A good benchtop thickness planer can completely change the way you buy and prepare lumber. Instead of paying a premium for perfectly surfaced boards, you can start with rough or partially surfaced stock and bring it to a consistent thickness in your own workshop.
The best planer depends on how you work. Furniture makers may prioritize surface quality and snipe control, while a small-shop woodworker may care more about footprint, weight, dust collection, cutter maintenance, and price. We compared established favorites with newer spiral and helical-style machines to find excellent options for a range of budgets and woodworking styles.
Quick Picks
- DEWALT DW735X 13-Inch Two-Speed Thickness Planer
- DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer
- WEN PL1337 Two-Speed 13-Inch Spiral Planer
- WEN PL1326 13-Inch Spiral Thickness Planer
- Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Portable Planer
- JET JWP-13BT 13-Inch Helical-Style Planer
- Cutech 40800H 13-Inch Two-Speed Spiral Planer
- Cutech 40600H 13-Inch Spiral Planer
- FindBuyTool 13-Inch Helical Cutterhead Planer
- VEVOR 13-Inch Three-Blade Benchtop Planer
1. DEWALT DW735X 13-Inch Two-Speed Thickness Planer
Overview
The DEWALT DW735X is one of the best-known premium benchtop thickness planers for serious home shops. Its 15-amp motor drives a three-knife cutterhead at 10,000 RPM, while a two-speed gearbox lets you choose a faster feed for dimensioning lumber or a slower feed that produces more cuts per inch for final passes. Its 13-inch width capacity makes it suitable for furniture components, cabinet stock, cutting-board blanks, and most boards a hobbyist or small professional shop is likely to process.
The DW735X package also includes infeed and outfeed tables along with an extra set of knives. DEWALT’s fan-assisted chip-ejection system helps move shavings away from the cutterhead, an especially useful feature when processing wide hardwood boards. A capable dust collector or shop vacuum is still recommended because thickness planers generate a large amount of waste very quickly.
At around 90 pounds, this is better described as movable than truly portable. It is best for woodworkers who can keep the planer on a dedicated cart, stand, or workbench and want near-stationary-machine capability from a 120-volt benchtop tool.
Why It’s Great
The two-speed feed system is the DW735X’s biggest advantage. The faster setting is useful for bringing rough lumber close to final thickness, while the slower finishing mode increases the number of cuts per inch and can leave a noticeably cleaner surface.
The substantial frame, intuitive depth adjustment, reversible three-knife system, strong dust evacuation, and enormous aftermarket ecosystem also make this a planer you can build a long-term workflow around. It costs more than entry-level machines, but its performance and proven design help justify the premium.
User Feedback
The DW735X has accumulated thousands of Amazon ratings with overwhelmingly positive overall sentiment. Owners frequently praise its cutting power, surface quality, easy knife changes, consistent thicknessing, and ability to handle demanding hardwood projects.
Recurring criticisms include its considerable weight, operating noise, and the sheer volume of chips it creates. Some users also report snipe when long boards are not properly supported or when the extension tables need adjustment.
2. DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer
Overview
The DEWALT DW734 gives woodworkers much of the brand’s planer engineering in a simpler and somewhat lighter package. It combines a 15-amp motor with a three-knife cutterhead operating at 10,000 RPM and produces 96 cuts per inch. Its maximum board width is 12-1/2 inches, only half an inch narrower than many full-size benchtop competitors.
A four-column carriage lock is designed to reduce movement that can contribute to snipe. The planer also includes extended infeed and outfeed tables, a material-removal gauge, thickness scale, and turret depth stop. Its reversible disposable knives provide two usable cutting edges before replacement.
The DW734 is particularly well suited to smaller workshops where the heavier DW735X feels unnecessary. It has ample capacity for furniture parts, cutting boards, cabinetry, and routine hardwood dimensioning while remaining more manageable when it needs to be moved or stored.
Why It’s Great
The DW734 occupies an appealing middle ground between inexpensive beginner planers and premium two-speed models. It delivers strong cutting performance and proven DEWALT support without making you pay for features you may not need.
Its long extension tables are especially useful when handling longer stock, and the carriage-lock design can help control snipe when the machine and workpiece are properly supported.
User Feedback
The DW734 has accumulated thousands of Amazon ratings and maintains strong overall customer sentiment. Owners commonly praise its smooth finished surfaces, power, uncomplicated setup, durable construction, and easy-to-change reversible knives.
Common complaints include normal planer noise, heavy chip production, and occasional snipe at the leading or trailing end of a board.
3. WEN PL1337 Two-Speed 13-Inch Spiral Planer
Overview
The WEN PL1337 uses 26 staggered and rotatable HSS cutters on a spiral cutterhead. A 15-amp motor delivers up to 10,000 cutterhead RPM, and the planer can process boards up to 13 inches wide and 6 inches thick.
Two feed speeds make the PL1337 especially versatile: approximately 26 feet per minute for efficient dimensioning and 16 feet per minute for slower finishing passes. It also includes a depth stop, material-removal gauge, combination dust port, onboard wrench storage, and workpiece-return rollers.
The small individual cutters are particularly useful when a nick develops because a damaged insert can be rotated instead of replacing a full-length planer knife.
Why It’s Great
The PL1337 combines segmented cutters and selectable feed speed at a price point that is attractive to serious hobbyists. You can move quickly through early dimensioning passes and then reduce the feed rate when surface quality becomes the priority.
User Feedback
Amazon feedback is strongly positive overall, with buyers frequently mentioning smooth cuts, straightforward setup, value, and the usefulness of two feed speeds. Some owners note that careful setup helps manage snipe.
4. WEN PL1326 13-Inch Spiral Thickness Planer
Overview
The WEN PL1326 uses 26 staggered and rotatable HSS cutters with a 15-amp motor and up to 10,000 RPM. It handles boards up to 13 inches wide and 6 inches thick.
An onboard material-removal gauge, cast-iron base, and adjustable infeed and outfeed tables help make it a practical primary planer for a home shop. It is well suited to furniture makers and hobbyists processing rough-sawn hardwood.
Why It’s Great
The PL1326 is appealing if you want a segmented cutterhead without premium-planer pricing. Localized cutter maintenance and 13-inch capacity give it a strong value proposition.
User Feedback
The PL1326 has hundreds of Amazon ratings with strongly positive sentiment. Buyers often praise its smooth cutting action, sturdy feel, easy setup, and value. Some users mention table alignment and snipe adjustment as areas that deserve attention.
5. Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Portable Planer
Overview
The Makita 2012NB emphasizes portability, stability, and straightforward operation. A four-post structure with diagonal cross supports helps stabilize the cutterhead carriage, while disposable double-edge blades simplify routine maintenance.
Large table extensions provide additional stock support, and the automatic head-clamp system is designed to help reduce snipe. Its 12-inch capacity is ample for most conventional furniture lumber.
Why It’s Great
Portability and refinement are its defining strengths. It is easier to reposition than many heavier premium machines while maintaining a stable four-post structure and user-friendly blade system.
User Feedback
Amazon customer sentiment is strongly positive, with owners commonly praising finish quality, portability, easy adjustment, and straightforward blade replacement. Price and the 12-inch width limit are the most frequent tradeoffs.
6. JET JWP-13BT 13-Inch Helical-Style Planer
Overview
The JET JWP-13BT combines 13-inch capacity with a segmented helical-style cutterhead using six rows and 26 quick-change HSS inserts. A 15-amp motor drives the cutterhead at 10,000 RPM.
Two feed rates of approximately 18 and 26 feet per minute let you choose between a slower finishing pass and quicker stock removal. A precision-machined cast-iron bed and folding infeed and outfeed tables add stability and convenience.
Why It’s Great
The JET offers a substantial feature set for woodworkers who want more than an entry-level machine without moving to a stationary floor model. Its segmented cutters also simplify localized maintenance.
User Feedback
Customer feedback is generally favorable, with owners highlighting smooth surfaces, solid construction, convenient cutter maintenance, and two feed rates. Its main tradeoffs are price and weight.
7. Cutech 40800H 13-Inch Two-Speed Spiral Planer
Overview
The Cutech 40800H uses a 13-inch spiral cutterhead fitted with 26 tungsten-carbide inserts arranged in six staggered rows. Two feed speeds provide flexibility for stock dimensioning and finish-oriented passes.
Cutech also includes a snipe-minimizing design and board-return rollers on top of the housing, a useful convenience when making repeated passes in a compact shop.
Why It’s Great
The combination of carbide inserts and dual feed speeds is its biggest attraction. Individual cutters can be rotated as edges wear, and the two-speed design makes it flexible for both rough and finish work.
User Feedback
The Amazon feedback pool is smaller than DEWALT’s or WEN’s but remains favorable overall. Buyers commonly mention smooth cutter performance and a strong feature set, while the smaller long-term ownership history is the main caveat.
8. Cutech 40600H 13-Inch Spiral Planer
Overview
The Cutech 40600H offers 13-inch capacity with 26 tungsten-carbide inserts across six rows in a simpler single-speed configuration. It also includes Cutech’s snipe-minimizing features and workpiece-return rollers.
For woodworkers who typically use one planer setting and finish projects with sanding or scraping, the single-speed design may be an acceptable tradeoff for factory-installed carbide cutters.
Why It’s Great
The 40600H puts carbide segmented cutting into a straightforward benchtop package without requiring an aftermarket conversion. Its 13-inch capacity covers most home-furniture projects.
User Feedback
The current Amazon review footprint is smaller than mainstream brands, but available feedback tends to emphasize good finish quality and the convenience of carbide inserts. Buyers should compare replacement-insert availability and cost before purchase.
9. FindBuyTool 13-Inch Helical Cutterhead Planer
Overview
FindBuyTool’s 13-inch benchtop planer uses a cutterhead fitted with 40 tungsten-carbide inserts and operates from standard 120-volt power with a 15-amp motor.
Its 13-inch capacity accommodates most furniture stock, cabinet parts, and cutting-board blanks. It is particularly appealing to woodworkers who already know they want carbide segmented cutting and prefer a factory-integrated solution.
Why It’s Great
Forty carbide inserts distribute cutting work across many small edges and allow individual cutters to be serviced. Buying the system as part of the original machine also avoids the cost and labor of a later cutterhead conversion.
User Feedback
The Amazon review pool is modest but favorable overall. Owners frequently highlight surface quality, substantial construction, and the carbide cutter arrangement. The primary tradeoff is a smaller accessories and service ecosystem than long-established brands.
10. VEVOR 13-Inch Three-Blade Benchtop Planer
Overview
VEVOR’s 13-inch planer is geared toward budget-conscious users who want full-width benchtop capacity. It uses a three-blade cutter system and is designed for boards up to approximately 13 inches wide and 6 inches thick.
Extended infeed support gives longer lumber a larger surface to ride on as it enters the cutterhead. It is best suited to DIYers, occasional furniture builders, and home-shop woodworkers who need to dimension rough lumber without stepping up to a stationary planer.
Why It’s Great
Value is the primary attraction. You get 13-inch capacity, a three-blade cutting system, useful workpiece support, and enough capability for everyday hardwood and softwood stock preparation at an accessible entry point.
User Feedback
The VEVOR listing has hundreds of Amazon ratings with generally positive sentiment. Customers often praise the price-to-performance ratio and stock-removal capability, while recurring concerns include snipe, adjustment, finish consistency, and occasional quality-control variation.
Which Benchtop Planer Should You Buy?
For most serious hobbyists, the DEWALT DW735X remains the strongest all-around choice. Its two-speed feed system, excellent chip evacuation, 13-inch capacity, substantial construction, and enormous ownership base make it an easy machine to build a woodworking workflow around.
If value matters more, the WEN PL1326 provides a segmented spiral cutterhead at an accessible price, while the WEN PL1337 is worth considering when you want the added flexibility of two feed speeds. The Makita 2012NB is especially appealing when portability and a refined user experience matter more than maximum cutting width.
Woodworkers specifically looking for replaceable carbide inserts should compare the Cutech 40800H and FindBuyTool 13-Inch Planer. The JET JWP-13BT is another capable premium alternative, while the VEVOR 13-Inch Planer makes sense when maximum capacity per dollar is the priority.
Whichever model you choose, setup matters. Properly supporting long boards, aligning the infeed and outfeed tables, using sensible depth-of-cut settings, keeping cutting edges sharp, and connecting effective dust collection can have as much influence on the finished board as the brand printed on the machine.
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