Top Choice – Black and Decker 120W (KA2500K) Mouse Detail Sander

PROS

• The Black and Decker has a Powerful Motor – 120W (1.1Amp), which helps it blast through stubborn surfaces with ease.
• the sander is robust but not too heavy and 1Kg (2lb 4Oz) handling this power tool is easy and doesn’t strain your hand even after long periods of sanding
• It’s comfortable and easy to hold, the ergonomic rubber grip fits nicely into the palm of your hand and allows accurate control when you need it
• The quality of the build is good, especially at this price, the Black and Decker is good value.
• Detail finger attachment for tiny detail sanding
• The number of accessories and various sanding pads is huge with enough options to cover any detail sanding project
• The price point, this Sander cost less than $70.00 (£50.00)

CONS

• The dust collector is a bit small and needs frequent emptying to get the best from the unit,
• You need special adaptors to connect to a shop vacuum
• The sanding plate tips wear out quickly if you work on a lot of corners, but they are easy to swap and I always keep a few spare.
• Next-gen mesh sanding sheets are more expensive than the Paper type

Black and Decker KA2500K 120W Detail Sander Review

This newly developed sander from Black and Decker is the updated design for the original Black and Decker Mouse. The KA2500K Next Generation mouse sander is an updated and more powerful detail sander with a 120W (1.1Amp) motor and next-generation sanding pad technology, for when you need to work a bit harder and longer.

I like the ergonomics of the new design, which has a larger, rubberized grip on the top than the older model, it also has a proper handle offering more grip at her front and back making sanding control easier

The fully sealed rubber on/off switch is easy to use and repositioned towards the back of the handle, allowing more options for how you hold the sander. this means you can use your fingers on the barrel grip or the palm of your hand and adjust your grip easily as you sand different details and shapes.

This model is enhanced in every aspect over the previous BEW230 Mouse sander. It now runs at 14,00 Oribts/min with a 120W motor, and this kit is supplied in a hard plastic case for storage and transport, along with 8 sheets of sandpaper and the detail finger attachment which is fitted to the base plate easily when you need to get into tight areas on furniture or banisters.

The sander comes with a dust collection box as well. which works OK but does need regular emptying to work properly. I was disappointed that the dust connection didn’t allow me to hook up my shop vac, but with an adaptor, I am sure it will work well.

The next-generation mesh sanding pads are great as they clog less quickly than normal grit paper ones and tend to last quite a bit longer, although they are more expensive.

Overall I really like this Detail sander it works really well and has all the features you need, and with the 120W motor it powers through tough surfaces with ease, I think that only the dust collection could use improvement.

Runner Up – Bosch Professional GS 160 Detail Sander

PROS

• The Bosch Professional range GS 160 has an impressive – 180W (1.5Amp) motor gives this sander professional power to tackle any project.
• Build quality is top-notch and very solid and yet easy to handle and not heavy and 1.2Kg (2lb 10Oz)
• It’s comfortable and the palm grip is easy to hold, the ergonomic rubber grip fits nicely into the palm of your hand and allows accurate control when you need it
• Interchangeable base plate
• Dust collection port allows Shop Vac connetction
• Hook and loop pads allow old sanding pads to be changed out quickly

CONS

• Dust dust collector filter needs frequent emptying to get the best from the unit,
• Noise levels from the 180W motor can be high, I recommend using earplugs
• The sanding plate tips wear out quickly if you work on a lot of corners, but they are easy to swap and I always keep a few spare.

Bosch Professional GS 160 Detail Sander Review

The latest corded detail sander from Bosch the GS160 is well built and ergonomically designed to fit in the palm of your hand.

Powered by a 180W (1.4A) motor the Bosch sander is made to rip through tough detail sanding jobs and with interchangeable sanding bases, each with a different profile you will find the GS160 a versatile power tool.

The GS 160 feels good to hold and very well put together, the base plate and body feel robust as with other tools from the Bosch professional range with its distinctive blue color. It has quite a large body at 44cm (17″) long x 36cm (14″) wide and 15.5cm (6″) high, with it being based on a palm sander, but I didn’t find this an issue when sanding, however, you struggle to squeeze into really tight spaces.

The power switch is easy to use and positioned on the front of the handle, making it easy to use with one finger, whilst the soft rubber grip on the top fits and grips your palm well.

This corded detail sander runs at a respectable 12000 Orbits/min powered by a hefty 180W (1.4A) motor, and is supplied in a hard plastic case for storage and transport, along with 3 interchangeable base plates with different profiles:

• 1-off 100mm (3 5/16″) x 150mm (5 29/32″)
• 1-off 113mm (4 29/64″) x 101mm (3 31/32″)
• 1-off 80mm (3 5/32″) x 130mm (5 1/8″)

in addition, a small selection of sanding pads are included to suit the base plates but I recommend buying a selection pack like this Bosch 60-piece pack to allow more versatility.

The base plates are held in place with 4-off screws which are easy to swap over and give a positive and solid connection, even if they are not as quick as a snap-lock mechanism, they are not going to fail even under tough sanding conditions.

The sander comes with a dust collection box and fine filter which works OK but like most non-vacuum units it does need regular emptying to work properly. The good thing about the Bosch Professional range and the GS160 included is you can easily hook it up to your shop vac to improve the dust extraction.

Sanding pads and replacement parts should you need them are readily available and there is a wide range of sanding pads that are interchangeable with the hook and loop system so you can pick and choose.

Overall I like this Detail sander, it is powerful and works well on most detail sanding jobs, and can handle larger surfaces due to its big 180W motor, I think it is perhaps a little too big to take the top spot on our list but it makes a great runner up and is a real workhorse, you go wrong if you choose this model.

Best cordless Sander – Bosch Professional GSS 18V Detail Sander

PROS

• The Bosch Cordless GSS 18V -10 is part of the Bosch Professional range – 18V power motor gives this cordless sander professional power to clean up the most difficult surfaces.
• Cordless unit for power anywhere
• Build quality is top-notch and very robust
• It’s comfortable and the palm grip is easy to hold, the ergonomic rubber grip fits nicely into the palm of your hand and allows accurate control when you need it
• Interchangeable base plate for multi-tasking
• Hook and loop pads allow old sanding pads to be changed out quickly

CONS

• Dust dust collector filter needs frequent emptying to get the best from the unit,
• The additional weight of the battery makes this 1.7Kg (3lb 11Oz) unit heavier than others
• The sanding plate tips wear out quickly if you work on a lot of corners, but they are easy to swap and I always keep a few spare.

Bosch Professional GSS 18V-10 Cordless Detail Sander Review

This cordless detail sander from Bosch matches the quality you expect from the professional range with the flexibility of cordless power. The Bosch GSS 18V-10 is well-built and styled with the same ergonomic design as the corded version, which fits easily into the palm of your hand.

Powered by an 18V motor and battery the Bosch sander tackles most detail sanding jobs with ease, I did find that working the sander really hard drained the battery quickly, and using a larger 5Ah battery helps extend the working time but the larger battery does increase the weight.

The GSS 18V-10 feels good to hold and very well put together just like its corded counterpart, the base plate and body feel well built and just as robust as other tools from the Bosch professional range with its distinctive blue color.

Much like the corded GS 160 this model is quite large at 44cm (17″) long x 36cm (14″) wide and 15.5cm (6″) high, I didn’t find this an issue when sanding in my workshop, however, this unit may struggle to fit into smaller spaces.

The power switch is easy to use and positioned on the front of the handle, making it easy to use with one finger, whilst the soft rubber grip on the top fits and grips your palm well.

This cordless detail sander runs at the same speed as the corded unit with a respectable 12000 Orbits/min and is supplied in a hard plastic case for storage and transport, along with 3 interchangeable base plates with different profiles:

• 1-off 100mm (3 5/16″) x 150mm (5 29/32″)
• 1-off 113mm (4 29/64″) x 101mm (3 31/32″)
• 1-off 80mm (3 5/32″) x 130mm (5 1/8″)

in addition, a small selection of sanding pads are included to suit the base plates but I recommend buying a selection pack like this Bosch 60-piece pack to allow more versatility.

As I mentioned it’s a good idea to check the kit you are buying includes a battery and charger, Bosch has various deals and often the GSS 18V-10 is supplied as a ‘bare unit’ without a battery or charger.

I found that you can use the Bosch GAL 3680 Charger and Bosch GBA 18V 4Ah battery with this unit, and I especially like the fact that they are interchangeable with all Bosch Professional 18V power tools.

The base plates use the same fixing method as the corded models and are held in place with 4-off screws which are easy to swap over and give a positive and solid connection, even if they are not as quick as a snap-lock mechanism, they are not going to fail even under tough sanding conditions.

I recommend removing the dust collector and hooking this up to a shop or site vac for the best extraction results. The sander does come supplied with a dust collection box and fine filter which works OK but like most non-vacuum units it does need regular emptying to work properly.

Sanding pads and replacement parts should you need them are readily available and there is a wide range of sanding pads that are interchangeable with the hook and loop system so you can pick and choose.

Overall I really like this cordless Detail sander, it has the flexibility of cordless power and is still powerful enough to tackle most jobs but it does have its limits and for larger jobs, you may be better off with the GS 160 corded version. However, I like the Bosch Professional range and prefer this over other cordless details sanders due to its robust build quality and wide range of accessories and spares.

Best Budget Detail Sander – Black and Decker 55W Mouse Detail Sander

PROS

• The Black and Decker 55W Mouse Detail Sander is a classic power tool that has been around for a long time and with good reason, it is a great detail sander for occasional and light DIY use.
• Lightweight for easy handling
• Compact size for accessing small areas and fine detail
• Interchangeable sanding tip for additional functionality
• Hook and loop pads allow old sanding pads to be changed out quickly

CONS

• No Dust dust collector box but it does have a connection port for Shop Vacs
• The 55W motor is a little small for prolonge of heavy-duty use
• The sanding plate tips wear out quickly if you work on a lot of corners, but they are easy to swap and I always keep a few spare.

Black and Decker 55W Mouse Detail Sander Review

The original detail sander from black and decker the BEW230 Mouse performs well when used for smaller-scale DIY sanding tasks but can struggle if used on really heavy-duty projects.

The 55W motor is very capable and provides plenty of power to the sanding plate allowing for a good rate of 11,000 orbits/min. Which is good enough for most detail sanding jobs around the house, like refreshing window frames and skirting or baseboards.

I recently replaced my old unit which I had in my workshop for years with the latest version, just because it’s so handy to have. The Black and Decker mouse is a no-frills, no-fuss power tool that works. I used it to clean up some new baseboards in my downstairs cloakroom and my bathroom ready for final painting.

At this price point under $40, it’s well-built and easy to handle, as the compact and ergonomic design fits easily into the palm of your hand.

It may not be the best quality but it can take a few knocks without any issues, I dropped my old one all the time, and apart from knocking the tip off the base plate once it never left me down.

the Black and Decker 55W mouse Detail sander is compact due to using a smaller motor the some of the other units listed here, so where it lacks power, it makes up for in versatility as its small size allows you to reach tighter spaces than the other larger sanders, like between the stanchions on stair rails.

The sealed, rubber-covered power switch is easy to use and positioned on the front of the sander, and within easy reach for use with one finger, whilst the soft rubber grip on the top fits and grips your palm well.

This compact detail sander runs only slightly slower than the Bosch units at 11,000 Orbits/min and does not come with a case so you will need to find a space to keep it safe when not in use.

Due to the longevity of the model, there are lots of options for sanding pads and both branded Black and Decker and aftermarket hook and loop pads, all in a variety of grits for different sanding tasks, and the Mouse works well on sanding woodwork, cleaning metalwork and all the jobs in between.

my biggest complaint is the lifespan of the sanding plate tips, they are OK but with hard use when sanding small detail corners the pad tips wear out quite quickly, this is not limited to just the Black and Decker, and I think the nature of the forces applied to these tips when sanding fine detail leads to them wearing out.

The Black and Decker mouse tips seem to be a little softer than some others, but they are not difficult to swap out and can be reversed before needing to be replaced. I always keep a few spare in my toolbox just in case.

I as mentioned this detail sander does not come fitted with a dust filter or collection box, which in my opinion is probably a good thing, as I find that they don’t really provide much in the way of dust collection.

I hook my sanders up to a shop Vac to provide a decent level of dust removal and the Black and Deck Mouse provides an extraction port and adaptor to hook up a flexible hose, I use some soft silicone rubber piping to help hold the hose connection together, failing that ‘Duct Tape’ works very well.

Sanding pads and replacement parts should you need them are readily available and there is a wide range of sanding pads that are interchangeable with the hook and loop system so you can pick and choose.

Overall I have always liked the Black and Decker Mouse as a Detail sander, I have owned 2 of them because it is compact and easy to handle and can tackle most DIY detail sanding jobs, even if it struggles with larger scale projects.

The Black and Decker has loads of accessories and work well for 85% of the jobs I do, and at under $40 I would recommend you have one in your toolbox just as a backup or for fiddly, tight jobs.