Customer Reviews
Don't look any further ... 
2006-11-07
I've been doing this for 25 years and I've had almost as many sanders. This is a sander for the pro and it's a sander that will respond to the pro. Make sure your sandpaper is "right" for the job, e.g., oxide, gold, wet. Jonman - you seriously need to talk to someone ...
Will
Lousy Build Quality but there are better Sanders ( Ridgid / Makita )!.. 
2006-07-23
I cannot believe that I paid over $250 for this Plastic Sander !.
Paying over $250, I expected better build quality from Bosch but this is made more of Plastic and I also felt electric Jolt in my hands many times.
Build Quality is Sketchy and won't last for more than 6 months if you use it over 1 hour a day. I am not sure where $250+ prices comes from ?.
Check the Ridgid from Home Depot, as it feels solid and does job way better and costs only $170. ( Made in Germany ).
I am returning this one for sure.
I loved bosch tools in the past but lately I am returning more Bosch tools and going for Ridgid/Makita/Dewalt brands as I use my tools over 14-20 hours a week and I am feeling that Bosch Tools are over priced and low quality and won't last over 1 year.
Disappointed with this one.
Heavy duty sander, nothing wimpy here 2006-06-27
I was looking for a 6" random orbit sander that could be used with a shop vac for dust free sanding. When you get right down to it, there are not that many choices. The Metabo SXE450 and its discountinued Rigid clone the 2610, the Festool RO150 and the smaller ETS 150 series are its closest competitors. The Fein MSF636-1 is way overpriced and the Makita BO6040 had middling reviews and no dust collection. I bought the Bosch sight unseen and have been very well pleased with the results.
This sander is no lightweight. Using 80 grit sandpaper on the agressive setting at full speed and it will walk you around if you dont have a good grip on it. But that is the same as the much more expensive Festool RO150 and that sander costs about double the Bosch. On the less aggressive setting or with the speed lowered down a bit it is easier to handle but does not remove as much material. Using a medium grit sandpaper on the smaller orbit, it is very smooth and makes quick work of sanding chores. Dust collection using my Fein vac is excellent, I can find no dust on the work when hooked up. Dust collection is integral to the tool, it's not an afterthought and it shows in how well it works. In Summary:
Pros: Very powerfull, smooth, well constructed, excellent dust collection, Made in Germany, cheaper than the Festools
Cons: Heavy tool, not small, can be a handfull on wide orbit setting, more expensive than the Metabo
Please note, the Vac002 adapter Amazon sells does not fit this sander. I ended up with a fein adapter that works perfectly.
saves lots of time 2006-05-28
I've used the Porter Cable version of this tool for years. After reading reviews of the Bosch, I decided to buy it even though I already had one. I am so glad that I did. The velcro pad is so much better than the PC's PSA. The real bargain is in the time savings I have realized. Sanding in my cabinet shop takes up a lot of time. Using the aggressive mode of this tool saves an immense amount of time. Great job.
Built to last/Great quality 2006-05-23
Having 2 modes on this sander is quite useful. The "aggressive mode" is great for removing bulk material. Basically it behaves like a grinder. The "finish" mode also works great in smoothing out the surface without leaving swirl marks. Another thoughtful design is in the ergonomics of the extra handle. Depending on whether the user is left-handed or right-handed, the support handle can be installed in the 2 o'clock or 10 o'clock position. I find that this makes it easier to hold for prolonged periods.
Great tool 2008-02-08
I have used many tools in my 30 years of carpentry and the Bosch 1250 sander is one of the best hand tools I have ever used. Great ergonomics, low vibration, super non orbit mode, etc. etc. If your in the market for a dustless random orbit sander, I would highly recommend this one. I also have a Fein 8 inch Random Orbit sander and the Bosch is a much more comfortable tool to use. I use the Bosch over the Fein 9 times out of ten.
Awesome product 2007-12-18
Having read an assortment of reviews about an assortment of DA sanders, I went with the Bosch 120DEVS. The project is sanding the hull of an 80' steel sailboat. This machine is unbelievable - it allows me to remove 2 thick layers of badly orange peeled paint with speed and precision on the stock removal setting. It is at least 1/3 faster than the 6" Rigid and Porter Cable machines that I was using. Until you get the hang of where to lean on it to "steer", it can be a handful. Fortunately, it has a very predictable motion and you can lean a little bit at different points as you sand to steer. You can also slow the motor down if it's to aggressive.
It is just about completely dustless on flat surfaces with the vacuum connected. Noting comments that the vacuum attachment doesn't fit (very unBosch!) I opted to use hose gotten at the hardware store. The motor is very smooth and reasonably quiet, you can lean into it without bogging the motor down. I have not used the fine setting extensively yet, but some test pieces lead me to believe that it will do fine work as well as it removes stock. The stock pad is very high quality and the motor is sealed from dust. I expect to get many years of sanding from this machine. It almost makes sanding fun.
Quality Tool 2007-11-29
I make solid surface counter tops. I have used the fein and the festool sander. The festool sander has become a cheap plastic piece of junk. I am sure some of my friends that have spent twice as much will argue with my statement, but, just drop your festool plastic toy on the ground and tell me how happy you are with your purchase lately. I have two Bosch 1250DEVS sanders and plan on buying a third. I have no complaints about this tool and when I did have a minor issue the Bosch representative on the phone solved my problem. I am a happy customer.
Best sander we have ever used 2007-09-20
We purchased this sander for finishing timbers. We build timber frame homes and need a heavy duty sander. There are a couple reviews of the sander referring to "plastic" I am not sure what the perception of materials are for the reviewers saying this, but there is no way you have an all metal sander, and if you did it would weigh a ton and fatigue you very quickly.
back to the point, we have run this sander with 200lb guys leaning on it with most of their weight for hours. It gets hot, but has never had a problem. When you have a few thousand square feet of weathered timber to clean up this thing is awesome. It works better than a belt sander for our purposes and when you need it to hog off material you flip the red lever and it becomes a super powered beast.
Bottom line, we use this sander professionally and don't take it easy on it. If your looking for a very well built sander that is heavy duty this is the one for you.
it is a little expensive, but we have never found a better sander. We have the festool one as well and it doesn't seem to have any advantage, other than the cool bright green color to let everyone know you spent a lot of money on your tool.
our only regret is that we didn't buy one sooner.
Fantastic Machine 2007-03-31
I have a one man cabinet shop and should have invested in a 6" sander long ago. After my 5" Bosch died after 8-10 years of faithful service, I bought a 2 amp Makita thinking that it would be equivelant. WRONG! I did not have time to wait for it to do the job, not enough power or random action. The Bosch 6" is a very aggressive tool that will save me many hours. I have a double drum sander that leaves fine sanding marks. The 6" Bosch quickly smoothes the surface so I can finish up with the 5" lower amp sander.
