Choosing a benchtop planer: what the makers' specs show

What do width and thickness capacity tell you about a benchtop planer?

Width capacity sets the widest board a planer accepts; thickness capacity sets the tallest. The figures below are each maker's own.

DEWALT's DW735 manual lists a maximum planing width of 13" (325 mm), a maximum planing height of 6" (152.4 mm) and a minimum of 1/8" (3.2 mm).

DEWALT lists the DW734 at 12-1/2-in. (318mm) wide with a depth capacity of 6 inches, and Makita lists the 2012NB at 12" wide with a thickness capacity of 6-3/32". (Makita U.S.A., Inc.)

WEN says the 6552T planes boards up to 6 inches thick and 13 inches wide, and the 6550T up to 6 inches thick and 12.5 inches wide. (WEN Products; WEN Products)

WEN's planer primer notes that a 13-inch planer handles a workpiece up to 13 inches wide, and a wider board has to be ripped down to fit. (WEN Products)

How much wood can a benchtop planer take off in one pass?

The DW735 manual gives a maximum depth of cut of 1/8" (3 mm) in one pass, on material less than 6" (152 mm) wide. (DEWALT)

RIKON lists the 25-135H depth of cut as 1/16" on boards 6" to 13" wide and 1/8" within 6" wide. (RIKON Power Tools)

WEN says the 6552T's depth knob takes off anywhere from 0 to 3/32 of an inch per pass, and Makita lists a 1/8" cutting depth for the 2012NB. (WEN Products; Makita U.S.A., Inc.)

The DW735 manual suggests planing both sides to reach a thickness; to remove 1/8" (3 mm), it says to take 1/16" (1.6 mm) from each side. (DEWALT)

What do feed rate and cuts per inch mean?

DEWALT's DW735 has a two-speed gearbox that sets 96 or 179 cuts per inch (CPI), with a feed speed of 14' (4.3 m) or 26' (7.9 m) per minute. (DEWALT)

The manual says speed "2" (96 cuts per inch) removes material more quickly, and speed "1" (179 cuts per inch) is for the finishing pass and is recommended for hard or figured species. (DEWALT)

The single-speed DW734 lists a 10,000 RPM cutterhead that delivers 96 cuts per inch. (DEWALT)

RIKON lists the 25-135H feed speed as 16 & 26 SF/MIN, and WEN lists a 26 feet per minute feed rate with 25,500 cuts per minute for the 6552T. (RIKON Power Tools; WEN Products)

Knives or inserts: which cutterheads do benchtop planers use?

DEWALT's DW734 uses a three-knife cutterhead at 10,000 RPM.

Makita lists two knives and a no-load speed of 8,500 RPM for the 2012NB. (Makita U.S.A., Inc.)

RIKON's 25-130H manual lists 26 two-sided HSS inserts, and the 25-135H page lists 26 knives/inserts sized 14.2mm x 14.2mm x 2mm. (Rikon Power Tools, Inc.; RIKON Power Tools)

The helical-vs-straight-knife guide compares cutterhead types in more detail.

What is planer snipe, and how do makers address it?

DEWALT's DW735 manual defines snipe as a depression made when an unsupported end of the board drops toward the floor, lifting the opposite end up into the cutterhead.

To avoid snipe, the manual says to feed the board level and flat against the base, catch it at the rear, and add material support for especially long stock. (DEWALT)

DEWALT says the DW735's automatic carriage lock reduces the movement that causes snipe without manual engagement.

Makita says the 2012NB's Interna-Lok automated head clamp eliminates snipe, and WEN says the 6552T's height-adjustable infeed and outfeed tables limit snipe. (Makita U.S.A., Inc.; WEN Products)

Will a planer flatten a warped board?

The DW735 manual says a board should ideally have at least one level face before planing, and recommends running it through a jointer to produce one flat surface. (DEWALT)

The jointer-vs-planer guide covers what each machine does and what makers say about planing without a jointer.

Taikra doesn't rank or test tools; every figure here is from the maker's own page or manual, linked.

Setup and operating instructions are in each maker's manual.