The Best Benchtop Wood Planers for every Wood Workers | Compared Lists of Planers

Overview

The DeWalt is another 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! This is best tool for professionals.

THOUGHTS:

Hearing protection is recommended. More of a dedicated workshop machine as opposed to being a portable planer due to the weight.

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

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 Convenience
The 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 Management
The 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 Adjustment
This 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 Box
DW734 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.

What's in the Box
Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer, planer blade set, two magnetic holders, wrenches, and tool box.

WARRANTY DESCRIPTION:

Warranty
Every 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.

What's in the Box
13-Inch Benchtop Thickness Planer

WARRANTY DESCRIPTION:

Warranty : 2 Years

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.

Buying a benchtop planer (and what to look out for)

• Cuts per inch

• Snipe

• Depth of cut

• Dust collection

• Thickness

Cuts per inch

On some machines, you’ll find a number called “Cuts Per Inch,” or CPI. The CPI represents how many times the machine’s blades cut the material every inch. Generally speaking, a higher CPI is better.

In order to understand this, think about what the planer is doing. It features a rotating knife, which means that if you were to zoom in on your freshly planed board, you’d see that it isn’t one smooth cut, but a series of very small hills and valleys left by each rotational cut.

Choosing The Right Thickness Planer

After conducting the research and weighing all the options, return to your base of operations. Think about upcoming projects and see what the needs are going to look like. It will help in deciding what type of investment to make. Choose first based on demand and then on price and other factors.

If you are just entering the woodworking world, the right investment now could lead to a more intense interest later on. Think about a tool that will teach you to be a better woodworker. If you are a professional or avid user, think about the tool that can handle creative projects or a variety of projects. Most importantly, don’t go off of surface level impressions alone. Buy this product with the confidence in knowing you are making the right choice for your woodworking plans.

Conclusion

Know what projects you will be involved long term using any wooden planner. If you really need benchtop wood planner, read reviews. According to our research, DEWALT 13-Inch Thickness Planer - Three Knife, Two speed, DW735X model is the best one in terms of value, quality and price.