DeWalt vs Makita Random Orbit Sanders – Which One’s Better?

Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a new random orbit sander. I've narrowed it down to the DeWalt DWE6423 and the Makita BO5041. I do a lot of furniture refinishing and some cabinet work. Which one has better dust collection and vibration control? Any long-term users out there?

I'm a Makita man through and through. Their BO5041 is a beast. Dust collection with the bag is decent, but if you hook it up to a vac it's almost dust-free. Very smooth too. My buddy has the DeWalt and it's fine but the build quality on the Makita feels more solid. Just my 2 cents.

Been using both for years, honestly. The DeWalt has a slightly larger orbit so it cuts a bit faster, but the Makita has better vibration dampening in my experience. If you're doing long sanding sessions, go Makita. DeWalt has a more aggressive feel. Dust collection is similar with a vac. Get the model with the pad brake for both, it saves you swirl marks.

Thanks for the input! I'm leaning towards the Makita now since I do a lot of sanding on detailed pieces. The vibration thing is huge for me. One more question – how's the hook-and-loop pad holding up on the Makita? I've had issues with generic pads wearing out fast.

The OEM pad on the Makita is good. I've had mine for over a year with heavy use and still going strong. Just stick with name brand discs and you'll be fine. Avoid the cheapo ones. Get it from a local dealer if you can, sometimes they have bundles.