Best Benchtop Planers & Thicknessers
Speed Up Your Work & Increase Accuracy
When I made my first table, I realized how important it was to get your boards at a uniform thickness before starting your projects. Joints, measurements and cuts become much more accurate when you have board of identical thickness.
Sure, you can plane wood with a hand plane, if you have the time to spare or just want to master the skill. However, when you need to get work done in a hurry, nothing beats having a good benchtop planer (or benchtop thicknesser as they are sometimes called).
Here are some of the best benchtop planers based on Amazon reviews. I’ve done my best to list out the features of each for comparison. I’m sorting them by price, with the most affordable options on top.
A note about snipe:
Snipe happens when the planer cuts a bit deeper in the front (or end) of the board as you run through it. I did not include snipe as a concern, because all the planers have this issue. Snipe can be minimized by fine-tuning each planer, usually be leveling or slightly sloping the outfeed tables.
Refer to your instructions. For benchtop planers, expect to deal with snipe no matter the cost or brand.
Best Benchtop Planer (Thicknesser)
Powertec PL1252
A newcomer to the benchtop planer game, this Powertec model has received some great reviews on Amazon.
However, it remains to be seen if the Powertec can stand up to all kinds of uses a more proven model would. If you don’t mind spending $50 more, read on.
- $290 or less
Details:
- 12.5" by 6" planing capacity
- 9,400 RPM, 15 amp motor
- 2 HSS planer knives
- 4-column design
- 3/32" (2.5mm) maximum depth of cut
- 2.5" dust chute available separately
Pros:
- Most affordable option in this list
Cons:
- Dust chute not included
- Unproven model
- Upper part of the body seems to be plastic
Craftsman CMEW320
This Craftsman model seems to be a good entry-level benchtop planer that has all the basic features you would expect. It is well build and nicely finished with a two-tome red and black.
It also comes with a dust collection chute that should fit nicely with your shopvac (2.5″ outlet). The company mentions “Poly-V cutterhead” as an innovation, but fails to explain anything about it.
- $320 or less
Details:
- 12.5" by 6" planing capacity
- 8,000 RPM, 15 amp motor
- 2 HSS reversible planer knives
- 1/8" (3mm) maximum depth of cut
- 2.5" dust chute included, with 4" adapter
Pros:
- Dust collection chute included
- Great overall performer
Cons:
- A lot of play in the height adjustment handle
- No variable speed
Dewalt DW734
This is the most popolar benchtop planer on Amazon with close to a thousands positive reviews. A proven workhorse, this planer has some extra features that are very useful.
At the front you have a material removal gauge, that measures your current thickness and makes it easier for you to determine which cutting depth to start with. There’s also a depth stop that prevents you from planing off too much material.
- $440 or less
Details:
- 12.5" by 6" planing capacity
- 10,000 RPM, 15 amp motor, 2HP
- Fixed speed 96 CPI (Cuts Per Inch)
- 3 HSS planer knives, reversible
- 1/8" (3mm) maximum depth of cut
- Four-column carriage lock
- Material removal gauge
- Depth stop
- 2.5" dusc port built-in
Pros:
- Excellent build quality
- Proven workhorse for years
- Smoothest finish on wood
Cons:
- No variable speed
Dewalt DW735
This benchtop planer sets itself apart with four major features – three cutting knives, a dust blower, an extra 1/2 planing width and a dual-speed setting.
A very impressive machine indeed, and will probably be the best selling thickness planer in no time, beating even the other Dewalt.
Of course, it cost more than all the other benchtop planers on this list, so it may be out of some people’s budget.
- $590 or less
Details:
- 13" by 6" planing capacity
- 10,000 RPM, 15 amp motor, 2HP
- 2-speed motor, 96 or 179 CPI (Cuts Per Inch)
- 3 HSS planer knives, reversible
- Four-column carriage lock
- Powered chip ejection system
- Dust collection port
- 1/8" (3mm) maximum depth of cut
- 2.5" port adapter included
Pros:
- Excellent build quality
- Best chip evacuation system
- Blades are reported to nick easily
- Most versatile planer for rough or smooth cuts
Cons:
- Most expensive on this list
- Extension tables sold seperately
- Louder than most other planers
- Blows chips all over the place if you're not using dust collection
