Metabo SXE 450 TurboTec 350 Watt Electronic Disc Sander

UPDATE: 12-2019 Just received another replacement. 3 notable changes:1> BIG price drop from 220 ish to 174.00. Always makes me happy, especially considering no change in quality2> Changed pad to universal multi hole pattern, as shown in current images= more choices for paper3> Changed dust collection "filter" to a bag. Worth noting, the rubber insert for attachment is much easier to work with vs old clip/lock to handle apparatus. Moreover, that rubber collar is a dead match for the F@s tool vacuum hose connection, which I've been using for close to a decade with these sanders. So if you're still on the fence, price just got much nicer, and I would conclude the changes have made the device better than ever!Original review from 2018I'm getting ready to buy a 3rd one, as I've worn out my original one of 5+ years in my professional cabinet/furniture shop. Have a second on hand for backup and use in the field. Replaced brushes, pads in regular intervals, as expected. This one finally became unreliable in the orbit selection setting, thanks to multiple drops off the bench and sheer volume of running hours. I have bought the "other" green stuff, only to find their sanders are really good at generating swirls.Previously enjoyed the 5" Bosch R/O sanders, but wanted to reduce sanding time, as a 6" like this will do. This is the only one I found that performed as smoothly, leaving NO swirls, yet giving me the speed of a 6" sander.So:Longevity = very, very good.Performance = wonderful finishesComfort of use = Acceptable - reasonably smooth, moderate vibrationI hope they keep making this model, as after this many years, I do not want to have to find another machine.Buy with confidence - Best bang for your buck, easy to maintain and will run comfortably all day.Enjoy!

I have been using this for a while so I guess its time for a review.Pros:PowerfulLittle VibrationLong CordTrigger LockDust collection from vacuumNoiseSpeed controlControl / BalanceCons:A little heavy for anything but flat workDust Collection from filter boxOrbit selector a little cumbersomeHard to know what circular pattern you are inSo with that being noted, there are lots of good things about this sander. The cons I listed are minor gripes, I contemplated giving this sander a 4.5, but in all honestly I cant so 5 it is. Its good and it works great.The sander has good power and it will take a LOT to stall it. It has great leveling power and leaves a very good finish. Let the grit do the sanding and just push this baby across the surface. Recommended for mid to larger jobs...you might want to have a 5" around for tighter, smaller places or vertical surfaces.I listed dust collection as a pro and con. The filter box left a little to be desired. I give it mix reviews...with some personal mods I was able to make it work better than the factory but I am still getting occasional blow by. For quick jobs I throw it on, but for any large work its vacuum only. Which does a fantastic job at collection.All in all, it came down to this or a Festool. I chose this to test out before buying the Festool and kept it. I have been rewarded with a great product at a very competitive price point. IMHO This is the 6" sander to beat on the market right now.

This sander is well balanced and one of the quietest I’ve used. There is actually four modes. There’s narrow oscillation and larger oscillation, and two speed modes, normal and aggressive. It’s still variable speed, so the normal and aggressive operate in any speed. The vacuum bag actually works and is easily emptied. But can be hooked up to a 1-1/8” shop vac hose pretty easily. It’s well built and the body doesn’t have any loose rattles, feels solid.

Short Version: Tired of Chinese and Mexican-made tools? If you can't afford Festool, but still want German quality = look no further!Finally being able to purchase some power tools of my own it appears that I am getting into the game all too late as it's been nothing but frustration as I search and search for the same power tools that my buddy bought a while back (some are well over 20 years old), only to find out that those trusted, made-in-the-USA brands, that were extremely well-made and long-lasting are no longer available and that now you can only get 'similar' models in the same brand names HOWEVER, they are NOW made in either Mexico or China. REALLY?! Having some personal experience through either handling some of them at Lowe's and Home Depot, or actually having also purchased and used a few personally, they are NOT the same thing as what they used to be. Be sure to check where it's made before you buy it. Having had nothing but issues and regret in the past about purchasing some tools from these countries and swearing that I will not buy them again, now I'm both Angry & disappointed with the US tool brands. Luckily I finally stumbled across METABO (thanks to somebody mentioning them on a website as I had never heard of them before AND had not seen them here even after 45 minutes of searching on Amazon for sanders). When I came back to this site and searched their name, they popped up right away. This METABO unit is around half the price of a similar unit from Festool (6" Random Orbit Sander), and I question if the other unit is actually twice as good (honestly can't say - I don't own one, but I'm sure they're really nice)? To be fair this METABO is actually almost twice as expensive as some of the similar units from Mexico and China, so one could also question if this unit is actually twice as good either? Honestly I can't say; not without doing an exhaustive evaluation comparison (not feasible for this "Joe-Blow garage woodworker guy"). Only you can answer that question. What I can say is that, for me, this tool is well worth what I paid for it, and so far I am EXTREMELY IMPRESSED with this sander - Admittedly I've only been using this ROS for a few weeks, so I'm not qualified to speak about this product's long-term durability, but based on what I see regarding build quality, my money says that this thing is built to last and that my kid will be the proud owner of this wonderful tool sometime in the distant future. P.s. - the only thing slightly negative I could say is that the included dust collector is decent at best - I highly recommend buying the bayonet adapter (so an attached hose won't slip off so easily) and hooking it up to a vac or other dust extraction system with a good small particles filter bag (you can get them here on Amazon - get one rated for drywall dust). With this setup and a good no-slip router pad you could actually sand on your kitchen table and your wife will never know it (just don't ask me how I know that in front of her). Also, I spent a lot of time looking for a good router - same issue as above - get one of the ones from Makita, but make sure it's one of the ones made in Japan.