Compared lists of Top 8 Benchtop Wood Planners
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DEWALT Thickness Planer, Two Speed, 13-Inch (DW735X) | 2,433 Reviews | $629.99 | More Details |
|
DEWALT Benchtop Planer, Single Speed, 15-Amp, 12-1/2-Inch (DW734) | 951 Reviews | $449.00 | More Details |
|
Makita 2012NB 12" Portable Planer | 408 Reviews | More Details | |
|
WEN 6552 3-Blade 15 Amp Benchtop Thickness Planer, 13" | 236 Reviews | More Details | |
|
WEN 6550 Benchtop Thickness Planer, 12-1/2" | 645 Reviews | More Details | |
|
Delta Power Tools 22-555 13 In Portable Thickness Planer | 173 Reviews | $398.05 | More Details |
|
Grizzly Industrial G0505 - 12-1/2" 2 HP Benchtop Planer | 55 Reviews | $547.95 | More Details |
|
WEN 6530 6-Amp Electric Hand Planer, 3-1/4-Inch | 2,245 Reviews | $40.76 | More Details |
- Purchase includes one stationary 13" Planer, in/out feed tables with fasteners (attached to the base of the Planer base), extra blades and dust hose adapter. Stand is not included.
- Three knife cutter head of the thickness planer delivers 30% longer knife life and makes knife change faster and easier
- Two-speed gear box of the wood planer allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or 179 CPI
- Fan-assisted chip ejection vacuums chip off of the cutter head and exhausts them out of the machine
- 19-3/4-inch cast aluminum base is 2 times more rigid than a standard 10-inch base and folding tables
Pros
- Extremely powerful due to the 3 knife cutter head.
- High quality & very long lasting.
- Recommended for the professional / heavy user.
- Highly rated.
- Excellent Customer Service
Cons
- Not Cheap.
- Standard knives don’t last long.
- Replacement knives are expensive.
Overview
The DeWalt is another trusted brand in anything construction and remodelling related, so it was only natural that got on our list. If we had to choose the best bench planer this would be it!
More suited to the professional this machine can be found for around $600 – $700, a price that reflects the quality of the product and its features.
The original package includes a dust hose adapter, infeed and outfeed tables with 33 – 1 /2” of material support and an extra set of knives.
Probably the coolest thing about the latest DeWalt DW735 is the fact that the speed is adjustable, giving you excellent control over your planning work. You can change feed speed to optimize the cuts at 96 or 179 CPI. The width capacity is 13 inches, and the depth capacity is 6 inches. There is also an extra large depth turret that allows users to return to the thickness they use most often.
The DeWalt has a three knife cutter, designed to extend knife life by 30%. You can quickly change the knives when you need to. The tool is operated by a 15 amp motor which performs 20,000 rotations per minute. Despite the fact that this is a very powerful tool, there is a safety measure installed. It is an automatic carriage lock which reduces movement unless it is user operated.
The weight is 92 pounds; it has a 19 – 3 /4” cast aluminum base to increase tool durability. There is a material removal gauge and an extra-large thickness scale for accurate cuts as well as a fan-assisted chip ejection vacuum.
The DeWalt DW735X has three years warranty and a one-year free service contract.
When doing our research we found that the knifes that come with this model dull very easy, and you may want to buy some better quality ones as back up if you are planning on using it with hardwoods.
The other problem mentioned a few times was that this is not great for heavy imported hardwoods or highly figured woods – but nor is any benchtop planer. You are better off with a cabinet planer if this is what you plan on using it for.
Overall, the DW735X is a top bench top planer with adjustable speed and no snipe, as promised. It is also the most expensive item on our list, but like most things in life, you get what you pay for, and with DeWalt, you are purchasing a lifelong machine. All the owners that had previous cheaper models agree that paying the bit extra is well worth it.
THOUGHTS:
Hearing protection is recommended. More of a dedicated workshop machine as opposed to being a portable planer due to the weight.
- Powerful 15 amp, 20,000 rpm motor of the woodworking planer handles larger, deeper cuts in hardwoods.
- Three-knife cutter head with 10,000 rpm cutter-head speed of the thickness planer provides 96 cuts per inch, one of the finest finishes of any portable planer
- Disposable, reversible knives of the wood planer deliver 30% more knife life and make knife change fast and easy.
- Four-column carriage lock drastically reduces the movement that causes snipe
- Extra-long infeed and outfeed tables provide 33-1/2-inch of material support.
Pros
- Extremely powerful, good for big projects.
- High quality & very long lasting.
- Recommended for the professional / heavy user.
- Highly rated.
- I hooked the dust hood into my 2hp cyclone dust collector, and very few shavings were not collected. Worked perfect. I also put rolling tables for the infeed and outfeed, and little or no snipe.
- The finish on the boards is fabulous. That’s what 30,000 cut per minute does!
- 30,000 cut per minute does!
- Excellent Customer Service
Cons
- Not Cheap.
- Watch out for returned repackaged, in such case blades may be found worn out.
- Replacement blades are expensive.
- I can get to 13/16″ thickness in 5 passes from 4/4. It is taking 15 to 20 passes on the hard maple
- Do check the in-feed and out-feed fold outs. Mine were out of level, but easy to change.
Overview
DEWALT DW734 12-1/2″ Thickness Planer with Three Knife Cutter-Head
The DW734 12-1/2″ Thickness Planer with Three Knife Cutter-Head is powered by a 15 Amp motor for managing large, deep cuts in hardwood. It offers quick, accurate depth adjustment and the convenience of knives that are both reversible and disposable. This fully featured portable planer makes it easy to create clean custom stock.
- Powerful 15AMP, 20,000 RPM Motor
- Disposable, reversible knives
- Extra-long Infeed and Outfeed Tables
| Four-column carriage lock drastically reduces the movement that causes snipe. | 10,000 RPM cutter head speed provides one of the finest finishes in portable planning. | Material removal gauge and extra-large thickness scale deliver accurate cuts with every pass. | Allows for fast, easy, one-tool knife changes. |
Powerful 15 Amp Motor for Deep, Clean CutsBenchtop planers are a long-term investment that allow you to buy rough stock and dimension it yourself. They also make creating custom materials easier, which, makes getting great results easier.
This planer’s powerful 15 amp motor handles a wide range of tough hardwoods, and its three-knife cutter-head spins at 10,000 RPM to provide 96 cuts per inch.
Reversible, Disposable Knives for ConvenienceThe DEWALT DW734 uses razor sharp knives that are reversible and disposable. These knives last 30 percent longer than traditional disposable knives, helping you avoid costly and time-consuming resharpening.
For fast, easy, one-tool knife changes, a set of pins machined on the cutter-head goes through holes machined on the knife. This helps you quickly locate the fresh knife and refasten the knife clamp.
Effective Dust and Debris ManagementThe DW734 planer includes a dust hood that attaches to a shop vacuum or standing dust collector (sold separately) for efficient collection of chips and debris.
Large Capacity and Easy, Accurate Depth AdjustmentThis planer’s extra-long infeed and outfeed tables provide 33-1/2 inches of material support. A turret depth stop saves you time when setting the machine at commonly used depths.
In addition, the planer’s material-removal gauge and extra-large thickness scale help ensure every pass is accurate. A four-column carriage lock drastically reduces the movement that causes material damage, or snipe, when planning near the end of a board.
This sturdy planer weighs 80 pounds. It offers a maximum cut depth of 1/8 inch, a depth capacity of 6 inches, and a width capacity of 12-1/2 inches.
This DW734 12-1/2-Inch Thickness Planer with Three Knife Cutterhead comes with a DEWALT warranty package that includes a three-year limited warranty, a one-year free service contract, and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
What’s in the BoxDW734 DEWALT 12-1/2-Inch Thickness Planer with Three-Knife Cutterhead and dust hood.
WARRANTY DESCRIPTION:
Three-Year Limited Warranty. DEWALT will repair, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for three years from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool abuse. For further detail of warranty coverage and warranty repair information, visit www.dewalt.com or call 1-800-4-DEWALT (1-800-433-9258). This warranty does not apply to accessories or damage caused where repairs have been made or attempted by others. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary in certain states or provinces
Everybody should know, DeWalt is a trusted brand in anything construction and remodeling related, so it was only natural that got on our list. If we had to choose the best bench planer this would be it!
More suited to the professional this machine can be found for around $400 – $500, a price that reflects the quality of the product and its features.
Customer Review:
I ordered this as a “Christmas Present” for me. Got it on sale, free shipping and it was a win-win. My planer arrived early but it was SO cold I didn’t open if for about a week. The first day it was warm enough I set it. I might note that I watched a couple of YouTube training videos before starting. It was a snap to set up and since I use a lot of pallet wood I got started. I ran about 300 lineal feet the first day and under the rough finish I found some beautiful wood. I had Oak, Poplar, Maple and Pine. I had to go a little slower on the Oak but not bad. The main complaints I heard about this tool was that it was loud. I use mine in the yard and it was louder than my miter saw but not to bad. All in all I have ran about 1000 feet (mostly 4″ and 6″) of lumber and have not had a problem. Looking forward to more projects as the weather warms. I have included a picture of my first project with the finished wood.
THOUGHTS:
Great Planer!! Great features and smooth cut. Only downside I found was that the dust collection chute seems to be made of a fragile plastic that I fear will break long before it should.
- Compact with less weight for easy transporting to the jobsite
- Engineered for faster, easier blade changes
- Low noise (83dB) for operator comfort
- 4-post design and diagonal cross supports for stability
- Large table extensions to support the workpiece
Pros
- A well thought out system and easy to do.
- High quality & very long lasting.
- Ran about 100 old house boards both sides, multiple times with (probably lead) paint on them. It held up well.
- Recommended for the professional / heavy user.
- Highly rated.
- It is relatively light
- SOOO easy to use! It is very accurate, fast, safe, and FUN!
- Excellent Customer Service
- Best Dust Collection in our experiment
Cons
- Not Cheap.
- Getting the optional ejection chute was fraught with backorder problems – Evidently they fixed that as I actually had the chute two days sooner than the planer.
- And I hear that the two speed DeWalt is useless for anything wider than 6″ on hard wood….so it is really just a one speed.
- Some reported shipment came broken. But there is full refund or exchange.
- Do check the in-feed and out-feed fold outs. Mine were out of level, but easy to change.
What’s in the BoxMakita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer, planer blade set, two magnetic holders, wrenches, and tool box.
WARRANTY DESCRIPTION:
WarrantyEvery Makita tool is thoroughly inspected and tested before leaving the factory. If you are not satisfied with any Makita tool within 30 days of purchase, return it and Makita will provide a replacement or refund. Each Makita tool is warranted to be free of defects from workmanship and materials for the period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase. Should any trouble develop during this one-year period, return the COMPLETE tool, freight prepaid, to one of Makita’s Factory or Authorized Service Centers. Please see makitatools.com for complete details.
More suited to the professionals, this machine can be found for around $560 – $750, a price that reflects the quality of the product and its features.
Customer Review:
I bought a Makita 2012 a few weeks ago and immediately ran a couple of thousand feet of Western Red Cedar through it. I know, that’s not exactly a tough test, but it performed flawlessly, quietly (would you believe that it is quieter than a Skilsaw? it is) and smoothly. Literally right out of the box: there was no set up time, there was no snipe, there was no chatter, there was no slipping, there was no clogging. Just really smooth boards, planed exactly the way I wanted them, quickly and easily. There are several other reviews (posted at Amazon) that address the 2012’s long term performance and ease of use and I found them very helpful and I’ve found nothing to indicate these reviews are not 100% accurate.Before buying this machine, I read many reviews on Amazon, especially the 1, 2 or 3 star (out of 5) reviews, for various planers. Reviews simply indicate patterns. (For example, read the reviews of the DeWalt planer, and you’ll discover that the blades don’t last very long, even according to the users that love the machine.) Less than optimal reviews (1 and 2 stars) indicate the problems with the products and these reviews are what convinced me to buy the Makita. In the case of the Makita 2012, the consistent “problems” written about involve lots of concern over the dust boot, a few concerns about feed roller slippage and a few concerns about shipping damage. I’ll address each below. Please note that I’m taking the time to write this because I think that the Makita 2012 is a great tool which may be getting short shrift from reviewers concerned about all the wrong things.First, the dust boot. Full disclosure: I purchased the dust boot but it did not arrive yet so I can’t comment on its performance. I can however address another issue raised by some of the other reviews: the outlet on the dust boot is the wrong size for a shop vac. This is ridiculous. Run one board 6″ wide by 12′ long though the planer a couple of times and you’ll create enough shavings to clog up an industrial sized shop vac; you’ll be lucky if you don’t damage shop vac or the planer by jamming them up with shavings. The reason the boot is not sized for a shop vac hose is because it’s designed to be used with a dust collector. Shop vacs have their place on the jobsite, but controlling the shavings from a planer is a mis-use of the tool. I would downgrade the rating on any planer that had a boot outlet sized for a shop vac. (I will attempt to update this review and address issues raised regarding the 90 degree bend on the boot once I’ve connected it to my DUST COLLECTOR and run some boards through.)Second: feed roller slippage. As with any tool, the Makita 2012 will require periodic maintenance. This should include cleaning pitch and/or sap and general dirt/grime off the feed tables and rollers. As other reviews indicate, cleaning the tables and/or rollers works in most of the slippage cases. To my way of thinking, it is disengenuos to downrate a tool because the user did not treat it right.Third: shipping damage. This is the one that really gets my blood pumping. Downrate a tool because the shipper dropped it and the handle is broken? This is not a problem with the tool! The Makita 2012 is a heavy tool (40-odd pounds which is actually fairly light for a 12″ planer) and it was delivered to me via truck. Normal protocol when receiving anything from a third-party shipper is to check for damage before accepting the delivery, including opening all boxes to inspect the contents. If the product is damaged, don’t accept it, refuse it. This is so that the manufacturer can provide you with an undamaged tool at the expense of the party who damaged it, whether it was shipper, wholesaler, distributor or retailer.Bottom line is don’t give a tool 1 star because you don’t have the correct complimentary tools or because your delivery acumen and your maintenance procedures each earn half a star. I gave this tool 5 stars because it earned 5 stars. Now I have to earn 5 stars by taking care of it.
THOUGHTS:
Great Planer!! Great features and smooth cut. If you run at a slight angle for narrower boards it seems to feed and eliminate snipe well.
- Onboard material removal gauge informs users about the cutting depth of each pass
- Plane boards up to 6 Inch thick and 13 Inch wide
- 15A motor generates 25,500 cuts per minute at a 26 feet per minute feed rate
- Three-blade design makes easy work out of even the hardest of woods
- Fan-assisted dust port removes sawdust from work piece
Pros
- 13 inch Thickness
- Power key has safety key
- Return rollers to pass work back!
- Carrying handle for easy to pick and move
- Repurposes rough and worn wood to give it an exceptionally smooth finish.
- Crank Handle to adjust the height of the clutterhead.
- Highly rated.
- It is relatively light
- Well placed dust collector
- Infeed table fold up for easy storage.
- Mounting holes on legs for extra stability.
Cons
- Almost half the price of other brands
- Users report sniping created at the leading and trailing edge.
- Not recommended for industrial use.
Tri-Roller Feeding System & Reversible BladesThe WEN Thickness Planer uses a tri-roller feeding system to help minimize snipe. The three dual-edged blades on the middle roller can be reversed to help elongate their life cycle and ensure sharp cuts. |
Fine-Tune Depth AdjustmentsEasily adjust the height of your planer with the comfortable rubber-grip adjustment handle. Each quarter rotation adjusts the height of the cutter head 1/64 of an inch for maximum precision during operation. |
Infeed and Outfeed TablesFoldable infeed and outfeed tables add support to longer workpieces traveling through the planer. Both tables can be adjusted to get the perfect angle for smoothly feeding boards for smoothly feeding boards and fighting snipe. |
Dust Hose Connection PortAttach a dust extraction device or a wet/dry vac to the handy 2 inch, 2-1/2 inch, or 4 inch fan-assisted dust port adapter to minimize cleanup. Keep all of the sawdust and shavings in one place instead of all over the workshop floor. |
What’s in the Box13-Inch Benchtop Thickness Planer
Overview
The WEN 6552 13 inch is a great value thickness planer you can buy for around $370.
The 15 Amp motor performs over 25,500 cuts per minute. You can adjust the depth of the device anywhere from 0 to 3 /32 of an inch. What is more, for a more comfortable experience, the fan-assisted dust post can remove the chips and the sawdust from the workplace.
The blades are carbon steel double edged. The granite table never warps and provides a very smooth surface for the smoothest of finishes. As a material that maintains its shape for a very long period of time, the granite table is guaranteed to provide you with the support you need for your planning project. The warranty offered by the manufacturer for this product is 2 years.
This feature is matched by the cast iron frame which makes the model very sturdy and reliable. You can use it to plane wood 6 inches thick and 13 inches wide. The weight of this product is 70 pounds.
Reviews are pretty positive for this model. It is a good price – quality ratio. Some of the red flags raised by the users concerned some snipe, chipped blades after the first use and the fact that the blades will not cut that well.
All in all, the WEN 6552 planer is good for the money you pay for it. It’s highly recommended if you are causal/infrequent user as opposed to an industrial workshop.
WARRANTY DESCRIPTION:
Warranty : 2 Years
| Item Weight | 66 pounds |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 25.2 x 21.8 x 16 inches |
Customer Review:
According to Matt J : Okay, not to knock DeWALT or any other retail high-end planets, but this WEN planer I got for less than half of what they charge is freakin great! I got 26, 8 foot rough cut pine boards this afternoon. I just test ran one through the planner (because it’s 11:00 pm and I didn’t want to upset my neighbors) and the board looks absolutely great. And by absolutely great, I mean they look and feel better than any board I ever got from Home Depot or Lowes. If you’ve been wondering if this is something you should invest in, Do it. Click the order button. You will not be disappointed. It’s not a “cheap” machine. It’s well put together and a solid piece of machinery.
THOUGHTS:
Great Planer!! Great features and smooth cut. Perfect for the price, may not be best choice for industrial use.
- Powerful 15A motor capable of handling the most demanding jobs
- Four column design provides excellent stability for smooth, accurate planning
- Quick-change knife system with dual edge disposable knives lets you change knives without difficult to use alignment jigs
- Adjustable infeed and outfeed tables to better support long pieces and reduce snipe
- Reversible dust port allows you to collect chips from the right or left side of planer.Machine Dimensions: 21-5/8 x 23-5/8 x 20-1/8 inches
Pros
- 5 years warranty
- Cheaper – Almost half the price of other brands
- Produces very little snipe
- Very accurate
- Changing blade is very easy
- Well placed dust collector
- Highly rated.
- It is relatively light
- highly recommended for the home DIYer / casual user
Cons
- Not so great with harder woods
- The motor could be more powerful.
- Not powerful enough for the professional / heavy user
What’s in the BoxDelta Power Tools 22-555 13 In Portable Thickness Planer |
PrecisionScale allows for accurately planing material. |
StorageStow blade changing tools with ease. |
Dust PortReversible dust port provides choices for how you want to connect a dust collector. |
Rugged ConstructionBuilt with quality and backed with a 5 Year Limited Warranty. |
Overview
The Delta Power Tools 22-555 13 inch portable thickness planer is a mid-ranged benchtop planer which you can get for the price of $320 – $400.
With a 15 Amp motor able to make 18,800 cuts per minute, this portable thickness planner handles well and can meet the demands of users for various projects for smooth and accurate planning. The motor efficiency is improved with the help of a stainless steel bed which reduces friction. Also, it is protected against overheating thanks to an overload button.
The maximum length of the cut is 3 /32 inches. These are performed by two double edge reversible knives. They benefit from a quick change system, so you do not have to deal with difficult-to-use alignment jigs.
The infeed and outfeed well support long pieces of material, and the snipe is much reduced. Also, two polyurethane rollers prevent the material from slipping. They are placed next to the cutter head for a smoother result.
The cutter head is precision machined steel for endurance and accuracy. The chips resulting from the cutting work is collected from either right or left sides of the planer, as it is reversible for increased convenience.
It is very stable, thanks to its four-column design. The Delta Tools planer weighs 58 pounds, and it has a warranty of 5 years, the biggest warranty for any product on our list.
Reviewers find that this is a great machine, especially for the money. Professionals feel that it is a real improvement over previous models, and they are comfortable enough with it to use of on bigger projects as well.
There have been some sniping problems mentioned by users who added that they even trying tampering with the planer to adjust all the parts and to prevent this from happening again. Other people just feel that the motor could have been a bit stronger.
Overall, we tried to include in our list the Delta Power Tools option to cover as much of the market offer as possible. This is an affordable benchtop planer with an extended warranty. If you feel the need to make a very safe purchase from a brand that knows how to back up a product, this is the one for you.
WARRANTY DESCRIPTION:
Warranty : 5 Years
| Item Weight | 58 pounds |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 25 x 17 x 21 inches |
Customer Review:
According to No Strikes : This is a delightful machine. It’s everything one could hope for at a giveaway price. For a small shop, where planing is not an everyday event, it’s unbeatable. It’s much larger than one would expect; actually, it’s larger than most higher powered, higher priced planers. It is quite solidly built. The outer housing uses Lexan (a tough plastic form) instead of metal, but you’d never know it, it’s so tough, and the housing is rust proof, to boot.The innards are solid as a rock. It is a four-post model, and the castings are so tight and solid that there is virtually no play in the cutterhead-feeder mechanisms. The blade changes are amazingly simple, the tools to do so are provided and stored in the machine, and while there are only two blades, they are reasonably priced (average $40 pair for Delta Brand, less for third party brands). The head makes 9400 RPM, for 18,800 cuts per minute.I tested it starting with soft Pine, then standard American Walnut, each at 1/16″ cuts (one full revolution of the handle). The motor did not slow, there were virtually NO planer marks, and NO snipe. The pieces were about 6″ wide and 2′ long. I then tried the same with white rock maple, expecting a motor overload and freeze. The motor slowed only slightly, but did not falter. Testing it to the extreme, I tried Purpleheart (with a respirator mask, which you MUST wear when making dust with this wood). This is about the hardest wood available. The motor strained too much to suit me at 1/16″ cuts, so I reduced the cut to 1/32 (1/2 turn of the handle). There was not slowing, and again, no snipe.With 13″ blades, an extremely rapid cut, and effective dust collector (I just connected it directly to my Shop Vac) and NO snipe whatsoever, the occasional user in a home or hobby shop cannot find a better machine at this price anywhere. I love it!I make TONS of small fretworked boxes, and am sick of buying exotics for fretwork in 1/4 thicknesses. I can now buy 3/4 thicknesses, rip them with my bandsaw, and quickly plane them to 1/4 or thicker, at half the price.Pros:– extremely accurate (I had perfect results down to 1/8″; did not try further)- solid, tight build of the 4-post cutterhead assembly/support columns- reversible blades, giving you two very sharp shots with the same set- EXTREMELY attractive price- Five year warranty (but if you’re not within driving distance of a major city, you must ship it in at your own cost)- Perfect for hobbyists or small shop.Cons: – The motor could be more powerful. The in/out feed rate is perfectly appropriate and dependable, but a larger capacity motor would help with hardwoods.- It is single speed feed. It is a compromised speed between the two speeds found on higher price machines, but it is a well-thought speed to do a remarkable job with two straight (not spiral cut) blades.These “cons” about this machine are really not pertinent, because these features are found only on machines costing twice as much. This one is a steal. You may read about the virtues of a “chain drive” (e.g, “Steelex” brand). Don’t buy into that. This machine appears to be direct (geared) drive (I’ve not looked at the parts sheet), and has a motor overload reset button. It’ll do what you need doing.This is a SMALL SHOP planer, not designed for 8-hour/day use seven days a week, or in commercial cabinet shops. That in view, I’d do it again in a second, and recommend it even faster.Follow up: I’ve now planed all four surfaces of eight 8-foot x 6″ sq. hardwood posts (32 8-foot x 6-inch surfaces). Aside from the trouble of rigging in and out feed tables, it was a breeze. No strain, no signs of blade dulling. The more I use this machine, the more impressed I become with its bang-for-the-buck.
THOUGHTS:
Great Planer!! Great features and smooth cut. Perfect for the price, may not be best choice for industrial use.
- Powerful 15A motor capable of handling the most demanding jobs
- Four column design provides excellent stability for smooth, accurate planning
- Quick-change knife system with dual edge disposable knives lets you change knives without difficult to use alignment jigs
- Adjustable infeed and outfeed tables to better support long pieces and reduce snipe
- Reversible dust port allows you to collect chips from the right or left side of planer.Machine Dimensions: 21-5/8 x 23-5/8 x 20-1/8 inches
Buying a benchtop planer (and what to look out for)
Finding the best wood planer does not mean getting the most expensive product out there and expecting it to perform miracles for every dollar spent.
On the contrary, it means looking into product specifications and reviews to make sure that the product you are thinking of buying is the right one.
Unlike simpler tools, planers have evolved to such a state that each manufacturer chose to grow and innovate in a different way. This is what makes the products different and this is what you need to look for.
Evaluate your project first and see what exactly stands out. If it takes a long time because it implies a heavy workload, then you will need a planer that handles well, is lightweight and has an ergonomic handle which does not allow your hand to tire fast.
If the workload is heavy but the tasks are all the same, you can make it better by choosing the planer with the right width or depth of cut to get your work done in no time. Also, consider the knives and the type of material you are using. Sure, all manufacturers use the best material for the knives, and they try to make them as resistant as possible, but some types of wood could be more difficult to cut or could have knots.
Think of where you will be doing all the work. This will make the dust collecting system essential. Reading reviews about the performance of the dust collection system is another thing you have to do before making up your mind.
Also, some jobs are more creative, while others are more mechanical but require great accuracy and the same dimensions for all boards. In this case, you will need a planer with depth stops to set the required thickness of the board. It will allow you to work fast without thinking too much about the settings of the planer.
This makes handheld planers better for smoothing wood, but precision work is better left to the benchtop models. While you might say that since you are not used to working with such a tool, a lighter one might be easier to handle, in reality, handheld and benchtop do not only differ in matters of weight but mainly in the type of projects they can handle.
As far as professionals have it, the handheld options may seem appealing because they are surely easier to carry around. However, a professional who has worked with planers a long time now knows the limitations of handheld planers over benchtop ones in ample projects. They are more likely to go for the benchtop models.
Benchtop models also pack bigger motors, allowing them to cut through more. What is more, the support system of the benchtop items is unequaled when you need high precision with your work.
FAQs
What is the difference between a jointer and a planer?
These are two different tools with different purposes. A planer is designed to create perfectly parallel surfaces while cutting wood to the desired thickness. A jointer is used to create smooth, flat surfaces along the four edges of a piece of wood.
Conclusion
Doing your homework is crucial before buying such a product. Going by a look and feel alone with not help you in this situation. A planer is a product which must be chosen according to specific demands from the person who is going to use it. Failing to meet these needs does not mean that the product was faulty, but that you did not choose the right model for the right type of tasks.
Even though you are just getting started, and you are only a weekend warrior, choosing the right product for your first project might open your appetite for similar future projects. Also, a tool that is easy to use will teach you how to use it better and improve. Unfortunately, things can also go the other way around as well.
Last update on 2023-11-01 at 11:38 using Amazon Product Advertising API
Hey Gary,
What an outstanding article on wood planers!
Just a little insight: I own a WEN 6550 planer. It’s a well built and easy to use planer which comes with lots of useful features. Anyone looking for an excellent wood thickness planer within an affordable price, this model is worth checking.
I am about to share this article with my woodworker mates, and they will enjoy reading your opinion.
Awesome Martin! Hope you are liking our articles. Enjoy & stay safe!