Harbor Freight belt sanders have gotten mixed reviews from people who either expect too much or judge them too harshly for what they cost. I picked up the 4-inch belt sander on sale for $29 after seeing it demonstrate at the store, and I’ve had enough time with it now to tell you what it actually is.
The good: It runs. Belt tracks reasonably well after the initial tension adjustment. Gets material off fast enough for rough work. For the price, it clears bar.
The bad: Motor bogged down noticeably on hard maple — not badly enough to stall, but enough that you know it’s working. Dust collection port is decorative at best; I connected a shop vac and got maybe 30% of what a real sander would pull. The platen flexes under moderate pressure, which affects surface flatness on critical work.
I’m apparently someone who always tries these tools on the hardest material first. Probably should have started with pine. For softwoods and occasional light use, it’s genuinely fine. For hardwoods or daily production use, save for a Makita or DeWalt — you’ll feel the difference in every session.
I kept it as a dedicated jig for flattening hand plane backs and chisel bevels on a sharpening station I set up, where precision doesn’t matter and it runs intermittently. For that application it’s earned its spot. For general shop sanding, I reach for the better machine.
$29 verdict: Worth it if you need an occasional-use sander and want to keep real money for better tools. Not worth it if this is going to be your primary belt sander for any serious work.
