A benchtop thickness planer is the machine that turns rough-sawn lumber into glue-ready panels of identical thickness. Pick the wrong one and you will fight snipe, dull knives and a 100-pound machine that never moves from the corner of the garage.
We spent weeks comparing eight of the most popular benchtop planers on the market right now, reading through thousands of owner reviews, checking cutterhead types, feed speeds, board capacity and weight, then sorting them by what actually matters in a one-car home shop. This guide covers the best benchtop planers for home shops in 2026, from a budget two-knife starter machine to a helical-head workhorse with a 2 HP motor.
It is worth being honest up front: a planer is not a beginner’s first purchase. If your main problem is flattening one warped board or fitting a door, a hand plane or a jointer solves it with a far smaller outlay. A planer earns its place when you already own a jointer and a table saw, you buy rough lumber regularly, and you have a corner of the shop where a heavy machine can live permanently. If that is your situation, the DEWALT DW735X we name as our top pick below is where most people should start.
Everything here is a benchtop planer. No handheld electric planers, no hand planes, no floor models. We also keep an eye on the rest of your shop: our guides to plasma cutters, CO2 laser engravers, sheet metal brakes and AC DC TIG welders cover the neighbouring corners of a mixed home shop.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Best Benchtop Planers for Home Shops in 2026
DEWALT DW735X 13 inch
- Three-knife head with two feed speeds
- 15 amp 20000 RPM motor
- Automatic carriage lock
- 102 pounds and 13 inch width
WEN PL1326 13 inch
- 26 rotatable spiral HSS blades
- Cast iron base and folding tables
- 15 amp motor at 10
- 000 RPM
DEWALT DW734 12-1/2 inch
- 96 cuts per inch three-knife head
- Four-column carriage lock
- 33-1/2 in. of table support
All 8 Benchtop Planers at a Glance (October 2026)
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| DEWALT DW735X 13 inch Three-Knife Two-Speed |
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| DEWALT DW734 12-1/2 inch Three-Knife |
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 CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 12.25 inch Two-Knife |
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 Makita 2012NB 12 inch Portable Planer |
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| WEN PL1326 13 inch Spiral |
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 VEVOR 13 inch Three-Blade Two-Speed |
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 RIKON 25-135H 13 inch Helical-Style |
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 JET JWP-13BT 13 inch Helical-Style |
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Check Latest Price |
1. DEWALT DW735X: the best benchtop planer for most home shops
DEWALT Thickness Planer, 13-inch Wood Planer, Three Knife Two Speed, 15 Amp, 20,000 RPM Motor (DW735X)
15 amp 20,000 RPM motor
Three-knife head at 96 or 179 cuts per inch
13 inch width and 102 pounds
Pros
- Clean finish on rough hardwood in a single pass
- Two feed speeds let you match cuts per inch to the material
- Fan-assisted chip ejection works with a shop vac or cyclone
- Includes infeed and outfeed tables plus an extra knife set
- Large accessory ecosystem for helical heads and depth gauges
Cons
- 102 pounds so it needs a dedicated stand
- Supplied blades dull quickly and spares add up over time
- Extremely loud under load
- Can spike current enough to trip a 15 amp circuit
This is the default recommendation for a reason. The DW735X pairs a 15 amp, 20,000 RPM motor with a three-knife cutterhead that spins at 10,000 RPM for the coarser of its two settings. That combination chews through rough hardwood without the motor bogging down, which is the single most common complaint about cheaper machines in this class.
The two-speed gearbox is the feature most often missed when people compare it against the DW734. You get 96 or 179 cuts per inch, so you can rough a thick board down quickly and then drop into a slower, finer pass for the last cut. Owners on r/woodworking describe it as the safe first benchtop planer, and the pattern of complaints there is consistent: the finish is excellent, the weight is real, and the disposable knives dull sooner than anyone would like.
Set-up is the part that surprises people most. The infeed and outfeed tables and the depth crank attach with minimal tools, and the base is a 19-3/4 inch cast aluminum casting that reviewers describe as twice as rigid as a standard 10 inch base. The automatic carriage lock engages on its own to reduce snipe, so you do not have to remember a lever every pass.
The extras are genuinely useful rather than filler. You get a material removal gauge, an extra large thickness scale, an extra large turret depth stop for returning to repeated thicknesses, and a second set of knives in the box. Because the straight-knife head is a common upgrade path, the DW735X also has one of the larger accessory ecosystems of any planer here.
Who the DW735X suits
It suits the woodworker who buys rough boards by the bundle and wants them dimensioned in one session. Two feed speeds, a 13 inch width and a 20,000 RPM motor cover the range from construction lumber to hardwood without changing machines.
It also suits anyone who will bolt it to a stand and leave it there. Once the machine is stationary, the 102-pound weight stops being a complaint and becomes stability at full depth of cut.
Who should skip the DW735X
Skip it if noise is a factor. Owners consistently describe it as loud, comparable to a table saw or miter saw, and louder than the spiral-head machines in this roundup. In a shared garage or a shop attached to living space, that is a real quality-of-life issue.
Also consider a helical head alternative. A straight-knife cutterhead nicks on knots and figured grain, and many builders eventually replace the head. r/woodworking owners who did that upgrade describe it as a night-and-day difference, which is worth factoring into your decision if you work curly maple or walnut.
2. DEWALT DW734: the same finish in a smaller footprint
DEWALT Benchtop Planer, 15-Amp, 12-1/2-Inch, 3-Knife Cutter, 20,000 RPM, Corded (DW734)
15 amp 20,000 RPM motor
96 cuts per inch three-knife head
12-1/2 inch width and 80 pounds
Pros
- 96 cuts per inch delivers a fine finish in a portable machine
- Four-column carriage lock reduces snipe
- Long infeed and outfeed tables give 33-1/2 in. of support
- Reversible knives flip quickly when dull
- Compact 12-1/2 inch footprint suits smaller shops
Cons
- Disposable blades dull quickly in hardwood
- Narrower than the 13 inch machines here
- Heavy enough to need a dedicated stand
- Loud under load
The DW734 is the shorter, narrower sibling of the DW735X and, for many home shops, the better fit. It shares the 15 amp, 20,000 RPM motor and the disposable reversible three-knife cutterhead, but it runs at a single setting of 96 cuts per inch. That is a high number for a portable planer, and it shows up in the finish.
Buyers rate it as a long-standing value pick. The recurring praise in reviews is for the smooth 96-CPI surface, the four-column carriage lock that cuts down on snipe, and the long feed tables. At 33-1/2 inches of total infeed and outfeed support, wide boards stay flat through the pass instead of tipping.
Where it differs most is footprint and width. At 12-1/2 inches of planing capacity, a 12-1/2 inch rough board is right at the limit, and anything wider has to be split first. The 23.38 by 16.52 by 20.48 inch envelope is easier to accommodate in a one-car garage than the DW735X.
You also get the material removal gauge, the extra large thickness scale and the turret depth stop, so nothing about the depth-setting experience feels like a step down. The one thing you give up is the second feed speed, which you only notice once you are dimensioning thick rough boards.
Who the DW734 suits
It suits hobbyist woodworkers whose lumber is mostly 1×6, 1×8 and 1×10 pine, plus the occasional hard maple board. A 96 cuts per inch head delivers a notably fine finish for furniture-grade panel work and shelves.
It is also the pick for anyone who wants the DEWALT accessory ecosystem without the second machine’s width and weight. Dust hoods, depth gauges and support tables are all easy to source for this platform.
Who should skip the DW734
Skip it if your lumber runs wide. A 13 inch machine handles a full 1×12 and typical 5/4 lumber more comfortably, and the difference in snipe on an over-width board is immediately visible.
Blade durability is the other caution. Reviewers report that the disposable knives dull quickly in hardwood work, which adds a recurring consumable expense if you spend most of your time dimensioning maple, walnut or oak.
3. CRAFTSMAN CMEW320: the budget entry point that actually works
CRAFTSMAN Planer, 15 Amp, For Benchtops, Two Knife Solid Steel Cutter Head (CMEW320)
15 amp motor with Poly-V drive
Two-knife steel head on ball bearings
8000 RPM and 16000 cuts per minute
Pros
- Affordable entry into thickness planing for turning pallet and rough lumber into usable material
- Ball-bearing mounted solid steel cutterhead runs smoothly
- Bolt-down base holes keep it from shifting on a bench
- Accurate thickness readings and a smooth crank
- Reversible high carbon steel knives are inexpensive to keep spares of
Cons
- Only two knives so finish depends on frequent changes
- Blades dull fast in hardwoods and nick on knots
- End-of-board snipe persists despite light passes
- Power cord exits at an awkward front position
The CMEW320 answers the question a lot of first-time buyers are actually asking: can I get usable panels out of low-grade lumber without a large outlay? Owners treat it as a capable starter or weekend planer, and after a proper setup and blade change it delivers consistent results on construction lumber.
The drive is a Poly-V belt feeding a two-knife, quick-change solid steel cutterhead mounted on ball bearings. It turns at 8,000 RPM for 16,000 cuts per minute, which is well below the 96 cuts per inch of the DEWALT pair, and you feel that in the surface.
Two things make it easier to live with. The reversible high carbon steel knives are inexpensive, so keeping a spare set within easy reach costs almost nothing. And the carbon steel base has bolt-down holes, which matters because at about 61 pounds the machine is stable enough to mount on a bench or cart and stay put.
The advice that appears again and again in owner reviews is simple: change the blades often, take light passes, and wear hearing and dust protection. It is a rough-duty tool, not a precision instrument, and it is happiest in that role.
Who the CMEW320 suits
It suits a weekend builder who wants to turn pallet wood, construction timber and thick low-grade boards into consistent panels for shop furniture and shelving. The low outlay is the whole point of the machine.
It also works as a second machine. Many home shops keep one of these for dirty, thick, knotty material and reserve a finer planer for hardwood.
Who should skip the CMEW320
Skip it for visible furniture. Two knives cutting at 8,000 RPM leave shallower scallops than a three-knife head, and the finish usually wants more sanding than owners of the DEWALT machines expect.
Skip it if you work figured or wet hardwood. Two reversible knives nick easily on knots and debris, and the recurring snipe at board ends does not fully disappear with table adjustments. Add a dust extractor too, because the vacuum port is a simple port rather than a full hood.
4. Makita 2012NB: the quiet one that lasts decades
Makita 2012NB 12″ Portable Planer
83 dB operation
4-post head with diagonal cross supports
11.86 inch width and 62 pounds
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet for a planer
- Very accurate and stays accurate over years
- Outstanding finish needing minimal sanding
- Fast blade changes with tools stored inside the machine
- Compact and light enough to move between shop and jobsite
Cons
- Dust hood and port sold separately
- Thin packaging means damage in transit is a recurring report
- Small plastic interlock key is easy to lose
- Feed rollers and posts need periodic cleaning and lubrication
The 2012NB is the odd one out in this roundup, and that is exactly why it is here. It is a genuine contractor-grade portable planer, and the review history shows owners who have run it for 15 to 20 years with nothing more than blade changes. That is a different durability story from anything else on this list.
The headline number is 83 dB. Owners describe it as quieter than a Skilsaw, which sounds exaggerated until you have used a 20,000 RPM straight-knife machine next to it. If your shop is attached to a house or you share a wall with a neighbour, this is the machine that will not end your woodworking habit.
Accuracy is the second strength. The 4-post head uses diagonal cross supports for stability, the table extensions are large for the class, and the crank depth adjustment is reported by users at 0.002 to 0.003 inch of precision per turn. Reviewers with long ownership histories say it stays accurate, which is the part that usually fails first on cheaper machines.
Blade changes use disposable double-edge blades and the tools live inside the machine, so a change on a job site is fast. At about 62 pounds and 30.35 inches long, it is also one of the more portable machines here.
Who the 2012NB suits
It suits builders who are done shopping and want a machine they will keep for the next two decades. The loyalty in the reviews is the strongest signal in this roundup.
It also suits anyone with a small shop or a shared wall. The 83 dB rating and the 62-pound weight keep it manageable in a tight garage.
Who should skip the 2012NB
Skip it if the total cost of ownership matters more than the machine. The dust hood and port are a separate purchase, the warranty is one year, and it sits at the top of this group’s cost range.
Skip it if you plan heavy rough-lumber work. It has a single speed, a narrower 11.86 inch cutting width than most machines here, and snipe appears on long boards without added infeed and outfeed support.
5. WEN PL1326: the finish you would expect from a much larger machine
WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop Thickness Planer
26 staggered rotatable HSS blades
Cast iron base with folding tables
15 amp motor at 10,000 RPM and 26 FPM
Pros
- Finish quality on a par with far costlier planers
- Rotatable spiral HSS blades extend cutter life
- Almost no snipe once the tables are aligned
- Cast iron base keeps it stable and quiet
- Owners report fast payback when converting construction lumber
Cons
- Single speed only
- Motor and brush noise remain loud
- Depth indicator is a small pin rather than a full gauge
- Needs a dust collector since a shop vac collects less
The PL1326 is the machine that makes people on r/woodworking reconsider what a home shop needs. Its spiral cutterhead carries 26 staggered, rotatable HSS blades, so a blade that nicks can be indexed to a fresh edge instead of being replaced. Owners describe the finish as nearly in a class by itself for what it costs.
One clarification matters here, because buyers confuse it constantly. This is a spiral cutterhead with offset HSS blades that rotate, not a true helical head with multi-edge carbide inserts. It behaves far better than a straight-knife machine on tear-out and snipe, and it is not the same as the RIKON or JET designs further down this list.
The hardware underneath is solid. It has a cast iron bed, folding infeed and outfeed tables, a 15 amp motor turning at 10,000 RPM with a 26 feet per minute feed rate, and capacity for boards up to 13 inches wide and 6 inches thick. The cast iron base and roughly 81-pound weight are specifically praised for keeping the cut steady.
The onboard material removal gauge is a small pin rather than a full-width scale, and there is a single feed speed. Those are the two spec-sheet trade-offs you accept for the finish quality.
Who the PL1326 suits
It suits a home shop that wants near-premium surface quality without stepping up to a helical-head machine. If you mostly dimension pine, poplar and construction lumber, the rotatable blades absorb the knocks that would destroy straight knives.
It also suits anyone who wants a heavy, stable planer without the 100-pound class weight, and anyone buying a first planer who would rather learn on a machine that is forgiving.
Who should skip the PL1326
Skip it if you work figured hardwood and want the quietest possible cut. HSS blades dull sooner than carbide inserts, so on curly maple and walnut you will be rotating and sharpening more often.
Skip it if you need a second feed speed for roughing thick timber, and plan a dust collector rather than relying on a shop vac alone, since owners report a vac collects noticeably less from this machine.
6. VEVOR 13-inch three-blade: capable rough-duty value once the blades are sharp
VEVOR Power Benchtop Planer Three-Blade Two Speed 13″ Thickness Planer
2000W motor at 23500 RPM
Two feed speeds at 24 and 15 FPM
Three-knife head hardened to HRC55-60
Pros
- Low outlay for a three-blade two-speed 13 inch planer
- Accurate and smooth when the knives are sharp
- Metal cone-drive gears instead of plastic
- Two feed speeds let you take a slower cleaner pass on figured stock
Cons
- Factory knives have arrived dull or misaligned on some machines
- Outboard table extensions are hard to level precisely
- Vacuum hood clogs with large shavings
- Customer support is widely reported as unresponsive
The VEVOR splits its owners sharply, and that is the honest way to describe it. Buyers who replaced the shipped blades and treated it as a rough-duty machine report a capable, accurate and surprisingly quiet planer. Buyers who expected a precision tool and then needed help from the company rated it far lower.
The specification sheet is unusually full for this class of machine. A 2000W motor turning at 23,500 rpm, a quick-change three-knife cutterhead hardened to HRC55-60, two feed speeds at 24 and 15 feet per minute, a precision-machined cast iron bed with a steel plate, and 35 inches of pull-out table support.
Two details stand out. The cone-drive gears are metal rather than plastic, which some owners read as a durability advantage over similar machines, and the built-in 20A over-current protector is sensible on a 15 amp-class tool. There is also a material removal gauge and an extra large thickness scale on the front.
At about 62 pounds it is one of the lighter 13 inch machines here, which matters if it lives on a bench you use for other things.
Who the VEVOR suits
It suits a shop that is dimensioning rough boards, offcuts and utility material, and that is willing to swap in a fresh set of blades before the first real session. With sharp knives, owners report flat, drift-free passes.
It also suits builders who want a 13 inch, two-speed planer for the smallest outlay and have a dust port to spare.
Who should skip the VEVOR
Skip it for furniture-grade work. The outboard table extensions are difficult to level precisely, and boards come out only mostly flat, which is the wrong result if you are matching panels.
Skip it if you need support after the first month. Lowest rating average in this roundup at 4.1, knives arriving dull or improperly sharpened, a wrench that can slip when removing blades, and widely reported slow customer support past the 30-day window are all documented complaints.
7. RIKON 25-135H: helical-style cutting with inserts you can rotate
RIKON 25-135H 13-Inch Portable Planer with Helical-Style Cutterhead
26 rotatable two-edge HSS inserts
Threaded 4-post head support
13 inch width and 67.9 pounds
Pros
- Helical-style head with 26 rotatable two-edge HSS inserts
- Two feed speeds at 16 and 26 SFPM
- Threaded 4-post head support gives repeatable thickness settings
- Includes dust hood plus 4 in. and 2-1/2 in. adapters
Cons
- Small review base of only 54 ratings
- Longest footprint in the roundup at 34 inches
- HSS inserts rather than carbide on some competing heads
The 25-135H is the one to look at if the cutterhead itself is the deciding factor for you. It uses a six-row helical-style head carrying 26 two-edge HSS inserts that rotate when they wear or take a nick, which means a single nick is a 30-second fix rather than a reason to stop for the day.
The support hardware is the other selling point. A threaded 4-post head, a depth gauge, a thickness scale and a repeat-cut control give you consistent, repeatable thickness settings. It handles material up to 13 inches wide and 6 inches thick, with up to 1/8 inch of depth of cut on boards 6 inches wide or narrower.
Two feed speeds at 16 and 26 feet per minute let you trade material removal against surface quality, and the machine includes a dust hood plus a 4 inch to 2-1/2 inch adapter so it will connect to most collectors without another purchase.
Who the RIKON suits
It suits a builder who wants helical-style cutting with two feed speeds and prefers maintaining HSS inserts over paying for carbide replacements. The included dust adapters are a practical detail that saves an extra purchase.
It also suits anyone who wants a threaded 4-post head for repeatable depth settings and does not plan to move the machine often.
Who should skip the RIKON
Skip it if you need a large proven support network, because the review base is only 54 ratings and long-term durability is not well documented. That thin ownership history is the honest caveat on an otherwise well-specified machine.
Also check your bench depth. At 34 inches long, it is the longest machine in this roundup, and several lighter units fit a shallower spot. HSS inserts still need periodic rotation or replacement.
8. JET JWP-13BT: 2 HP of power and the longest warranty
JET 13-Inch Benchtop Thickness Planer for Woodworking, Helical Style Cutterhead with 2-Speed (18 FPM / 26 FPM) Feed Rate, 2 HP, 120V 1Ph (JWP-13BT)
2 HP 15 amp motor at 10,000 RPM
Helical-style head with 26 quick-change HSS inserts
Cast iron bed with folding tables
Pros
- 2 HP motor gives strong consistent passes on hard material
- Cast iron bed helps keep boards flat and reduces snipe
- Two feed rates at 18 and 26 FPM for roughing and finishing
- Folding tables save shop space when not in use
- Longest warranty in the roundup at five years
Cons
- Priced above most of the roundup with a 4.2 average rating
- About 11 percent one-star reviews
- 75 pounds is heavy
- Table leveling and cutterhead adjustment take real effort
The JWP-13BT is the most powerful machine in this group and the one most likely to frustrate a first-time buyer. A 2 HP, 15 amp motor drives a helical-style cutterhead with six rows of 26 quick-change HSS inserts at 10,000 RPM, and it carries the maximum 1/8 inch depth of cut across a 13 inch width and 6 inch thickness capacity.
Owners praise the cast iron bed and steel cover for keeping boards flat and cutting down on snipe, the two feed rates at 18 and 26 feet per minute for roughing versus finish passes, and the adjustable folding infeed and outfeed tables that free up shop space when the machine is idle. The warranty is five years for residential shop use.
It is also the machine with the most divided feedback. The 4.2 average is second lowest in this roundup, roughly 11 percent of ratings are one-star, and owners call out a price-to-performance ratio that is hard to justify for a home shop, along with a 75-pound weight and a setup process that takes more effort than lighter machines.
Set-up is the part to plan for. Table leveling and cutterhead adjustment on a four-post design with this much mass take patience, and they are the difference between a flat board and a slightly tapered one.
Who the JWP-13BT suits
It suits a shop that regularly planes hard maple, walnut and thick hardwood, where 2 HP of pulling power and a 1/8 inch depth of cut shorten every session. The two feed rates and the cast iron bed are built for that workload.
It also suits anyone who wants the option to fold the tables away when the planer is not in use, and who will value a five-year warranty on a large stationary machine.
Who should skip the JWP-13BT
Skip it if a home shop only needs a planer occasionally. It sits at the expensive end of this group, and the review average does not justify the step up for weekend dimensioning of pine and poplar.
Skip it if you are not prepared to level tables carefully and maintain the inserts. HSS inserts need periodic rotation or replacement, and a badly set-up machine of this size will show it in every board you feed through it.
How to Choose a Benchtop Planer for a Home Shop
Straight, spiral or helical cutterhead: which do you need?
Cutterhead type is the decision most home shops agonise over, and it comes down to three things:
Straight knives are the most common type in home shops. They give a fine finish on softwood and clean lumber, but a single knot or hidden fastener can nick a blade and put a groove in every board that follows. This is the DW735X, DW734, CMEW320 and VEVOR design.
Spiral heads with rotatable HSS blades spread the load across many small edges and let you index a nicked blade instead of replacing it. That is the WEN PL1326 design and it explains its finish quality for what it costs.
Helical-style heads with quick-change inserts cut more quietly and consistently than straight knives because the cutting edges are staggered rather than aligned. The RIKON and JET machines here use this approach.
Forum consensus is more measured than the marketing. r/woodworking regulars argue that a spiral cutterhead is a must-have in principle, while other builders hold that a helical head is a nice upgrade rather than a requirement. The practical middle ground is to buy the machine you can afford now and consider a head upgrade later; the aftermarket helical head path is well established for the common straight-knife platforms.
12-1/2 inch vs 13 inch vs 15 inch capacity
Most home shops do not need 15 inches. A 13 inch machine handles a full 1×12, 1×10 and 1×8, which covers the overwhelming majority of dimensional lumber people buy. Going wider adds weight and only pays off if you regularly work with slabs or rough boards past 13 inches.
At the smaller end, 12-1/2 inch and 11.86 inch machines handle 1×10 and narrower. A 12-1/2 inch machine planes a true 12-1/2 inch rough board only right at the limit, so check the width of your worst-case board before buying smaller. Forums repeatedly tell new buyers to buy the 13 inch model and skip the step up to 15 inch.
Cuts per inch, feed speed and motor size
Cuts per inch is the number that predicts surface quality. A three-knife head turning at 10,000 RPM produces 96 cuts per inch, and machines with a second setting can push to 179. Lower numbers such as the CMEW320’s 8,000 RPM leave shallower scallops that need more sanding.
Two feed speeds are the feature to look for if you dimension rough lumber. A slower feed of 15 to 18 feet per minute gives a cleaner finish on figured stock; a faster feed of 24 to 26 feet per minute removes material quickly on thick boards. A 15 amp motor is the common baseline here, and a 2 HP motor gives extra headroom on hard maple and walnut.
How to fix and prevent snipe in four steps
Snipe is the shallow scalloped dip at the very end of a board, caused when the feed roller releases the workpiece and the cutterhead drops into the gap left behind. Four steps fix it for most home shops:
Run a sacrificial board through first and last. A piece of common pine or MDF absorbs the dip at each end. This is the single most repeated tip across every forum thread, and it removes most of the problem in one move.
Add infeed and outfeed support. Long thin boards need a roller stand or extended tables under both ends. Most machines here have folding or pull-out table extensions for exactly this reason.
Do not cut to final length before planing. Leave boards 8 to 12 inches oversize, plane them, then trim. A board supported only at the cutterhead is the classic snipe generator.
Level the outfeed table and check the depth scale. An outfeed table that is not parallel to the infeed table or an inaccurate scale both produce marks that look like snipe but are not. Verify with a straightedge on a scrap piece first.
Dust collection, stands and shop floor space
A planer throws more chips per minute than almost anything else in a home shop. A 4 inch dust port connected to a collector with real airflow is the right setup; a small wet/dry shop vac will fill quickly and stop extracting, and owners of the WEN and RIKON report noticeably better results with a proper collector. The RIKON and JET machines include adapters for common collector sizes, which saves a step.
Plan a mobile base as part of the purchase. Most machines here weigh between 61 and 102 pounds, and a planer that lives on the floor in a one-car garage quickly becomes a floor you cannot use. Folding infeed and outfeed tables, available on the WEN and JET, help when bench space is tight. If you are also fitting out the rest of the shop, our picks for the best sheet metal brakes for home shops are the other machines worth dedicating a stand to.
Planer or jointer first in a home shop?
This is the most common question in woodworking forums and the one no editorial roundup answers well. A jointer flattens one face and makes it straight and square to an edge. A planer makes both faces parallel and equal in thickness. They solve different problems.
If your boards are rough-sawn, cupped and twisted, start with a jointer, because a planer needs a reasonably flat reference face to work from. If your boards are already flat but of uneven thickness, the planer is what makes matched panels possible. Many home shops end up wanting both, and the honest answer is that a good hand plane plus a track saw can stand in for either one early on.
What a one-car garage shop does not need
You probably do not need a 15 inch machine, a floor planer, or more than 1/8 inch of depth of cut. You also do not need to chase carbide helical inserts before you have spent a season learning to keep straight knives sharp. The two-knife and three-knife machines in this roundup produce glue-ready panels when set up properly, and that is where most home-shop projects actually live.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best 13-inch thickness planer?
The DEWALT DW735X is the best 13-inch thickness planer for most home shops. It pairs a 15 amp, 20000 rpm motor with a three-knife cutterhead, offers two feed speeds at 96 or 179 cuts per inch, and includes an automatic carriage lock that reduces snipe. For a helical-style cut at a lower tier, the WEN PL1326 uses 26 rotatable spiral HSS blades on a cast iron base.
Who makes the best benchtop planer?
DEWALT builds the most consistently capable benchtop planers for home shops, with the DW735X and DW734 covering most needs. JET and RIKON lead on helical-style cutterheads with quick-change inserts, Makita leads on quiet operation and long-term durability, and WEN delivers the strongest finish for the outlay with a spiral head. The right answer depends on whether your priority is finish quality, power, quiet running or cost.
Why does my planer snipe?
Snipe is a shallow scalloped dip at the end of a board. It happens when the feed roller releases the workpiece and the cutterhead drops into the gap left behind. The standard fixes are running a sacrificial pine board through first and last, adding roller or table support under long stock, leaving boards oversize until after planing, and checking that the outfeed table is level and the thickness scale is accurate.
Do I need a helical cutterhead?
A helical-style head is not essential, but it is the single biggest quality difference between budget and premium machines. Straight knives give a fine finish on clean lumber and nick easily on knots and figured grain. Helical-style heads with quick-change inserts spread the cutting load, cut quieter, and let you index a nicked edge instead of stopping. If you mostly dimension pine and poplar, a straight-knife machine is fine.
What are people saying about the Oliver planer?
We did not include an Oliver in this roundup, so we have no owner data to report for it. The pro-grade helical options we did test are the RIKON 25-135H and the JET JWP-13BT, both of which use helical-style heads with quick-change HSS inserts. Those are the machines to compare against a premium helical option when you are weighing that price tier.
Which Benchtop Planer Should You Buy?
After comparing all eight, the DEWALT DW735X is the best benchtop planer for most home shops. Two feed speeds, a 13 inch width, an automatic carriage lock and a wide accessory ecosystem cover nearly every dimensioning job, and its 4.7 rating across more than 7500 owner reviews is the most proven record in this group.
Buy the WEN PL1326 instead if finish quality for the outlay matters most to you, and the CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 if the budget is the deciding factor. Choose the Makita 2012NB for quiet running and decades of service, the RIKON 25-135H or JET JWP-13BT when a helical-style head and maximum power justify the step up.
Whichever you pick, give it a mobile base, connect a real dust collector, keep a spare set of knives on the shelf, and run a sacrificial board at each end of every session. That habit removes more snipe than any machine on this list.