Popular Mechanics - USA (2019-04)

48 April 2019 _ PopularMechanics.com

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↓TOOL TEST

PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE

Cordless

Sanders

WHAT WE PUT

THEM THROUGH:

Sanding hardwood,

softwood, and

plywood.

DeWalt DCW210D1

WEIGHT: 3.4 lb

BATTERY: 5.0 Ah, 20 volts

LIKES: At full speed, it was

our test’s fastest and most

aggressive machine. Yet it still

sands with very little vibration

feedback to the user.

DISLIKES: None.

$200

Ryobi P411

WEIGHT: 4.2 lb

BATTERY: 4.0 Ah, 18 volts

LIKES: Hits the sweet spot for

Ryobi. It’s not as aggressive

as the other sanders, but it

does sand well and with a high

degree of control, and its dust

pickup was surprisingly good.

DISLIKES: More observation

than complaint, but the on/off

button is somewhat stiff.

$50 (tool only)

Ridgid R8606B

WEIGHT: 4.8 lb

BATTERY: 6.0 Ah, 18 volts

LIKES: Nearly as good as the

DeWalt. Its soft-start feature

brings the machine up to speed

with a gentle ramp up.

DISLIKES: The limited clear-

ance between the dust-bag

collar and the battery makes

removing the dust bag a little

tough.

$75 (tool only)

Porter-Cable PCCW205B

WEIGHT: 3.0 lb

BATTERY: 1.5 Ah, 20 volts

LIKES: Capable enough,

like the Black & Decker. The

incredibly light weight makes it

a good choice for ladder-based

work.

DISLIKES: It’s easy to think

that the little plastic finger

that locks the canister in place

is engaged when it’s not.

$65 (tool only)

A fast way to prep weathered

exterior paint, remove a

finish, smooth a tabletop,

or do basic metal prep.

/ BY ROY BERENDSOHN /

Makita XOB01T

WEIGHT: 3.8 lb

BATTERY: 5.0 Ah, 18 volts

LIKES: Aggressive and

effective. Even with the big

battery it felt well balanced.

DISLIKES: The sander has a

powerful gyroscopic action

that requires a slight forward

bias to keep on track.

$264

Black & Decker BDCRO20C

WEIGHT: 2.8 lb

BATTERY: 1.5 Ah, 20 volts

LIKES: It’s not pro duty, but

it’s a good little machine for

the price and very lightweight.

For small weekend fix-up jobs,

there’s no question it will work.

DISLIKES: Fairly ineffective

dust collection.

$60

Milwaukee 2648-20

WEIGHT: 4.2 lb

BATTERY: 3.0 Ah, 18 volts

LIKES: You don’t have to

muscle the sander to keep it in

place, and it feels as if it floats

over the board’s surface.

DISLIKES: The design of the

dust canister and the way it

cantilevers over the rear of

the tool limits its usefulness

to wide open spaces.

$100 (tool only)