Updated October 2026
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A belt sander on this page is a handheld belt for stock removal: flatten a door, knock down a deck board, take paint or mill marks off a plank. It is not a 5-inch random orbital, not a 4×36 bench combo, and not a 1/2-inch bandfile. Finish after the belt with an orbital sander. Cut the workpiece first on a table saw; profile edges with a router.
We do not hand-test these tools. We use manufacturer ratings, then check that the Amazon listing is a real US product page (or Home Depot for Milwaukee / Ridgid). Prices move, so this page does not print street prices; check current price and seller on Amazon before you buy.
Milwaukee and Ridgid are Home Depot exclusives in the US. We do not send you to an Amazon third-party listing for those lines. Same shop: Best Orbital Sanders, Best Table Saws, Best Routers.
Quick verdict
Best 4×24 (wide / stock removal): Makita 9403 — 11 A, 4×24 in, 1,640 ft/min, 12.6 lb. Check current price and seller on Amazon. Check price on Amazon
Best 3×21 pro: Makita 9903 — 8.8 A, variable 690–1,440 ft/min, auto-track, 9.5 lb. Check price on Amazon
Best cordless 20V: DeWalt DCW220B — 20V MAX XR brushless, 3×21 in, tool only. Check availability on Amazon (often third-party)
Best budget 3×21: WEN 6321 — 7 A, 820 ft/min, about 6 lb. Check price on Amazon
Best compact 3×18: SKIL 7510-01 — 6 A, 1,050 SFPM, pressure-control light. SKIL.com lists $64.99. Check price on Amazon
Home Depot exclusive: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2832-20 — cordless 3×18 in, 750–1,350 SFM. Tool only at Home Depot. Not an Amazon buy. Marketplace listings are third-party. We are not linking those.
Comparison
| Model | Best for | Power | Belt / speed | Notes | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makita 9403 | Wide stock removal | Corded 11 A | 4×24 in, 1,640 ft/min | Single speed; 12.6 lb | Check price on Amazon |
| Makita 9903 | 3×21 pro / variable | Corded 8.8 A | 3×21 in, 690–1,440 | Variable speed; auto-track | Check price on Amazon |
| DeWalt DCW220B | Already 20V MAX | 20V XR brushless | 3×21 in; HD 650–1,050 | Tool only; brushless | Check availability on Amazon (often third-party) |
| WEN 6321 | Budget 3×21 | Corded 7 A | 3×21 in, 820 ft/min | Single speed; about 6 lb | Check price on Amazon |
| SKIL 7510-01 | Compact 3×18 | Corded 6 A | 3×18 in, 1,050 SFPM | Pressure-control light | Check price on Amazon |
| Milwaukee 2832-20 | Already M18 | M18 FUEL | 3×18 in, 750–1,350 SFM | HD exclusive; tool only | Home Depot only |
Bosch 1274DVS (B0000223HB) is a real 3×21 listing, not a pick. Metabo HPT SB8V2 (B07MG8LDZG) is real; not a pick. Craftsman CMEW213 (B07KKH1LTZ) is a real 7 A 3×21; check current price and seller on Amazon — we kept the budget slot on WEN. DeWalt DWP849X is a polisher, not a belt sander.
Makita 9403 — best 4×24 / stock removal
If you want one wide corded belt for floors, deck boards, and long planks, this is the default 4×24. Makita: 11 A, 4 in x 24 in belt, 1,640 ft/min, electronic speed-hold under load, no variable-speed dial, labyrinth-sealed motor, 12.6 lb, 13-7/8 in long, 84 dB (Makita). Flush sanding at the nose and side. Swivel dust bag. In the carton: abrasive belt + dust bag. Amazon catalog ASIN B0000223IY. Check current price and seller on Amazon. Skip Renewed B092Q53DTJ.
Who it’s for. Wide, flat stock removal. Floor / deck / door work where a 3-inch belt is too narrow.
Who it’s not for. Need variable speed on a 3×21 — 9903. Need cordless — DCW220B or Milwaukee at HD. Occasional DIY — WEN 6321.
Specs that matter. Model 9403. Amazon B0000223IY. Amp, FPM, and 12.6 lb are Makita’s.
Caveats. Single speed. 12.6 lb is a two-hand tool. Amp and FPM figures are Makita’s.
Makita 9903 — best 3×21 pro
Same idea as the 9403 in the common 3×21 belt size, with a speed dial. Makita: 8.8 A, 690–1,440 ft/min, auto-tracking, flush to the wall at the nose and side, 9.5 lb, 16.4 ft cord, 85 dB (Makita). In the carton: 80-grit belt + dust bag. Amazon catalog B000056NOC. Check current price and seller on Amazon. B07CYYD8W2 is a second listing with a stripped title — we are not using it as the money link.
Who it’s for. Furniture, doors, and jobsite 3×21 work when you want variable speed and auto-track.
Who it’s not for. Need 4 inches of belt — 9403. Budget 3×21 — WEN. Skip B08KHR1P34 (belt-pack bundle) and Renewed B09TQ6QY8G.
Specs that matter. Model 9903. Amazon B000056NOC. Weight, amp, and FPM are Makita’s.
Caveats. Confirm that the title is still 9903, not a belt-only ASIN.
DeWalt DCW220B — best cordless 20V
Check availability on Amazon (often third-party)
If the rest of the bag is 20V MAX, this is the 3×21 belt that takes those packs. DeWalt: brushless, 3 in x 21 in, variable-speed trigger, 25-speed dial, tool-free belt change, AirLock-compatible dust port. Tool only — battery and charger sold separately. Home Depot spec table last listed 650–1,050 ft/min (Internet #323914753). Amazon catalog B0BY2T3XVT. Check current price and seller on Amazon. DeWalt’s “up to 22% more power vs a corded version” and “up to 95% dust collection” are manufacturer figures, not tests from us.
Who it’s for. Already on 20V MAX. Same packs as a jobsite drill. No cord over a finished floor.
Who it’s not for. Buying the tool plus two packs from zero — price the kit yourself; we are linking tool-only. Already on M18 — Home Depot 2832-20.
Specs that matter. Model DCW220B. Amazon B0BY2T3XVT. Confirm the title is still tool-only, not a kit.
Caveats. FPM above is from the HD spec table, not a number we measured.
Check availability on Amazon (often third-party)
WEN 6321 — best budget 3×21
If you need a real 3×21 and you are not paying Makita money, this is the listing shoppers actually open. WEN: 7 A, 820 ft/min, about 6 lb, lock-on trigger, dust bag, belt-release lever, tracking knob. Amazon catalog B012VQCCRY. Check current price and seller on Amazon. WEN.com lists $51.25. Single speed — no dial.
Who it’s for. Occasional doors, lumber, and paint knock-down on a tight budget.
Who it’s not for. Daily production or variable speed — 9903. Wide belt — 9403.
Specs that matter. Model 6321. Amazon B012VQCCRY. Amp, FPM, and 6 lb are WEN’s.
Caveats. Confirm new, not a belt-only listing. Single speed.
SKIL 7510-01 — best compact 3×18
Shorter 3×18 belt, lighter body, pressure-control light. SKIL: 6.0 A, 1,050 SFPM, auto-track, micro-filtration / 1-1/4 in vac, flush-edge, lock-on. About 6.4 lb (Ace). Amazon catalog B007A9TD3E. SKIL.com lists $64.99. Check current price and seller on Amazon. B00QZK3XAI is a second real listing of the same model — Amazon resolved it to B007A9TD3E. We are not using it as the money link.
Who it’s for. Stairs, edges, and smaller DIY surfaces where a 3×21 is more belt than you want to buy.
Who it’s not for. Wide stock removal — 9403. Pro 3×21 variable — 9903.
Specs that matter. Model 7510-01. Amazon B007A9TD3E. Amp and SFPM are SKIL’s.
Caveats. Confirm the live title is still 7510-01, not a bench combo.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2832-20 — Home Depot exclusive, not an Amazon buy
Sold at Home Depot for the tool-only 3×18. Internet #320325386.
Milwaukee: POWERSTATE brushless, 750–1,350 SFM, 3 in x 18 in belts only, auto tracking, tool-free belt change, dual LED, adjustable pommel, lock-on. In the box (Milwaukee): dust bag, universal hose adapter, sanding belt. Tool only — M18 pack sold separately. Milwaukee’s “power and torque of an 8A corded belt sander” and “over 80% of dusts generated” are manufacturer figures, not tests from us.
Who it’s for. Already on M18. Same packs as other jobsite tools. No cord over a finished floor.
Who it’s not for. Anyone we would send to Amazon. Marketplace listings (B0DCTN8MKN and copies) are third-party or generic. We are not linking those.
Caveats. Confirm the Home Depot price. Tool only. 3×18 belts, not 3×21. SFM and dust claims are Milwaukee’s.
How to pick a belt sander
Belt size. 4×24 (9403) covers more per pass and weighs more. 3×21 (9903, WEN, DCW220B) is the common handheld size. 3×18 (SKIL, Milwaukee) is the compact / M18 size — belts are not interchangeable with 3×21.
Cord vs pack. Corded is cheaper and does not die mid-pass. DeWalt if the rest of the bag is 20V MAX. Milwaukee if the rest of the truck is M18 — Home Depot only.
Variable speed. Needed when you move from coarse stock removal to a finer grit on the same tool. 9903 and DCW220B have a dial. 9403 and WEN do not.
Finish tool. A belt is for removal. Switch to an orbital sander before stain. Rip first on a table saw. Profile with a router.
FAQ
Which belt sander should I buy in 2026? The 9403 if you want a wide 4×24. The 9903 if you want a variable 3×21. The DCW220B if you already live in 20V MAX. The 6321 if you want a budget 3×21. The 7510-01 if you want a compact 3×18. Milwaukee 2832-20 at Home Depot if you already live in M18.
3×18 or 3×21? 3×21 is the default handheld belt. 3×18 is shorter and is what Milwaukee and SKIL use. Buy belts for the size you own.
Why no Amazon link for Milwaukee? Home Depot exclusive. Same rule for Ridgid. We will not send you to a third-party Amazon listing.
Is DWP849X a belt sander? No. That model is a 7 in / 9 in polisher. We are not linking it here.
Best Orbital Sanders · Best Table Saws · Best Routers
Prices and Amazon offers change. We don’t list live prices; check Amazon for the current price and seller. Manufacturer prices, amp, FPM/SFM, weight, noise, and dust-collection claims are the manufacturers’ published ratings, not tests we ran. Milwaukee and Ridgid are Home Depot exclusives, so buy them at Home Depot.
For a compact 3×18 companion, see our SKIL 7510-01 belt sander review.