10 Best Wide Belt Sanders 2020 [Buying Guide]

Your Authors and Guides

Heather
Patton

Jennifer
Trimbee

Samantha
Dewitt

How to Choose the Best Wide Belt Sander

Whether you need a new belt sander for work, or you want one to finally tackle your home flooring projects, the best wide belt sanders can make quick work of even the biggest jobs! We did the hard work for you and found 10 of the best sanders to help you get your woodworking projects done in a flash! Before we dive into the reviews, here are a few features to consider first before you buy your next belt sander!

Dust Bag: Smaller sanders typically come with a dust bag that collects sawdust while you’re sanding. Larger sanders may come with a dust bag, or they’ll at least have a dust port you can attach to your own dust bag or vacuum!

Belt Size: Since we’re focusing on wide belt sanders, we know size matters! We’ll let you know the width of each sander, so you can find the right one for the job! Wider sanders are great for large projects like wood flooring!

Power: In addition to a wide belt, a powerful motor can make easy work of large jobs like flooring, decking, and other tough surfaces. If you need a sander that can handle anything, we found a few that are quite powerful!

Belt Speed: The belt speed also determines how powerful your sander will be. They are labeled by rpm (rotations per minute) or ft./min (square feet per minute). If you need to tackle a large surface area, a higher belt speed is best!

Dimensions: If you have limited space to store or use your sander, we found great compact options that are easy to stow away in your garage, workbench, or even your closet. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice precious space for your tools!

Warranty: Investing in high-quality woodworking tools means they should last you for several years without trouble. However, things do happen! A warranty will protect you if something breaks or malfunctions for a period of time after you purchase your sander!

Top 10 Products

Now that you know what features each saw has to offer, let’s find the best wide belt sanders for your needs! We found professional-grade sanders that will help you get your job done faster, inexpensive options for home projects, and compact saws that are easy to carry and store in small spaces. If you’re pressed for time, no problem! Check out the Top Pick and Budget Pick today, and then come back later to read about the rest of them!

Makita 9403 Belt Sander

Our Top Pick is, in our humble opinion, the best 4x24 belt sander out there – and a favorite of professional woodworkers for good reason! This belt sander from Makita is designed to handle sanding work both large and small, from sanding furniture to removing paint from floors and decks. It’s easy to control, thanks to large handles on the back and front that allow for better grip. We also like that this wide belt sander comes with an attached dust bag to catch excess sawdust, which makes cleanup much easier. Another reason this made the top of our list is the noise output – at only 84 decibels, it’s only as loud as your average vacuum cleaner! This is great for both your hearing and those around you, especially if you use your sander a lot! We think this is the best wide belt sander for both professionals and home improvement enthusiasts alike because it’s powerful, lightweight, and easy to use!

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WEN 6502 Belt Sander

Next up is our pick for the best cheap belt sander – a 2-in-1 belt and rotating sander from WEN that can do a lot of work without spending a lot of money! We like this tabletop sander because it comes with 2 sanders, so you can do a whole lot more with one tool! The 4” x 36” belt sander is great for smoothing out large pieces of wood like flooring and decking. You can bevel the belt sander up to 90 degrees to get the job done without needing to wrangle heavy or awkward pieces of wood. There is also a round 6-inch sander that you can use to sand smaller pieces or around rough corners! All the bevel and tension settings are easy to find and use, and the dust port on the back allows you to hook this to a vacuum for easy cleanup! This is the best value belt sander to add to any woodworking shop!

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JET J-41002 Bench Belt Sander

Another great option for a tabletop sander is this 2-in-1 sander from JET. It comes with a 2” x 42” belt sander that’s great for getting into awkward spaces. We like that it’s easy to adjust both the angle of the belt and resting plate – or remove the plate to get around large or hard to reach pieces! There is also a round sanding plate on the side with tilting table that’s great for smoothing out large pieces, rounding corners, and smaller pieces. The round sanding plate also has a miter guide on its table that allows you to use the sander to make 45 degree angle cuts, which is perfect for trimming molding, baseboards, and framing! All of this is housed on a heavy duty, cast iron frame with rubber feet that keeps everything strongly in place. If you want a tabletop sander that can handle just about any job, this will be a great investment for your workshop!

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Hitachi SB8V2 Belt Sander

When looking for the best belt sander for deck work, we found this great handheld belt sander from Hitachi that will make quick work of even the largest decks! We like this sander because it’s lightweight, sands wood quickly, and is easy to use. At only 9.5 pounds, this sander is lightweight, making it easy to use on large jobs like stripping decking or prepping wood for paints and stains. You can use this on large jobs without getting fatigued too quickly! It also sands up to 1,475 feet/min., making sanding your deck go by super fast. You can adjust the speed down to as little as 820 feet/min. if you want to slow things down for better control, which is nice around tough spots or if you’re new to using a belt sander! We also like that it’s easy to use, thanks to a tracking window for better vision and a dust bag that collects sawdust for easy cleanup.

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BLACK + DECKER Dragster Belt Sander

Looking for a high-performance belt sander you can use to tackle all your home projects, but don’t want to spend a ton? This sander from Black + Decker is the best value belt sander for home improvement lovers out there! This 3” x 21” belt sander is great for sanding down flooring, prepping baseboards and molding for paint, and sanding even the trickiest furniture. The compact, lightweight machine only weighs 6.5 pounds, making it great for using on large and small projects without fatigue! We also like that the guard on the end keeps you from sanding adjoining corners while doing flooring. Or, you can lift up the guard to reveal a small, rounded end that’s great for getting into curves and tough crevices of furniture! The handle is adjustable, so you can get a good grip for better control and safety. Oh, and it has a large dust bag to catch excess sawdust for easy cleaning as you work!

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SKIL Sandcat Belt Sander

This compact, handheld belt sander from SKIL is a great option if you’re a beginner to woodworking or home improvement! We like their Sandcat model for newbies because it’s lightweight, at only 7.5 pounds, making it great for using to sand furniture, molding, doors, and other house projects. The comfort grip handles make this sander incredibly easy to hold and control, so you don’t have to worry about your sander running away from you! To make sure you aren’t applying too much pressure, it comes with a pressure sensor that alerts you if you’re pushing too hard, which can create dips and divots in your work. We also like that it has a sawdust canister with an air filter, so you can do sanding projects around the house without making a big mess! It’s also easy to maintain, thanks to the auto-track system that keeps the belt properly centered, and a single-lever mechanism to change the belt – no tools required!

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Genesis GBS321A Belt Sander

This belt sander from Genesis is great for sanding floors quickly, so you can get to staining and finishing right away! We like this belt sander for flooring because it has a variable speed, 8-amp motor you can set to whatever speed you are comfortable with. It can handle up to 1,180 feet/min., so you can get your floors sanded and ready to treat without taking all day! The 6.5 foot power cord also allows you tackle more space without needing to use an extension cord or re-plug it into a new wall socket. The design of this belt sander is made for tackling large projects without excessive fatigue, thanks to an adjustable front handle and comfortable rear handle. We also like that this sander is made to work flush into corners, so you can get your floors sanded super close to the edge without touching the baseboards! This sander will make quick work of your floors, decking, and more!

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Tacklife Belt Sander

If your woodworking area is short on space, this multi-function belt sander from Tacklife is a great option for saving space while still getting your woodworking projects done! You can use this sander as both a handheld and tabletop sander! It comes with everything you need to get started, including 6 pieces of 120 grit and 7 pieces of 80 grit sandpaper belts. There are also clamps that allow you to mount your sander upside down on your workbench, so you can use it as a tabletop sander! The sander has 6 speed settings, so you can use it however you’re most comfortable, and everything is easy to adjust without the use of extra tools. It also has a lock-in switch that keeps the motor running without you needing to push the trigger, which reduces fatigue over large areas. We think this belt sander would make a great gift for a new homeowner, woodworking enthusiast, and grab one for you!

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Bucktool Belt and Disc Sander

Another favorite of ours for the best 4-inch belt sander is this inexpensive tabletop sander from Bucktool. We like this sander because it’s a belt sander and disc sander, all in one! The belt sander is great for smoothing out tough spots, rounding out hard edges, and tackling large pieces. The belt sander can be adjusted from 0-90 degrees for more control over your sanding, and the curved edge makes it easy to work around curved furniture or molding pieces. We also think the 6-inch disc sander is a great addition to this tool because it allows you to sand long pieces of wood quickly, or do detail work on smaller pieces. It also comes with a miter guide, so you can sand down pieces for miter cuts up to 45 degrees for flush corner pieces of molding, framing, and more! The no-tool sandpaper replacement levers on both sanders are easy to swap out, even for beginners and experts alike!

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Rockwell RK7866 Belt Disc Sander

Last up in our hunt for the best wide belt sanders is another 2-in-1 tabletop model from Rockwell! We like this sander because it has everything you need to tackle your woodworking projects in one sturdy, dependable tool! The belt sander is 4 inches wide, which is great for sanding large pieces and for getting into tight curves of furniture or molding. You can adjust the angle of the belt sander, which makes it easier to get the job done without wrangling heavy wood. The disc sander makes smoothing out long pieces and rounding edges a breeze. There is also a miter guide, so you can grind down molding, framing, and more for the perfect miter cuts! The sandpaper belts are easy to change, and the safety switch makes it easy to shut off in a hurry. Everything is attached to a powerful motor cased in metal – and you can even mount it to your workbench for even more stability!

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About the Author

Samantha Dewitt

Expert Researcher and Writer

Samantha Dewitt is a lead researcher and writer for GeekWrapped, writing under a pen name. She gets excited about pet, baby, and science products and has over 12 years of experience.

Best Wide Belt Sanders

Top 10 Buying Guide

Our Recommendations

Makita 9403 Belt Sander

WEN 6502 Belt Sander

How to Choose the Best Wide Belt Sander

Top 10 Products

Makita 9403 Belt Sander

WEN 6502 Belt Sander

JET J-41002 Bench Belt Sander

Hitachi SB8V2 Belt Sander

BLACK + DECKER Dragster Belt Sander

SKIL Sandcat Belt Sander

Genesis GBS321A Belt Sander

Tacklife Belt Sander

Bucktool Belt and Disc Sander

Rockwell RK7866 Belt Disc Sander

About the Author

TOP PICK

Makita 9403 Belt Sander