Customer Reviews for Milwaukee M18 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless 5 in. Random Orbit Sander (Tool-Only)

This is the Milwaukee 2648-21, variable speed (7,000 to 12,000 OPM), 18 volt, 5” Random Orbit Sander. This is the complete kit with the sander, 3.0Ah battery, charger, and carrying bag. It also includes two 80 grit sanding discs, dust canister, hose adapter, and extension adapter (see Photo 1). The first thing I wanted to check was whether the “universal” hose adapter was really universal. It turns out that my 2 1/2” wet/dry-vac hose fit perfectly into the adapter (see Photo 2). There’s also a small diameter attachment point within the 2 1/2” adapter for a smaller size hose. Next, after charging the battery, I put the sander to work on a couple of items that were not near an outlet, so the cordless sander was particular convenient. The first was an outdoor chair whose arms need smoothing (see Photo 3). Then I sanded some window sills that needed a paint job (see Photo 4). Finally, I smoothed out some boards around my shop. In all cases, the sander was a delight to use—easy to control and handle. Up on the ladder, it was most comfortable using two hands (second hand on the battery) to control the sander. The battery that comes with the sander (3 Ah) is supposed to last about 35 minutes. That seems about right. After doing the chair (two, actually), and several window sills, the battery showed two LEDs (about half a charge). For extended use, you definitely want more than one battery. Note that there is a small extension adapter that comes with the sander—this if for when you use larger batteries so the canister or hose attachment will still fit. Nice attention to detail. The only problem I had was with the cover on the dust canister—I had a hard time keeping it securely on. It fell off more than once while in use. It just doesn’t seem to firmly snap on. This is not too big a deal so I didn’t take off any stars. Maybe yours will stay on better. I contacted Milwaukee about this but they never responded, which is strange because their support has been very good in the past. Overall, the Milwaukee sander does a great job. It’s well made (except the canister’s cover) and easy to use, and it’s especially nice not to be burdened with a cord while sanding.

Great product, runs quietly ( around 79db, on Speed #2, according to my sound meter) I used this to sand a 2x6 and it worked well. This did not kick up a lot of dust, the dust collector did a great job of that. This comes with an adapter so you can attach a 1 1/4" hose to the sander. I connected one just fine with no issues. This sander has a very comfortable grip due to the rubber molding. The dial to adjust the speed is easy to adjust. Removing the dust collector can be tricky at times, but this is a good thing shows that the connection is nice and tight so you know there is little room for dust to spill out from. To me the 3AH Battery felt good on the battery, I have a 5 and a 9 but I did not try them on this one.

Solid sander, easy to use and with multiple speeds. This random orbit sander is cordless so you don't have to worry about dragging an extension cord over what you are sanding. It comes with the sander, a 3 amp/h battery, charger, a dust collection container, shop vac connector, an extension for the dust container (if you use a larger M18 battery such as the 9 amp/h), 4 x 5" 80-grit round pads and a nice bag to hold it all in. Operation is smooth, I can access the on/off switch and the speed control (6 speeds) with the same hand I am sanding with. The highest speed is much faster than my old corded random orbit sander and is great for heavy removal. The sander collects most dust, especially when then sanding pad completely covers the piece you are sanding. There still is some that escapes though. After using, you can lightly bang out most of the dust left inside the sander. I like the random orbit motion and found it sands wood very well. Overall, this is a great and powerful sander that was designed and engineered well.

Very nice cordless sander. The battery recharges in less than 2 hours. There is a dust collector that does a pretty decent job of collecting the dust generated by the sander. It isn't completely dust-free but then you don't expect that, especially when you're kicking up a lot of very fine particles. The vibration is not out of the ordinary and your hands don't get tired holding onto it. It doesn't have the "oomph" of a corded sander but again, you don't expect it to and for me, the trade off between dealing with a trailing (and sometimes dangerous) cord and the slightly less power is well worth it. If you really have a heavy duty job, you'd be using a corded sander, anyway. The pads attach using hook-and-loop and really hang onto the sander. Having never used a cordless before and only the "glue on" kind of pad, I was very pleasantly surprised and delighted with how easy the pads are to change (and no gluey mess to clean up afterwards). Leaves a nice, smooth finish.

Nothing beats being able to sand my woodworking projects like a sander without a cord. This 18 volt Milwaukee is a great addition to my growing cordless tools. I have never owned a hook and loop sander so changing paper now will be a breeze. The 5 inch, 8 hole paper leads to a dust port system that can be connected to either a included filtered dust canister , or connected to a shop vac with the included adaptor. The large 3.0 AH battery should last long enough on one charge to finish 99 percent of my projects. Having a bag to keep it all in is fantastic.

Needed to upgrade from my old craftsman set, these do the job and charge very quickly.

It is a very tough and strong drill

Great product!

Great tools fast changing, light weight and durable, came with an extra battery I wasn't expecting def happy with performance!!

Item arrived quickly and was as advertised

This is a great package, ive built 2 different timber retaining walls with both these. The Charge holds perfectly.

Use Milwaukee power tool at work, love the impact in this set, same one i use at work. By far its the go-to driver in my mess of tools. I bought this set because I dont need the hammer drill in the other sets. (This set has the basic drill) That said my first project after charging the 1.5 amp hour batteries was a lot of drilling. Fresh battery lasted 16.5 holes through 8-9 inches of landscape timbers stacked using a 3/8 spade bit. I like these and am not sure if I want to buy the larger battery pack like the 4ah that I use at work. That said the tool is nice and light with the two 1.5ah bats that come with it. Im a happy customer of Home Depot and Milwaukee ps might just be me but these just feel right when your holding them and using them. Not edgy or clunky. Also that little led light comes in handy at times.

Big fan of Milwaukee Tools. This is a great VSR Drill and Impact gun. Note though they come with the standard battery. Sometimes this is a benefit like when you are working overhead, but if need long life you may need to pick up the larger batteries. My only gripe with this particular set is that it only comes with one belt hook. I normally hang my tools from the hook so this was annoying for me. I called customer service and was able to get one sent out to me though. Milwaukee really does have fantastic customer service.

This is a great starter drill for anyone! This was my first "real" drill, and I love it. the drills a both superb in power, and speed. They are both light and durable. The Shockwave Bits work well in the impact. The drill does a great job of drilling holes, and screwing larger screws. The batteries are awesome and are lights and work with all Milwaukee M18 stuff, and I found my Dad's XC 5.0 works the best with the impact. Also charges fast(less than 45 minutes)! Overall, it is a great product and would highly recommend to anyone.

A very important household tool for a DIY homeowner like myself. This combo comes with everything you need except for the bits. Used this for basic home tasks such as installing storm doors, adding cabinet / shelf organizers, replacing door hard wares, and other non-heavy duty work. Light enough and feels good in hands, this combo can be used by any adult in the house. Variable speed settings are useful and smart. Batteries have smart power meters and are good enough for basic house work since I have never ran out of power during my small projects.

With the exception of a soft rubber pad for grip, the Drill has given many months of reliable service. I'm building a house and an iron fence, railings and awnings. The Milwaukee stands up to every projects without a problem. Only one minor issue with a battery supplied, and Milwaukee replaced the battery after testing. Great Product.

When I bought this set I was a little worried because of their batteries but milwaukee has made me a believer that they are on top of the power tool industry. Then I went and bought the circular saw and it's a beast so is that monster of a impact driver and hammer drill.. The Hackzall thans alone in the saw nation as number 1 hands down.

Replacement for previous M18 drill. Previous drill Chuck failed after 10 years. Now have 2 extra batteries and a charger.

Great little sander!! I didn't realize it was variable speed when I ordered it-a great feature!! The price was unbeatable!!

Send me the wrong battery

The Milwaukee radom orbital sander did a great job in preparing some previously stained exterior trim for painting. I used the 80 grit sanding disk which came with the sander and it removed the loose stain and weather stain of the exposed wood and smoothed the trim for painting. The battery was adequate for the sanding that I did. I liked the easy to operate on/off switch, the dust filter and the weight of the sander. It was great not having a cord to deal with. The filters inside the filter case are not cleanable. I guess they need to be replaced if they get too clogged. I have had this tool about a month.

The battery at the back makes this sander unbalanced, so if you are doing finish work, you will be fighting to keep it flat, I get more pig tails and uneven sanding with this than any other random orbital I've owned. The lid on the dust collector pops off randomly while sanding and blows all that fine dust into the air. No vacuum attachment came with mine, but easily found on online.

This was just what I wanted. As a bonus, it came with a few sanding disks. Works like a charm, of course a 2.0 battery can only do so much so have spares available. Not a knock, just a fact.

milwaukee tools work great every time you reach for them

Have had this Milwaukee M18 sander for less than a week. After sanding 4, newly built, kitchen cabinet doors it began…As with the Rigid AC orbital, it doesn’t take these long to go into fast spin mode upon turning them on. So when finish sanding they put heavy circular scratches in the wood prior to slowing down (accomplished by pressing the sanders down relatively hard to get the full circle spin to stop. Will be returning Fyi, went through (3) plug in Rigid sanders as well and tossed into garbage due to a very poor, lifetime warranty which is not worth my money at the post office nor the return on what they offer… look into it for yourself. Otherwise I love the Milwaukee Fuel products. Won’t buy anymore Rigid even though I am certain some parts come from the same oversees factories! :(