25 Best Planers Reviewed in 2020: Which One Came Out The Winner?

Using a wood thickness planer like this one from Delta Power Tools reduces the risk that you might make mistakes when planing boards for various projects. Its 15-amp motor can handle both bigger and smaller jobs, its unique knives system lets you quickly swap out the blades for planing hard or soft woods. Both the infeed and outfeed tables on the front and back are adjustable, and as it has an open design, you can clearly see through to the back and keep an eye on each piece of wood you push through. We also like the dust port that you can use on either side of the machine.

If you think that granite is just for kitchen counters, this thickness planer from WEN will change your mind. The granite table found on this model helps your boards move smoothly through the machine without marking or scarring the bottom of those boards, and the granite reduces the risk that a board might lodge in the center. With a 12-amp motor that can produce more than 18,000 cuts in a single minute, this planer can accommodate up to 26 feet of wood boards in 60 seconds. You’ll also love the dust port that pulls dust off the machine and the adjustable depth feature.

Though not a traditional thickness sander, this WEN model made our list because of its affordable price and powerful motor. That 4.3-amp motor produces more than 3,500 RPM and turns your home shop into a professional shop. Its cast iron base is sturdy enough to support both the weight of the machine and the weight of any materials you put on top, and the base does a good job of absorbing the vibrations that might cause your hands to slip off. It also features a tilting belt that lets you adjust the angle up to 90-degrees and both a sanding disc and a belt sander for easy planing.

Our number one choice for the best benchtop planer is this one from JET. Featuring a table made from cast iron, this planer significantly cuts down on the vibrations you feel and reduces some of the loud noises that you hear too. You can adjust both the infeed and outfeed based on the dimensions of your wood to cut down on workplace accidents and plane with ease. The newly designed cutting area features three sharp and powerful steel blades that plane through all types of wood with ease. It also comes with rollers coated with a rubber material that ensures your wood moves smoothly from the infeed to the outfeed.

If you’re in the market for a benchtop planer that will perform just as well in the field as it does in your shop, look no further than this POWERTEC model. Though it’s strong enough for planing wood boards or changing the thickness of those boards, it also features carrying handles mounted right to the sides that let you pick it up and move it without needed help from your coworkers. A spindle lock lets you lock the machine as you replace the blades, and a return roller makes it easier for you to plane longer pieces of wood.

Though this Shop Fox benchtop is fairly expensive, it’s worth the investment. This planer comes with a built-in mobile base that is just as strong as the bases found on other models but allows you to transport the planer to different areas of your shop or site. Weighing in at over 900 pounds, you’ll appreciate just how easily you can move it. The planer also comes with table locks that keep it from rolling as you work and extension wings that let you increase the size of its table. It also comes with a safety switch that lets you shut it down quickly to prevent accidents.

DEWALT offers a long-lasting and dependable warranty on every power tool it sells, which is just one reason why so many woodworkers love this hand held planer. Featuring the iconic DEWALT colors of yellow and black on the exterior, this planer has a 15,000 RPM 7-amp motor that you can turn on and off via the squeeze button the handle. It can work with two different types of knife blades and had a knob on the front for adjusting its height that the manufacturer covered in a special type of rubber to reduce the risk of electrical shocks. The unique design of its cutting surface lets you plane down more in fewer strokes too.

These Makita power hand held planer features a sleek design and a powerful 6.5-amp motor. It can plane boards measuring more than three-inches across and more than three-inches wide in just seconds and reduces the risk that you might need to go over those boards a second or even third time. It also has a cutting head that features two separate blades. That cutting head produces 17,000 RMP to give you the smooth and even surface that you want. This is one of the few models that you can use right out of the box without a lot of prep time.

This model from Hitachi is a great combo tool for woodworkers who want to take their tools with them. The corded model comes with a 5.5-amp motor and works with any outlet. Unlike other similar designs that require you replace the blades, this one has removable blades that you can take out and sharpen yourself. A built-in kickstand ensures that this planer remains stable when you’re not using it and keeps any areas nearby safe from the blades. It also comes with a dust collection feature that lets you use the included bag to pick up dust and particles or connect the planer to your vacuum for convenient dust collection.

While there are a number of different portable planers out there, the best one is this DEWALT model. It features a rubber-coated adjustment knob on the front that lets you quickly adjust the height of the tool, and that rubber-coated cover is easy to grab when your hands are slick or wet too. Designed for use with steel blades, this planer can also accommodate carbide blades too. Suitable for use with framing jobs and planing, it has a 7-amp motor that you can use with both soft and harder woods. It also has a sharp cutting edge that reduces the amount of times you must go over the same piece of wood.

Portable planers like this one from PORTER-CABLE are lightweight enough that you won’t have any problems working on projects all around your house. You can even use it when sanding or planing down rough areas on your stairs. Its 6-amp motor can handle most jobs, and the depth knob on the front lets you select from 10 different impressive depth settings. The manufacturer also added an aluminum shoe that gives you more control and stability and three grooves for creating the perfect edges that you want. You can also easily adjust the extraction feature to remove dust and particles trapped in the motor.

Bosch wanted to make this planer even more portable, which is why it included a carrying case. That case is perfect for keeping dust out of the motor when you store the planer between uses, but the case also helps you transport the planer to different sites without worrying that it might suffer damage. With a 6.5-amp engine and more than 16,000 RPM, this planer can work with both the hardest and most fragile of woods. In addition to using the planer as-is, you can also spring for steel blade upgrade that will help you plane harder woods even faster.

The leading choice for amateurs and professionals alike is this jointer planer from Jet. The included cast iron table is durable enough for most jobs and will retain its look and strength for years to come. It also comes with a one-horsepower motor that can handle even the toughest of jobs and three steel knives in the cutting area to smooth down even longer and harder wood boards in a fraction of the time that it would take similar machines. You’ll also appreciate the dust port on the very bottom of the machine. Measuring an impressive four-inches, this port does a great job of pulling in the sawdust that your produce as you cut and plane.

Jet made our list of the best jointer planers a second top with this model, which shows that good things come in small packages. Though it is a fraction of the size of some of its competitors, it provides all the jointer and planner power that you need. Its 13-amp motor is more powerful than those found on smaller models and can produce up to 18,000 RMP to help you with all your projects. A feed table made from sheet metal slides out from the sides to give you a larger work space, and it comes with two high-speed knives that provide concise and exact cuts each and every time.

Also on our list is this affordable model from Porter Cable. Though you may not know the name, you’ll love how much work you can get done with this jointer planer. It features a variable speed range that lets you determine how quickly you want to work. You can start out at 6,000 RPM and slowly increase the speed up to 11,000 RPM. Though it only has two knives in its cutting area, you can easily remove those knives when you need to replace them or adjust the knives for various projects. It also comes with a fence mounted directly in the center of the machine to give you better control over your boards.