Being that planing your lumber is not an easy job, especially if you do not have the right and quality tool for that.
People who are in this field know how important it is to have in mind the fact that buying a wood planer online would not come out as successful, as producers would do their best to convince you that their product is the best, even though it is not.
In order not to regret your purchase, we have decided to compare tools for you and make a list of planers that you will love and will be satisfied with.
Now, get ready to find out both the best and worst characteristics of some of the models currently offered on the market.
9 Best Wood Planers Reviewed
#1. DEWALT DW735X Thickness Wood Planer
Top Pick
Check Price on Amazon
Number one on our list is the DEWALT DW735X.
The reasons why this is our favorite wood planer are numerous.
Let’s mention a few.
Firstly, it has two speeds, which makes it the best thickness planer and a three-knife cutter head, designed to lessen the stress on each knife.
These two amazing characteristics would allow you a finer finish.
Furthermore, it has a wide base so that you can work with wider and longer pieces and while in operation, it is quieter than all the majority of other wood planers.
This model is designed to be a portable planer, but have in mind that it weighs more than 100 pounds, and many people would consider that too heavy to move.
However, there is no better quality machine which would do the same job and be a lighter option.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Two speeds
- Three knives
- Wide base
- Quiet
Check Price on Amazon
#2. DEWALT DW734 Woodworking Planer
Check Price on Amazon
In order to present why we positioned them this way, we will compare the first two models on our list.
The biggest differences between the DEWALT DW734, which is our second choice and the DEWALT DW735X, the previous one are that the DEWALT DW734 is just one-speed, and it is lighter than DEWALT DW735X, as it weighs 80 pounds.
In case you do not need a two speed wood planer, you can save a lot of money buying the DEWALT DW34.
What you get with this model is 96 cuts per inch and the three-knife cutter head.
This provides a longer life-time of the tool.
Furthermore, this DEWALT’s model offers an extendable and wide base so that you get the opportunity to work larger pieces.
Being that it is lighter than our top pick, it makes it more portable, so if portability is significant to you, it might be a good idea to get this one.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- 96 cuts per inch
- Three knives
- Quiet
- Wide base
Check Price on Amazon
#3. WEN 6552T 13 in. Thickness Wood Planer
Check Price on Amazon
Even though it is not our top pick, the WEN 6552T planer deserves attention.
It is a model with a fast feed rate, which can handle 26 feet per minute.
This proves that it is one of the fastest planers.
It is designed for a work which involves a lot of raw stock, since it has a three-blade cutter.
Its durability is not questionable as manufacturers made sure that the tool would last long time.
Additionally, this model also comes with excellent fine-tunable depth adjustments improving the precision and making your work more efficient and successful.
The cut can be set at 1/64th of an inch for extreme precision.
Now comes the bad part.
This model is far less expensive than then the previous two and its great price combined with quality makes it the best planer for the money.
What can be taken as a drawback is the poor dust collection system, which causes mess around you.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Fast
- Three blades
- Fine-tune depth adjustment
- Affordable
Cons
- Dust collection system lacks quality
Check Price on Amazon
#4. Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Thickness Planer
Check Price on Amazon
Even though it is the fourth one on the list, there are many things which make the Makita 2012NB Planer worth consideration.
One of them is the compact frame which makes the tool portable.
What adds to its portability is the weight of only 60 pounds.
Additionally, the tool is not so loud when working as it produces only 83 decibels of noise,.
Having a large table extension, this tool is ideal for people who are working with larger lumber.
The job would be not only more efficient, but safe as well.
Last, but not the least, this is the fastest planer as it is capable of planing up to 28 feet per minute.
However, the greatest and most efficient tools usually come at significant cost and this is the case with this model.
It is 20 percent more expensive than some other models on our list.
If you have a limited budget, consider another model as you can get the equal performance far less money.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Compact
- Quiet
- Large table
- Very fast planing
Check Price on Amazon
#5. PORTER-CABLE PC60THP
Check Price on Amazon
The fifth on our list differs from the others as it is a handheld planer.
When it comes to transport, you can do it easily when the PORTER-CABLE PC60THP is in question.
Furthermore, it is not only that its portability is great, but its features, as well.
This planer has dust extraction ports on both sides, meaning that you can set it in the most comfortable position and not make a mass.
Its weight is also amazing, and this is achieved due to its great aluminum shoe which is made of steel on other models.
The shoe has equal strength as the steel one but weights much less.
There is also a depth-adjustment knob that allows quick changes to the depth.
However, there is not a great range of depth as some of the other models have, and fine finish would not be possible with this tool.
What users found as disadvantage are quality control problems.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Excellent dust extraction
- Light
- Easy depth adjustment
- Shoe made of aluminum
Check Price on Amazon
#6. Grizzly G0505 12-1/2-Inch Wood Planer
Check Price on Amazon
This manufacturer could not but produce a good wood planer among all the other excellent tools that it creates.
The Grizzly G0505 wood planer boasts some great characteristics on one hand, but on the other, there are some terrible features related to it.
When it comes to its weight, it is relatively light, with only 80 pounds weight.
Its ability is to plane up to 32 feet per minute and you can reach a very fine finish.
Now, you are wondering what the bad side is.
One of bad features is the fact that this planer uses a two-blade cutter, causing the cutter not to be durable.
Also, it can cause you trouble if you try to make deep cuts at the fast speed.
Furthermore, the price is not in line with the quality, as it is not the most affordable planer, and you can get a better model for the same amount.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Light and fast
- Great accuracy
Check Price on Amazon
#7. Cutech 40200H-CT 13″ Spiral Cutterhead Planer
Check Price on Amazon
As we go down the list, we have to say that you cannot expect as great planers as the above mentioned models were, but these are also worth mentioning, such as the Cutech 40200H-CT.
There are some features which are positive about it and its greatest advantage is that it uses spiral cutterheads which are considered better than the multi-knife cutterheads available on other planers.
Spiral cutterheads have longer life and produce a finer finish.
They are usually found on models that cost thousands of dollars.
Another advantage is its weight of 88 pounds, making it possible for you to move it around.
Additionally, it has a built-in dust port, which is not a characteristic of some other planers.
However, the Cutech 40200H-CT is among the most expensive models on our list and it is quite noisy. Those who are not limited by the budget and know that would have more benefits with the spiral cutterhead should go for this model without doubt.
If you do not want to waste thousands of dollars, you should think about so other model.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Built-in dust port
- Weight
- Spiral cutter head
Check Price on Amazon
Check Price on Amazon
This model is the one that works fine, but its performance is not ideal.
The Delta Power Tools 22-590 planer has a three-knife cutterhead.
Now, for those who do not know the difference among these cutterheads, we can say that this one is better than a two-knife cutterhead, but worse than a spiral model.
Its speed is up to 26 feet per minute, making it neither the fastest nor the slowest available.
This model has a cutterhead lock, meaning that it can perform the same planes on different lumber.
Now, there come some drawbacks, and one is related to its motor.
Its misalignment problems can cause the belt to burn out rapidly.
Many people who are into this field would say that it can be easily fixed at home, but some others believe that the manufacturer is the one who should take care of it.
Replacement of the belts frequently would cause a lot of additional expenses.
The Delta blades are also reported not to be long lasting as with some other brands.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Pros
- Three knives
- Fast
- Cutter head lock
Cons
- Problems with belt alignment
- Poor quality knives
Check Price on Amazon
#9. POWERTEC PL1251 12-1/2-Inch Wood Planer
Check Price on Amazon
The POWERTEC PL1251 is the last on our list and the least expensive one.
Now, that its price is low, people would think that it is not a quality model.
What we can say about it is that there are problems which caused its poor value.
People get attracted by a large planing capacity that this model offers at a low price.
Its weight is also great, just over 60 pounds.
It is great when it comes to portability, as it is almost 40 percent lighter than most planers of a similar size.
There are also failures of this model, which justify its last position on our list.
It has a maximum depth of 3/32”, and only with the smallest pieces.
There is a two-knife cutterhead, not allowing you to make fine finish.
Furthermore, this model also suffers from snipe, or the wood getting sucked into the blade, leading to uneven finishes.
It is suggested to avoid this model if you need a quality tool.
Check current price on Amazon >>
Cons
- Poor depth
- Two knives
- Snipe issues
Check Price on Amazon