DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless 5 in. Cordless Variable Speed Random Orbital Sander Kit (5.0 Ah Battery)

I reached for this DeWalt 5-inch cordless random orbit sander to flush-sand a maple tabletop and kept finding excuses to use it on everything after that—trim patches, stair treads, even a quick round on a drywall patch. It’s the convenience that hooks you first, but the story here is equal parts control, finish quality, and dust management.

Build and ergonomics

The sander feels solid without being unwieldy. With the 5.0Ah 20V pack installed, the weight sits centered and low enough that the tool doesn’t want to tip on edges. The low-profile head helps keep the pad flat, especially when feathering in on a face frame or working near a proud edge. The texturized rubber overmold is grippy without being gummy, and the body shape makes it easy to steer with one hand while your other hand corrals the cord-free hose or steadies the workpiece.

The switch is dust-sealed and has a firm, positive click. The variable speed dial is right where it should be—out of the way of your grip but easy to thumb. There’s no accidental bumping the dial mid-pass, and the markings are clear enough to repeat settings from one project to the next.

Performance and speed control

Brushless power matters on a sander, and you can feel it in the way this unit maintains pad speed under load. The dial ranges from 8,000 to 12,000 OPM and, more importantly, the motor delivers enough torque that the pad doesn’t stall or wander when you lean in to level filler or knock down a high spot. At the lower end of the range, I got predictable stock removal on softwoods without tearing the grain. At the top end, with a fresh 220-grit disk, it leaves a polish-ready surface on hardwoods.

Random orbital sanders can be twitchy if the balance is off. DeWalt got this one right. There’s minimal tendency to gouge on startup, and with reasonable pressure it tracks flat across broad panels. I found it easiest to start it in the air, set it down gently, and let the pad do the work. That habit, plus the low profile, makes it surprisingly forgiving for folks who don’t sand all day.

Dust collection

Out of the box, the one-handed locking dust bag is actually useful. It snaps on securely and stays put, and the clamp makes dumping quick. Bag capacity is what you’d expect for a compact sander; you’ll empty it often on heavy removal, which is a good reminder to keep fresh paper on the pad.

Hooked to a vac, dust control moves from good to great. The rear port mates directly to DeWalt’s DWV010/012 dust extractors, and with the DWV9000 universal quick connector it plays nicely with other vacuum hoses. With an extractor attached and 8-hole paper, I could sand oak and maple with almost no visible dust pluming off the workpiece. It’s also quieter and more pleasant to use with the vac pulling dust out of the pad instead of packing the pores of the paper.

Battery and runtime

The kit’s 5.0Ah battery is a sensible match. In my use, I saw roughly 30–45 minutes of active sanding per charge depending on speed and how aggressively I pushed. For many tasks—breaking edges, prep between coats, small panel flattening—that’s a lot of work. If you’re batch-sanding doors or decks, a second pack is worth having so you can rotate.

The included DCB112 charger is on the slower side; expect a couple of hours for a full charge on a depleted 5.0Ah pack. If you already own a faster DeWalt charger, you’ll appreciate pairing it with this kit. The upside, of course, is compatibility across the 20V Max ecosystem—you can grab any charged pack from your other tools and keep moving.

Pad, paper, and finish quality

The standard 5-inch, 8-hole hook-and-loop pad makes paper changes quick. The pad itself is a replaceable part (DWE64233), so if you wear out the hook surface or chew an edge, you’re not tossing the tool. For shops that prefer PSA paper, DeWalt offers a PSA pad (service part N373679), and the swap is straightforward.

Finish quality is excellent for a compact cordless. With the speed dial set mid-range and sharp disks, the scratch pattern is consistent and swirl free. As always with ROS work, the technique matters—use light pressure, don’t skip grits, keep the pad flat, and work in overlapping passes. The sander won’t fix bad habits, but it does make good technique easy.

Vibration and noise

Vibration is well controlled for the category. After a few hours of intermittent use, I didn’t have the tingling hands that some compact sanders induce. The rubber overmold helps, but the bigger win is the balanced orbit. Noise is typical ROS fare—louder at higher OPM, quieter when connected to a vac—but never shrill.

Durability and maintenance

A dust-sealed switch, a brushless motor, and a simple mechanical layout are the right recipe for longevity in a sander. I’m careful to blow out the pad and the intake area at the end of the day, and with that basic maintenance the tool has shrugged off fine oak dust and drywall powder alike. The hook-and-loop pad has held up well; just resist the urge to peel disks off while hot.

DeWalt backs the kit with a 3-year limited warranty, 1-year free service, and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. That won’t sand your project for you, but it does add confidence if you’re outfitting a shop or crew.

Quirks and trade-offs

• The dust bag is effective but small; plan on frequent emptying or plug into a vac for bigger jobs.
• With the 5.0Ah pack, the tool isn’t featherweight. Overhead sanding is doable, but you’ll notice the mass over time.
• The vac port isn’t a universal friction fit; budget for the DWV9000 adapter if you’re not on DeWalt’s extractor.
• The included charger is slow for a 5.0Ah pack. It works, but a faster charger improves the workflow.

None of these are dealbreakers for me, and they’re common trade-offs in the cordless ROS category.

Where it shines

• Jobsite punch lists where power access is a hassle
• On-site cabinet installs and trim work
• Between-coat sanding on finishes where a cord risks dragging dust or marring a surface
• Small-shop workflows where one 5.0Ah pack can cover prep and finish sanding on a project

For heavy, all-day sanding—think deck resurfacing or production runs—you’ll still want multiple batteries, a fast charger, and a vacuum tether. But for most woodworking and remodeling tasks, this sander is a sweet spot of portability and performance.

Bottom line and recommendation

This DeWalt cordless random orbit sander earns a spot in my kit because it balances finish quality, dust control, and go-anywhere convenience with very few compromises. The brushless motor holds speed under load, the low profile and grip make it easy to control, and the dust collection—especially with a vac—keeps both the workpiece and your shop cleaner. Runtime on the 5.0Ah pack is sufficient for real tasks, and the ability to swap batteries across the 20V Max platform is practical.

I recommend it for woodworkers, remodelers, and DIYers who value mobility and a clean, consistent finish. If you already own DeWalt 20V batteries, the bare tool is a no-brainer; if you’re starting from scratch, this kit is a complete, competent way to get up and running. The few drawbacks—the small bag, adapter needs, and slower charger—are easy to work around and don’t detract from the core capability. In short, it’s a trustworthy, everyday sander that makes sanding less of a chore and more of a step you don’t mind doing right.