10 Best Benchtop Planers of 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks
- Pete Ortiz
- Last updated:
Planers are invaluable tools that allow you to turn old, worn, weathered, and beaten-up boards into usable, straight, flat pieces of lumber. The problem with most standard planers is their sheer size and cost-prohibitive pricing. But if you’re not working with wood larger than 12.5 inches wide or 6 inches thick, you’ll do just as well with a more affordable and portable benchtop planer.
These tools provide the utility of a planer in a smaller package that’s much less expensive, which is why you’ll find them in the workshops of many woodworking and carpentry hobbyists and professionals. When it was time to upgrade our antiquated planer recently, we decided to test as many as possible and determine which benchtop planer is the top performer. Below you’ll find 10 of the best benchtop planers with reviews and a buyer’s guide.
A Quick Glance at our Favorites for 2024
Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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DEWALT DW734 Benchtop Planer |
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CHECK PRICE | |
Best Value
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WEN 6550T Benchtop Thickness Planer |
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CHECK PRICE | |
Premium Choice
|
Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer |
|
CHECK PRICE | |
|
Porter-Cable PC305TP Benchtop Planer |
|
CHECK PRICE | |
|
CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 Benchtop Planer |
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CHECK PRICE |
The 10 Best Benchtop Planers
1. DEWALT DW734 Benchtop Planer – Best Overall
DeWalt consistently produces high-quality tools that are built to withstand some serious workloads. They’re never the cheapest tools available, but they’re usually priced reasonably, so we’re rarely surprised to see a DeWalt tool leading the pack. This DW734 Benchtop Planer is no exception and is our pick for the best overall planer.
While most benchtop planers have just 2 blades, this one features a 3-knife cutter head capable of making 96 cuts per inch with a cutter speed of 10,000 RPM. The stout 15-amp motor keeps everything spinning with ease, even when you’re sending through hardwoods. Snipe is significantly reduced with a 4-column carriage lock and 33.5 inches of material support.
To extend the life of your knives, the knives are reversible and disposable. However, they have a tendency to get knicks in them when they hit knots. You can usually sand these out or just flip the knife around and keep working. Overall, we think this unit represents the best combination of usability and affordability, which is why it tops our list.
- Knives are reversible and disposable
- 3-knife cutter head
- Reduced sniping with 4-column carriage lock
- 5” of material support
- Equipped with a stout 15-amp motor
- 10,000 RPM cutter speed makes 96 cuts per inch
- The knives can get nicked by knots
2. WEN 6550T Benchtop Thickness Planer – Best Value
We’ve had a lot of luck with WEN tools in the past. They’re generally more affordable than other brands, though they rarely lack quality. The WEN 6550T Benchtop Thickness Planer offers a lot of bang for your buck, and we think it’s one of the best benchtop planers for the money.
The granite work tables are non-marring and allow your lumber to slide smoothly. Meanwhile, the fan-assisted dust port removes all the excess sawdust as the machine completes 18,000 cuts per minute. You can feed up to 26 linear feet of lumber through this machine each minute at this speed.
This device features a tri-roller feed system that significantly reduces sniping. It’s excellent with any softwood and works with hardwoods, though you have to go much slower with them. Still, for the price, we have very few complaints since this device greatly exceeded our expectations.
- Fan-assisted dust port removes sawdust
- Non-marring granite surface
- Planes up to 26 feet per minute
- 18,000 cuts per minute
- Tri-roller feed system reduces sniping
- More affordable than other planers
- Not great with hardwoods
3. Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer – Premium Choice
Makita is another excellent power tool brand that rarely makes disappointing products. Their 2012NB planer is much quieter than most, with an operating volume of just 83 decibels. This is a very stable machine with four posts and diagonal cross supports. Despite that, it’s one of the lighter, more portable options at just 62 pounds. Oversized infeed and outfeed tables extend to either end and help reduce sniping even more.
If you check out this device’s price, you’ll notice that it’s quite pricier than the closest competing models. We think it’s worth it if you use it several times a week or more. The reduced noise and increased stability are worth the extra cost to us. But you should be aware that this machine only produces 8,500 RPM, even though it manages an impressive feed rate of 28 feet per minute.
- Runs at just 83 decibels
- Stable design with four posts and diagonal cross supports
- Oversized table extensions for ample support
- Lightweight at just 62 pounds
- Far pricier than other options
- Tops out at 8,500 RPM
4. Porter-Cable PC305TP Benchtop Planer
This Porter-Cable Benchtop Planer is more affordable than most, but you must make a few compromises. It creates 16,000 cuts per minute for a feed rate of 26 feet each minute. The Poly V belt cutter head drive allows for peak efficiency, enabling this machine to work with softwoods and hardwoods equally well. It weighs just under 65 pounds, so it’s also one of the more portable models we tested.
However, there were some notable drawbacks. To begin, the knives dull very quickly since they’re extremely thin. They also get nicked very easily, which leaves indents in your wood. We also had some minor issues with sniping, though it wasn’t as pronounced as with many of the other models we tested. Still, it’s enough to keep this planer out of our top three.
- Priced affordably
- 16,000 cuts per minute
- Up to 26 feet per minute feed rate
- Poly V belt cutter head drive
- Weighs just 64.8 pounds
- The knives left indents in multiple places
- There are issues with sniping
- Goes through knives quickly
5. CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 Benchtop Planer
The CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 Benchtop Planer is a decent unit with a few flaws that prevent it from climbing higher up this list. It manages 16,000 cuts per minute with a powerful 15-amp motor that powers through softwoods and hardwoods without issue. The knives are easy to change and have an extended lifespan since they’re made from high-carbon steel and are reversible.
However, the lack of a depth of cut indicator is a serious drawback with this machine. Instead, it has a thickness indicator, but we prefer the depth of cut indicator found on machines like the DeWalt at the top of this list. We also had some issues with noticeable sniping at the end of our boards.
Despite these issues, this machine is pricier than many competing models. It’s even more expensive than the DeWalt that earned our top recommendation, though we think this machine falls short of the DeWalt in many vital areas.
- 16,000 cuts per minute
- Changing knives is easy
- 15-amp motor provides plenty of power
- High-carbon steel reversible knives for extended life
- No depth of cut indicator
- Noticeable snipe at the end
- More expensive than other models
6. POWERTEC PL1252 Benchtop Thickness Planer
Capable of making 18,800 cuts per minute, the POWERTEC PL1252 Benchtop Thickness Planer is an affordable tool with some great features, though it falls short in a few ways. We liked the side handles that make this machine easy to carry, especially since it weighs just 63 pounds. This makes moving it much easier than many of the other models we tested. It has a two-blade cutting system that works well with softwoods and hardwoods and provides decent performance for the price.
But there are a few things worth noting that we weren’t so thrilled about. To start, there’s no dust port on this machine. After using so many planers with dust ports and fans to remove sawdust, this machine felt like it was throwing sawdust everywhere.
We also weren’t happy with the support tables. They’re too short to provide enough support for long boards, which causes considerable sniping. Though it is an affordable way to get started with a planer, we think other inexpensive planers offer better value and performance.
- 18,800 cuts per minute
- Side handles for easy carrying
- Portable at 63 pounds
- Priced affordably
- No dust port
- The support tables are too short
- There’s considerable sniping with longer boards
7. Mophorn Thickness Planer
There’s one very unique feature of the Mophorn Thickness Planer that sets it apart from all the other benchtop planers we tested for this list. It has a heavy-duty stand, so you don’t need to take up any space on your workbench. Of course, it’s completely detachable, so you can remove it and place it on any benchtop.
With this planer, you get a feed speed of 26 feet per minute, which is right about average. Luckily, the Mophorne has a built-in dust port to help keep your work area clean. However, this machine came with no instructions or user guide. You’re left to blindly stumble around the planer, hoping to figure out how it works. You should be able to do alright if you have previous experience with benchtop planers, but if this is your first, you might be lost.
There are support tables extending from the front and back of the machine, but they are too short for most lumber. As a result, there’s some noticeable snipe, but we experienced that with most of the affordable models like this one.
- Includes a detachable mounting stand
- 26 feet per minute feed speed
- Dust port built-in
- No instructions or user’s guide
- There’s noticeable snipe
8. Grizzly Industrial G0505 Benchtop Planer
Grizzly Industrial is a premium manufacturer of power tools known for making quality products built to last years. But, the G0505 benchtop planer didn’t do much to impress us. However, there were a few standout features. It has a faster rate than most similar machines and is capable of planing 32 feet per minute. It’s also equipped with 1/8-inch thick knives instead of the 1/16-inch knives that come with most benchtop planers. They’re even reversible to double their lifespan.
The Grizzly is much pricier than similar models from other brands. Despite that, it only manages 52 cuts per inch. That means the planed wood is much rougher than with a machine like the DeWalt at the top of this list that delivers an impressive 96 cuts per inch.
There are handles on the sides of this machine, so it’s easier to move, but at 80 pounds, it will still be a wrestling match for many. We like the stout 2-horsepower (HP) motor that turns the knives inside, but that doesn’t make up for the numerous flaws of the Grizzly.
- 32 feet per minute feed rate
- 1/8” thick knives are more durable
- Reversible knives
- More expensive than other options
- Only 52 cuts per inch
- Pretty heavy at nearly 80 pounds
9. JET 722130 Helical Style Bench Top Planer
The JET 722130 Helical Style Bench Top Planer is a pretty average planer with a ridiculously high price. It’s more than twice as expensive as other brands on this list, though it doesn’t seem to offer much to warrant the high price tag.
We like that it has dual infeed speeds of 18 or 26 feet per minute so that it can work with hardwoods and softwoods. The cutter head spins at 10,000 RPM with special helical blades that are more difficult to find replacements for.
Despite the high price, we got only mediocre performance from this machine. Hardwoods weren’t as easy to work with, regardless of which infeed speed we chose. When using hardwoods, the blades dulled quickly. The snipe was also substantial, which is inexcusable for such an expensive piece of equipment.
- Dual infeed speeds of 18 or 26 feet per minute
- 10,000 RPM cutter head
- Too much snipe
- Far pricier than other options
- Hardwoods quickly dull and nick the knife blades
10. Ridgid 27263 Planer
This planer from Ridgid was a pretty substantial disappointment. We had high hopes for it since it has a 3-blade cutter head similar to the DeWalt planer at the top of the list. The blades are also dual-edge, reversible, and easy to change.
But that’s the end of our list of positive qualities regarding this planer. It’s way too expensive for what you get, and the price exceeds most of the models on this list. Yet somehow, a bunch of plastic parts made their way into this machine, and they just don’t seem to hold up.
It’s not just the plastic parts that fail, however. After a few uses, the bearings began to squeal loudly. Shortly after, the motor died. These are unforgivable flaws at this price, which is why this machine is at the bottom of our list.
- 3-blade cutter head
- Quick-change dual-edge reversible blades
- More expensive than other models
- Plastic parts are prone to breakage
- The bearings began squealing after just a few uses
- The motor completely died
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Benchtop Planer
At this point, you might be ready to make a purchase or still be trying to decide between models. If you’re still on the fence, this short buyer’s guide is for you. In it, we will discuss some of the major considerations that should be at the front of your mind when choosing between benchtop planers.
Capacity
Each planer has a maximum capacity, which is the largest piece of wood that will fit in the planer. The capacity for the benchtop planers on this list is pretty much the same across the board. Generally, benchtop planers can handle boards up to 12.5 inches wide and 6 inches thick. There are some minor discrepancies between units, but not large enough to affect the size of lumber you can pass through them.
Snipe
As a board goes through the planer, the end that’s already passed through continues to get longer while the end that needs to be planed gets shorter. Eventually, you get a bit of a seesaw effect, with the long lumber pulling down and lifting the other end as it passes through the planer. The result is that the planer removes more material from the end of the board, causing it to no longer be straight and flush. This is referred to as snipe.
We’ve experienced snipe with most of the benchtop planers we tested. However, it does seem to hold true that the cheaper tools had more significant sniping issues. Many manufacturers have gone to lengths to reduce the sniping their machines experience. One way of doing this is with extended infeed and outfeed tables that offer more support as you push your piece through.
Another solution is a four-column carriage lock that keeps the machine from allowing the board to change angles. Either solution will help reduce snipe considerably. Our favorite benchtop planers included both.
Weight and Portability
One advantage of a benchtop planer over a traditional planer is its size, weight, and portability. Planers are large, heavy tools that are a giant pain to move. But benchtop planers are much smaller and more compact. They’re often as light as 65 pounds or even less, but they’re sometimes much heavier.
Many of these machines have handles on the sides, making them even easier to move. This will allow you to relocate the planer as needed so it’s not in the way. Likewise, the smaller footprint doesn’t take up as much space in your workshop, leaving you more room for the things that matter most.
Feed Rate
Feed rate refers to how quickly you can pass lumber through the planer, and it’s measured in feet per minute or FPM. On average, these benchtop planers offer a feed rate of 26 FPM. We have seen some capable of feed speeds over 30 FPM, though they don’t produce as many cuts per inch.
Finish
Speaking of cuts per inch, the finish is one place where these machines differ more than others. Higher cuts per inch counts mean a smoother finish that requires less sanding. Fewer cuts per inch produce a rougher finish and more sanding if you want that nice smooth wood face.
Some of our favorite planers have finishes as high as 96 cuts per inch. The boards coming through these planers are smooth and free of burrs. They need minimal sanding to feel like a brand-new piece of lumber fresh from the store.
Other machines offer much rougher finishes, like 52 cuts per inch. The face is still entirely usable, but if you want to use it for finished work, you’ll probably need to spend a lot of time sanding it down.
In Conclusion
A quick search for benchtop planers will reveal dozens to choose from. We tested as many as possible while writing these reviews, and after all was said and done, three models stood out to us as winners. For most users, we recommend the DeWalt DW734 Benchtop Planer. It has a three-knife cutter head that makes 96 cuts per inch at 10,000 RPM. The blades are reversible and disposable, and the snipe is significantly reduced with 33.5 inches of material support and a 4-column carriage lock.
Hobbyists looking for the best value might consider the WEN 6550T Benchtop Thickness Planer instead. It can handle a feed rate of 26 feet per minute, creating 18,000 cuts per minute. The non-marring granite worktables provide plenty of support and work with the tri-roller feed system to reduce sniping.
For professionals who expect a lot of their tools, we’d suggest checking out the Makita 2012NB Planer. It’s ultra-stable with four posts, diagonal cross supports, and oversized table extensions while still light and portable at 62 pounds. Plus, it’s one of the quietest planers we’ve used, with an operating volume of just 83 decibels.
More posts related to planers:
- Best Wood Planer Reviews (Benchtop, Thickness)
- Which planer should one choose on a budget?
- A review of the DeWalt DW735
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