Makita 9404 Review

When you need to remove a lot of material fast — levelling a glued-up tabletop that is slightly uneven, trimming a sticking door to fit its frame, or stripping thick layers of weathered paint from a garden bench — no other handheld sander comes close to a belt sander. Where an orbital sander vibrates in tiny circles and takes forever to shift anything substantial, a belt sander drives a continuous loop of abrasive across the surface like a conveyor belt of cutting power, eating through wood at a rate that feels almost unfair. But this raw speed comes with a trade-off: belt sanders are aggressive tools that demand respect. Poor technique can dig gouges, round over edges, and leave the surface worse than when you started. In the right hands, though, a quality belt sander is one of the most satisfying tools in the workshop — transforming a rough-sawn plank into a furniture-ready surface in minutes, not hours. For serious woodworkers, carpenters, and anyone tackling large-scale sanding, a professional-grade belt sander is not optional — it is the tool that makes the impossible, possible.

Makita's 9404 is a heavyweight in every sense — this is a professional belt sander built for daily trade use, not occasional DIY. With a 1,010-watt motor driving a 100 mm wide, 610 mm long abrasive belt, it removes material at a rate that smaller sanders simply cannot match. The 100 mm belt width is significantly wider than the 75 mm belts found on consumer-grade sanders, which means fewer passes to cover the same area and a flatter, more consistent surface. Makita has been a dominant force in professional power tools for decades, and the 9404 reflects that heritage with an aluminium casing, precision belt tracking, and the kind of build quality that keeps these tools running on job sites for years. At 4.8 kg, this is not a tool you wave around one-handed — it is a two-handed machine that uses its own weight to do the work.

In this review we will examine the Makita 9404's performance on the kinds of jobs it is actually designed for — levelling solid wood worktops, trimming doors and fitting frames, and stripping old finishes from large timber surfaces. We will assess the 5-speed control system, the effectiveness of the automatic belt centring, and how the dust extraction performs in practice. We will also cover the optional stationary mounting capability and what accessories you might want to add. By the end, you will know if this professional Makita belt sander deserves its place on your workshop bench.

The Makita 9404 is driven by a 1,010-watt corded motor that runs on 230-volt mains power, pushing a 100 × 610 mm abrasive belt at speeds adjustable from 210 to 440 metres per minute across 5 electronic speed settings. That is serious power — the equivalent of a small table saw motor dedicated purely to sanding. The belt size is the professional standard: 100 mm wide gives you substantial coverage per pass, while the 610 mm length provides enough abrasive surface area that the belt does not clog or overheat during extended use. The tool draws approximately 8.8 amps under load, so it needs a properly rated socket and extension lead — this is not a tool for a lightweight domestic circuit shared with other appliances. The aluminium casing houses a precision-machined drive system that keeps the belt running true, with automatic belt centring that adjusts tracking as you work.

Makita has engineered several features that separate the 9404 from lesser belt sanders. The zero lateral offset design means the belt runs flush with the side of the tool body, allowing you to sand right up against a perpendicular surface — essential when sanding a floor up to a skirting board, or levelling a glued-up panel with an adjacent lip. The tool-free belt change lever releases tension on the front roller instantly, making belt swaps fast enough that you will actually bother changing grits mid-job rather than trying to make one belt do everything. The front grip is a full-width bar that gives you balanced two-handed control — critical on a tool this powerful, because letting one side drop will dig a trench into your workpiece in seconds. An optional mounting chassis (reference 193055-3, sold separately) lets you clamp the sander upside down on a workbench and use it as a stationary belt sander — effectively a small linisher for shaping and finishing smaller pieces.

In use, the 9404 is a tool that rewards good technique. On solid wood surfaces — table tops, workbench builds, butcher block countertops — start with a coarse 40 or 60 grit belt at a moderate speed to level the surface and remove glue lines, tool marks, and any unevenness from the glue-up. The 4.8 kg weight actually works in your favour here: the tool's own mass provides much of the downward pressure, so you can focus on keeping it moving at a steady pace rather than bearing down. Once the surface is flat, switch to 80 grit for intermediate smoothing and 120 grit for the final belt-sanded finish before switching to an orbital sander for the last refinement. The 5-speed dial is genuinely useful — lower speeds for delicate work on veneer or for removing old finish without digging into the substrate, higher speeds for aggressive stock removal on rough-sawn timber. The automatic belt centring means you spend your time sanding, not constantly tweaking the tracking adjuster.

Dust management on belt sanders is always challenging because they produce enormous quantities of debris, and the 9404 tackles this with a pulsed dust removal system that clears the belt surface as it runs and directs debris into the dust bag. The included dust bag does a reasonable job for outdoor or well-ventilated workshop use, but for indoor work — especially when sanding hardwood or old paint — connecting the dust port to a proper workshop extractor is strongly recommended. The 100 × 610 mm belt format is the most common professional size, available in every grit from 24 through 400 and in every abrasive type from aluminium oxide through zirconia to ceramic, from dozens of manufacturers. You will never struggle to find belts for this machine.

The tool measures 334 × 143 × 158 mm and weighs 4.8 kg — substantial enough that you will feel it after a full day of use, but the weight is part of what makes it effective. The aluminium casing is durable and helps dissipate heat from the motor during prolonged sessions. Makita provides their manufacturer warranty, and EU spare parts are guaranteed available for at least 1 year, with Makita's extensive service network across Europe meaning repairs are accessible. Customer satisfaction is high: it holds a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 850 reviews on Amazon France and ranks at number 11 in Belt Sanders. For a professional-grade tool at this price, the 9404 represents Makita at its best — powerful, precise, and built to keep working long after cheaper alternatives have given up.

The Makita 9404 is a professional-grade 1,010-watt belt sander for serious woodworkers, carpenters, and joiners who need to level large surfaces fast, strip thick finishes efficiently, and fit doors and frames with precision — backed by Makita's legendary build quality and a 100 mm belt format that sets the professional standard.