Bosch 6" Random-Orbit Sander #ROS65VC-6

More than reasonable. Dust collection: This sander has the same 1” ribbed port that the Festool has, so it fits nicely to a pretty common vacuum hose size. But its plastic canister with contained pleated paper filter inside did such a great job gobbling up dust you might not need to worry about a vacuum. It was by far the best at collecting dust with the standard attachment. And it was also easiest to empty—just unscrew the end and the filter slides out. It also comes with an adaptor to help it fit different size vacuum hoses. Vibration/Comfort: It’s not completely vibration-free, but it’s close. Bosch has done a good job of reducing the vast majority of the annoying vibration that was common with their previous generations of sanders. It looks top-heavy, but turns out to be well-balanced and easy to use without it wanting to get away from you. It has a nice top grip we could use without it seeming cumbersome, but grabbing it by the body was really not practical because it’s so thick and the front-mounted short handle blocks access. We found ourselves using it two-handed most of the time without even realizing it—a compliment, because it wasn’t wearisome. It’s odd, but the Bosch ramps up in speed when you lift it off the wood. It never flung off a disc or caused any problems, but it’s definitely noticeable. Other factors: Bosch also sells this sander with a 5” sanding pad in addition to the 6, so you can use either, depending on the situation. It’s no trouble to change pads: one screw in the center and the tool is included in the box. And when using it in 5” mode we expected it to be more top-heavy and unbalanced, but it was surprisingly easy to use. It has the longest cord in the test at 12’.