GEX12V-5N 12V Max Brushless 5" Random Orbit Sander - Ergonomic Palm Grip, Dust Collection System, Speed Selector, Soft-Start Technology (Bare Tool)

This is a bit of a niche tool, but that is the beauty of it. It's not powerful enough to do heavy work, and with vacuum dust collection connected you kill the ergonomic benefits of it– you may as well just be using a bigger, more powerful sander that is not limited by these expensive and small 12v batteries. But this tool is amazing for is the small stuff. Sanding down where you filled, getting pocket hole plugs smooth, quick touch-ups, trim work– this is just perfect. It is super light and super ergonomic, the hand feel is really superb. It is reasonably quiet. The dust collection is perfectly adequate for what it is. The battery life is perfectly adequate for what it is. The power is perfectly adequate for what it is. None of these qualities are especially good, but again, perfectly adequate for what this tool is. Would you be happy with this as your one and only sander? No, I don't think you would– I still use my DeWalt 5" orbital all the time, and my big Bosch 6" orbital even more. If I had to pick just one, it would certainly be one of the other two. That said, I use this all the time. This is really a niche tool, much like the excellent Bosch 12v planer. I love that. In a world where everyone is trying to make tools that are bigger and crazier, I really appreciate that Bosch is making these innovative and well-thought-out smaller tools that really work for working carpenters.

This sander is a very comfortable size to work with I like it a lot and it works with my other 12 V tools, which I like to use. Bosch makes a great product!

WARNING- the batteries don’t last long, this is for very small jobs, Bosch basic 12V batteries only last 5-10 minutes full blast sanding. But for small jobs this is an EXCELLENT sander, smooth and powerful (with fresh batteries). Highly recommended for very small / finishing jobs.

If you are locked into the Bosch 12v ecosystem, this is a good tool to have.

It is OK and good for small jobs where you can't use a corded one. However, it is picky on batteries. Very interesting thing -- I've just received a pair of Chinese 3Amp ones, these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3MS1CMB. The sander won't start with those. At all. It shows random number of LEDs every time I pressed the button, from barely alive to fully charged, but motor won't start at all. I thought the batteries are dead and even going to return them but saw an older Bosch screwdriver, that with brushed motor and tried those batteries in that screwdriver. To my surprise those batteries worked perfectly fine there. That made me curious and I tried those batteries in all my Bosch 12V tools, with brushed and brushless motors (I have something like 10 different tools). Surprisingly those batteries worked perfectly fine in ALL tools but this sander. That got me even more curious so I pulled all my 12Vmax (10.8V) batteries, both genuine Bosch and several different Chinese ones (something like 15-20 of them). Surprisingly. ALL those batteries worked OK in this sander. Both genuine Bosch and all those Chinese ones. So ALL other tools worked with ALL batteries, including those particular Chinese ones I've just received without problems. This sander worked OK with all batteries EXCEPT these particular ones. They worked OK in ALL other tools, brushless or not. This batteries came in pack of two and BOTH batteries behave exactly the same so it is not like one of them was bad or whatever. So 4 starts only because of this. Dunno what's wrong with that tool/battery combination but it is the only tool of about 10 different Bosch tools that refused to work with those particular batteries.

I’ve used a lot of cordless sanders over the years, but the Bosch GEX12V-5N stands out for how smooth, compact, and balanced it feels in the hand. The ergonomics are excellent — it’s easy to control with one hand, and the weight is centered perfectly, making it ideal for fine finish work or touch-ups between coats. Despite its small size, this little sander packs plenty of punch. It’s become my go-to for quick sanding jobs — leveling patches, prepping edges, or knocking down small surfaces before finishing. Paired with Bosch’s 12V system, it’s convenient for quick grabs around the shop without dragging cords. Dust collection is solid, vibration is minimal, and it doesn’t fatigue your hand even during longer use. I’d recommend this to any woodworker or DIYer who values precision, portability, and comfort over brute force. A genuinely well-designed tool that makes sanding feel effortless.

Great Product. I sanded the teak deck on a very large sailboat. The sander worked great. The Sander is tough. I used 3.0 ah batteries and had them rotating on charge for this 5 day project with the sander going almost not stop for 8 hours each day. Do get the 'pad saver' add on.

Very comfortable and well balanced, 10 out of 10 for design and ergonomics. Not for big jobs but I am very happy with this purchase. Great job Bosch team!

I cannot use it without a battary .. i need a battary please

Excellent. Use with 4-6 amp hour battery for bigger jobs.

Excellent 12 volt Sander , nice and comfortable in your hand , would recommend to any one wanting a small but powerful sander .

The seal was cut and the sander is dusty. Does not look new. But everything is working

Muy lijera, y buen desempeño