Get the ets ec 150/5 instead. More surface area and its orbit is enough to roughly sand and does well doing the finish sanding aspect. I never go higher than 150/180 grit so you’re probably in the same boat More on reddit.com

I upgraded from a Milwaukee sander to an ETS 125 REQ, and then sold that for what I paid and upgraded to an ETS EC 150/5. That tool alone was enough to turn me from a total Festool skeptic to a complete fanboy. Their tools really are second to none, come with a 30 day return period and hold their value like crazy. Try one and find out! More on reddit.com

Firstly, Festool sanders are designed to be used with a dust extractor. It doesn't need to be a Festool dust extractor (you can buy a coupler for connecting other brands) but you need one. That's gonna be a few hundred minimum on its own. Second, yes. Festool sanders are worth it if you're willing to pay. There are two major differences: Electronic motor control. Festool uses the same kind of digital power control systems you'll see in many high-end routers for its other tools. This ensures the motor maintains consistent output, and self-corrects for dynamic loading (which would otherwise change the effective output power of the motor). This produces more even, consistent results. The active dust removal. This produces a virtually loading-free sanding experience. Not only does it make sanding sheets last much longer than they otherwise wood, it provides a more consistent, even finish. If you're looking at buying a Festool sander, there are three different types. The ETS is the palm finish sander. It's meant to be easy one-handed operation for small area and spot finishing. The DTS is the precision version of the ETS, and is like a "mouse sander". It's otherwise the same product. The ROTEX is the one-and-a-half-handed sander. It can be used one-handed (although it requires above-average upper body strength and proper ergonomics to do so effectively), but it has a layout for two-handed usage similar to a power buffer. The ROTEX's default mode is basically the same as the ETS, but it has a gear-driven mode which is designed to really tear through material. I used it to put a 1/2" roundover on a squared piece of maple in about 10 seconds with a 100-grit pad. It is ideal for cleaning up slabs that just came out of a flattening mill. If you're looking for an upgrade, the ROTEX is the Cadillac of sanders. It has the same functionality as the ETS, but with the gear drive function for large surface cleanup. If you just want to shave time off your sanding, the ETS is still a very good choice for that and its performance will be easily seen within the first half hour of using it. Just remember that you need a dust collector with it, so you're looking at a ~$600 cumulative buy-in to get a Festool sander to begin with. It's worth what it costs, but only you can decide if that expenditure is worthwhile to your production demands. More on reddit.com

There is a significant difference between the two. The ETS 125 REQ is a finish sander. It has a stroke length of 2mm. Stroke length is the eccentricity difference of the platten's orbit, with a larger stroke length being a more aggressive sand. Its weight and profile are reflective of its lower power, and it's designed for doing detail work on small surfaces, as well as vertical and overhead surfaces. The ETS EC 125 is a mid-step sander. It has a stroke length of 3mm. Its profile and power are intended for general mid-step sanding needs - stuff like flushing seams during assembly or cleaning up plugs. The ergonomics of it are intended for needing to move it around, but still needing some degree of fine motion control. For contrast, the 125/150 ROTEX sanders have a stroke of 5mm, and are intended for aggressive sanding / slab surfacing. If you want a 5" sander and you don't specifically want it for finish work, then you're going to want the ETS EC 125. Trying to use the REQ for mid-step work is going to be a pain. More on reddit.com