The new in-line 3x21 belt sander by Ridgid appears to be a solid investment at a substantial savings over other heavy-duty belt sanders. It is attractive, well-designed, solidly constructed, well-balanced, has good ergonomics, is easily controlled, and is surprisingly quiet. The first time you pause during the sanding job and let it hang down at your side, you'll appreciate it's shape and heft, which is somehow reminiscent of an old-fashioned shootin' iron. All in all, it's a pleasure to use.
br / Perhaps most importantly, it is good to very good at speed of stock removal. Further, the variable speed control comes in handy and is well-placed. Belt tracking is adequate, if not stellar, the large adjusting knob requiring a few seconds of attention for a new belt to track roughly where it should. Dust collection is decent to above average so long as you make sure the exhaust port remains clear and unclogged and the unobtrusive bag doesn't get too full. In this regard, keeping an air hose handy for cleaning off the sander and cleaning out the bag both during and after use helps immensely and is a good maintenance practice. In fact, this tool is such a beauty that I'm also using a moist rag to wipe it down before putting it away. It doesn't come in a case (a real oversight by Ridgid) and will require one at least 20 inches long.
br / Potential buyers should understand that this review is not based on longterm ownership or heavy-duty use, but on several days of moderate, responsible use. I'm offering the review early primarily because there are no other reviews of the product that I can find, so in my case, the purchase had to be based solely on availability, price, experience and instinct. In my opinion, it seems like a good tool that ought to last a long time. As for the Ridgid product line, in general, I also own one of their reciprocating saws and have been happy with it's performance, so far.

Handy magazine rated Bosch 1274DVS, Craftsman 11727, DeWalt DW433, Hitachi SB8V2,Makita 9903, Porter-Cable 352VS, Ridgid Rs720VS. Ridgid R2720VS was rated as the best value.