A good benchtop planer or stationary planer make an excellent machines in themselves, but also pair perfectly with a power jointer.
They can be used at home/for DIY, and bigger workshop/production usage.
The best benchtop suface planer usually suits the a casual user, home and small shop user, while the best stationary planer usually suits someone who values production and high feed rate per minute.
Even still, there are many differences to consider with each like size, weight, price and features of the planer to consider.
You want a value for money benchtop planer or a stationary planer that is high quality, but how do you make the right choice?
To save your time and effort, we have reviewed for you some of the top rated benchtop planer and stationary planer brands such as WEN, Makita and DEWALT, PORTER-CABLE, Delta, POWERTEC and JET.
If you’re running a little short on time, you can check out the top rated benchtop and stationary planers list immediately below.
Otherwise, you can read the guide in full.
(*Friendly Disclosure – links to retailers or brands on this page may include affiliate links, and we may receive a commission when you purchase through these links)
Top Rated Benchtop Planer & Stationary Planer List
Best Cheap Benchtop Planer – WEN 6552 3-Blade 15 Amp Benchtop Thickness Planer, 13″ (on Amazon)
Best Home, DIY & Small Workshop Benchtop Planer For The Money – Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer (on Amazon)
Best Production and Large Workshop Planer – Jet – JWP-208HH (on Amazon)
Best Benchtop Planer & Stationary Planer Reviews
Benchtop Planers
WEN 6550 12.5-Inch 15A Benchtop Thickness Planer with Granite Table
The WEN 6550 is an electric benchtop planer.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- People who want a cheap benchtop planer that they understand will come with a few design flaws
- Homeowners and casual users
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- People who want a high quality or production level planer
What’s Good About It?
- Granite table – non-marring surface
- Board capacity of 6 inches thick and 12.5 inches wide
- 15-amp motor generates 18,800 cuts per minute at a 26 feet per minute feed rate
- Adjustable cut depth from 0 to 3/32 of an inch with each pass
- Rubber adjustment handle adjusts cutterhead 1/16 of an inch at a time
- 2 inch Fan-assisted dust port
- Cast iron base
- 3 roller system which is suppose to minimise snipe
What’s Not So Great?
- A decent amount of snipe
- The dual Blades don’t seem to last as long as the more expensive planers – but you can reverse them over to get double life span
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
- A bench
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the WEN 6550 12.5-Inch 15A Benchtop Thickness Planer with Granite Table on Amazon
WEN 6552 3-Blade 15 Amp Benchtop Thickness Planer, 13″ – Best Cheap Benchtop Planer
The main difference between the 6550 and the 6552 are that the 6552 has:
- A 13 inches wide board capacity
- 3 blades in the cutter head instead of 2
- 15A motor generates 25,500 cuts per minute at a 26 feet per minute feed rate
- Steel infeed and outfeed tables instead of granite
In a nutshell, if you want a WEN planer with a higher cut rate, a wider board capacity and a steel table, this is the model for you.
It is similarly cheaper than most of the other benchtop planers on the market.
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the WEN 6552 3-Blade 15 Amp Benchtop Thickness Planer, 13″ on Amazon
DEWALT DW734 15 Amp 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer
The DW734 is a 12 1/2 Inch Electric Benchtop Planer.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- People looking for a value for money benchtop planer for planing around 50-100 feet of board in a day
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- People looking for a true production planer to do over 50-100 feet of board a day or in a session
- People looking for the strongest motor on a planer
- People looking to plane wood bigger than 6-inches deep and 12-1/2-inches wide
What’s Good About It?
- For the money, you get alot of value out of this planer
- You get a good smooth finish on the board
- Can handle the harder woods like hard maple
- 1/8-inch maximum cut depth
- Can plane wood up to 6-inches deep and 12-1/2-inches wide
- 15-amp, 20,000 RPM motor
- Three knife cutter-head with 10,000 RPM. 96 cuts per inch
- Disposable, reversible knives – claimed 30% more knife life
- Four-column carriage lock – reduces snipe movement
- Infeed and outfeed tables provide 33-1/2 inches to run stock
- Turret depth stop for commonly used depths
- Only weighs 80 pounds
- Includes dust hood (must attach to a shop vacuum or a dust collector)
What’s Not So Great?
- Motor can struggle with heavily twisted or bowed wood
- Not a true production planer that can do 100’s of feet of board at a time…it is more for casual users and shorter sessions of planing
- Sometimes issues with the infeed and outfeed tables not being level
- Screw which fixes the cutterhead in place can be short
- A few other little design flaws
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
DEWALT DW7350 Planer Stand with Integrated Mobile Base (On Amazon) – is optional if you want a mobile base to transport your planer around with.
Wixey WR510 Digital Planer Readout with Fractions (On Amazon) – is optional and it measures stock inches with fractions or millimeters, allowing you to better set depth of cut
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the DEWALT DW734 15 Amp 12-1/2-Inch Bench top Planer on Amazon
DEWALT DW735 13-Inch, Two Speed Thickness Planer
The DeWalt DW735 is a 13 Inch Electric Benchtop Planer.
The main differences between this and the DW734 are –
- This planer is two speed – can use 96 cpi when dimensioning material, and 179 cpi for a finer finish
- This planer can fit board up to 13 inches wides
So, it depends on what you’re doing with the planer, and what features you’re looking for as to which DeWalt will appeal to you.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- People looking for a value for money benchtop planer for planing around 50-100 feet of board in a day
- People looking for a dual speed benchtop planer that can fit boards up to 13 inches wide
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- People looking for a true production planer
- People looking to plane wood bigger than 6-inches deep and 13 inches wide
What’s Good About It?
- 1/8-inch maximum cut depth
- Can plane wood up to 6-inches deep and 13 inches wide
- 15-AMP, 20,000 RPM motor
- 10,000 RPM cutterhead speed
- Only weighs 92 pounds
- Three knife cutter-head – claimed 30-percent longer knife life
- Two speed gear box allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or 179 CPI
- Fan-assisted chip ejection vacuums chips off of the cutter-head and exhausts them out of the machine
- Includes dust-hose adapter, and dust-ejection chute
What’s Not So Great?
- Doesn’t come with a table
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
DEWALT DW7351 Folding Table for DW735 Planer (On Amazon) – you have to buy this table separately as the DW735 doesn’t come with it’s own table
DEWALT DW7350 Planer Stand with Integrated Mobile Base (On Amazon) – is optional if you want a mobile base to transport your planer around with.
Wixey WR510 Digital Planer Readout with Fractions (On Amazon) – is optional and it measures stock inches with fractions or millimeters, allowing you to better set depth of cut
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the DEWALT DW735 13-Inch, Two Speed Thickness Planer on Amazon
DEWALT DW735X 13″ Two-Speed Planer Package
Probably the most popular of the three DeWalt benchtop planer models.
Essentially the same model as the DW735, except it comes with Extras, hence the ‘X’.
The DW735X comes with a Dust Hose Adapter, Dust Ejection Chute, Extra Set of Knives, Infeed Table and Outfeed Table.
The standard DW735 doesn’t come with the extra set of blades and tables – so, if you want them, get this model.
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the DEWALT DW735X 13″ Two-Speed Planer Package on Amazon.
Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer with Interna-Lok Automated Head Clamp – Best Home, DIY & Small WorkShop Benchtop Planer
The 2012NB is a 12 inch electric benchtop planer.
We rate it as only slightly better overall than the DeWalt DW735.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- Casual users, homeowners, and small workshop owners
- Those looking for a high quality benchtop planer
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- Those looking for a cheap benchtop planer
What’s Good About It?
- Very little snipe
- 15 Amps 8500 RPM motor
- Lightweight at around 60 pounds
- Dual knives cutterhead
- Can cut 12 inch by 6-3/32 inch boards
- Max depth cut is 1/8 inch
- Easy to change the baldes
- Low noise (83dB)
- 4-post design and diagonal cross supports for stability
- Table is 12″ x 30-3/8″
- Adjustable depth stop for repeat cuts
- L.E.D. ON light
- Includes planer blade set, two magnetic holders, wrenches, and tool box.
What’s Not So Great?
- LOTS of shavings and some dust
- Table is a little sticky – so, use a non-marring and non-damaging wax to help with lubrication
- As good as this planer is, it is still not a TRUE production planer for the most heavy duty tasks.
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
- Makita 2012NB with Dust Collector (On Amazon) – option for additional dust collector
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer on Amazon
Delta Power Tools 22-555 13 Inches Portable Thickness Planer
The Delta 22-555 is an electric benchtop planer.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- Those who want a casual benchtop planer
- Those who want a cheaper benchtop planer
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- Those who want a shop or production quality benchtop planer
What’s Good About It?
- 15 Amp motor – can perform up to 18,800 cuts per minute
- Feed Rate of 28 ft./minute
- Can fit boards up to 13″ wide x 6″ high
- Maximum depth of cut is 3/32″
- Quick change DUAL knife system with dual edge disposable knives
- Infeed and outfeed tables are 6-3/4in x 13in each
- Stainless steel bed
- Only weighs 58 lbs
- Reversible dust port allows you to collect chips from the right or left side of the plane – dust port is 2-1/16 in.
- Two polyurethane feed rollers for a no-slip grip on the workpiece; positioned close to the cutterhead to improve workpiece finish
- Overload button protects your motor from damage due to overheating.
What’s Not So Great?
- Fair bit of snipe with this planer
- Thin table – not good for longevity
- No lock on the height control of the cutterhead
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
- Bench
- You might also want to buy replacement knives
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the Delta Power Tools 22-555 on Amazon
Other Cheaper or Home/DIY Type Benchtop Planers:
POWERTEC PL1251 12-1/2-Inch 15-Amp Planer (On Amazon)
PORTER CABLE 15 Amp 12 inch Thickness Planer (On Amazon)
Stationary Planers (for big workshops & production)
JET 708524 JPM-13CS 13-Inch 1-1/2-Horsepower Planer/Molder, 110/230-Volt 1-Phase
So, this machine is actually a planer/molder 2 in 1 tool. It is a closed stand/stationary planer model.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- Those who want a production planer and molder, but don’t want to go as high as the other two JET models
- Those who want a 2 in 1 planer/molder machine
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- Those who want a cheap planer or home type planer
- Those who just want a planer machine and not a planer/molder 2 in 1
What’s Good About It?
- 1.5 Horsepower motor
- 4,500 rpm cutterhead speed with 13,500 cuts per minute
- Can be wired or re-wired to 115 or 230 volts
- Fits boards 13 inches wide and up to 6 inches in height
- Three blade cutter head
- Molding cutter head accommodates more than 40 standard molding cutter sets
- Adjustable, rubber-coated infeed and outfeed rollers
- Cast iron table – 19-1/4 inches long by 14 inches wide
- Side door for access to internal motor
- 20 feet per minute feed rate for dimensioning wood. Also a 10 FPM speed for finer finishes for molding
- Only weighs 258 pounds – alot lighter than the other two JET models
- 4 inch dust port
- Comes with wheels in the base
What’s Not So Great?
- Not as powerful or heavy duty as the other two JET models
- Very slight snipe problems, but not significant
- Not as much power or production capacity as the other two JET models
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
- Decide which power source you want to use and wire up accordingly – 115V or 230V
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the JET 708524 JPM-13CS on Amazon
JET 708528 JWP-208-1 20-Inch 3 Horsepower Planer, 230-Volt 1 Phase
The JET 708528 JWP-208-1 is a stationary planer.
This planer is a little unique as the table moves to adjust planing cut depth rather than the head. There are zero issues with the table being sturdy enough to prevent snipe though – so don’t worry about that.
Who Is This Benchtop PlanerFor?
- People who are willing to pay more for a production/workshop quality planer, but don’t want to go as high as the JET JWP-208HH model
- People who perform alot of woodwork or own a shop
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- People who want a cheap, small or casual type planer
What’s Good About It?
- 14 Amp, 3 Horsepower, 5000 RPM motor
- Can perform 20,000 cuts per minute
- 4 knife cutterhead
- Max dept of cut is 3/32 inches
- Feed rate is 24/31 feet per minute
- Table size is 25-3/4 x 20 inches
- 5 inch diameter dust port
- Cast-iron base table and head; one-piece welded base
- Full set includes 24-volt magnetic controls, four high-speed steel knives, dust hood, extension rollers, two-speed gearbox, return rollers, knife-setting gauge, and one-piece welded base
What’s Not So Great?
- Not a bad thing – but table adjusts instead of cutter head – just different to get used to!
- Very heavy – over 900 pounds
- Quite loud – have ear protection handy
- Need extra mobile base if you want to transport this unit around
- Made overseas in Asia – sometimes there may be minor issues like bolts in the tables not being super tough, but no major flaws
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
-
Jet 708119 JMB-UMB-HD Universal Mobile Base (On Amazon) – optional mobile base to transport the planer around a workshop
- You need to have pre-wired 230v electrical capacity to power this unit
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the JET 708528 JWP-208-1 on Amazon
Jet – JWP-208HH: 20-inch Helical Head Planer, 5 HP 1 Phase – Best Production and Large Workshop Planer
The JET JWP-208HH is an electric stationary planer.
Its main differences to the other JET models is its helical cutterhead, the cutterhead adjusts instead of the table, and higher powered motor.
There are other minor differences too.
Who Is This Benchtop Planer For?
- People who are willing to pay more for a production/workshop quality planer
- People who perform alot of woodwork or own a shop
Who Is This Benchtop Planer Not For?
- People who want a cheap, small or casual type planer
What’s Good About It?
- This thing is a beast – can take a heap of board and finish is A+
- Very little snipe – quality table, unit and cutterhead/feeding design and construction
- A big 5 HP 27 Amp TEFC induction motor with three V-belt transmission
- Helical cutterhead inserts – 92 in total
- Cutterhead speed is 5000RPM, and 3-3/16 inches wide
- Max depth of cut is 3/32 inches
- Can fit 20 x 8 inch boards
- 24/31 feet rate per minute feed rate – can be adjusted with chain
- Heavy-duty cast iron and steel construction – great for stability
- Two-speed gear box with automatic chain tensioner lets you adjust the feed rate to meet your needs
- Cast iron, precision ground table
- A big 5 HP TEFC induction motor with three V-belt transmission
- Table size is 25-3/4 x 20 inches
- 5 inch dust port diameter
What’s Not So Great?
- Heavy – 700 pounds
- Quite loud – have ear protection handy
- Need extra mobile base if you want to transport this unit around
- Made overseas in Asia – sometimes there may be minor issues like bolts in the tables not being super tough, but no major flaws
What Else Do You Need To Use This Benchtop Planer?
-
Jet 708119 JMB-UMB-HD Universal Mobile Base (On Amazon) – optional mobile base to transport the planer around a workshop
- You need to have pre-wired 230v electrical capacity to power this unit
Where Can I Check Out This Benchtop Planer?
View the Jet – JWP-208HH on Amazon
Best Benchtop Planer & Stationary Planer: Buyer’s Guide & FAQ
Other Names For Benchtop Planer & Stationary Planer
Benchtop Thickness Planer
Benchtop Surface Planer
What Is A Benchtop Planer and Stationary Planer?
- Benchtop Planer
A benchtop planer is a planing machine that rests on a bench, and planes or thicknesses boards to make them smooth and parallel.
They are much smaller and lighter than a stationary planer.
- Stationary Planer
A stationary planer is a planing machine that is a free standing unit, and planes or thicknesses boards to make them smooth and parallel.
They tend to weigh 100’s of pounds and are much larger than benchtop planers.
They also tend to have features like 3 blade cutterheads, helical cutterheads, tables that can raise and lower and alot bigger capabilities for production (can take bigger boards and much bigger length per minute) than benchtop planers.
What Are Benchtop and Stationary Planers Used For, and What Do They Do?
- Benchtop Planer
Benchtop planers are used more by beginners, homeowners, small workshop owners, or just those that want a smaller planner that you can feed boards through to thickness.
- Stationary Planer
Stationary Planers are used more in larger workshops and for production.
They are generally more powerful, and you can feed many more feet of board through them per minute than benchtop planers.
Both planers are used for tasks where quality wood finishes are required – like furniture making and joining. It’s common to feed the board through a planer after jointing or flattening one face and one edge of the board with a jointer.
Types of Benchtop Planers and Stationary Planers
The main things that separate the different types of benchtop planers and stationary planers are:
How wide (inches) is the cutterhead
Is it a casual machine, or a machine used more for production and mass feet per minute?
Does it have a standard or helical cutterhead?
Benchtop Planers/Stationary Planers Bits and Accessories
The following are add-ons or accessories you want to consider getting with your planer:
Digital Reader – for more accurate readings
Shopvac – for wood debris
Table – only if the planer doesn’t come with one
Mobile Base – will definitely need a mobile base to move around the heavy stationary planers
Should I Get A Benchtop Planer or Stationary Planer – How To Choose
Stationary Planers are quite expensive.
The big plus with them is them though is that they can plane alot of wood (and wider pieces of wood) very quickly and to a high quality.
If you will be using your planer alot, will be planing wide wood (up to 20 inches), want higher finishes, want to plane soft and hard wood and want your planer for the long term – consider a stationary planer.
Otherwise, a benchtop planer will be fine for most people and applications.
Features To Look For In A Benchtop Planer or Stationary Planer
What is the table made of? Is it solid, non-marring and allows smooth passes?
How big and long are the infeed and outfeed tables?
What is the width and height/thickness capacity of the benchtop planer?
What amperage is the motor?
How fast do the cutterhead blades work? How many cuts per minute and RPM?
What range of depth of cut does the planer have?
How do you adjust the depth of cut – does the cutterhead lower, or does the table raise and lower?
What is the dust port system like?
Is the base of the planer solid?
How many rollers are around the cutterhead and are they evenly spaced?
Is the planer a casual use or production use planer? How many feet of wood can it be fed per minute? Can it be fed both hard and soft wood?
How many blades are in the cutterhead? Most standard models have two, and production models might have three
Are the blades reversible so you get more blade life?
How much does the planer weigh? The production planers can weigh up to 1000 pounds!!
What is the overall structure of the machine? Is it built structurally with columns and cross bracing?
Is it s aingle speed or two speed benchtop planer? Usually two speeds means a fine cut and a heavy cut setting
How much noise does the unit make?
Does the model come with a helical cutterhead?
Best Benchtop or Stationary Planer for…
- Best Benchtop Planer for Woodworking
All the listed benchtop planers will plane wood.
- Best Cheap Benchtop Planer
The WEN 6552 is our choice.
- Best Benchtop Planer For The Money
The Makita 2012NB is almost faultless and extremely well priced for what it delivers.
- Best Small Benchtop Planer For Beginners
There is no ‘small’ benchtop planer as such. They are all around the same size.
- Best Cheap Stationary Planer
The JET 708524 is cheaper, and it’s also a molder 2 in 1 machine.
- Best Stationary Planer For The Money
It’s expensive, but the Jet – JWP-208HH is of the highest quality for what you pay.
Best Benchtop Planer & Stationary Planer Resources
1. http://www.dewalt.com/
2. https://www.makitatools.com/
3. http://www.wenproducts.com/
4. http://www.deltamachinery.com/
5. http://www.portercable.com/
6. http://powertecproducts.com/
7. http://www.jettools.com/
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