Everything You Need To Know About Ryobi's Orbit Sander Before You Buy

Working with wood is regarded by many as a specialized skill, in large part because of the precision that tends to be involved. Such precision obviously requires quality woodworking tools that ensure every measurement and cut is precise. But for certain kinds of woodworking, it's also vital that the surfaces being worked on are even and smooth to the touch, and a good orbital sander is arguably the best way to ensure wood surfaces are primed and ready for action.

If you find yourself in the market for such a power tool, your search could be quite daunting, as dozens of high-quality orbital sanders are on the consumer market. But fans of Ryobi power tools might be wise to take a close look at the company's 5-inch Random Orbital Sander, which promises a mix of power and finesse that anyone with skin in the woodworking game should be intrigued by. 

Ryobi has, of course, become one of the more respected producers of cordless power tools in the increasingly crowded market. If the Random Orbital Sander lives up to its billing, it could be a game-changing device for those who work with wood surfaces in either a professional or amateur capacity. Here's what you need to know about Ryobi's Random Orbital Sander before you buy one.

If you're familiar with Ryobi, you already know the Japanese company has been manufacturing high-quality, well-reviewed tools for the better part of the past century, and innovation has long been one of its primary goals. Of late, that's included their line of cordless power tools, with their One+ line upping the ante in terms of power, battery life, and precision.

Yes, Ryobi's Random Orbital Sander is part of the company's One+ line of cordless power tools –a fact that will no doubt please those who already own One+ tools — as its 18v Lithium batteries are designed to power every tool in the One+ line. Such versatility could save you a bundle at the point of purchase, as you won't need to buy pricey additional batteries or a charger to keep them juiced up.  

It also means your Orbital Sander will come with a few innovations that should increase control, comfort, and productivity. That includes a housing re-design that reportedly reduces vibration by 40% from past models. Combined with the ergonomic handles, the vibration reduction should ensure your hand doesn't tire too quickly as the device runs its impressive 10,000 revolutions per minute. Perhaps even more intriguing is the sander's "Hook & Loop" attachment, which allows users to change sanding pads with the apparent ease of pulling apart velcro. Innovations like that are why Ryobi's Random Orbit Sander was recently included on Popular Mechanic's Best Sanders list.

As welcome as those innovations will be for Ryobi users in the market for a new sander, one of the more intriguing features of the Random Orbit Sander is its onboard dust collection. After all, working with wood tends to result in a messy workspace due to excessive sawdust, which is an even bigger problem when sanding a piece of wood for painting or staining. 

It is, of course, always smart to wear protective eyewear and a mask that covers your nose and mouth when working with a sander. While it's virtually impossible to eliminate the dust that accompanies woodworking projects, when utilized correctly, dust collection features like the one featured on the Random Orbit Sander can dramatically reduce the amount of sawdust in your garage or shop. They accomplish that feat via an onboard tube that can be utilized in two different capacities, one of which involves connecting a small dust collection bag.

Though the dust bag approach may require more frequent bag changes on larger sanding projects, you can considerably stretch your time between dust dumps by connecting Ryobi's Random Orbit Sander directly to a shop vac with a large collection bin. You will, however, want to ensure your shop vac is compatible with the Ryobi Sander, as it is compatible only with 1-1/4-inch and 1-7/8-inch hoses. Just be warned that some Ryobi users have reported issues with hoses coming loose from the Random Orbit Sander when in use. 

If you're interested in picking up a Ryobi Random Orbital Sander for your next woodworking project, you're probably wondering how much it costs and where to purchase one. As for the first part of that inquiry, potential buyers will likely be happy to know that you can buy one of Ryobi's Orbital Sanders for about $60. You will need to get a charger and One+ Lithium Ion battery pack separately, and to buy them with the tool will cost $119.

As for where you can buy a Ryobi Random Orbit Sander, the company will sell you one directly from their website if you're interested. Likewise, you can purchase one from Amazon and potentially find a better deal. If, however, you prefer to buy such goods from a brick-and-mortar store, your options are far more limited as you can only purchase Ryobi power tools from a Home Depot store. The Home Depot has, of course, been the exclusive Ryobi retailer for the past few years. While that may be a bummer for DIY enthusiasts who prefer to shop at Lowe's, it may be worth making an exception just this once.