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125 mm or 150 mm air sander

Updated: 21 October 2026

A 5 inch pad and a 6 inch pad are both sold as dual-action air sanders, and the diameter changes what you can reach more than the badge does. Choose 150 mm when the face is wider than the pad with room to spare. Choose 125 mm when a larger pad would hang off the edge or dig a style line. This page is only that choice, plus the orbit. Prices and star lines sit on the [air sander comparison](/hub/sanders/air-sander). Prices are the amazon.co.uk shelf on 19 October 2026. Products Compared did not sand panels in a lab. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A 5 inch pad and a 6 inch pad are both sold as dual-action air sanders, and the diameter changes what you can reach more than the badge does. Choose 150 mm when the face is wider than the pad with room to spare.

Our top picks

Draper Draper Storm Force 150 mm

Best overall

Draper Draper Storm Force 150 mm
9.1/10about £51.35
View offer
Proster Proster 5 inch air palm sander

Rank 2

Proster Proster 5 inch air palm sander
7.6/10about £26.99
View offer
RUNQIN OUTDOOR RUNQIN OUTDOOR AT-980 125 mm

Rank 3

RUNQIN OUTDOOR RUNQIN OUTDOOR AT-980 125 mm
7.2/10about £23.88
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Choose 150 mm for faces
  2. 2.Choose 125 mm when the pad must stay on the work
  3. 3.Orbit is the other number
  4. 4.Sizes that are not this choice

Choose 150 mm for faces

Use a 150 mm pad on doors, bonnets and other broad faces, and keep a margin of panel around the disc. In this set the 150 mm palm listings are the Anesty at £27.90, the Proster 6 inch at £32.99, and the Draper Storm Force 65084 at £51.35. This page does not crown one of them. The Anesty weighs 1.48 kg and reviews describe a pad that stops while air still passes. The Proster 6 inch is listed at 1.3 kg, and its 4.5 from 46 reviews is shared with the 5 inch listing. Draper's manual gives the 65084 a 5 mm orbit, a general cut rather than a finish-only stroke. Who each price band suits is the best air sander page.

Choose 125 mm when the pad must stay on the work

A 125 mm pad fits a smaller panel, a blend beside a crease, and any face a 150 mm disc would overhang. The 125 mm palm listings here are the RUNQIN AT-980 at £23.88, the LithiCraft at £26.99, and the Proster 5 inch at £26.99. The RUNQIN bullet claims a 3/16 inch orbit, about 4.8 mm, and 8 cfm. A UK review says it ran out of air after about a minute and a half. That is a compressor problem, not a reason to step up to 150 mm. The LithiCraft sits at 3.2 from five ratings, with no discs in the box. The Proster 5 inch shares the 4.5 from 46 reviews with the 6 inch listing. Do not add those reviews twice. A repair smaller than a dinner plate stays inside a 125 mm scratch pattern.
Draper Draper Storm Force 150 mm

Testsieger

Draper Draper Storm Force 150 mm
9.1/10about £51.35
View offer

Orbit is the other number

Orbit is how far the pad swings while it spins. Trade tables, including Mirka's pneumatic range as listed by North Composites, treat about 2.5 mm as finish work, about 5 mm as the normal cut, and about 8 mm as faster removal. Draper states 5 mm on the 65084. Festool states 2.5 mm on the 77 mm LEX 3. The RUNQIN 3/16 inch figure is a bullet, not a lab measure. A sheet marked 120 grit is the abrasive, not the stroke. If the listing is silent, you do not know whether you are buying a finish stroke or a cutting stroke. Mirka's trade table also shows about 480 litres per minute across both 125 mm and 150 mm sanders, so diameter alone does not set the air demand. Flow is on the air sander compressor size page.

Sizes that are not this choice

A 77 mm pad is a third size, not a small 125 mm. The Festool LEX 3 77/2,5 at £526.97 needs Festool's IAS hose. Kits from about 25 mm to 80 mm are for spots. A 10 mm by 330 mm belt is for grooves. The order of the other decisions is the air sander buying guide.

Common questions

Will 150 mm dig edges on a narrow panel?
It will if the pad hangs off the edge or if you tip it onto a border. Keep 150 mm for faces wider than the disc. Move to 125 mm for a smaller panel, a blend, or a nearby crease.
Is 125 mm slower on a door?
Yes. Each pass covers less area, so a full door takes more passes. For a plain large face, 150 mm is the quicker size, provided the orbit cuts and the compressor holds speed.
Does a bigger pad need more air?
Not as a rule you can take from diameter alone. Mirka's trade table shows similar air use across 125 mm and 150 mm. In this set the air figures are sparse, so check the claim and the reviews for the tool you are buying.
What is orbit, and do these listings state it?
Orbit is the pad's offset stroke. About 2.5 mm is finish work and about 5 mm to 8 mm cuts faster. Draper states 5 mm for the 65084. The RUNQIN bullet claims 3/16 inch. Festool states 2.5 mm on a 77 mm pad. Most other listings here do not state an orbit.
Where do 25–80 mm kits fit?
They fit spots, returns and polishing, after you already know whether the main faces are 125 mm or 150 mm work. They are the wrong only-tool for a door. The mini kits in this comparison sit in that small-pad range and have their own air demands.
Are the Proster 5 inch and 6 inch the same tool?
They are separate ASINs, with different part numbers, weights and prices. They share one review line of 4.5 from 46 and the model string PST369us-CA. Count those reviews once. Both tables also say Corded Electric.
Which grit field should I ignore?
Ignore an Amazon grit-type line when you want the machine's orbit. Grit is the sheet. A UK review of the shared Proster text mentions 80, 120, 240 and 320. The stroke is a separate number.

Related pages

How to use an air sander

Air sander

Best air sander 2026: Draper top pick, SPTA mini kit

Air sander buying guide: decide job, pad, then air

Air sander compressor size: free air, not tank litres

Sources

Sources taken from the research digest. Prices, stars and review counts are the stored amazon.co.uk listing figures.

  1. HSE — wood dust (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  2. HSE WIS23 — wood dust (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  3. HSE HSG39 — compressed air safety (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  4. HSE — noise for employers (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  5. HSE — hand-arm vibration (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  6. Draper 65084 air sander (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  7. Festool UK LEX 3 77/2,5 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  8. Air Supply — compressor size (retrieved 21.10.2026)