Metabo 125 or 150 sander
Updated: 21 October 2026
You already want a Metabo random-orbit sander, and the open question is whether the pad should be 125 mm or 150 mm. It is a different disc, a different reach on a door, and a different price for the sheets you will buy again. The FSX 200 and the SXE 3125 are 125 mm. The SXE 3150, the SXA 18 LTX 150 BL, and the Metabo UK specification for the 110 V SXE 450 are 150 mm. The [main comparison](/hub/sanders/metabo-orbital-sander) has the shelf prices and the review counts. A 150 mm pad does not turn a 110 V tool into a home-socket tool.
You already want a Metabo random-orbit sander, and the open question is whether the pad should be 125 mm or 150 mm.
You already want a Metabo random-orbit sander, and the open question is whether the pad should be 125 mm or 150 mm. It is a different disc, a different reach on a door, and a different price for the sheets you will buy again. The FSX 200 and the SXE 3125 are 125 mm. The SXE 3150, the SXA 18 LTX 150 BL, and the Metabo UK specification for the 110 V SXE 450 are 150 mm. The main comparison has the shelf prices and the review counts. A 150 mm pad does not turn a 110 V tool into a home-socket tool.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Pad | Speed control | Weight | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Metabo Metabo SXE 3150 | 150 mm | Variospeed | 1.6 kg | 9.2 | about £87.95 | View offer |
| Best value |  Metabo Metabo FSX 200 Intec | 125 mm | No dial | 1.3 kg | 8.8 | about £30.95 | View offer |
 Metabo Metabo SXE 3125 | 125 mm | Variospeed | 1.5 kg | 8.4 | about £70.95 | View offer |
On this page
What Metabo sells in each size
The FSX 200 Intec is £30.95, 4.5 from 378 reviews, 1.3 kg, 125 mm, with no Variospeed. The SXE 3125 is £70.95, 4.4 from 224, 1.5 kg, 125 mm, with Variospeed. Its Amazon title says 320 W and the Metabo UK figure is 310 W. The SXE 3150 is the 150 mm corded tool for a normal socket, at £87.95, 4.5 from 712, and 1.6 kg. The SXA is also 150 mm, at £164.95 and 4.9 from 21, as a bare 18 V body. The SXE 450 at £148.37 is 150 mm on 110 V and 3.3 kg. Check voltage on the buying guide.
When 125 mm is enough
Choose 125 mm for rails, drawer fronts, and panels you can cover without a wide pad. The smaller disc is easier to keep flat near a moulding, and the sheets are the cheaper consumable as a rule of thumb. The FSX 200 is the lower spend when a fixed speed is acceptable. Reviewers mention a short cord and a cartridge that misses fine dust unless a vacuum is fitted. The SXE 3125 is the 125 mm choice when you want the dial. Reviews describe cardboard rather than a case.
When 150 mm pays off
Choose 150 mm for a door or a wide panel when you want fewer passes. The SXE 3150 is the corded option on a household socket. 150 mm discs are dearer than 125 mm discs as a rule of thumb, and a 125 mm disc will not meet the holes on a 150 mm pad. The SXA is the same diameter only after a Metabo 18 V pack is fitted. The SXE 450 is 150 mm on 110 V. The best Metabo orbital sander page names the SXE 3150 as the top pick on a normal socket, and the FSX 200 as best value on 125 mm.
Orbit and speed still matter
A larger pad is not automatically a cleaner job. Metabo UK’s 3 mm orbit on the SXE 3150 suits finishing more than aggressive stock removal. We do not have a matching orbit figure for every model, so we do not invent one. The FSX has no speed dial, so that pad always runs at the motor’s fixed rate. Variospeed on the SXE pair matters more than 25 mm of diameter on thin varnish. A tipped pad marks a 150 mm face over a wider patch. The bag and the cartridge still need a vacuum, and neither is Class M.
A short way to choose
If your discs are 125 mm and the work is furniture detail, buy the FSX 200 at £30.95, or the SXE 3125 at £70.95 if you want Variospeed. If you are sanding doors on a normal UK socket and you will buy 150 mm discs, buy the SXE 3150 at £87.95. If you already own Metabo 18 V packs, look at the SXA and add the battery cost before you compare stickers. If the only 150 mm tool in the basket is the SXE 450, stop and read the voltage. Prices are from 19 October 2026. This is not a lab test.
Common questions
Which Metabo models are 125 mm?
The FSX 200 Intec and the SXE 3125 TurboTec are the 125 mm tools in this set. Both are corded. The FSX has no Variospeed in the bullets. The SXE 3125 does. Prices on 19 October 2026 were £30.95 and £70.95.
Which are 150 mm?
The SXE 3150 and the SXA 18 LTX 150 BL are 150 mm on the Amazon titles and Metabo UK pages we used. Metabo UK also lists 150 mm for the 110 V SXE 450. That third tool is not a 230 V household sander.
Can I use 125 mm discs on a 150 mm pad?
No. The disc has to match the pad diameter and the extraction holes. A 125 mm sheet on a 150 mm hook-and-loop pad leaves a ring of unused pad and misaligned dust holes. Buy the diameter you will keep using.
Is 150 mm better for doors?
For a flat door face, yes, in the sense that each pass covers more. The SXE 3150 is the corded 150 mm pick on a normal socket. It is not better if the door is mostly narrow moulding, where a 125 mm pad is easier to keep flat. It is also not a floor sander.
Is 125 mm better for furniture detail?
It is the more controllable pad on rails, drawers, and small panels, and it matches cheaper, more common discs. The FSX 200 is the lower price. The SXE 3125 adds a speed dial on the same diameter. Detail work still needs light pressure. The pad size does not remove swirl marks on its own.
Will I spend more on 150 mm consumables?
As a rule of thumb, yes. UK shops price 150 mm hook-and-loop discs above the 125 mm equivalents. We have not totalled a year’s sheets for you. If you already own a deep stack of 125 mm discs, that stock is a reason to stay with the FSX or the SXE 3125.
Should I buy the FSX or jump to the SXE 3150?
Buy the FSX if you want the lowest ready price, a 125 mm pad, and you can live without a speed dial. Jump to the SXE 3150 if the work is doors and wide tops and you will buy 150 mm discs. The jump is about £57 on these shelf prices, plus the disc size, not a small upgrade of the same pad.
Related pages
Sources
Sources listed below, last checked on 19 October 2026.
- Metabo UK FSX 200 Intec (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Metabo UK SXE 3150 (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Metabo UK SXA 18 LTX 150 BL (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Metabo UK random orbital sander category (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- HSE: Cutting and sanding wood (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- HSE: Hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- amazon.co.uk listings for the five Metabo ASINs (19 October 2026) (retrieved 19.10.2026)