If you’re trying to get the best benchtop thickness planer for your woodworking projects, you’ve come to the right place. Because like you, we wanted to find the best ones ourselves. So, we took on the difficult task of testing as many as we could get our hands on. So far, we’ve tested more than a dozen, and we’re happy to tell you that we found the best ones out there, and we’ve listed them here to make your search a whole lot easier.
A good thickness planer machine is one of the most important piece of machinery every woodworker should have in their workshop, because with it, you can mill and dimension your own boards all by yourself. You need it to shave off thickness from rough lumber pieces to reduce the thickness, making both sides flat, smooth and parallel before using them for your projects.
Most thickness planers come in the form of heavy-duty industrial machinery which are quite expensive, takes up a lot of space in the workshop, and are quite difficult to move around.
Benchtop thickness planers on the other hand are portable. They’re smaller box-like versions of the heavier industrial planers. They’re much more affordable, take up very little space and are very easy to move around if you need to.
Here in this article, we’ve reviewed more than a dozen of these machines and we’ve listed the 8 best units to go for.
We’ve also included a guide below that explains the features and specifications you should look for when choosing a portable thickness planer machine like these ones.
Our Top Picks
- BEST OVERALL: Dewalt DW735X
- RUNNER UP: Wen PL1337
- BEST CUTTERHEAD: Jet JWP-13BT
- BEST BUDGET-OPTION: Craftsman CMEW320
- HIGHEST BUILD QUALITY: Shop Fox W1877
First of all, here’s a comparison table that summarizes everything.
Comparison Table
| Thickness Planers | Cutterhead Type | Width Capacity | RPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dewalt DW735X | Straight Knife Cutterhead | 13 Inches | 10,000 RPM |
| WEN PL1337 | Spiral Cutterhead | 13 inch | 10,000 |
| Jet JWP-13BT | Spiral Cutterhead | 13 inches | 10,000 RPM |
| Makita 2012NB | Straight Knife | 12 Inches | 8500 RPM |
| Shop Fox W1877 | Spiral Cutterhead | 13 inches | 10,000 RPM |
| Dewalt DW734 | Straight Knife | 12-1/2 Inches | 10,000 RPM |
| Cutech 40700H | Spiral Cutterhead | 12-1/2 Inches | 10,000 RPM |
| Craftsman CMEW320 | Straight Knife | 12 inches | 8000 RPM |
The Best Benchtop Thickness Planers
The following 8 planers are the only ones that meet the strict criterial we set when it comes to finish quality, how easy they are to adjust, cutterhead quality, build quality, and ease of setup.
Dewalt DW735X Benchtop Thickness Planer Review- Best Overall Pick
Price: Check Amazon
The Dewalt DW735X is by far one of the best portable thickness planers we tested. Here are the specs below:
- 13 inch width capacity
- 19-3/4 inch cast aluminum base
- A 2-speed gearbox. 96 cuts per inch (CPI) for large material removal and 179 CPI for surface finishing.
- Straight knife cutterhead
- Powerful 15-amp motor, running at a speed of 20,000 rpm and spinning the cutterhead at 10,000 rpm.
- A fan-assisted dust ejection port.
The only upgrade I’d like to see on the DW735X is a spiral/helical cutterhead instead of the standard straight knife cutterhead.
Related: Which Dewalt Planer Is The Best – DW735X vs DW735 vs DW734
Pros
- Wide width capacity supports large boards
- The 2-speed gearbox makes it very versatile.
- Fan-assisted dust ejection makes it easy to collect the sawdust even without a vacuum connected to it.
- Sturdy build and design
Cons
- Awkwardly located dust ejection port.
Related: Jointer or Planer – Which Tool Should You Get First
Wen PL1337 Benchtop Thickness Planer – Runner Up
Price: Check Amazon
The one thing I really love about the WEN PL1337 is that it’s quite inexpensive considering some of the features it has are only found in premium models that are more expensive. Features like the spiral cutterhead which the Dewalt DW735X doesn’t even have. Here are its specs below:
- Spiral cutterhead
- 13 inch width capacity
- 15 amp motor
- Combination 2-1/2 inch and 4 inch dust ejection port.
Pros
- The spiral cutterhead in it produces smoother finishes on boards and it’s less noisy.
- Wide 13 inch width capacity supports large boards.
- Almost no assembly required. Setup is very easy.
- It’s budget-friendly.
- Quality build and design from a reputable brand
Cons
- Dust collection isn’t that great. Even with a shop vac attached, some sawdust still escape.
Related: The Best Jointer Planer Combo Machines for Planing Rough Lumber
Shop Fox W1877 Benchtop Thickness Planer
Price: Check Amazon
The first thing you’ll notice about this Shop Fox W1877 is that it’s pretty expensive compared to the other portable thickness planers reviewed in this article. But it makes up for the price with a superb build quality. Here are the specs
- 2 HP 15 amps motor
- 13 inch width capacity
- 10,000 RPM cutterhead speed
- Spiral cutterhead
- 6 inch max board thickness
Pros
- Well-built to last. Heavy and sturdy.
- It comes equipped with a high quality spiral cutterhead.
- Comes with a powerful 2 HP motor. So, power is not an issue.
- It has larger width capacity compared with the competition.
Cons
- It’s quite expensive.
Related: 7 Best Wood Jointers for Woodworking Projects
Dewalt DW734 Benchtop Thickness Planer
Price: Check Amazon
The Dewalt DW734 is one of the most portable and capable benchtop thickness planers you can use on the jobsite. There are very few other benchtop units I’d recommend for jobsite use. The surface finish is very good, and the machine can withstand tough jobsite conditions. Here are the specs for it:
- 3 knife cutterhead
- 15 amp motor producing a max speed of 20,000 RPM.
- Cutterhead spins at 10,000 RPM, single speed.
- Large infeed and outfeed tables
- 12-1/2 inch width capacity
Pros
- 3 blade cutterhead produces really smooth finishes
- Cutter head lock reduces snipe-causing movement
- Large visible scale and adjustment guide
- Sturdy build and design
- Easy setup
Cons
- A bit noisy
Related: The 10 Best Electric Hand Planers
Makita 2012NB Benchtop Thickness Planer
Price: Check Amazon
The Makita 2012NB has been around for quite a long time, but yet, it remains one of the most reliable benchtop thickness planers we recommend. The build quality is very good, the motor is very powerful, allowing you to plane both hard and soft woods, and it produces a very smooth finish on any wood you plane with it. If you’re really looking for the best portable thickness planers, the Makita 2012NB is surely one of the best options you want to consider.
- 12 inch width capacity, 6-3/32 maximum material thickness
- 1/8 inch max cut depth.
- 15 amp motor
- Straight knife cutterhead
Pros
- Internal-lok cutter head clamp prevents sniping
- The adjustable depth stop makes it easy to plane several boards to the same thickness without making several adjustments.
- It leaves a very smooth finish on the wood
- Tri-roller system minimizes snipe
- Plane both hardwood and softwood with ease
- Blades are reversible
Cons
- Noisy during operation. Use ear protection.
Related: 42 Modern Tools for Woodworking and Carpentry Projects
JET JWP-13BT
Price: Check Amazon
The JET JWP-13BT is one of the most high-end portable thickness planers in this list. Compare to the rest, it’s really pricey. But the build quality totally justifies the price. Here are the spec:
- 13 inch width capacity
- 2 HP 15 amp motor
- Cutterhead spins at 10,000 RPM
- 6 inch depth capacity
- Weighs 75 lbs
Pros
- Very good build quality
- Premium spiral cutterhead
- Quiet operation
- Wide width capacity to accommodate wider boards
Cons
- It’s a bit pricey compared with similar units
Cutech 40700H
Price: Check Price
Even though the Cutech 40700H comes equipped with a spiral cutterhead, it’s not as pricey as some of the other units with the same cutterhead, like the Jet JWP-13BT and the Shop Fox already listed above. Here are its specs:
- 12-1/2 inch width capacity
- Spiral cutterhead made of 2-sided inserts
- 15 amp motor
- 6 inch max cut depth
Pros
- It’s budget friendly for a planer with a spiral cutterhead.
- Quieter than the competition
- Top roller to return boards
- Very little assembly needed.
Cons
- The dust hood could use some improvement. It has a few gaps that leaks sawdust.
Craftsman CMEW320 Benchtop Thickness Planer – Budget Pick
Price: Check Amazon
Talking about benchtop thickness planers, our budget pick is the Craftsman CME320. If you don’t want to spend a lot on one of these machines, this is the one to go for. Here are the specs:
- Cutterhead spins at 8000 RPM, 16,000 cuts per minute.
- It’s a 2-knife cutterhead
- 15 amp motor powers it.
- 12.5 inch width capacity
- Weighs 62.9 lbs.
Pros
- Cutterhead blade is very easy to replace
- Very smooth finish quality
- Dust port can be positioned either way of the machine for convenience
- Budget-friendly
- Setup is easy
Cons
- It produces some snipe. Athough, proper board support eliminates it.
What To Consider When Choosing A Benchtop Thickness Planer
Here are some of the most important factors you must consider when choosing a benchtop thickness planer machine.
Width Capacity – How Wide are The Boards You Want To Plane?
Width capacity refers to the maximum size or wideness of boards the machine can accommodate. Most portable benchtop planers have a width capacity that range between 12 and 13 inches.
Of course, when making your choice, the higher the width capacity is, the wider the size of boards you can plane with it.
Type of Cutterhead – Straight Knife vs Spiral Cutterhead
The cutterhead of a thickness planer is part of the machine that cuts through the wood and shaves off part of its thickness. It consists of a set of sharp knives or inserts attached to a cylindrical steel core that rotates really fast to shave off thickness from the wood as it’s fed through the machine.
It’s arguably the most important part of any type of thickness planer, because it determines how easy the board feeds through the planer, how smooth the surface finish is, and how noisy the machine is.
There are two main types of cutterheads available in these machines. They are:
- Straight knife cutterhead and
- Helical or Spiral cutter head
The straight knife cutterheads are more common because they’re cheaper. A straight knife cutterhead usually consists of 2 to 4 straight knives arranged around the cutterhead.
Most of the time they’re reversible. So, if one side get blunt, you can reverse the knife to the other side to reveal a new sharp edge.
One main disadvantage they have however is that they produce noticeable chip marks on the wood surface.
Helical or spiral cutter heads, on the other hand, do not feature long straight knives that run the entire length of the cutter head. Instead, they feature multiple rows of small square-shaped cutters called inserts configured in a helical or spiral orientation as shown below.
One of the main advantages of using this type of cutterhead is the ease of replacing the carbide inserts on the helical cutterhead if they get nicked or damaged.
In fact, you don’t have to replace the carbide inserts the first time they get nicked; you only have to loosen the bad insert and rotate it 90 degrees to reveal a new sharp edge, and it’s as good as new.
Each insert can be rotated between 1-3 times before it’s finally replaced because some have 2 sharp edges while some have all four edges sharpened.
On the other hand, replacing the knives of a straight knife cutterhead is a bit more difficult and time-consuming. You can’t simply rotate the blade. First, you have to loosen and remove the damaged knife, then you have to replace and re-align the new blade with the rest of the blades in the cutterhead.
Another important advantage of helical cutters is that they’re less noisy compared to their their straight knife counterparts.
Byrd Tools produce a helical cutterhead called the Shelix. It’s one of the best helical cutterheads you can install on any thickness planer. The inserts on it are inclined at an angle to the feed direction so that it produces a shearing action instead of a scooping action as they cut through the wood, which results in a much lower noise production.
Straight knives on the other hand cuts through the wood directly at 90 degrees, which scoops the wood and produces a louder sound.
Dust collection is also better with a helical style unit. The small cutters produce little wood chips which your dust collector can easily pickup without clogging the hose or your ductwork.
Straight knife cutterheads on the other hand, produces longer chips which are more difficult to extract from the machine.
The downside for helical or spiral cutterheads however is that they have a higher initial cost. They’re more expensive to buy at first.
Motor and Cutterhead Speed – Single vs Dual Speed
Certain portable thickness planers like the Dewalt DW735X come with a 2-speed gearbox that allows you to feed boards through the machine at 2 different speeds.
A slower speed that shaves a lot of thickness and material from the board, and a faster speed for simply smoothening the surface.
Having the option to use the machine at these 2 different speeds makes it a lot more versatile and easy to use.
The type of motor in it is also very important. Most benchtop planers come equipped with 15 amp motors turning the cutterhead at speeds ranging from 8000 rpm to 10000 rpm.
The faster the RPM, the smoother the finish it can produce. If it’s too fast however, you can’t remove a lot of material at once.
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 has parts that can easily be found in your local hardware store or ordered online.
Talking about part replacement, it’s also good to check the warranty status. Ensure you can return it if it falls apart too soon.
Ease Of Making Depth Adjustment
Depth adjustment should be a breeze on any benchtop thickness planer you choose. There should be precise gauges, visible linear scales, and clear directions on how to use and adjust them, so you can plane or thickness your board to the exact dimension you want.
Snipe Handling
Snipe is one nasty wood 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.
It cannot be eliminated totally without adequate support, but many portable thickness planers have built-in mechanisms that minimize it.
For instance, the Dewalt DW734 features a black bar at the top, which, when pulled down, engages an automatic carriage lock that locks down the cutterhead and roller assembly, thereby limiting any upward or downward movement that may cause sniping.
The Dewalt DW735X locks down the cutterhead and roller assembly automatically as soon as you finish adjusting the depth. This drastically reduces snipe and makes the planing process easier and more accurate.
The Makita 2012NB features an interna-lok head clamp which also help lock the cutterhead and roller assembly in place to reduce snipe.
In summary, check out and make sure that the unit you choose has a way of handling snipe correctly.
But even with all of that, to really minimize snipe, you need to provide additional manual support as you feed the boards in and out of the planer machine.
Dust Collection
Many woodworking tools create a lot of sawdust, and a benchtop thickness planer is an excellent example of one of these machines. So you need to ensure the unit you choose have a compatible dust collection port you can hook to your shop vac to collect the dust properly.
