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Best Makita belt sander for the job you actually have

Updated: 17 October 2026

The best Makita belt sander is not one universal machine. A door, a tabletop and a narrow edge need different belt widths. In the saved amazon.co.uk set, the Bosch PBS 75 A is the top pick for broad DIY stock removal, the Einhell TC-BS 8038 is the best value, and the Makita 9031/2 is the only genuine Makita. That last tool is a 30 mm file, not a wide door sander. The full [Makita belt sander comparison](/hub/tools/makita-belt-sander) shows all eleven listings. Each pick below includes the job it suits and a reason to skip it. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The best Makita belt sander is not one universal machine. A door, a tabletop and a narrow edge need different belt widths.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch PBS 75 A

Best overall

Bosch Bosch PBS 75 A
9.4/10about £79.98
View offer
Makita Makita 9031/2 30 mm

Rank 2

Makita Makita 9031/2 30 mm
9.0/10about £312.65
View offer
Einhell Einhell TC-BS 8038

Best value

Einhell Einhell TC-BS 8038
8.6/10about £48.94
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Best for which job?
  2. 2.Top pick for flat stock removal: Bosch PBS 75 A
  3. 3.Best value for the same job: Einhell TC-BS 8038
  4. 4.The only Makita in the table: 9031/2

Best for which job?

A top pick only makes sense after the surface is defined. A 75 or 76 mm belt suits a flat door, tabletop or long board. A 9 or 30 mm file reaches a curve, a narrow edge or a recess. A 100 mm machine such as the Makita 9404 is a different class for repeated heavy coverage. UK round-ups often mention the Makita 9911 or 9404, but neither is among these saved ASINs. The only Makita here is the 9031/2 at £312.65. A third-party battery-compatible file is not a Makita, and the 9031 is not the best way to sand a door. The Makita belt sander buying guide explains the 76 x 457, 76 x 533, 30 x 533 and 100 x 610 mm loops.

Top pick for flat stock removal: Bosch PBS 75 A

The Bosch PBS 75 A is the top pick in this set for doors, tabletops and other broad flat timber. The saved amazon.co.uk price is £79.98, with 4.7 from 1,911 reviews. The listing states a 710 W motor, automatic belt centring, a removable front handle, one K80 belt and a microfilter dust box. Bosch’s UK page adds a 75 x 533 mm belt and 350 m/min. The SHALL shows 5.0 from only seven reviews, including a Vine note. The GBS 750 costs £159.98, has 4.1 from ten reviews and does not print a belt size. Neither displaces the PBS 75 A for ordinary DIY removal. Owners say it can shoot forwards if the grip is light, so use two hands. This A variant has no speed preselection. Skip it if you need variable speed, narrow access or a Makita badge. The K80 belt is for removal, not the final surface. The how to use a belt sander guide covers that hand-off.
Bosch Bosch PBS 75 A

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch PBS 75 A
9.4/10about £79.98
View offer

Best value for the same job: Einhell TC-BS 8038

At £48.94, the Einhell TC-BS 8038 is the best-value wide corded option for occasional flat removal. It has an 800 W stated motor, tool-free belt change and 4.3 from 2,509 reviews, the largest sample in this set. Einhell’s UK page confirms a 76 x 533 mm belt, 380 m/min, a 2 m cable and a 35 mm extraction connection. The saving against the PBS 75 A is about £31. Owners report stripping paint and working on stairs. Reviews also call it noisy and likely to run away without two hands. The dust container is weak, one owner could not fit a normal vacuum hose, and another said it would not invert securely in a Workmate. Buy it for handheld, price-led removal. The belt sander dust extraction guide explains why the bag is not the HSE control.

The only Makita in the table: 9031/2

The Makita 9031/2 is the relevant pick only for a genuine Makita narrow file. Its 30 x 533 mm belt follows edges and confined shapes that a broad machine cannot approach. The listing describes a speed dial and a Makita vacuum connection, with 4.5 from 594 reviews. At £312.65 it costs nearly four times the PBS 75 A. A 30 mm strip takes many passes across a door. A buyer who wants a wide Makita should look outside this set at the 9911, 9903 or 9404. The saved listing says 240 V in the title and 100 V in an attribute, and one UK review reports a non-UK plug. Confirm the nameplate with the seller and return a mismatched tool. The genuine DBS180 is a 9 x 533 mm 18 V file, and it is not one of these ASINs. A third-party file does not become a Makita because the listing claims pack compatibility.

Common questions

What is the top pick here for stripping a door?
The Bosch PBS 75 A is the top pick among these saved listings for broad DIY stock removal. It combines a 75 x 533 mm maker specification with automatic tracking and 4.7 from 1,911 reviews. Skip it if you need variable speed, because this A variant does not provide speed preselection.
What is the best value for the same job?
The Einhell TC-BS 8038 is the best value at the saved £48.94 amazon.co.uk price. Its 800 W motor, 76 x 533 mm maker specification and 2,509-review sample support occasional DIY removal. Its dust container, noise and strong pull are the principal compromises.
Which is the best actual Makita in this comparison?
The 9031/2 is the only actual Makita in the table, so it is the relevant pick only for a 30 mm file-sander job. It is not a wide all-rounder. Verify its voltage and plug because the saved listing conflicts and a UK reviewer reported a non-UK plug.
Why is the SHALL not the top pick at 5.0?
Its 5.0 average comes from only seven reviews, including early-use evidence and a Vine note. That is too little to outweigh the PBS 75 A’s 1,911-review base. The SHALL may suit someone who values its 12 belts and bench clips, but its star line is not proof of superior durability.
Is the GBS 750 the better Bosch?
Not on the available evidence for a typical DIY buyer. It costs £159.98, has ten reviews and lacks a printed belt size in the saved bullets. Its 850 W claim and Professional branding may appeal, but they do not justify calling it the better purchase without clearer fit and longer-term evidence.
When should I choose the Makita 9404?
Consider the 100 mm 9404 for repeated heavy coverage where a wider belt and a professional-duty machine suit the workload. It is outside this saved ASIN set, so this page does not assign it an amazon price or rating. It would be excessive for a narrow detail task.

Related pages

Cordless belt sander for a Makita 18 V battery

Makita belt sander

Makita belt sander buying guide: match both belt sizes

Belt sander dust extraction: a bag is only a start

How to use a belt sander without digging one hollow

Sources

Public UK sources for the Makita corded range, wood-dust limits, and BS 1363 plugs. Listings are the amazon.co.uk captures for these eleven ASINs, saved on 15 October 2026, not a live reload on 17 October 2026. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.

  1. Makita UK belt sanders (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. Makita 9903 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. Makita 9031 product sheet (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. Makita DBO180 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. HSE wood dust (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. HSE WD7, hand-held sanders (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. HSE cutting and sanding wood (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. Electrical Safety First, plugs and fuses (retrieved 15 October 2026)