An orbital sander uses a circular disk vibrating in a random pattern to sand materials without biasing the direction of the sanding. Orbital sanders can be used to save time versus hand sanding while still remaining portable. These sanders use a "hook and loop" style attachment method to allow for quick changes between different grits of sanding disks.
A detail sander is similar to an orbital sander, but the shape of the sanding pad is different. Detail sanding pads come to a point, making it possible to sand in tight spaces inside features like corners. Detail sanders also use hook and loop style attachment methods for sanding pads.