The finish of the cabinets has a big impact on the way a room looks and feels because they take up a lot of room in the kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms. With the proper cleaning and finishing, new cabinets will last longer and old cabinets will be given a new lease on life.
If you want your kitchen cabinets to be as smooth as a baby’s behind, you should invest in the best sander. The number of manufacturers and models available can at times be overwhelming, and there is fierce competition for your time, attention, and money.
Here are the top 9 kitchen cabinet sanders of 2022 for your review.
Read More: Best Paint Brush For Cabinets
Table of Contents
Best Sander For Cabinets List
- 1. DEWALT DWE6423K Sander – Best Overall
- 2. Makita BO3710 Finish Sander – Best Paperclips
- 3. BLACK+DECKER Mouse Detail Sander – Best Detail Sander
- 4. Bosch ROS20VSC Palm Sander – Best Palm Sander
- 5. SKIL 7492-02 Cabinet Sander – Best Value
- 6. PORTER-CABLE 382 Sander – Best Soft start
- 7. 3M Random Orbital Sander – Best industrial applications
- 8. TECCPO Mouse Detail Sander – Best Sander for DIY Projects
- 9. Festool 574993 Random Orbital Sander – Best Quality
Best Sanders For Cabinets Review
1. Dewalt Dwe6423k Sander – Best Overall
Among our competitors, this orbital sander from DeWalt easily wins the title of Top Pick.
Simply open the box, undo a twist-tie, fasten the dust bag, and you’re ready to go. The sanding paper pads are simple to put on or remove. Place the subsequent Velcro pad on the one you just pulled off. All that needs to be done is to make sure the holes on the bottom are lined up, which is simple.
Even on outdoor kitchen concrete counters, the 3 amp motor offers continuous, long-lasting operation. It astonished us by carrying on to work despite days of wet grinding on that unpleasant surface. Both frequent starts and frequent stops work equally well. Despite our best efforts, this sander remained in the game.
Use one hand or two to operate the ergonomically created grip. Smooth and simple operation. This tool is simple to maneuver and doesn’t give the impression of being hostile.
The dust bag has a respectable capacity, which is fortunate since the dust port would not work at all with our shop vac. Apart from that, we adored it and considered it to be the best sander for kitchen cabinets.
PROS
- Easy to change pads
- Long-lasting operation
- Ergonomically designed
- Smooth movement
- Good dust handling
CONS
- Can’t connect to shop vac
2. Makita Bo3710 Finish Sander – Best Paperclips
Similar to Rocky Balboa, this Makita finishing sander gives it a good shot but falls just short of winning the title.
The lock button on the trigger was one feature we appreciated. When you need to run the sander for extended periods of time or switch hands, this is helpful. We also appreciated not getting hand burns on it. It never overheated, which is something power tools are notorious for doing even after hours of use.
Easy-to-use heavy metal clips are located at either end of the sander. In addition to always being held firmly in place with no chance of slippage or loss, changing the paper only takes a few seconds.
Thanks to an integrated counterbalance system, this sander had very little vibration.
However, this is a rival rather than a victor. Just light work can be done with this sander. It immediately slows down if you lean on it. The dust collection also didn’t leave an impression on us. The bag’s purpose was defeated because it was sufficiently porous to allow a significant amount of dust to escape.
Although we think this sander is good, it is not a heavyweight champion.
PROS
- The lock button on the trigger
- Paperclips are good
- Minimal vibration
- Doesn’t overheat
CONS
- Bogs down easily
- Bad dust collection
3. Black+decker Mouse Detail Sander – Best Detail Sander
This BLACK+DECKER mouse sander has the power that most people desire in a handheld sander, but it also has a tapered end that can be used to remove old paint from tight corners and improve uneven angles and detail work. For sanding smaller spaces that even a mouse sander couldn’t access on its own, this one also has a finger attachment.
PROS
- Has a convenient dust collection system
- Has a tapered end that can remove old paint from narrow corners and refurbish lackluster angles
CONS
- Coarse grit type
4. Bosch Ros20vsc Palm Sander- Best Palm Sander
Even though this little random orbital sander weighs only 3.5 pounds, it has a lot of useful features and is the ideal size for working on a cabinet project. The handle on Bosch’s model makes it simple to hold, and conversely, the grips on its underside guarantee that the sanding disks won’t come loose. The machine also has a special dampening system that, by using an integrated pad, helps prevent swirl marks, which are frequently caused by circular motions.
PROS
- Users can adjust the variable speed control to fit their linking needs.
- According to many reviews, the sander’s microfiltration technology is surprisingly effective.
- The sander doesn’t chatter across wood; you can flat sand completely from the middle or edging
CONS
- Small random orbital sander
5. Skil 7492-02 Cabinet Sander – Best Value
This selection for the best value for the money is another orbital sander that is a contender. It functions well for the occasional odd job, but a few problems prevented it from being in the top two.
It appears that the pressure indicator lights function as promised. This is actually a pretty cool concept because high pressure can cause low-power sanders to bog down. We like it.
The bottom pads easily accommodate universal orbital Velcro sandpaper. With such a small sander, we achieved a nice smooth finish faster than we anticipated.
Although it is a hassle, the dust collector bag. If you’re not careful, the flimsy tabs will break, leaving you with a bag that isn’t useful. Replacement bags might not be as much of a problem, but Skil doesn’t appear to have any, at least none that we could find. Also not very sturdy is the bag itself. It rips and tears.
Vertical surfaces cannot be smoothly sanded with this sander. When you attempt it, for some reason it passes away quickly and quickly.
Although we like this sander, its dust problems and inability to handle vertical sanding prevent it from ranking in the top two.
PROS
- Pressure indicators
- Smooth operation
- Perfect for small jobs
CONS
- Dust collector breaks
- Dust bag rips
- No vertical sanding
6. Porter-cable 382 Sander – Best Soft Start
Nothing about this orbital sander impressed us. It does a respectable job of sanding and has a soft start feature that prevents it from attempting to jump out of your hand when it starts up. However, it has so many issues that we were forced to move it down to fourth place in our review.
A variety of edges and seams make the grip terrible. Your hand will soon start to hurt and hurt too much due to this and the excessive vibrations. To make the grip more ergonomic, you can sand the edges down, but why should you have to?
Within 20 minutes of turning it on, overheating started to be a problem, and it is completely incapable of handling pressure. It becomes sluggish under light pressure. Whether it is due to dust or poor design, the power switch is unreliable.
The dust collector is the primary issue. No matter what you do, it will not stay turned on; almost as soon as you turn it on, it vibrates loose. This model appears to have a significant design flaw that causes dust to fly everywhere.
With this offering, Porter-Cable failed to gain any supporters.
PROS
- Soft start feature
- Decent sander
CONS
- Terrible grip
- Vibration problems
- Overheats
- Dust collector falls off
7. 3m Random Orbital Sander – Best Industrial Applications
Instead of being used by the average person at home or even a professional carpenter, this 3M sander is designed for industrial settings and applications. Although it performs admirably in the context for which it was designed, using it elsewhere has a number of disadvantages.
No parts or pads from a store shelf are utilized in this sander. You won’t have any choice but to pay 3M’s prices for supplies because everything on it, including the air filters, pads, and suggested abrasives, is 3M’s property. Once you purchase 3M, you are ineligible to leave its supply chain.
Its accompanying user manual contains no instructions on how to use the sander in practice. Although a proprietary wrench is included with the sander, there is no instruction in the manual on how to use it. The manual is essentially a parts and safety booklet. There are no instructions for use.
3M put out an advertising video showing this sander, in extreme close-up, being used in a cleanroom environment, not something you’d normally find in your ordinary wood shop.
The sander is functional, but it won’t meet your needs. Stay away from it.
PROS
- Industrial clean room application
CONS
- Bad manual
- Proprietary parts
- Overpriced
- Pneumatic power system
8. Teccpo Mouse Detail Sander – Best Sander For Diy Projects
The detail sander from TECCPO comes with 12 different sanding papers, enabling customers to start sanding right away. A random orbital sander would not be able to reach certain areas, and like most mouse sanders, the nose aids in this. A copper motor fan keeps the dust to a minimum while the papers offer both a coarse and fine finish.
PROS
- High performance
- Ease of use
- Relatively cheap
- ERGONOMIC DESIGN
- 12 separate sanding papers, which allows for customers to quickly get started sanding
CONS
- Not suitable for big areas
9. Festool 574993 Random Orbital Sander – Best Quality
This is a great option if you want the very best. The ETS 125 from Festool, which is absolutely stunning, is a quality achievement and, in my opinion, one of the best sanders you can buy overall, not just for cabinets. This machine is excellent in every way, from the ergonomic, comfortable handling to the unmatched performance and durable design. As a result of my own experience, I am confident that it will provide an unrivaled level of quality throughout and last a lifetime of use; you truly get what you pay for.
PROS
- Unbelievable quality
- Low vibration and noise
- Unmatched performance + durability
CONS
- Relatively expensive
Tips To Help Cabinet Finishing Go Smoothly
- Before you sand existing cabinets, make sure they are made of solid wood by looking in a discrete area like the back or inside the frame. It is typically impossible to successfully refinish particleboard and comparable materials.
- Before sanding, remove any old paint, varnish, or stain.
- For a product that won’t run as quickly on a vertical cabinet surface, use a gel-based one.
- When using chemicals to remove paint or stains or when sanding, cover your face with a respirator or dust mask.
- Paint, stain, and furniture sanding should be done in a well-ventilated area.
- Wear gloves and long sleeves.
- When removing outdated finishes, be prepared to wait patiently.
- Hardware for hinges, knobs, pulls, and doors should all be removed.
- As parts are removed, categorize and mark them.
- To remove paint or stain from nooks and crannies, use any sharp tool that is at your disposal.
- Sand the surface down to a smooth, clean finish, removing all the dirt and oil that tends to collect on and stick to standard cabinets.
- Before sanding, fill in any screw holes or small indentations with wood filler (auto body resin also works).
- Whatever sander is employed, always work with the grain of the wood.
- To create the smoothest finished surface possible, sand it by hand.
Choosing The Best Sander For Kitchen Cabinets
If you were to sand the deck or strip the walls, you wouldn’t use the same sander you use for the kitchen cabinets. If you’re choosing, bear this in mind. Which sander is ideal for your specific kitchen? We’ve provided you with all the knowledge you need to make an easy decision.
Keep in mind that you are spending your own money and not purchasing a sander for your best friend, so keep your attention on you rather than how your friends and family will react when they see what you have accomplished.
The Bottom Line
A good sander is indispensable for making quality cabinets, whether you’re a seasoned cabinetmaker, a family handyman or handywoman, or a DIY enthusiast.
Even though cabinet sanding can be a pain, you won’t have to worry if you have these tools on your side. Each of them is regarded as the best sander for cabinets for a reason—they’ll make the job simple, quick, and comfortable while also producing excellent results. Additionally, they are adaptable, ensuring that you always have a fantastic tool on hand for any additional sanding jobs that may arise.
