sanders are great to use.
The human body is not suitable for lifting heavy materials for long unless you are a super strong person. The typical human body will feel pain after carrying a heavy drywall sander for a longer period.
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b. Comfort and Extendability
Working with a machine is tiresome and boring. If you work with an uncomfortable machine, it will be more painful for you.
An authentic drywall sander should come with a comfortable grip and extendable handle which can easily reach the ceiling. About 5 to 10 feet extendable handle is enough for regular sanding works.
c. Powerful Motor
A drywall sander must come with a powerful motor and have to have at least 500 Revolutions per minute (RPM).
The more motor power you get, the faster you can do the work with the sander. If you are buying one, consider selecting one with a minimum of 500 watts power.
d. Durability
Durability is a thing which you can not predict often and I do not skip this test ever when choosing a product.
If the sander is not durable, then a cheap sander can cost you as much as a mid-range sander for its spare parts. So, an up to the mark drywall sander should always come with durability.
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e. Easily Replaceable Parts
I prefer sanders that come with easily replaceable parts.
Some manufacturers make uncommon and not easily replaceable parts to profit from selling spare parts. This type of product will be dysfunctional if the company discontinue the product.
That's why I prefer common products over an uncommon one. At least you get people who are using the same product and can give you a solution if any problem arises.
f. Vacuum Attachment
The drywall sanders are famous for their dust maintainability. But there are some cheap sanders which do not allow you to eliminate the dust at its source.
So, I do check if there is vacuum attachment for dust collection and how efficiently it works.
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What to Look For in a Drywall Sander?
When it comes to buying a drywall sander, it is a time consuming and a challenging task. This section will help you choose the best dustless drywall sander with ease.
1. Reason Behind The Purchase
The first and foremost thing you should do before you start your research about the sanders is to ask yourself. For what you will be using the product? I do not mean sanding here obviously. I mean:
- Are you buying it for professional heavy duty works or for DIY occasional lite works?
- Are you taking it with you to other places?
- Do you need it for only a one time use?
- Do you have a shop vac or not?
If you can find out the reason behind purchasing the product, you can easily figure out the best electric drywall sander for you.
2. Ease of Use
You will notice the phrase "easy to use" in so many product reviews. Here are the factors that contribute to the ease of use-
i. Weight
You can not comfortably polish your wall with a 20-pound heavy machine. You'll start feeling your arms and shoulder after spending a bit of time using the machine.
Heavyweight sanders can be used for floor polishing but are not recommended for sanding walls and should be barred (I'm saying it) to use in the ceilings.
You should look for a sander which weighs around 8 to 12 pounds considering your muscle power and ability to hold it tight for a long period.
ii. Flexible Head
The flexible head allows you to polish the wall without moving yourself here and there.
Some sander heads can automatically adjust them to the wall for efficient and fast sanding, and some others come with a button on your hand to control it according to your needs.
iii. Length You Can Reach with It
The length you can reach with the sander standing on the floor is a point to be considered. If you buy a short-handle sander, you will find yourself in a spot of bother. Moving a ladder or using drywall stilts is a tough job when you are already holding a heavy machine.
Standard drywall sanders must come with at least 5 feet long handle. Extendable handles are more efficient when you are working with a taller wall.
iv. Portability
If you are looking for a sander for professional use, you have to carry this with you place to place.
So, a portable and easy to move machine is more of a necessity for professionals.
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v. Ability to Sand Edges and Corners
There is a type of sander called detail sander for polishing the edges and corners of the wall. But no one likes to carry a secondary machine when you can do it with your primary one.
When purchasing a drywall sander, look for efficient corner polishing features. Otherwise, you'll have to buy a detail sander or use sandpapers to complete the job.
vi. Dust Management at Source
There are two types of drywall sanders in terms of dust management.
Some come with a dust collector which is most efficient for dust elimination. But some cheap sanders do not come with a dust collector. Though you can collect dust at its source with a hose and shop vacs from them also.
Keep in mind that you do not need to clean up the filter so often in the earlier type. But if you have one without dust collector, you need to clean up the filter manually.
3. Revolutions Per Minute (RPM)
The RPM means how many times the sanding disk is rotating in a minute. The more it can rotate in a minute, the faster you can finish your job.
But the faster RPMs will create more pressure to your hand and it will feel heavier as you increase the rate of RPM. So, you will need to adjust the RPM time to time for efficient and lengthy use.
You should consider buying one with a higher RPM and having a wide range of adjustability.
4. Diameter of Sanding Discs
The diameter of the sanding disc should not be overlooked. Some companies manufacture uncommon sized sanding disc which can create problem in the long run.
And some sanders come with a variety of sanding discs which are good for professional work. Always go for a sander that accommodates popular and easy to find replacement discs.
5. Efficient Power Consumption
Picking a machine that consumes less power will save your money by reducing the electricity bill. To see how much power it consumes, you should see the wattage. The more watt it comes up with, the more you will pay for the electricity.
Apart from that, you should look for the volt also. Standard volt for the United States is 120 Volt and for China, it is 220 Volt.
6. Drywall Sander Price
The cost of the product is a thing you can not ignore when buying a product. You should calculate the value it will provide and the money you are providing for it.
Some products come with extremely higher price points with the best material where some other compromise not so important things and make a value for money product.
7. Compact Storage
You will not need the product so often if you are buying it for DIY home improvement works. So, you should choose one with a good storage facility.
Some drywall sanders can be easily disassembled and stored in a small place and some can not. So, it is wise to check this point before making the decision.
8. Less Maintenance Hungry
All types of power tools and other heavy machines need maintenance. But you can not just buy one which is maintenance hungry. It will reduce your ability to work efficiently and consume your valuable time.
Picking one that needs less attention is a smart move.
Benefits of Using Drywall Sander
Best Electric Drywall Sanders are getting more popularity day by day for their ease of use and safety features. Here are some of the key benefits-
1. Safe
Comparing to other sanders and electric tools, drywall sanders are safest for their dust collection system. When other manual tools create so much dust that causes people to suffer from different eye, nose, throat and lung infections, working with a drywall sander is more clean and safe.
Apart from that, these are lightweight and you do not need to climb on ladders to reach the ceiling. So, there is no risk of slipping from the ladder with a heavy machine.
2. Economical
A drywall sander can polish a standard room within 30 minutes. Unless you are doing the work with an automatic sander, a man has to work for at least 5 hours to polish a room perfectly.
Therefore, in the long run, a drywall sander is more economical than the hand sanding based polish.
3. User-Friendly
As I have discussed above that the drywall sander is safe to use. It is user-friendly too. You can just plug and play with this tool.
On top of that, you have full control of the tool in your fingertips. You can extend the handle if needed, you can rotate the sanding head, change sanding panel and many more.
4. Easy Cleanup
Almost all of the drywall sander comes with a dust collector which eliminates dust at its source. So, you do not need to do a massive clean up after you finish up with the sander.
If connected with a shop vac or vacuum cleaner, it can collect almost 95% of the dust at its source.
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How Can I Limit Exposure to Drywall Dust?
Though the drywall sanders eliminate the dust pretty easily, you can not be reckless about your exposure to the dust.
The machine can dissipate 95% of the dust but the rest 5% can harm your health. So, it is recommended to limit your exposure to the drywall dust by implementing these simple steps.
1. Use Facemask and Eye Protective Glass
Before you start doing work with a drywall sander, you must wear an N95 facemask so that the small particles can not pass through.
You should use an eye-protective glass also for avoiding red-eye and itching eye problems.
2. Use Portable Dust Collector
Most of the drywall sander comes with a dust collector hose and if you have one, that is great. Connect it with a vacuum dust collector for effective use of it.
If your machine does not come with a dust collector, you can collect dust with a shop-vac. The manual which comes with your sander should have the procedure to use it.
3. Limit Entrance to The Room
Before you start sanding the drywall, you should limit the entrance to the place you are working on. Limiting the entrance will save a lot of clean up work.
If you do not seal the room, the dust will be everywhere in your house and you have to do the tiresome job to clean it. So, better prevent than cure.
4. Properly Cleanup After You Finish
When you finish up doing the sanding work, you should properly clean up the area. Cleaning up the area right after the work is done will reduce the time you are exposed to the harmful elements.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Sander Do You Use For Drywall?
A drywall pole sander that extracts dust from the source. These come with an extendable handle that allows you to reach higher walls and drywall ceilings with ease.
How Do You Sand Drywall Fast?
With a proper electric drywall sander, you should be able to speed up drywall sanding.
Good wall sanders allow you to control the speed so that you can work faster or slower according to your convenience.
How Do You Prevent Drywall Dust When Sanding?
Get the best drywall pole sander with a vacuum unit for your work. These work great to eliminate dust from the source making the work cleaner and smoother for the user.
What Grit Sanding Disk is Best For Drywall?
100 to 120 grit sanding disks are great for sanding minor imperfections on the drywall. If you are looking going to do some finishing works, get 180 to 220 grit disks.
Can I use Electric Sander on Drywall?
Of course! Why not? In fact, we recommend using an electric pole sander to use on the drywall for fast and effective sanding.
Can I Do Auto body work with Pole Sanders?
No! We don't recommend doing so. Instead, use an electric da sander to do autobody work.
Making Your Decision
As you have ended up reading the whole buying guide on the best drywall sanders, you know almost all the facts to consider buying a drywall sander and our best picks.
If you are not a pro and buying a sander for your home use, I would recommend you to pick one from our recommendations.
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