As part of the Ryobi ONE+™ system of over 150 cordless tools for the home, garden, automotive, crafting and much more, the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ R18ROS-0 Cordless Random Orbit Sander is ideal for light to medium weight sanding tasks such as fine finishing and paint removal The other common type of orbital sander that isn’t random is a finishing sander. As the name suggests, these are designed for the final touches rather than tough work such as removing paint (consider a belt sander for that type of job). You’ll want one of these for getting a nice smooth surface either as the final finish or before adding product, such as oil or paint. Worx handily supplies the sander in a hard plastic carry case if you buy it with a battery and you get a decent amount of sanding sheets included, too. On the downside, the dust bag is small and doesn’t offer very good suction.

Not only is there less risk of leaving marks in the wood, they are more versatile and can be used for a wide range of sanding tasks. This 720W tool features an ergonomic grip for comfortable use, and the weight of 2.3kg ensures that it won't get too heavy during long periods of use. The extraction channel on this model can be removed for added convenience, while the double-sealed gearbox is designed to prolong the life or your tool. You might also want to consider whether you already have a battery that might fit a cordless sander. Many brands have interchangeable systems so a battery from your drill might work in a sander if they’re part of the same ecosystem. This is partly why sanders are available to buy without batteries (in other words, body only). How much do I need to spend?Compact in design, the Makita weighs in at just 1.7kg with a battery on board. This should help prevent any soreness or stiffness when you’re working for an extended period of time, while the tool’s low centre of gravity is designed to ensure easy handling. This product will run for varying lengths of time depending on the battery used. The runtimes are as follows: The maximum speed isn’t overly impressive but performance is good enough for the vast majority of DIY tasks and there’s a built-in dust bag which does a good job. This sander also works nice and quietly. The main gripe here is with the grip, which gets in the way of accessing the battery compartment a little bit.

Even better than a built-in dust compartment (if you have a power supply nearby) is the ability to attach the sander to a vacuum cleaner hose. That active suction will reduce the amount of dust a lot in comparison. Using a 5.0Ah battery (not included), the Ryobi R18ROS-0 can sand for up to 50 minutes on a single charge. Features: Most sanders are just off or on, but you can find models with variable speed. That might be two or three, but occasionally up to six different settings. Depending on the type of sanding you’re doing, this feature could come in very handy and even save you from sanding a piece of material more than you meant to. Random orbital sanders tend to have a circular sanding pad but orbital sanders can come in many shapes and sizes. If you can only afford to buy one sander, we’d recommend getting a random orbital model. Searching for a sheet sander to help you put the perfect finish on your sanding jobs and get into hard-to-reach areas like corners? It's hard to go past the Bosch PSS 250 AE Orbital Sander.These sanders still have the standard orbital motion but add a random element, so as well as the regular orbit, they oscillate in an unpredictable way. The combination of these two movements reduces the chance of a regular pattern in the wood you’re sanding. It doesn’t have variable speed but the RROS18-0 runs at an impressive 20,000 orbits/min, can last for up to 50 minutes on a single charge and runs quietly. Despite being more compact and lighter than its predecessor (10% according to Ryobi), it is a little heavier than some rivals. To help keep your work area clear, the integrated cyclonic dust box is a welcome addition. The Ryobi is also light in weight to ensure ease of use on those longer jobs, and comes with a nylon bag for convenient storage. As part of the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ system of over 200 cordless tools for the home, garden, automotive, crafting and much more, the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ RROS18-0 Cordless Random Orbital Sander is ideal for light to medium weight sanding tasks such as fine finishing and paint removal. .

READ NEXT: Keep all your gear in one place with the best toolboxes What else should I look out for? The best orbital sanders you can buy in 2023 1. Makita DBO180Z: Best cordless random orbital sander It’s very lightweight and easy to use, with different ways to grip it. It’s not massively powerful and only has one speed but these are normal attributes and it does what it’s supposed to do very well. Finally, make sure you’re aware of what size of sanding sheet/pad the sander takes. Most are standard shapes and sizes so it shouldn’t be difficult to find new sheets/pads once the included ones (if there are any) are used up.Alongside standard orbital sanders, which is what the vast majority of electric sanders for DIY are, you can also buy what are known as random orbital sanders. If you’ve got large flat areas to sand and they aren’t covered in layers of paint that need removing then the BO3710 is an excellent choice. The weight isn’t enough to factor too much and importantly, the battery doesn’t impede when gripping the sander. The active dust extraction is very good – aided by a skirt around the sanding pad – but you can attach this sander to a vacuum hose, too. Not only is the DBO180Z lightweight, but it also has three speed settings to cycle through by hitting the power button repeatedly. This makes it very versatile and a good option for beginners who can start at the slowest speed while learning. Ryobi’s new cordless random orbital sander is an excellent value choice, especially if you already have other products from the ONE+ range, as you can share the battery. Plus, there’s a long three-year warranty.