Last updated on July 8th, 2021 at 12:20 am
Planing and dimensioning rough lumber in the workshop or on the jobsite can be quite challenging, but having a very sound portable thickness planer machine (also known as a wood thicknesser) in hand can make all the difference.
With it, you can turn rough, rugged, old and worn out wood to smooth ones ready to use for your projects. That’s why it is undoubtedly one of the most important woodworking machine tools you need in your workshop.
It’s also called a surface planer because you can use it to remove the rough or old surface of wood, exposing a smooth and new surface suitable for fine woodworking projects.
Our Top Picks
Generally, they come in the form of massive heavy duty floor machinery, which are quite expensive especially for the average hobbyist and DIYer.
Hence the need for portable ones commonly known as benchtop planers.
A benchtop planer works just like the bigger floor model thickness planers, only at a lower capacity. With a floor model, you can plane lumber as wide as 20 inches and above, whereas the highest or widest you can get today in terms of width capacity for benchtop planers is 13 inches.
Hence, the portability comes at a price which can be forgiven because having a heavy duty planing machine might prove to be too expensive and not ideal especially for a simple hobbyist or DIYer who uses it sparingly.
On the other hand, the portability means you don’t have to own a big workshop to get one. Your home garage is even big enough.
Also, it can be used on jobsites by contractors, because it’s portable and can be moved easily by one person, unlike big floor models which are meant to stay in the workshop.
There are many brands and manufacturers of thickness planers today, each with its own unique set of features. Thus, choosing one can easily turn out to be a heard scratcher if you don’t know what you’re doing.
That is why we’ve reviewed and picked out the 10 best portable thickness planers you can get your hands on today, and also provided a buyer’s guide to show you what you should look for when getting one for yourself.
If you’re not looking for a portable or benchtop model, you can check out this guide here for heavy duty floor models.
Table of Contents
Here Are The 10 Best Benchtop Thickness Planer Reviews Of 2021
1. Dewalt DW735X – Editor’s Pick
The DW735X has a 13 inch width capacity which is the widest you’re going to get with portable planers.
Features a maximum depth capacity of 6 inches
A 3 knife cutterhead produces very smooth surfaces on boards that go through the unit.
One of the only portable thickness planers that come equipped with a 2 speed gearbox which allows user to change the feed speed from 96 cuts per inch to 179 cuts per inch.
This allows users to optimize cuts per inch for both dimensioning and finishing of the lumber surface.
Features an automatic carriage lock that helps lock the cutterhead in place to prevent sniping at the ends of the boards.
A fan assisted dust ejection helps vacuum chips and sawdust off the cutter-head and out of the machine, to keep the cutterhead free from any hindrance that may bog down the machine. It comes equipped with in-feed and out-feed tables, an extra set of blades and a dust hose adapter.
Related: Which Dewalt Planer Is The Best – DW735X vs DW735 vs DW734
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Related: Should You Get A Jointer Planer Combo Machine?
2. Wen 6552T Portable Thickness Planer – Budget Pick
The WEN 6552T also has a 13 inch with capacity and a 6 inch depth capacity so you can plane wider boards with it.
To minimize snipe, it comes equipped with a 3 roller lumber feeding system that ensures the board is always in contact with a roller as it feeds out of the machine, instead of the end getting sucked into the cutterhead blades.
It comes equipped with adjustable infeed and outfeed tables, so you can feed boards smoothly into the machine and also minimize snipe.
The WEN 6552T also features a fan assisted dust ejection system that helps vacuum chips and sawdust off the machine during operation to minimize cleanup.
Features a height or depth adjustment lever and a clear and readable depth scale for easy depth adjustments. The cutterhead can be raised and lowered with increments of 1/64th of an inch to maximize precision of the cuts.
Related: Jointer Or Planer – Which Tool Should You Get First?
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Related: Reviews Of The Best Benchtop Jointers
3. Jet JWP-13BT Helical Cutterhead Thickness Planer
Of all the benchtop thickness planers listed here, the Jet JWP-13BT is the only one that comes factory fitted with a helical style cutterhead.
It comes equipped with 15 amp 2 horsepower motor that spins the helical cutterhead at a speed of 10,000 RPM.
The helical cutter head consist of 6 rows of 24 quick-change carbide inserts which are very easy to replace compared to straight knife cutter head knives.
It has a width capacity of 13 inches, a depth capacity of 6 inches and a maximum cut depth of 1/8 inches.
The Jet JwP-13BT features precision machined cast iron bed, adjustable infeed and outfeed tables for workpiece support and snipe prevention.
It features an adjustable depth stop for repetitive cuts and to prevent mistakes. Infeed speed can be changed from 18 feet per minute to 16 feet per minute to maximize cut quality.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
4. Dewalt DW734 Benchtop Thickness Planer
It features a 3 knife cutter head just like the Dewalt DW735X.
The 3 knifes are double edged knives, which means you can reverse them after one edge gets dull or blunt.
It comes equipped with a powerful 15 amp motor which produces a maximum speed of 20,000 RPM, so the user can work on any stock whether it’s hardwood like oak or softwood like pine wood.
The motor spins the cutter head at a speed of 10,000 rpm, producing 96 cuts per inch to ensure the finest finish on the stock.
Features a depth adjustment knob at the top for easy depth control.
It has a turret depth stop feature so the user can make repeat cuts and avoid mistakes.
Large infeed and outfeed tables provide enough space to support the stock and reduce sniping at the ends of the boards.
It features a material removal gauge and an easy to read thickness scale so the user can know the amount of material to be removed on every pass through the machine.
A large and easily accessible paddle switch ensures you can easily turn off the machine whenever you need to.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
5. Wen 6550T Portable Thickness Planer
Bring old, rough and worn-out lumber back to life with this WEN 6550T thickness planer.
With the 6550T, you get a maximum width capacity of 12-1/2 inches and a depth capacity of 6 inches.
It comes equipped with a 15 amp rated motor and a cutterhead that produces up to 17,000 cuts per minute on the stock to ensure a flawless surface finish.
You can feed boards into the machine at a feed rate of 26 feet per minute with a maximum cutting depth of 3/32 inches.
It comes equipped with large infeed and outfeed tables, and a heavy duty granite table provides a non-marring surface for the stock to slide through.
Depth gauge is easy to read and depth adjustments are easy to make with the depth adjustment handle located at the top of the machine.
Features a 2 inch dust port to which you can connect a shop vac for sawdust and chips removal.
It weighs just over 70 lbs. but if you want extra stability, you can always bolt it to your workbench with the mounting holes located in the base.
The infeed and outfeed tables are foldable and there’re side-mounted handles for easy transportation.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Related: Grizzly Thickness Planer Reviews – Everything You Need To Know
6. Makita 2012NB
The Makita 2012NB comes equipped with a 2 knife cutterhead with a no-load speed of 8500 RPM that produces very smooth cuts on any stock.
Cutter head blades are double edged, thus can be reversed when one edge gets dull.
It has a width capacity of 12 inches and a depth capacity of 6 -3/32 inches.
Features a fully adjustable depth stop to eliminate mistakes and for repeat cuts.
Cutting depth is fully adjustable with a maximum cutting depth of 1/8 inches.
It comes equipped with large infeed and outfeed tables to fully support the stock being planed and to prevent sniping.
Features Makita’s interna-lok automated head clamp that locks the cutterhead in place to limit the movement that causes snipe and improve the performance of the machine.
Design the Makita 2012NB is compact and lightweight for easy transport to the jobsite. The lighter weight is usually not a problem because it can be bolted to a workbench to prevent movement and vibration during use.
A powerful 15 amp motor keeps the cutter head running.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Related: The 10 Best Electric Hand Planers Of 2020
7. Porter Cable PC305TP Thickness Planer
With this Porter Cable PC305TP, you get a portable thickness planer powered with a 15 amp motor for maximum stock removal.
The motor spins the cutter head at a rate of 8000 rpm, and this amounts to 16,000 cuts per minute produced at the cutter head.
It features a 2 knife cutterhead, with knives made of high carbon steel for durability. The knives are also reversible for a longer cutting life.
Features infeed and outfeed tables for good material support.
It has a 12-1/2 inch width capacity and a 6 inch depth capacity.
Features a poly-V belt cutter head drive, a rugged gearbox and a sprocket feed roller which ensures maximum transfer of power from the motor to the cutterhead.
It weighs 64.8 lbs which is quite heavy but can be carried by one person.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
8. Delta Power Tools 22-555
The 22-555 is not the most recent model of the Delta Power Tools thickness planer but it’s certainly the most popular and it seems to be the better model.
Its 4 column design provides rock-solid support and stability during use.
It features a precision machined 2 knife cutterhead for increased accuracy.
The knives are dual-edged, which means you can reverse them after some time for a longer knife life.
It features a quick change knife system which does not involve the use of knife alignment jigs which are quite difficult to use.
The Delta Power Tools 22-555 benchtop planer features adjustable infeed and outfeed tables for extra material support and to prevent sniping at the ends of the boards.
It comes equipped with a 15 amp motor so the user can plane both hard and softwood with it.
The cutterhead delivers up to 18,800 cuts per inch at a feed rate of 28 feet per minute, producing the smoothest of cuts even on very hard lumber pieces.
It has a width capacity of 13 inches, a 6 inch depth capacity and a maximum cut depth of 3/32 inches.
A reversible dust port makes dust collection a breeze as you can connect your shop vac to either sides of the planer machine.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Related: 10 Best Biscuit Joiners Of 2020 [ Reviews And Guide ]
9. Powertec PL1252 Benchtop Planer
You get one of the smoothest finishes on the lumber you plane with this Powertec PL1252 because the cutterhead produces as much as 18,800 cuts per minute on the stock.
It’s a 2 blade cutterhead rotating at a speed of 9,400 RPM.
The machine has a 12-1/2 inch width capacity and a 6 inch depth capacity.
A heavy duty anti-wobble base ensures the thickness planer remains rigid during operation, and also provides a non-marring surface for passage of stock through the machine.
Infeed and outfeed tables provides apple material support for the stock.
The cutter head comes equipped with index pins and a spindle lock for safe and easy blade replacement.
Just like the competition, the Powertec PL1252 features an easy to use depth adjustment knob at the top and an easy to read thickness scale for easy depth adjustment during use.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Related: 40 Modern Tools Every Woodworker Should Have In His Workshop
10. Craftsman CMEW320
This Craftsman CMEW320 benchtop planer comes equipped with 15 amp motor for maximum power and speed production.
The motor spins the cutter head at 8,000 revolutions per minute and makes 16,000 cuts per minute on the stock, ensuring a very smooth surface is produced.
Features a 2 knife quick change solid steel cutter head. The cutter head is mounted on ball bearings for a very smooth operation.
Knifes are made of high carbon still and they’re double edged, which means you can reverse them after some time.
Includes an easy to read depth gauge and a big paddle switch for easy operation.
It comes equipped with large infeed and outfeed tables for good material support.
Features a depth adjustment knob right at the top for making precise depth settings.
A vacuum port at the back provides easy access to connect a shop vac to get rid of chips and sawdust produced during operation.
It features a Poly-V cutter head drive for maximum transmission of power from the motor to the cutter head.
What we like about it
Where it can be improved
Features To Consider When Choosing A Benchtop Thickness Planer
The process of choosing a portable thickness planer for your project can be quite complicated, but with the right guidance, you can surely have the right one sitting in your workshop in no time.
Here are important features you should consider before making your choice.
Width Capacity
The width capacity of a thickness planer is the maximum size of boards in width it accommodate. A thickness planer with a width capacity of 13 inches can plane boards not more than 13 inches in width, and that with a width capacity of 12-1/2 inches can plane boards not more than 12-1/2 inches in width.
When choosing a thickness planer, the higher the width capacity the better it is for you, because you can plane wider boards with it without trying to downsize the boards.
Here are the width capacities of the 10 reviewed in this article.
| Planer | Width Capacity |
|---|---|
| Dewalt DW735X | 13 Inches |
| Wen 6552T | 13 inches |
| Dewalt DW734 | 12-1/3 Inches |
| Wen 6550T | 12. 5 Inches |
| Makita 2012NB | 12 inches |
| Porter Cable PC305TP | 12 Inches |
| Delta Power Tools 22-555 | 13 Inches |
| Grizzly G0505 | 12-1/2 Inches |
| Powertec PL1251 | 12-1/2 Inches |
| Craftsman CMEW320 | 12 Inches |
Type of Cutter Head
If you ask me to go buy a new thickness planer machine today, one of the first things I’ll check before making my choice is the type of cutter heads in the ones available.
That’s because the quality of the planer you choose is largely determined by the type of cutter head it comes with. The cutter head in it affects a few things about the planer that are very important.
It affects the smoothness or surface finished of the boards that goes through the planer.
It affects the noise level of the planer machine.
It determines how much you’re going to spend if you accidentally plane a nail-embedded wood with the machine.
Now, talking about the type of cutter head it comes with, there’re two main types of cutter head.
Which are:
Straight knife cutter head and
Helical or Spiral cutter head
The straight knife cutterhead is the main type of cutter head or the traditional cutterhead that comes with most planers, especially the benchtop models.
They feature 2 to 4 straight knifes slightly longer than the length of the planer’s width capacity, equally spaced around the cutterhead and running parallel with its axis.
Straight knife cutter heads are usually made with high speed steel, and thus they’re cheaper compared to helical cutter heads which are made with carbide steel.
They easily get blunt because they’re not as hard as carbide, but it’s cheaper to replace them, or you can just sharpen or reverse the direction of the knives if they’re reversible double edged knives.
Helical cutter heads on the other hand does not feature long straight knives that runs the length of the cutterhead. Instead, they feature multiple rows of small square-shaped cutters called inserts that are configured in a helical orientation around the cutter head.
Although some woodworkers prefer the straight knife cutter head over the helical type, it has a few a few noteworthy advantages over the straight knife cutter head.
One of the main advantages is the ease of replacing the carbide inserts of the helical cutter head compared to that of replacing the knives of the straight knife cutter head.
When you mistakenly run a nail embedded wood through your planer, just 1 or 2 carbide inserts might get damaged if it’s a helical cutter head, and they’re very easy to replace.
In fact, you don’t have to replace the carbide inserts the first time they get nicked, you just have to loosen the nicked inserts and rotate them 90 degrees to reveal a new sharp edge, and you’re as good as new.
Each insert can be rotated 4 times before it’s finally replaced because all four edges can be used for planing.
On the other hand, replacing the straight knives of a straight knife cutter head can be a huge pain in the behind. First you have loosen and remove the damaged knife from the cutterhead, then you have to replace and align the new knife with the rest of the knives and this can sometimes take a whole day to replace.
Because the inserts of the helical cutterhead are made of carbide, they also last far longer than the straight knives of a straight knife cutter head.
Another important advantage of having a thickness planer with a helical cutter is that it reduces the noise produced by the planer.
Byrd produces a helical cutter head they call the Shelix. On the shelix, the carbide inserts on the cutter head are inclined at an angle to the feed direction so that the cutter head produces a shearing action as they slice through the wood, instead of a straight 90 degree cut on the wood which scoops the wood and produces a louder sound.
Helical cutter heads reduces the sound produce by attacking the wood at an angle instead of the straight 90 degree contact or cuts of straight knife cutter heads.
Dust collection is also better when the cutter head is a helical one. The small cutters of the helical cutter head produce little wood chips which can be easily sucked up by your dust collector.
On the other hand, a straight knife cutter head produce long chips which can tangle and block the dust port of the machine, preventing the dust collector from being able to suck it up.
Cut quality and lower cost of maintenance are two more advantages of a helical cutterhead over a straight knife cutterhead.
On the downside, machines that come equipped with helical cutter heads have more initial costs than ones with straight knife cutter heads.
Motor
The benchtop thickness planer you choose should have a good quality motor spinning the cutterhead and working the infield and outfield rollers.
Having a good quality and powerful motor will ensure you can plane any type of wood with it, whether it’s hardwood like oak or softwood like pine.
Most benchtop planers come with 15 amps motors turning the cutterhead at a minimum speed of 8000 rpm.
The faster the RPM the smoother the surface of the wood will be. That’s because a faster cutter head means there’re more cuts taking place per inch of the wood as it goes through the machine.
Feeding your wood stock into a less powerful planer also takes longer due to slower feed rates, and will take more time than necessary.
Related: Everything You Must Know Before Getting A Grizzly Jointer
Part Replacement
A benchtop planer is like any other machine. It will not stay the same forever. Some parts will need replacement after some time. So, you need to make sure the one you choose have parts that can easily be found in your local dealer’s shop or ordered online.
Talking about part replacement, it’s also good to check the warranty. Ensure you can return it if it falls apart before you start using it.
Material Design
Planing (milling) lumber is not child’s play. It involves movement of different powerful machine parts and cutting of lumber in these parts, which results in vibration. You have to choose a machine that is sturdy and rigid enough to withstand vibrations as you mill rough stocks with it.
So check that it has a firm and heavy cast iron base as found in the ones reviewed in this article like the Dewalt 735X, the WEN 6552T, Makita 2012NB and the rest, to help keep the planer stable and prevent wobbling during operation.
Ease Of Making Depth Adjustment
Depth adjustment should be a breeze in any benchtop planer you choose. There should be precise gauges and visible linear scales, and clear directions on how you can use and adjust them, in order to plane or trim your board to the particular dimension you want.
Snipe Handling
Snipe is one nasty defect that occurs when feeding boards in and out of a planer, as a result of the weight of the board pulling downwards at the free ends, thereby pushing the opposite end into the cutterhead, which creates a dip at the ends of the board.
Sadly, snipe is something that cannot really be totally eliminated without supporting the work piece. However, it can be reduced to a great extent with the right type of benchtop planer. So, you have to ask yourself how does the planer, you’re about to buy deal with snipe?
The Dewalt DW734 features a black bar at the top of the planer, which when pulled down engages an automatic carriage lock which locks down the cutterhead and roller assembly, thereby limiting any upward or downward movement that may cause sniping.
While the Dewalt DW735X’s means of mitigating snipe is automatic. You don’t need to pull down anything to lock down the cutterhead and roller assembly. It locks down by itself as soon as you finish adjusting the depth. This drastically reduces snipe and makes the planing process easier and more enjoyable.
The Makita 2012NB features an interna-lok head clamp which also helps to lock the cutterhead and roller assembly in place to eliminate snipe.
In summary, check out and make sure that the planer machine you choose have a few features that helps it handle snipe properly. However, to effectively reduce snipe totally, you also have to try to support your wood stock or lumber with your hand while feeding it into the planer, and also support it, while it’s feeding out on the other side.
Also ensure that any planer you choose, comes with infeed and outfeed tables, because they go a long way to support the wood, thereby reducing snipe.
Dust Collection
Many woodworking tools create a lot of dust and a benchtop wood planer is a very good example of a tool that really create lots of dust and wood chips. Without a proper way to direct, funnel and collect the dust created, it can turn your whole workshop into a huge mess.
That is why you have to ensure the one you choose has a good dust/chip collection port to expel the dust produced out of the planer in a controlled manner.
Some thickness planers like the Dewalt DW735X and the WEN 6552T come with a fan assisted dust collection port that helps to blow out chips and dust out of the machine. You can easily attach your dust collector or any hose to the dust collection port, and the planer will blow all the chips produced into it without even switching on your dust collector or shop vac.
Performance
How hard and how well can the planer you’re about to choose work continuously? What is the surface of the finished board like? Is it smooth or still needs a lot of work with a sander?
The one you should choose should be able to produce a really smooth surface on any type of wood, so that the resulting stock will require very little sanding if necessary.
Price
Price is another factor that may affect your decision. However, you must note that, like they say, “You can actually save money by spending money to get a better tool.” A better tool may cost you more, but it will afford, you more comfort, performance and durability which a cheaper tool most likely can’t.
Conclusion
In summary, like every other product you’ve purchased, it all depends on what you prefer. Your choice cannot be made for you.
However, I do hope that you consider the factors I mentioned above when choosing your planer.
Like I said, no planer will be 100 percent in every angle. There’ll always be some features it has and others it lacks.
It all comes down to what you’re willing to sacrifice for another. We hope you’re able to choose a machine that makes your job as a woodworker, diyer or hobbyist as easy and efficient as possible.
