Which ceiling sander should you choose: Gazelle, PLANEX or LEROS?
To sand a ceiling, the Sept Tools Gazelle fitted with the Fouine XB165 is a brushless concrete giraffe mounted on a machine-carrying trolley, while the Festool PLANEX and Mirka LEROS are finishing sanders for plasterboard and filler. The choice starts with the material: concrete to grind with diamond, or filler to smooth. This comparison places the three machines side by side, criterion by criterion, on manufacturer data.
The three ceiling sanders at a glance
| Criterion | Sept Tools Gazelle + Fouine XB165 | Festool PLANEX LHS 2 225 EQI-Plus | Mirka LEROS 950CV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Concrete ceiling giraffe on a machine-carrying trolley | Long-reach sander for drywall and ceilings | Wall and ceiling sander, 180-degree flexible head |
| Target material | Concrete, laitance, coatings (diamond grinding) | Plasterboard, filler, joints | Plasterboard, filler |
| Motor power | 1600 W, constant torque | 400 W | 350 W |
| Motor type | Brushless (no carbon brushes) | Not disclosed (manufacturer page) | Brushless |
| Machine weight | 7.6 kg (Fouine XB165 head) | 5.0 kg (without accessories) | 3.5 kg |
| Weight carried by the operator | Near zero: the Gazelle trolley (36.2 kg) carries the machine | Machine holds to the wall by suction, ~5 kg guided | 3.5 kg guided by hand (no trolley) |
| Pad | Diamond 165 mm | 225 mm | 225 mm, 5.0 mm orbit |
| Hand-arm vibration | 0.35 m/s² (reference machine benchmark) | 2.5 m/s² (Ah value) | 2.5 m/s² |
| Noise level | 60 dB (operator position) | 73 dB(A) pressure, 81 dB(A) power | 84 dB (LpA) |
| Dust capture | Class H at source (with IU33 Longopac extractor) | 36/27 mm connection (with CT 36 E AC-PLANEX) | Two extraction points on the shroud |
| Ingress protection | IP65 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Motor lifespan | Up to 20,000 h (brushless) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Warranty | 24 months | Not disclosed (product page) | Not disclosed (product page) |
| Country of manufacture | Roanne, France | Germany (Festool brand) | Finland (Mirka brand) |
Competitor data from public manufacturer pages, consulted on 5 July 2026 (sources at the bottom of the page). Sept Tools data from product sheets. The 60 dB and 0.35 m/s² figures are positioning benchmarks measured on reference machines, not an identical specification of every model.
Which machine is lightest in the arms?
Held directly, the Mirka LEROS 950CV (3.5 kg) is the lightest, ahead of the Festool PLANEX (5.0 kg). The Fouine XB165 head weighs 7.6 kg. The difference is one of approach: Festool and Mirka are hand-guided, while the Fouine mounts on the Gazelle trolley, which carries the machine instead of the operator. Over a full day of ceiling sanding, what matters is not only the weight but who supports it.
Concrete or plasterboard: which machine for which material?
This is the decisive criterion. The Festool PLANEX (400 W) and the Mirka LEROS (350 W) are finishing sanders for plasterboard, filler and joints. The Gazelle with the Fouine XB165 (1600 W, constant torque, diamond pad) is built for concrete: removing laitance, coatings and material on concrete slabs and ceilings. To smooth filler, the Festool and Mirka are suitable and lighter. To attack concrete, the Sept Tools solution is sized for that material.
What real noise level at the operator position?
Sept Tools measures 60 dB at the operator position on its reference machines. Festool publishes 73 dB(A) sound pressure and 81 dB(A) sound power. Mirka publishes 84 dB (LpA). Measurement bases are not strictly identical from one manufacturer to another, but the order of magnitude places the Sept Tools solution as the quietest of the three, an advantage on occupied sites or inhabited housing.
What vibration for operator health?
All three machines stay below the 2.5 m/s² action threshold set by Directive 2002/44/EC. Festool and Mirka publish 2.5 m/s². Sept Tools records 0.35 m/s² as a benchmark on a reference machine. An independent study by Distrimo (Moten Technologies, Scale One, for Bouygues Construction) measured a 56 percent reduction in forearm vibration with Sept Tools tools. Preventing musculoskeletal disorders is central to the design.
Silica capture: what protection?
Grinding concrete releases crystalline silica dust, so capture at source is essential. Sept Tools pairs its machines with a class H extractor (IU33 Longopac, HEPA H13 filtration, continuous sealed bagging): a UKAS-accredited laboratory measured 0.02 f/ml on an NHS hospital site. Festool connects the PLANEX to its CT 36 E AC-PLANEX extractor, and Mirka integrates two extraction points on the shroud. In all three cases, performance depends on the paired extractor.
What Festool and Mirka do very well
- +At 3.5 kg, the Mirka LEROS 950CV is one of the lightest wall and ceiling sanders on the market, with a very manoeuvrable 180-degree flexible head and vibration tracking via the myMirka app.
- +The Festool PLANEX has a low sound pressure level (73 dB(A)) and fits into a highly refined Systainer and extractor ecosystem for plasterboard finishing.
- +For finishing filler and plasterboard, both machines are lighter and perfectly in their element. On that ground, they are an excellent choice.
Why concrete professionals choose the Gazelle
- 1.A machine built for concrete: 1600 W constant torque, diamond pad, real material removal where drywall sanders reach their limit.
- 2.The Gazelle trolley carries the machine: the operator does not bear the 7.6 kg, an anti-strain design validated by the Distrimo study (-56 percent forearm vibration).
- 3.Class H capture at source, measured at 0.02 f/ml by a UKAS laboratory on an NHS hospital site: silica under control.
- 4.Brushless motor up to 20,000 h, IP65 (high-pressure cleaning accepted), 24-month warranty, designed and assembled in Roanne with national service and parts in stock.
A concrete ceiling to sand?
Tell us the surface and the material. We will propose the right Gazelle configuration, with no obligation.
Sources
Competitor manufacturer data consulted on 5 July 2026. Sept Tools data from the catalogue product sheets.
- Festool PLANEX LHS 2 225 EQI-Plus, manufacturer specifications: festool.com (400 W, 5.0 kg, 73/81 dB(A), 2.5 m/s², 225 mm pad, 36/27 mm extraction).
- Mirka LEROS 950CV, manufacturer product page: mirka.com (brushless motor, 225 mm pad, 5.0 mm orbit). Mirka published data: 350 W, 84 dB LpA, 2.5 m/s², 3.5 kg.
- Sept Tools Gazelle Premium, Fouine XB165, IU33 Longopac: product sheets on sept-tools.com.