The Black and Decker BDERO100 is an ultra-affordable 5-inch random orbit sander that is excellent for finishing sanding tasks. The low price of this sander makes it the go-to power tool for many beginners and experts on a budget. But how well does it performs and is it worth the money? Let’s find out with this hands-on review!

If you want to buy a sander, here are some reviews that I recommend you to read such as drum sander, random orbit sander, belt sander, belt-disc sander, spindle sander, palm sander, detail sander, DeWalt DWE6423K. 

Black & Decker BDERO100 Orbital Sander Review

Source: ifixit.com

Technical Feature


Motor:

The motor of the Black & Decker BDERO100 is quite agile at 2 Amps and works on 120 Volts. As you would expect from an orbital sander, the 2-Amp motor does a good job of powering the “random orbit” motions of the sanding pads for effective and high-rate material removal. It is not the most powerful inductive motor we have seen, but adequate for common sanding tasks that require a smooth finish.

Speed:

There is no variable speed control in this device and the sanding pad moves at a constant OPM (orbits per minute). You might think that it offers less versatility than a model with a variable speed control, but you would be wrong! You can easily control the quality of your sanding finish by swapping the sanding pad with a different grit size. While customization of speed is not possible on the device itself, it can be made to be a versatile unit by simply using a different sanding pad with different grit size. Furthermore, due to the very low price of this random orbit sander, we have little to complain about.

Finishing Quality:

As pointed out above, the finishing quality can be “customized” by switching sanding pad grits. As with any random orbit sander, the finishing quality is a smooth and polished surface. One of the main advantages of this Black and Decker orbital sander is that it leaves a clean and polished surface without any skid marks. This has mostly to do with the tiny “orbital” rotations of the sanding pad that prevent marks and blemishes on material. The BDERO100 is definitely more suited for finishing work rather than preparatory work, as any other random orbital sander. For preparatory work, like removing paint or veneer, we recommend a more powerful belt sander like the Makita 9403 instead.

User friendly:

One of the best things that the Black & Decker BDERO100 is reputed for is user-friendliness.

• Grip: It has an amazing and comfortable grip at the palm rest area at the top of the device. It is made from a comfortable plastic-rubber material that feels solid and well-balanced in the hand. It also has anti-skid marks to prevent your hand from slipping during intense orbiting.
• Vibration: The soft rubber material of the palm rest area does a great job at absorbing the vibrations in this device. In turn, it feels very comfortable to work with and the unit in general produces little vibrations. This mostly has to do with the way Black & Decker has designed this random orbital sander by separating the motor from the bottom sanding pad compartment.
• Lightweight: At around 3.2 lbs, this Black & Decker orbital sander is very lightweight and can comfortably be used for long hours without hand fatigue. Its small form factor of 7 x 5 x 5 inches is also small enough to fit comfortably in a medium-sized hand. Its low weight and small dimension make it very maneuverable, especially when working in tight spots.

Dust collection:

This device comes with a small but functional dust canister that can easily be removed and cleaned. It features a twist lock mechanism that is very convenient to use. The only caveat we have is that the dust canister is very small and is not suited for heavy-duty orbital sanding. On the plus side, you can easily retrofit an external vacuum to this unit by using an adapter.

Other features:

• Hook and Loop System: The hook and loop system is a very easy way to remove and change the sandpaper. Simply peel the sandpaper away for fast sandpaper changes. One of the main advantage of this system is that despite its simplistic look, it is very secure and your sandpaper will never fall off even during intense sanding.
• Top Cord: The electrical cord of 6 feet 5 inches is located at the top of the unit and can easily be moved out of the way.

Price of Black & Decker BDORE100

The price of the Black & Decker BDORE100 is definitely one of its main attributes. It is a very affordable random orbit sander that anyone of any financial background can afford. We are happy to note that this is not a problem with this model as it has a modest number of features that still remains very functional on the job. If price has always been a prohibitive factor for you in getting a random orbit sander, this will no more be a problem with the BDERO100.

Pros/Cons of Black & Decker BDORE100

Pros:

• ​Decent performance on the job. It is also a silent unit.
• Excellent price to performance ratio. Has almost no competition at this low price range.
• Leaves a smooth and polished finish without marks or other material damage. Ideal for working on sensitive lumber.
• Lightweight at 3.2 lbs and very ergonomic form factor that is comfortable in the hand and can be used for long hours without hand fatigue.
• Very easy to change sandpaper by simply peeling it apart.

Cons:

• No variable speed control.
• Small dust canister.

What Does it Include?

As you would expect from a budget random orbit sander, inside the box of this Black & Decker orbital sander you will find very basic accessories. You simply get the BDERO100 random orbit sander unit, 1x sanding sheet, and a dust canister. And that’s it. Granted, at this price range we did not expect this model to come with extravagant accessories. This is a very normal and understandable thing especially when you consider that other more premium random orbit sanders also come with basic accessories.

Who Should Buy?

We can recommend the BDERO100 for anyone looking to perform finishing sanding work. This model is offered at a very modest price that anyone can afford and it does the job above and beyond of what is expected from a low budget random orbit sander. It has a very ergonomic form factor and its low weight makes it the ideal companion for those who work for long hours.

We have yet to find an orbital sander that is more performing than this model at the same price range. Therefore, we recommend this model to anyone looking for a random orbit sander for finishing work on sensitive material. It delivers a smooth and professional finish that many pricier orbital sanders sometimes fail to deliver. Go get it now!