Every home center has a pile of them: Random orbit sanders. And they claim to make everything easy; the clean up, the finish. Because let’s be honest, sanding realy sucks.
It’s dusty, it takes forever, and when the tool starts fighting with you, it makes you lose your mind. So you’re hoping for something more from it then simply spinning around in a circle. That brings us to the Worx Multi Sander, which join this competitive category with one unique pitch: it’s not yet-another-sander-that-plugs-into-a-wall.
Rather, it’s a member of an eco-system of battery powered tools. And that is where things get interesting. No longer are we wondering about whether the sander itself is worthwhile.
Instead, we’re looking at the bigger question: is the battery platform worth investing in? That all depends on what you want to do with it and what you have invest in already.
Worx Multi Sander Review And Value Analysis
Battery Powered Convenience
What catches your eye immediately is that it has no cord.
Sanding without a cord are not the same as sanding with one. There’s nothing like being able to walk freely through the room instead of chasing outlets and stumbling over extension cords. That’s especially true on long flat surfaces or if you’re working on furnitures legs.
The Worx runs on the same 20 volt battery they use on trimmers and drills. So if you own any of them, the sander is an impulse purchase. If you don’t, you’re buying into a complete power system.
Dust Control Features
Most sanders fall short when it comes to dust control. The Worx Multi Sander has a vacuum port that can hooks up to your shop vac. I think this is not only a neat addition but also absolutely essential when working indoors.
Otherwise you’ll get all kinds of fine dust everywhere (in your lungs and on your countertops). Their hookup isn’t too flimsy either; it captures most of the debris before it escapes. They keep the area clean(er) and help clean-up tremendously at the end.
Performance and Versatility
There’s a little difference in how it perform. This is enough motor for the average household job. It sands down a deck board without skipping a beat.
It smooths out a nightstand stripped of its old varnish. But this is not a heavy duty commerical sander. This won’t be the tool that flattens out a warped sub floor.
It isn’t going to strip out a boat hull. This power should of been more than enough for the average homeowner jobs. Speed can be adjusted so it can be matched with the intensity required for whatever is being worked on.
Use a lighter touch when working on softer wood so it doesn’t get gouged. But the vibration are surprisingly low. With some random orbit sanders, if they’re out of balance, you’ll rattle your hands all day.
This one just seems sturdi. The soft touch base conforms to some degree to rounded edges and that aids contour. So if you are doing furniture refinishing, for example, this sander is versatile because flat plates don’t go as well around those types of surfaces.
It gets into corners and up and down moldings better then a stiffer square plate sander will. That flex comes into play when doing detail work and it saves time.
Platform Value and Cost
That all depends on what tools you have in your arsenal.
Do you have other Worx 20 volt tools? Then each battery will be paid off. Now you’re just looking at the price of this sander alone.
That’s pretty affordable. You don’t have to buy another battery and charging system. It becomes a realy inexpensive add-on that way.
And that plays right into the math. It changes it from a specialized tool to an affordable accessory. However if you’re starting with nothing then the math change.
When buying the starter kit, you’re getting the battery, charger and the sander all together. It’s a bigger up-front investment than a budget corded option. Consider how much of that money will be spent on convenience: working without a cord.
It’s difficult to justify for an individual use item like this. As part of a tool collecting project it makes sense as a good entry into other items down the road.
Final Verdict
So what’s the verdict?
In the end, it depends where your loyalties lie. The Worx Multi Sander is a solid tool. It’s great with dust control and super convenient.
Is it the fastest sander out there? No. Is it the strongest? Nope.
But it’s simple, dependable, and if you’re on the platform and like mobility, it’s absolutely worth the investment. If you’re purchasing it as a stand-alone piece, pay attention to the cost of the complete kit. At times, a corded sander will get the job done for less.
Remember all those sanders in the store? The Worx isn’t the best sander. But it’s the one that fits into your bigger process.
It takes away some of the friction (dust and cord). And that’s what you’re realy buying. It’s a trade off between practical ease vs raw power.
For most weekend warriors that’s a good enough tradeoff. It’ll make your next project easier and cleaner.