The Best Planer For Home Workshop: Top 8 Picks & Reviews For 2023

Accordingly, rough and rotted surfaces will be smoothed to be ready for new projects. However, how to pick the best planer for a home workshop?

In this article, I will provide you with the best-selling models in 2022 in the article below with in-depth reviews. Scroll down for details!

Our Top Picks: Best Planer For Home Workshop

• DEWALT Thickness Planer Two Speed DW735X - Best for Overall

• CRAFTSMAN Benchtop Planer CMEW320 - Best for Easy to Use

• Makita 2012NB 12" Portable Planer - Best for Quiet Operation

• WEN PL1252 15-Amp 12.5-Inch Two-Blade Benchtop - Best for Budget

• JET JWP-13BT, 13-Inch Benchtop Planer 722130 - Best for Power

• WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop - Best for Performance

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Investing in the best benchtop planer is essential whether you're a beginner or seasoned woodworking professional. Therefore, don't miss the suggestions below to pick the suitable and quality product.

#1. DEWALT Thickness Planer DW735X - Best for Overall

DEWALT Thickness Two Speed (DW735X): Best for overall (link)

Important specifications

• Dimensions: 24 x 22 x 18 inches

• Item Weight: ‎101 pounds

• Amperage: 15 Amps

• Material: ‎Plastic

Product's highlights

I chose this version of DEWALT because it's a well-known company, and most of the reviews I read about them are positive.

When I first received the goods, I wanted to do a test on them with some oak. 

Unexpectedly, it tore through the piece of wood I threw over while the quality of the cut was consistently excellent from start to finish. 

In particular, it does not leave the main amount at both ends of the workpiece.

All the features are the same as what the manufacturer told me. The two speeds combined with the powerful motor and blade do a great job of leaving a smooth flat surface. The result is that the speed of 30,000 cuts per minute can produce.

So far, I've run hundreds of Purple Heart cocobolo footboards, even IPE, with no problems.

In each operation, the output from the planer is very much. That's why I always let my vacuum cleaner operate at peak performance. Without a dedicated vacuum cleaner, I think filters or large filter bags are other reliable solutions.

As a bonus, there's a short piece of wire with a loop connector for static grounding of the vacuum system. This accessory will easily protect me from a periodic high voltage electrostatic shock.

In short, this version is the best wood planer with many outstanding features. It includes a few good tweaks and improvements from the manufacturer.

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What We Like

• Sharp blade

• Easy to set up

• Quiet operation

• Solid components

• High efficiency in accuracy

Things to Consider

• Quite heavy

• The price is relatively high

#2. CRAFTSMAN Benchtop Planer CMEW320 - Best for Easy to Use

CRAFTSMAN Benchtop Planer (CMEW320): Best for easy to use (link)

Important specifications

• Dimensions: ‎23.5 x 17.5 x 15.4 inches

• Item Weight: ‎61.2 pounds

Product's highlights

I have been using CRAFTSMAN Benchtop Planer (CME W320) for more than 3 months for my important woodworking projects.

My first impression was how easy it was to set up. It only takes a few minutes to complete the installation process. I placed it on a LEVEL table top and adjusted the 4 bolts to raise the outside and inside tables to the same height.

This machine works great and is very smooth, even the roughest pieces of old pallets I put through.

It features high carbon steel double-edged blades and is reversible. This one allows them to work more durable. I could have made more than 100 different footboards without having to replace the part.

In terms of mobility, it comes with a quick-change blade system. This design saves me a lot of time doing maintenance and improves my woodworking project's productivity.

In addition, the filter performance of this machine will be very stable if you can repeat it correctly according to the instruction manual.

There are better products out there, but in its price range, CRAFTSMAN has the best design in my experience.

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What We Like

• Very stable operation

• Excellent vacuuming ability

• High-efficiency reverse knife set

• Easy to change, adjust the blade system

Things to Consider

• Difficult to control at high cutting speed

#3. Makita 2012NB 12" Portable Planer - Best for Quiet Operation

Makita 2012NB 12" Portable: Best for quiet operation (link)

Important specifications

• Dimensions: ‎30.35 x 19.02 x 15.79 inches

• Item Weight: ‎61.8 pounds

Product's highlights

The Makita 2012NB 12" Portable Planer is the best portable wood planer I've seen. 

It is more expensive than a hand planer, but it is worth the investment because of its smoothness.

Another highlight of this product is the Interna-Lok automatic head clamp feature. Keeping the material in place on the conveyor belt saved me a lot of sniping problems.

I tried it on 100 feet of projects, including oak, teak, pine, and spruce. It coped well with them all and delivered an excellent finish on them.

Initially, I had some problems while shaving the tops of the hardwoods. I later learned that lifting the workpiece slightly off the planer would make this version smoother and more efficient.

Not only for woodworking projects, but this machine also works great for cleaning excess glue.

The on/off switch has a convenient and beautiful agitator design, but there's nothing to hold the key in place. Therefore, without the key, I have no way to turn on the machine and use it.

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What We Like

• Fast working performance

• Work well on even heavy projects

• The on/off switch is very convenient

• There is a place for the blade changing toolbox

• Clamping mechanism for good deterrence of sniping

Things to Consider

• High price

#4. WEN PL1252 15-Amp 12.5-Inch Benchtop - Best for Budget

WEN PL1252 15-Amp 12.5-Inch Two-Blade (link)

Important specifications

• Dimensions: ‎22 x 23.5 x 18.25 inches

• Item Weight: ‎68.9 pounds

Product's highlights

I recently started wood renovation projects and thought I needed the best portable wood planer. With a tight budget and realistic expectations, I bought the WEN PL1252 15-Amp 12.5-Inch Two-Blade Benchtop Thickness Planer.

I ran the planer through the first 2X4 piece of wood. And the result I got several times was nice square edges with perfect warp threads.

On the last try, I passed a piece of wood and found it removed all stains and revealed a beautiful tiger shape under the raw wood.

After testing, it still gives me a good finish on most passes. However, this machine is quite noisy. But for me, this is not too big of a problem because I care more about the balance of price and performance.

The other bonus I got is that the vacuum system works well. The inclusion of a universal adapter makes it suitable for most of my existing vacuum tubes.

While it's not perfect, its performance is adequate for my daily use in the small lumberyard.

In the end, I didn't find removing and replacing the blade as complicated as some other reviews. By removing the two screws from the dust cover and blade cap, I could do the job efficiently and quickly.

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What We Like

• Good price

• Easy to use

• Make great cuts

• Fairly lightweight

• Work well on many projects

Things to consider

• The noise level is quite loud

#5. JET JWP-13BT 13-Inch Benchtop 722130 -  Best for Power

JET JWP-13BT 13-Inch Benchtop (722130) (link)

Important specifications

• Material: Alloy Steel, Cast Iron

• Item Dimensions LxWxH: ‎26 x 17 x 21 inches

• Item Weight: ‎75 Pounds

Product's highlights

JET JWP-13BT, 13-Inch Benchtop (722130) is the best affordable planer with large capacity and useful bundled features. I have used it continuously for 2 months and successfully processed more than 80 laminates of different sizes.

This product weighs up to 75 pounds, heavy enough to keep the constant planing steady in my lumberyard.

Since the blade is very sharp, it can perfectly plan the softwoods and teak in my project. Plus, the overall build quality of this machine is awe-inspiring. I barely need to re-sand the boards after running them through it.

While it's not ideal for running it without hearing protection, it's certainly quieter than other products in its class.

Another plus of the JET JWP-13BT, 13-Inch Benchtop Planer (722130) is the inclusion of an active stop system. When I wanted my board to be 3/8" thick, I could easily place it at that stop and use the machine.

Finally, this machine works very cleanly. I hooked up a 4" hose to the small wall-mounted vacuum system, and it worked perfectly. And I didn't notice any debris coming from the front or back.

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What We Like

• Quiet operation

• Compact design

• Good dust and debris collection

• The steel blade is sharp and efficient

• Requires no adjustment when set up

Things to Consider

• Not easy to replace the blades

• The individual blades cannot withstand heavy loads.

#6. WEN PL1326 15-Amp Spiral Benchtop - Best for Performance

WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop (link)

Important specifications

• Dimensions: ‎26 x 21.5 x 16 inches

• Item Weight: ‎80.8 pounds

Product's highlights

The WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop with its spiral cutting head excels in project accuracy and finish. Although the single feed rate is not up to my expectations, its overall performance is relatively smooth and consistent.

The powerful 15 amp motor rotates the cutter head over 10,000 RPM at a feed rate of 26 feet/min, which produces exceptional flatness without sanding.

In particular, this product also comes with a granite countertop. I bolted it to a flat surface to give a better and more stable seat.

The only problem I have is the chip discharger. It juts out quite far, and it only points in one direction. To stow the device, I had to remove the tray. Fortunately, the process is quite simple.

I also connected it to my vacuuming system, and that worked. Now I don't have to spend much more time cleaning up a mess with wood shavings after use.

Although this is the 3rd Wen product, I am still very impressed with the price and quality of tools from this brand.

Finally, the WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop is an extremely affordable choice if you are looking for the best budget wood planer.

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What We Like

• Good price

• Low noise level

• High precision efficiency

• Overall stability is excellent

• Works well on a variety of woods

Things to Consider

• Require regular care and maintenance

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What size wood planer do I need?

The thickness of the stock in the project significantly affects the size of the wood planer you will need.

If the stock thickness is 6 inches, a size of about 12 inches is reasonable. Conversely, an 18-inch planer will work well with stock that is 9 inches thick.

Is a benchtop planer worth it?

A benchtop planer is indispensable for those working on woodworking projects because it helps users control the thickness and smoothness of wood pieces.

What plane should I buy first?

Certain types of power tools can produce poor-quality cuts. A shoulder and a low-angle plane are practical solutions to help you solve this problem.

I also recommend beginners to apprentice with these simplest versions to improve their skills.

What's the difference between a jointer and a planer?

The noticeable difference between two designs is in the operating mechanism.

A jointer allows you to smooth edges and surfaces. A planer creates evenness on the sides and easily adjusts the plank thickness to the carpenter's wishes.

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Overall, DEWALT Thickness Planer Two Speed is the best candidate in my recommendations. Alternatively, consider the WEN PL1252 15-Amp 12.5-Inch if you want a stable version.

Above are the best planers for home workshops with my practical experiences. I hope this article can provide you with helpful information to find the suitable product. Thank you for following this post! 

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