The best air sanders, compared.
Top pick: Proster 1/2, 2 and 3 inch kit Best value: SPTA mini air sander set – £25.20 with 4.4 from 1,989 reviews, the lowest price in this set with a four-figure review count, for 25 to 80 mm spots. High air use and a conflicting disc count keep it under the Draper. Updated October 2026.
An air sander is a compressor-driven hand tool, not a 230 V sander with a UK 13 A plug. You separate them by pad or belt size, the air use that a listing or the maker states, and whether dust has a port. A or 230 line on a pneumatic title is a catalogue clash. A usable tool holds speed on the compressor's free-air delivery, seals at the inlet, and turns the pad when air is flowing. A UK review still says a 5 cfm compressor could not hold it. How to choose pad, air and extraction is on the [air sander buying guide](/hub/sanders/air-sander/sub/air-sander-buying-guide). You use it where you already have compressed air and you want a pad or a belt on a panel, a spot or a groove.
An air sander is a compressor-driven hand tool, not a 230 V sander with a UK 13 A plug. You separate them by pad or belt size, the air use that a listing or the maker states, and whether dust has a port.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,600 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 12
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you sanding?
The Proster PST411us at £33.99 is a 600 g mini kit listed at 15,000 rpm, with 1/2 inch, 2 inch and 3 inch plates, 30 sandpaper sheets, 15 polishing pads and an air connector. The highlight says a compressor is required and is not included. It shows 4.8 from 12 amazon.co.uk ratings. The review blocks on the listing are largely from the United States and Canada. Reviews say a small pancake compressor struggles, and that you push a pin into a hole to unscrew the hook pad. A review describes the connector as 1/2 inch NPT with a 1/4 inch adapter. The voltage field prints 1 Volts, which is not a UK mains figure. Twelve ratings are too few to treat 4.8 as the record for this kit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want sheets and polishing pads in one mini box and the compressor is already larger than a pancake unit.
Less suitable: You want a UK review file, or you are running a small compressor.
Specifications
Common questions
What pressure does this Proster kit need?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. The highlight says a compressor is required and is not included. Reviews say a small pancake compressor struggles.
How do the pad sizes attach?
Three backing plates are in the box, with a screwdriver. Reviews say you push a pin into a hole to unscrew the hook pad. The listing question itself is unanswered.
Are the 12 ratings from the UK?
The 4.8 from 12 is the amazon.co.uk line. The review blocks on the listing are largely from the United States and Canada.
The Draper Storm Force 65084 at £51.35 is a composite 150 mm dual-action air sander listed at 10,000 rpm and 1.17 kg. Draper's product page states about 3 cfm, 90 psi, 85 dB(A) and 6.3 m/s², and the Amazon bullets claim central dust extraction. It shows 4.5 from 68 amazon.co.uk reviews, and reviewers praise comfort. One UK review says a 5 cfm compressor at 90 psi held speed for only two or three minutes, so the 3 cfm line is not evidence that a small DIY compressor will run it. The box is the sander, without pads. One review reports a seal leak and a refused repair. The declared 6.3 m/s² sits above the 5 m/s² A(8) hand-arm vibration limit value, which is an exposure question for an employer rather than a verdict on a single panel. It is the top pick when you want a 150 mm tool with a named UK manual and spare compressor flow.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 150 mm palm sander with a UK maker's air, noise and vibration figures, and the compressor has spare flow.
Less suitable: You are judging it by the 3 cfm claim alone, or you need discs in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Are sanding pads in the box?
The included-components line names the Draper Storm Force sander. It does not list pads. The listing question about pads is unanswered.
What size is printed in the dimensions field?
The listing line says 10 x 10 x 10 millimetres. That cannot describe a 150 mm pad, so it is not shown as the tool size. Weight in the same listing is 1.17 kg.
Do UK reviews agree it sips air?
One UK review says a claimed 3 cfm was why they bought it, and that a 5 cfm compressor at 90 psi only held speed for two or three minutes. Other reviews praise comfort and low vibration. One reports a seal leak and a refused repair.
The Proster 5 inch palm sander at £26.99 is listed at 12,000 rpm, with 20 sandpaper sheets and a 1/4 inch inlet claimed. The title and the included air interface describe an air tool. The specification table says Corded Electric, and no UK plug is named. It shows 4.5 from 46 reviews, the same line, model string PST369us-CA and best-seller rank as the 6 inch ASIN B0GQ3J3X6N. Those 46 reviews are one shared sample, not a second population for this size. A UK review on the shared text says five sheets each of 80, 120, 240 and 320 grit on hook and loop. Air use and a dust port are not stated. Check the inlet on the tool you receive before you treat the table's power line as the product.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 5 inch air palm sander with sheets in the box and you can confirm the inlet is pneumatic.
Less suitable: You are adding this star line to the 6 inch Proster, or you need a stated CFM figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this Proster mains powered?
The title, highlight and included air interface describe an air tool with a 1/4 inch inlet. The specification table says Corded Electric. Both lines are on the listing. No UK plug is named.
Are the 46 reviews separate from the 6 inch Proster?
This ASIN and B0GQ3J3X6N share the model string PST369us-CA, the same best-seller rank and the same 4.5 from 46 reviews, with overlapping review text. Do not treat them as two samples.
What grits are in the box?
The included list says 20 sandpaper sheets. A UK review on the shared text says five sheets each of 80, 120, 240 and 320 grit, on hook and loop.
The Proster 6 inch palm sander at £32.99 is listed at 12,000 rpm and 1.3 kg, with 20 sandpapers and a 1/4 inch inlet claimed. The title says an air sander. The power-source field says Corded Electric, and the box list does not include a mains lead. It shares model text PST369us-CA, best-seller rank and the 4.5 from 46 reviews with the 5 inch ASIN B0GQ2QV8ND. The part number, weight, price and title size differ, so these are two listings and one review line. Air use and dust extraction are not stated. Buy the 6 inch for a broader pad only after you have confirmed the tool in the carton is pneumatic.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 6 inch pad with sheets in the box and you have checked that the unit is an air tool.
Less suitable: You are counting these 46 reviews as extra evidence on top of the 5 inch listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the 6 inch Proster a different review set from the 5 inch?
No. It shares model text PST369us-CA, best-seller rank 47,544 and the 4.5 from 46 reviews with B0GQ2QV8ND. The part number, weight, price and title size differ.
Does the spec table match the title?
The title and highlight say an air sander with a 1/4 inch inlet. The power-source field says Corded Electric. No mains lead is listed in the box.
The SPTA ARPS3SET at £31.48 is a mini air sander and polisher for about 25 to 80 mm work. A bullet claims 15,000 rpm, and the listing claims polishing and buffing pads. It shows 4.4 from 2,445 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest file in this set. The specification table has no weight and no free-speed line. A UK review puts air use at about 4 CFM and says the set uses little air. Another UK review says the 1 inch pad was missing and that a replacement had the wrong fitting. Included components say one air sander and accessories, and they do not name a case. Check the pad sizes on the day it arrives.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the most reviewed spot-and-polish set in this comparison and you can check that every pad arrived.
Less suitable: You need one full-size pad for a door, or you need a weight and a CFM figure printed in the table.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a carry case included?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. Included components say one air sander and accessories, not a case.
Did every pad size arrive?
A UK review says the 1 inch pad was missing, and a replacement pad had the wrong fitting. Other UK reviews say the set works and uses little air.
What speed does the listing state?
A bullet says 15,000 rpm. There is no free-speed line in the specification table and no weight.
The SPTA mini set at £25.20 is a random-orbital kit with 25, 50 and 80 mm pads, listed at 15,000 rpm and 780 g, with an aluminium housing claimed. It shows 4.4 from 1,989 amazon.co.uk reviews. The title says 36 mixed-grit discs and a bullet says 12 wheels, so the abrasive count is not settled. UK reviews say air use is high, higher than a 4 cfm expectation, and that a compressor around 9 cfm can still struggle. A UK review says the supplied fitting did not match. Reviewers say a pin locks the spindle for a pad change and that the instructions for that step are poor. It is the best value spot kit in this set only when the compressor can feed it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest well-reviewed spot kit in this set and your compressor has spare flow.
Less suitable: You are sanding a door, or your compressor is a small unit that already struggles with air tools.
Specifications
Common questions
How many sanding discs are in this SPTA set?
The title says 36 mixed-grit discs and three backing plates. A bullet says a 3 inch sander and 12 grinding wheels. The included-components line only says one set. The count is not consistent.
Will a small compressor run it?
The listing gives no CFM figure. UK reviews say air use is high, including higher than a 4 cfm expectation, and that a compressor around 9 cfm can still struggle.
How do you change the backing pad?
UK reviews say a pin locks the spindle so the pad can be changed, and that the instructions for that step are poor.
The Anesty 150 mm dual-action palm sander at £27.90 weighs 1.48 kg. The specification says 10,500 rpm and a bullet says up to 10,000 rpm. The highlight claims a dust hose, a bag and sandpapers, and the listing does not give a sheet count. It shows 4.4 from 431 amazon.co.uk ratings, many written outside the UK. A review says the hose is not a standard vacuum diameter and needs an adapter. More than one review says air still passes while the pad stops turning after a few minutes. Other reviews report inlet leaks unless the fitting is sealed. A dust claim at this price is useful, and those stop-and-leak reports are the limit on the star line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the lowest-priced 150 mm in this set and you can seal the inlet and adapt the hose.
Less suitable: You need a pad that reviewers describe as staying on speed, or a sheet count you can check before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Anesty 150 mm include sanding discs?
The highlight says it comes with sandpapers, plus a dust hose and bag. The listing question about discs is unanswered, and the listing does not give a sheet count.
Does the dust hose fit a standard vacuum?
The bullets claim a siphon into a suction hose. A review says the hose is not a standard vacuum diameter and needs an adapter.
Why do some reviews say the pad stops?
More than one review says air still passes but the pad stops turning after a few minutes. Others report inlet leaks unless the fitting is sealed. The 4.4 score is from 431 ratings, many written outside the UK.
The Anesty mini kit at £28.50 includes 25, 50 and 75 mm plates, 30 sheets of 120 grit and a 1/4 inch connector. It is listed at 12,000 rpm and 750 g, with an alloy body and a rubber grip claimed. It shows 4.4 from 311 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing has no CFM figure. UK reviews say it needs a fairly capable compressor and quite high pressure. One reviewer reports no issues on a 15.6 CFM compressor. The plates swap with the included screwdriver. Every included sheet is 120 grit, so a coarser cut or a finer finish needs discs you buy separately.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small-pad kit with discs and a 1/4 inch connector, and the compressor is already strong.
Less suitable: You have a small compressor, or you need several grits in the same box.
Specifications
Common questions
Are sanding discs included?
Yes. The bullet list includes 30 sandpapers in 120 grit, sized 1 inch, 2 inch and 3 inch, plus the three backing plates.
What compressor do UK reviews mention?
The listing has no CFM figure. UK reviews say it needs a fairly capable compressor and quite high pressure. One reviewer reports no issues on a 15.6 CFM compressor.
How are the pads changed?
The bullets say the backing plates swap with the included screwdriver. This is not described as a tool-free change.
The Enwye is a 10 mm by 330 mm pneumatic belt sander at £24.99, and the listing says the handle rotates 360 degrees. The box includes 25 belts, a wrench and a threaded connector. It shows 4.4 from 16 amazon.co.uk reviews. UK reviewers say it reaches awkward ironwork. The same reviews say the included belts or cloth snapped within seconds or were poor. One workshop review calls the tool unbearably noisy. Free speed, air use and a dust port are not stated. Keep it for grooves and edges, and budget for replacement belts if the included ones fail the way those reviews describe.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are sanding grooves or ironwork and you can replace the included belts.
Less suitable: You are flattening a door or a panel, or you need a stated air figure and a dust port.
Specifications
Common questions
Do the 25 belts come with the Enwye sander?
Yes. The bullet lists one 10 mm air belt sander, 25 sanding belts, a wrench and a threaded connector.
What do UK reviews say about those belts?
Reviewers say the sander itself is usable on awkward ironwork, and that the included belts or cloth snapped within seconds or were poor. One workshop review calls the tool unbearably noisy.
The RUNQIN OUTDOOR AT-980 is a 125 mm dual-action palm sander listed at 10,000 rpm and £23.88. A bullet claims 8 cfm and a 3/16 inch orbit. Across 38 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.3. The box lists the tool, an air inlet and a wrench, and it does not list sanding discs. One review says there is no dust-extraction fitting. A UK review says the pad runs out of air after about a minute and a half on a small compressor. The inlet thread is not stated. It is a low-price 125 mm tool only if you already own discs and a compressor with spare flow.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 125 mm palm sander at the bottom of this set and you already have discs and spare compressor flow.
Less suitable: You need a dust port, discs in the box, or a small compressor that must hold speed for more than a short burst.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the RUNQIN AT-980 include sanding discs?
The included-components line lists the air tool, an air inlet and a wrench. It does not list discs. The listing question about pads is unanswered.
What air use does the listing claim?
A bullet says air consumption of 8 cfm, with a 3/16 inch orbit. A UK review says the pad runs out of air after about a minute and a half on a small compressor.
Is there dust extraction?
The specification table does not name a dust port. One review says there is no dust-extraction fitting.
The LithiCraft is a 125 mm hook-and-loop palm sander at £26.99, listed at 10,000 rpm, with a speed regulator claimed and a weight of 1.12 kg. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.2 from 5 ratings. Three of the four review blocks on the listing are from the United Kingdom. The included-components line lists the sander only, not discs. A UK review says there is no obvious way to connect dust extraction. Air use and the inlet thread are not stated. Five ratings are too few to treat 3.2 as a settled record of how the pad behaves on a panel.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own 125 mm discs and you are willing to judge a tool from five ratings.
Less suitable: You want a dust port or a review file large enough to show a repeating fault.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the LithiCraft include sanding discs?
The included-components line lists one 125 mm air sander. It does not list discs. The listing question about discs is unanswered.
Can you attach dust extraction?
The specification table does not name a dust port. A UK review says there is no obvious way to connect dust extraction.
How many reviews support the 3.2 score?
The listing line is 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings. Three of the four review blocks on the listing are from the United Kingdom.
The Festool LEX 3 77/2,5, model 691131, is £526.97 on amazon.co.uk and the listing has no star line. Festool states a 77 mm pad, a 2.5 mm stroke, 270 litres per minute at 6 bar, 72 dB(A) and 1.9 m/s², and the tool needs an IAS 2 or IAS 3 hose. Festool also says the compressor should deliver at least 350 litres per minute at 6 bar. The Amazon listing marks the power source as air powered and also prints AC and 230 V. The box is a soft StickFix 77 mm pad, 50 ml of oil LFC 9022 and a screwdriver, with no mains lead listed. Festool's manual says not to sand asbestos. There is no amazon.co.uk review text on the finish. Buy it when you already run Festool's air hose, and leave the 230 V line unread as a plug type.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already use a Festool IAS hose and you want a 77 mm, 2.5 mm-stroke air sander.
Less suitable: You want a 125 mm or 150 mm pad, a UK star rating, or a tool that runs from a 13 A plug.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Festool LEX 3 a mains sander?
The specification field says air powered. A bullet says power source type AC, and a voltage field says 230 volts. Included items are a StickFix pad, a 50 ml bottle of oil and a screwdriver. No cable is listed.
What is in the box?
The included-components line names a soft StickFix pad of 77 mm, cleaning and lubricating oil LFC 9022 (50 ml), and a screwdriver SW 4.
What is the amazon.co.uk star rating?
The listing has no customer-review line and no review text, so there is no star rating to quote.
Twelve amazon.co.uk air sanders were scored from the listings checked on 19 October 2026, plus the Draper 65084 page and the Festool LEX 3 77/2,5 page. Weights sum to 100. A star line with fewer than about 20 reviews is marked down. A review line shared by two ASINs is scored once. There was no lab test. Shelf prices in this set run from £23.88 to £526.97.
Amazon evidence
30%Star rating, then a hard deduction when fewer than about 20 reviews sit behind it. Twelve reviews at 4.8 do not outrank a larger file at a lower star. The Proster 5 inch and 6 inch listings share 4.5 from 46 reviews, so the second listing is not a second sample.
Fit for the job
25%The title has to match the work: a 150 mm palm pad, a 125 mm palm pad, a 25 to 80 mm kit, a 10 mm belt, or a 77 mm short-stroke sander. A pad size the listing does not state is a deduction.
Air, dust and inlet
25%Stated air use, a dust port, abrasives in the box, and an inlet that matches the title. A Corded Electric or 230 V field on a pneumatic title is a deduction.
Review faults
15%A pad that reviews say stops while air still flows, belts that snap, a missing pad size, no star line, and a printed CFM claim that a UK review contradicts are deductions. These notes are from the stored reviews, not a workshop test.
Declared exposure
5%Noise and vibration figures are used only when Draper or Festool publishes them. They are a disclosure. They are not a hearing test and not a daily vibration assessment. A figure above 5 m/s² A(8) is not scored as a failed inspection of one panel.
The checks run in this order: the job and the pad, then free-air delivery, then the inlet and dust. The table is twelve amazon.co.uk air tools checked on 19 October 2026. A mains random-orbital sander is a different tool. No sander was timed in a lab. A star rating does not tell you whether your compressor can hold the pad.
An air sander is a compressor-driven hand tool. You use it where you already have compressed air and you want a pad or a belt on a panel, a spot or a groove. On amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026 this set runs from £23.88 to £33.99 for most palm and mini tools, £51.35 for the Draper Storm Force 150 mm, and £526.97 for the Festool LEX 3 77/2,5. Prices move. A usable tool holds speed on the compressor's free-air delivery, seals at the inlet, and turns the pad when air is flowing.
Free-air delivery at about 6 bar is the figure that holds pad speed. A large tank with a small pump still runs out.
A Corded Electric or 230 V field on a pneumatic title is a catalogue clash. Confirm the inlet before you treat it as a mains tool.
Do not blow or dry-sweep wood dust, and do not dust clothing with compressed air. A burst hose can whip. Use extraction and a class M vacuum.
Use about 150 mm for doors, bonnets and tops, about 125 mm for smaller panels, and 25 to 80 mm kits for spots. A 10 × 330 mm belt is for grooves and ironwork. The Festool LEX 3 is 77 mm with a 2.5 mm stroke for fine spot finishing. Where a maker states the orbit, about 2.5 mm is finish work and about 5 to 8 mm cuts faster. The Draper and the Anesty 150 mm are the panel pads here. The RUNQIN, the LithiCraft and the Proster 5 inch are the 125 mm class.
Match free-air delivery at about 6 bar and leave spare capacity. Tank litres are not CFM. Draper states about 3 cfm and a 1/4 inch BSP inlet with a 3/8 inch hose, and a UK review says a 5 cfm compressor could not hold the 65084. Festool states 270 litres per minute and an IAS hose, with compressor guidance of at least 350 litres per minute at 6 bar. The RUNQIN bullet claims 8 cfm, and a UK review ran out of air after about a minute and a half.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You restore doors or bonnets and the compressor has spare flow. The top pick is the Draper Storm Force 150 mm at £51.35, with 4.5 from 68 reviews and stated air, noise and vibration. Pads are not in the box, and a UK review says a 5 cfm compressor could not hold it.
You want 25 to 80 mm pads and a long review file. The best value is the SPTA mini set at £25.20, with 4.4 from 1,989 reviews. The disc count conflicts, air use is high in UK reviews, and a supplied fitting did not match.
You already run an IAS 2 or IAS 3 hose and you want maker figures. The Festool LEX 3 77/2,5 is £526.97, with 270 L/min, 72 dB(A) and 1.9 m/s² stated by Festool. amazon.co.uk has no star line, and the listing also prints 230 V.
The top pick is the Draper Storm Force 65084, a 150 mm composite palm sander at £51.35, with 4.5 from 68 reviews. Draper states about 3 cfm, 85 dB(A) and 6.3 m/s². A UK review says a 5 cfm compressor could not hold speed, and the box does not include pads. The best value is the SPTA mini set at £25.20, with 4.4 from 1,989 reviews, for 25 to 80 mm spots when the compressor has spare flow. The disc count on that listing conflicts, and UK reviews say air use is high. The Festool LEX 3 77/2,5 stays a system buy at £526.97, with no star line.
SPTA mini air sander set
£25.20 with 4.4 from 1,989 reviews, the lowest price in this set with a four-figure review count, for 25 to 80 mm spots. High air use and a conflicting disc count keep it under the Draper.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources taken from the research digest. Prices, stars and review counts are the stored amazon.co.uk listing figures.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts come from stored amazon.co.uk listings. We did not run a lab test.
