Bosch DEV1250 Vs. Festool Rotex

[Michael E Turner]

Hi all,

I am curious if anyone has a difference between the Festool Rotex and the Bosch DEV1250.

Currently own a Rotex 125, I picked up on CL for a pretty reasonable (OK, reasonable for Festool) price. I love this thing. Great sander. Amazing dust collection. The only issue I have with it is the paper is expensive and it is only 5".

I would really like to get a 6" version of this sander, but been kind of choking on the price. Curious if anyone has an opinion on the Bosch DEV1250 or could compare and contrast it to the Festool Rotex.

I can get the Bosch for $250 on Amazon right now (After the $20 Bosch rebate). Festool Rotex 150 is $600.
Specs look similar. I have heard of some motor problems with the bosch, but other then that the reviews have been pretty good.

I don't do this for a living, but I do it enough to appreciate quality tools. I can count on one hand the number of times I have purchased the "bigger" tool and regretted it.

Thanks for any advice or insight.

Mike

[Andrew Joiner]

No hands on with either one. I've studied reviews and I think they perform about the same.
The way I use sanders they get replaced from accidental dropping and cracking. So for me Bosch.

[Jim Becker]

Michael, one of the things that always becomes part of this discussion is what you mentioned about abrasive costs. The true cost of abrasives isn't just about the initial cost per disk, but also related to how long the abrasive discs last. Festool abrasives and other similar from premium manufacturers tend to last longer, especially with the superior dust collection on these tools, so the effective cost may be lower than you think.

The Rotex 150mm version is a great tool. I own one, but honestly, I don't use it much because it's a two-handed tool. 98% of my sanding is with the 150/3. I'm not familiar with the Bosch, but that scenario may also apply there. I love having the rotary mode available for when it's needed, but otherwise, I stick to the more comfortable tool that I can use with just one hand.

[Michael E Turner]

Thanks for the input guys.

I use my Rotex on a limited basis as well. I mainly use it on slabs bigger then my 15" planer, so the 6" diameter is nice, especially when you have a lot of area to cover. I did a 4'X8' slab table a couple years back, and I didn't get great life out of my festool paper. Maybe because I was sanding west system I used to fill the cracks? Not sure.

I pretty much know what I am going to get with the Festool. I know the tool will perform well and be a great tool I will have in my shop forever. But.... (seems like there is always a but....) will the Bosch perform as well? Or nearly as well? At $250, I can sell my Rotex 125, buy the Bosch and still have a pile of money to go and buy another tool. But if the Bosch doesn't deliver the performance, I am going to be sad I let my Rotex go.

[Roger Bull]

I have the Bosch 1250DEVS and it is great for slabs. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

[Mark Bolton]

Roger, we are looking at one as well.. Is the agressive mode literally no orbit at all? I've read about it referenced as "grinder mode". I've never had my hands on one but would like a 6" for the same reasons as the OP. We have a PC 6" to that is great but has no aggressive mode.

[Jim Becker]

I think there was another thread not long ago discussing the Bosch... ;)

[Michael E Turner]

My apologies if there is another post about this. I did a search on the forum before I posted. I didn't find anything.

Roger, how is the dust collection on the Bosch?

Mark, the aggressive mode actually drives the head like a grinder. My rotex 125 flys thru material. As Jim mentioned it isn't a one hand sand type sander and it probably would not replace a your need for a regular random orbital. The stroke is also pretty big on it, I think my rotex is 5mm maybe, which helps with material removal but lessons the quality of the finish. Overall I love the concept. Just need (ok want) a 6 inch

[Roger Bull]

The dust collection is great. I'm very happy with that.

Mark, as Michael mentioned in aggressive mode the head is motor driven. There is an orbit in both modes and if you just look at the head when not in contact with the workpiece it will appear pretty much the same. Once in contact with the wood the difference is obvious.

[Mark Bolton]

Thats the info I was looking for. Thanks. I was affraid in the agressive mode it would be no different than a hand held disc sander or grinder with a flap wheel. Knowing that it orbits in both mode seals the deal.

[joseph f merz]

some place back in time i read a review on the 6" sanders . festool is not the most agressive . actually had a milwaukee 6" orbitial before my festool .the milwaukee lacked dust collection but was far more agressive . I have considered getting the makita 6" due to finding the festool a bit wimpy when i need to remove serious material . tough to really give a clear representation due to how we use them and our needs .I would "think" the bosch would be a good purchase . As for the price of paper - is what it is . Get the bosch ,use the money saved to stock your paper supply .Oh ,not really sure about this but it seems the festool brand pads are not my best/longest lasting .

[Frank Martin]

Abour 13 yrs ago I purchased the Bosch. Then, after getting other Festool sanders, decided to “upgrade” to Rotex. Unfortunately for me, I did not get a chance to use the Rotex until after the 30 day return window. Otherwise, Rotex would have been returned. Bosch was every bit as good as Rotex. If it is still the same Swiss made version, it is a no brainer.

I still have the Rotex, like having the capability, but don’t use it much as the more comfortable sanders.

[Michael E Turner]

Well, seems the consensus here is the right call is the Bosch hands down. The Festool isn't worth the extra money.
I will give it a whirl and let you know what I think. Although, I would be shocked if this thing is made in Europe any more.

Since we are talking about the sanders we use 90% of the time, I figured I would toss out that I have the Bosch ROS65VC. This unit has 5 and a 6" sanding pad, (For those of you like me who can't make there mind up), excellent dust control and comes with a dust filter/canister as well as a vacuum attachment. This is nice for when you don't feel like dragging the vacuum out. The vibration control really makes a huge difference when sanding for long duration. I think it has a 4m stroke, so it isn't the finest sander in the world, but a good compromise for for speed vs. finish.

It however doesn't fly through material like one of the driven designs, hence why I started this post.

[Andrew Joiner]

Where was your Bosch ROS65VC made? Some sites say the DEVS1250 and ROS65VC are still made in Switzerland. Would you please report in here if you get the DEVS1250 what the stamp on the tool says for county of origin? Thanks in advance.

[Roger Bull]

My DEVS1250 says "Made in Germany" and my ROS65VC says "Assembled in Hungary"

[Michael E Turner]

Just bought it. Should get it this weekend. Will let you know where it is made and how I like it. Sounds like a fun Easter project. My wife will be ecstatic.

[Josh Kocher]

Good choice.

I bought the Bosch last year

I use it mostly in rotex mode and I've been happy with it.

Dust collection is as good as my Festool sanders.

I don't feel like I made any compromise on performance not getting the Festool.

[Dave Sabo]

The bosch can use the Festool sandpaper if you feel like that's the best paper. I have lots of Granat paper, but I don't find it's better than other high quality stuff from Mirka or Klingspor. My initial trial with Freud's new stuff is favorable too. Festool paper is not a reason in and of itself to sway the day over the Bosch. They are also changing to a different type - very similar to Mirka's .

Which makes me wonder.

For me the only real differentiatior is the Festool cord that can be swapped out for other Festool gear. And that certainly doesn't justify a $350 premium.

Now, Festool's mystique and systainer coupled with the cord might be worth a $350 premium to some - but most people will have a hard time rationalizing the higher cost.

[Ric Flanders]

I debated on these two myself and bought the Bosch. It is a great machine but just a tad noisier than the Festool. For the cost differential it was a no brainer. I got a factory rebuilt unit for an even better price which I don't think Festool even offers. These are 2 handed machines due to size and weight. Dust collection is equally good on both. For big sanding jobs, they are just the ticket!

[Josh Kocher]

The bosch can use the Festool sandpaper if you feel like that's the best paper.

To be clear - the disc obviously fit, but the hole pattern doesn't line up on the Bosch sander with the Festool discs.

I am moving toward using Mirka Abranet, but still have some boxes of Festool discs in some grits, I just cut a few extra holes where I need them if I want to use them on the Bosch sander...

[Nick Decker]

Since I started using Abranet, I haven't used anything else. Almost all finish sanding, though, so can't say how it would hold up in "Rotex" mode.

You do need the backing interface pad on your sander, but that's not a big deal.

[Michael E Turner]

Lets Try this again. My apologies if this post is somewhere else as well. I thought I replied, but it disappeared. It is highly likely I am an idiot, so i am apologizing in advance.

So, got the sander. One piece of bad news. The sander appeared to be used. It was covered with dirt and housing was scratched up. Not a quality issues for BOsch, more of an issue for Amazon. Regardless, I didn't use it this weekend as I had planned.

A few things of note:
It is made in Germany. My ROS65VC is made in Switzerland. Nothing was made in Asia.
I am curious about the dust collection vs. the festool. The festool has this reverse air system that blows out through the center hole. The Bosch doesn't have that. Intuitively, I would think the festool system should work better. However, I am not sure in practice it is noticeable. Consensus is I will not notice it.
Noise is a point I had not considered, although the vac is too loud to use after the kids are in bed, so it is probably not a critical factor for me.

I am probably a couple days away from getting this fixed with Amazon and getting a new unit from them. Will let you know how the next one looks.

[eugene thomas]

Hum. Time to watch wharehouse deals for cheap sander.

[eugene thomas]

Just got this sander delivered today. $202 delivered from cpo through amazon. Recon worked this time. Hooks wright up to my festool vac hose. Tomorrow the sandpaper arrived then can test out.

[Larry Edgerton]

Not this sander but the 6" RO Bosch vs the Festool 6". My supplier dropped off both, and I bought the Bosch, just liked it better.

[Josh Kocher]

Since I started using Abranet, I haven't used anything else. Almost all finish sanding, though, so can't say how it would hold up in "Rotex" mode.

You do need the backing interface pad on your sander, but that's not a big deal.

I don't use the interface pad with abranet on either my Festool or Bosch sanders... DC is pretty good. Is it better with the pad? Have you tried without?

[Nick Decker]

I haven't tried it without the pad, only because I read that that would cause premature wear on the pad on the sander, which Festool is pretty proud of.

With the interface pad, DC is not quite as good, but still acceptable. Basically, you're going from sucking through a series of holes, to two layers of mesh to suck through. What I did was cut some holes in the Abranet pad to line up with the holes on the sander pad. The Abranet interface pad stays there all the time anyway, then you just change the Abranet grits as necessary.

[Michael E Turner]

OK, sander arrived in good shape and i had about 45 minutes to test it out against the Rotex 125 I already own.

As reported, the bosch has excellent dust collection. I could see no evidence of dust when I was sanding on a flat surface. I did feel like the rotex did a slightly better job when I was sanding the edges of the slab, as it was slightly more resilient to the sander coming off the edge of the work piece and still collecting the dust. Note this measurement is not really quatififable, just looked like the bosch left slightly more dust on my shirt compared to the rotex. Hardly noticeable.

The vacuum ports the dust collection seems a little cheaper then the festool as well. I had the shop vac I was using fall off the dust collection port a couple times during use. Not a major deal, but I don't think I have experienced this on my Festool I also suspect that if I had the festool vacuum, this would partner even better with the festool sander. I don't, so I can't speak with knowledge on this.

The last thing I noticed was the feel of the bosch wasn't quite as nice the Rotex. The rotex felt better in my hands, maybe because it is a little smaller (I have the 125, not the 150, so this is not apples to apples.) I think the lines on it were a little more ergonomic and the body is a little rounder in comparison. Easier to grip and hold.

All this said, I am really happy with the sander. For me, it is the right tool, and the right price for the job I am looking for it to do. This tool will stand up to the festool any at less then 50% of the cost, it was a no brainer for me.

Although, I think this was a foregone conclusion when I first started this thread, I am keeping my Rotex as well. Just can't convince myself to part with it quite yet. I suspect you all are as shocked at this as I am.

Thanks for all the input guys.

[Patrick Irish]

Festool only one that makes a dual mode 5"?

My dad and I stoked up on really good 5" paper on ebay while back in 80, 120, 220 grit. Not changing to 6" now.

[Jim Becker]

Patrick, hole patterns matter greatly relative to dust collection. It's not just size. Keep that in mind.

[Peter Kelly]

Bit late for this but I would also suggest anyone shopping for a 6" dual-mode should also look at the Metabo SXE 450 (https://www.metabo.com/us/enus/tools/cutting-sanding-milling/woodworking/random-orbital-sander/sxe-450-turbotec-600129420-random-orbital-sander.html). Usually retails for just over $200. I believe it's the same as the Mafell EVA 150.

[Ethan Spronk]

I have no idea if it true as I dont have a festool sander, however i have read that the 125 size sanders will fit a 150 size pad at least in the ETS sanders (not the other way around though). Might be worth looking into, could get by with only buying the larger pads. If anyone can confirm or correct me on this it would be appreciated.