Head to head
Festool ETS 125 REQ vs Bosch ROS20VSC (2027)
Head-to-head: Festool ETS 125 versus Bosch ROS20VSC corded orbit sanders on finish quality and value.
Festool ETS 125 REQ-Plus
The finish benchmark: 2mm stroke, superb extraction.
- Sanding stroke: 2 mm
- Speed: 6,000-12,000 OPM
Bosch ROS20VSC Palm Sander Kit
Corded 5-inch orbit kit with microfilter dust canister.
- Orbit diameter: 3/32 in (2.5 mm)
- Speed: 7,500-12,000 OPM
Our recommendation
Buy the Festool ETS 125 when finish and dust define your work. Buy the Bosch ROS20VSC for 90 percent of the result at a fraction of the system cost; it is the rational home-shop corded pick.
Finish and stroke
Festool's 2mm stroke is finer than Bosch's 2.5mm orbit, visible on dark stains and gloss finishes where every pigtail telegraphs.
Dust systems
Bosch's microfilter canister is the best bag solution here. Festool with an extractor is in another league entirely, at another price entirely.
Cost of ownership
The Bosch kit arrives ready with case and paper. Festool ownership grows into abrasives and extraction, rewarding committed shops and punishing dabblers.
Handling over a long day
The Bosch is a friendly, upright palm sander that asks little technique of anyone. The Festool sits lower and flatter, and after three hours that posture is the difference between shoulders that ache and shoulders that forgot the job. Workshops billing finish work by the day feel that gap in their bodies before they see it in the finish.
Choose Festool ETS 125 REQ-Plus if…
- Furniture finish quality is your reputation
- You already own or plan Festool extraction
- You sand for hours and need lowest vibration
Choose Bosch ROS20VSC Palm Sander Kit if…
- You want a complete corded kit today
- General project sanding dominates your work
- Budget discipline matters
Questions, answered
Is the Festool really worth three times more?
For finish-critical paid work and daily sanding health, yes. For weekend projects, the Bosch delivers the smarter value.
Which removes paint faster?
Neither is a stripper, but the Bosch's slightly larger orbit and cheaper abrasives make it the less painful choice.
Do both need special paper?
No. Standard 5-inch 8-hole discs fit both, though Festool Granat paper optimizes the ETS system.
Which is better for a shared family workshop?
The Bosch. It tolerates varied hands, mixed paper brands, and occasional neglect, and its kit case keeps everything together between users. The Festool rewards a single careful owner with a system; shared shops dilute exactly that advantage.