PSM 18 LI Cordless 18 Volt Li-Ion Multisander (baretool: supplied without battery/without charger)

This is one of the best portable sanders on the market. Great battery life and very reliable.

I was going to buy a cheap, corded sander until I saw this Bosch, which takes the batteries from my Bosch drill, so saving money on further batteries and charger. It works really well, and I've had an hour of use from one charge, after which it's probably worth taking a break to avoid white-finger, although the vibrations are not too bad at all. I've used it a fair bit, and I like that fact that I can still 'feel' the wood as I'm working: Another reviewer wished it would remove wood faster, but I'm very happy with a more gradual approach, giving more control and subtlety to the work.I've also not had any issues with the pads not sticking to the velcro, as experienced by some others. One wonders whether they have perhaps been overenthusiastic, and sanded down through the pad to the velcro maybe? The pads are not cheap, and I may try non-branded ones down the line, assuming I can find some to fit. But that said, I have found them lasting longer than I expected: I sanded the finish from a three-drawer bedside cabinet ready for painting, and only used a single pad, which still had some life in it. The dust-collector also works well, although I've worked outside enjoying the nice weather so far. But I would be happy to use it indoors knowing that the room wold not be covered in sawdust after working. Just remember to knock out the collector from time to time. I have no reservations in recommending this device, it is a fine sander, not overly loud, no cable to get in the way, and allows subtle sanding, even into corners and along curved edges without being over-zealous!

This little sander just fits in the palm of my hand and although it is easy enough to hold the strength of the vibrations it sends down your arm while it is in use takes some getting used to. The sanding pads come in several grades from very rough to smooth and are easily changed just by ripping the old one off and slapping a new one on. The sander comes as a bare bones unit with no battery or charger but as I have six or seven items in the range this makes it good value for me - there’s no point having seven chargers all the same. The unit collects its own dust although I rarely use this feature as I prefer to make a mess as I work.

Be aware this is a bare tool - it does not come with the batteries! (although 2 batteries, a charger and a hammer drill with case is available from the orange DIY chain for just under a hundred pounds at 19.09.12) This is a great little sander with an extending forward section to get into small areas most sanders won't. Only had this sander a few weeks but first impressions are positive with both the sander and the sanding packs I bought at the same time really helping sand some teak chairs with tightly packed wooden "spokes" being done in minutes where I could not get my old sander nor easily get a block of wood with sandpaper wrapped around it. The batteries have been lasting about an hour (they are about 6 months old and have been used many times on a Power4all jigsaw and hammer drill) and the power is at least as good as my old Black and Decker mains sander. Positives Reasonable light Really like the fact you can get into tight spaces Has extractor Versatile in handling and being able to take away from mains due to being battery operated. Negatives Only that it works out expensive if you don't already have the batteries. If you have the batteries and need a sander - this is an excellent product.

Well designed and made (I have several Bosch tools) and I now won't buy cheap(er) products. The sanding sheets are easy to fit and remove and grip the plate really well. It's relatively heavy for its size, but that means you can just use its own weight. No need to press down for sanding. A bonus is the one-for-all battery and charger system. For d-i-y use you are unlikely to want to use more than one tool at a time and it recharges quickly (about 1 hour?)

Good product at a good price. Already had suitable battery from a previous Bosch purchase. Easy to attach, disconnect and recharge.

I bought this sander a couple of months ago, but the job I wanted to do was delayed so I`ve only just had the chance to test it in service. I was surprised how securely the pads remain fixed to the sander. It wasn`t unduly noisy and was quite effective. It doesn`t feel that secure in my hand and feels a bit bulky and a touch unwieldy when in use. But that`s probably me not being very familiar with it yet, plus there`s a quite bulky motor to cover somehow! And that motor and the pads are buzzing about at a fair old rate. As others have mentioned, it`s quite hard to get the filter box off. However, to my mind, that`s better than it being too loose and getting knocked off every now and then, usually at the most inopportune moment. I did manage to connect it to the vacuum cleaner (sort of) and was pleased with the way flying dust was reduced. It`ll be even better when I buy the proper adaptor! It is quite manouverable but I was a bit disappointed with the odd place I couldn`t get at, for example a skirting board with a central heating pipe running along just above it.But that`s not the Sander`s fault, I simply thought that it would be less bulky than it is! But, like I said, it`s got (and needs ) quite a hefty motor to do what it does. On an open flat or curved surface, no problem. Saves a lot of time, effort and temper! All in all very satisfied and happy to recommend it. I just need to learn to drive it properly!

I needed a new portable drill/driver and spent lots of time in DIY shops handling various options as I think that this is the only way to see how they feel; balance, weight, quality of build etc. I wanted a drill with the latest lithium-ion battery as I hoped that the initial cost would be outweighed by life and ease of use; I also wanted fast (1 hour) charge and working light and hammer option with plenty of torque settings for drilling. I was very taken with the Bosch PSB 18 volt hammer drill/driver that came with two batteries (B+Q) so got it and have been really happy; great piece of kit and the option of using the batteries across other tools is excellant. So got the Bosch PSM multisander (bare tool as I already had two batteries); arrived quickly and it seems a really good piece of kit. In use the batteries last really well, the inbuilt vaccum is also powerful enough to collect most of the dust from the sander face and its light enough to handle easily without being a flimsy build. The inbuilt dust collecting box is well designed and is easy to remove and empty. It does only come with four sanding sheets in the box so you need to invest in more pretty quickly. I think that Bosch has been really clever here with the mulitool battery approach and I will look at other tools/gadgets in the range. JUST BE AWARE as previously mentioned this is a bare tool without battery.