A benchtop thickness planer shaves a board down to a uniform thickness by pulling it between a rotating cutterhead and an adjustable table, and the short answer for most small shops is the DEWALT DW735X, with the CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 as the value pick and the Makita 2012NB if noise is your main constraint. We spent weeks comparing the machines that actually fit a one-car garage, side room, or converted basement rather than a dedicated production shop.
That constraint is what separates this list from every other roundup on the topic. A planer is not a small machine that happens to be cheap; it is a 60 to 100 pound motor that needs supported infeed and outfeed tables on both sides, a dedicated circuit in most cases, and a dust path that goes somewhere other than the ceiling. Get that wrong and you end up with snipe, a tripped breaker, and a machine that lives in the corner because it is too awkward to move.
Below you will find our nine picks, ranked, with the honest tradeoffs for each. We lean heavily on what owners report back after real board volume rather than first-week impressions, because a benchtop planer is a machine you buy once and keep for a decade. Our earlier coverage of the benchtop planer basics and the 12 inch versus 13 inch width question covers the basics; this page is about which machine earns its floor space.
Top 3 Picks for Small Shops (October 2026)
These three cover the widest range of small-shop situations: the one most people end up owning, the one that fits a tighter 12.5 inch envelope, and the one that costs the least to run on disposable blades.
DEWALT DW735X 13-Inch Three-Knife
- 15 amp 20
- 000 rpm motor
- Three knife cutterhead
- Two-speed at 96 or 179 cuts per inch
- Automatic carriage lock cuts snipe
DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Three-Knife
- 96 cuts per inch finish
- Four-column carriage lock
- 33-1/2 inch table support
- 15 amp 20
- 000 rpm
CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 Benchtop Planer
- Solid steel two-knife head on ball bearings
- High carbon steel reversible knives
- 61 lb machine
- Vacuum port included
Best Benchtop Planers for Small Shops in 2026: At a Glance
Every machine below is listed here exactly as the manufacturer or retailer publishes it, with the number that actually decides a purchase: how wide a board it handles, what the cutterhead is, and what it weighs when you have to move it.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| DEWALT DW735X 13-Inch Three-Knife Planer |
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| DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Three-Knife Planer |
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| CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 Benchtop Planer |
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 WEN PL1326 13-Inch Spiral Planer |
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 Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Portable Planer |
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 VEVOR 13-Inch Three-Blade Two-Speed Planer |
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 JET JWP-13BT 13-Inch Helical-Style Planer |
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 RIKON 25-135H 13-Inch Helical-Style Planer |
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 Triton TPT125 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer |
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1. DEWALT DW735X 13-Inch Planer: Best Benchtop Planer Overall
DEWALT Thickness Planer, 13-inch Wood Planer, Three Knife Two Speed, 15 Amp, 20,000 RPM Motor (DW735X)
15 amp 20,000 rpm motor
Three knife cutterhead
Two-speed at 96 or 179 cuts per inch
102 lb, 3 year warranty
Pros
- Pulls rough softwood and hardwood without bogging
- Exceptionally smooth surface needing little sanding
- Three knives with an extra set included
- Automatic carriage lock genuinely reduces snipe
- Removable infeed and outfeed tables
Cons
- Disposable knives dull relatively fast
- About 100 lb so it is awkward to move
- Loud even with hearing protection
- High draw can trip a 15 amp circuit
The DW735X is the machine most small shops end up with, and after spending weeks with it the reason is simple: it does not make you think about the planer. You set a depth, you feed a board, and the surface comes off flat and consistent enough that a light skim sand is usually enough. That is the whole job.
Under the hood it is a 15 amp, 20,000 rpm motor spinning the cutterhead at 10,000 rpm, driving a three knife head. Three knives instead of two means each knife removes a smaller chip, which is why owners report longer edge life and why the manufacturer claims 30 percent longer knife life over a two knife setup. A spare set of knives is included, which quietly removes the most annoying part of a first year.
The two-speed gearbox is the feature people underestimate. At 96 cuts per inch you get a fine finish and can push figured or tear-prone stock; at 179 cuts per inch you move material quickly on rough boards. Long-term owners on r/woodworking describe the DW735X as the default answer and note the common upgrade path from the older DW734, which is the next machine on this list.
Snipe is the defect that ruins first-time planer experiences, and this machine attacks it directly with an automatic carriage lock that removes the vertical movement in the head while the board transitions onto the cutter. It is not a cure-all, but combined with properly leveled tables it is the biggest single improvement most first-timers will notice.
Now the honest part. At roughly 100 pounds this is not a machine you carry to the couch to work on the coffee table. It has carry handles and it moves across a level shop floor, but it is a two-person lift out of a pickup bed. The fan-assisted chip ejection is also aggressive, and reviewers consistently recommend running it to a cyclone or drum collector rather than a small shop vac. If you cannot site a collector, plan for a cleanup routine instead.
What the DW735X asks of your shop
It needs a real outlet position. Owners on woodworking forums frequently note the amperage draw can trip a shared 15 amp circuit, so a dedicated 20 amp branch circuit is the realistic plan. The 19-3/4 inch cast aluminum base is rigid, but rigidity on the machine does nothing for a table that sags three feet away from the cutterhead.
Support the infeed and outfeed ends of long stock, or feed short pieces only. The included tables are removable without loosening screws, which is genuinely useful in a small shop, but they were designed to fill the gap immediately around the cutterhead rather than to carry a twelve foot board. If your typical work is 4×8 sheet stock, budget for a roller stand at each end or you will chase snipe forever.
Where the DW735X falls short
It is a straight knife machine, not a helical head, so hardwood tear-out is more likely than on the insert machines further down this list. That only matters if you are planing figured or resinous woods; for poplar, pine, maple and dimensional lumber it is largely a non-issue.
The consumable cost adds up over a decade of use. Disposable double-sided knives are cheap individually and there is no sharpening skill required, but they do dull, and the total is real if you are pushing heavy board volume every weekend. The upgrade ecosystem, including an aftermarket helical head, is the eventual answer for owners who get serious.
2. DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Planer: Best for Tight 12.5 Inch Shops
DEWALT Benchtop Planer, 15-Amp, 12-1/2-Inch, 3-Knife Cutter, 20,000 RPM, Corded (DW734)
15 amp 20,000 rpm motor
96 cuts per inch finish
Four-column carriage lock
80 lb, 33-1/2 inch support
Pros
- 96 cuts per inch is among the finest portable finishes
- Four-column carriage lock cuts snipe
- Long 33-1/2 inch table support
- Motor handles deep hardwood cuts
- Quick reversible knife changes
Cons
- Disposable knives still dull quickly
- Heavy to reposition in a small shop
- Single speed with no low-feed option
- Dust hood is the only included accessory
The DW734 is the machine to buy if your stock is genuinely 12.5 inches wide or narrower and floor space is genuinely tight. It is about 20 pounds lighter than the DW735X but its footprint is shorter and narrower than the DW735X, which matters more in a small shop than the extra half inch of planing width ever will.
What it does not give up is finish quality. At 96 cuts per inch on a three knife head turning at 10,000 rpm, it produces one of the finest surfaces in the portable planer class, and reviewers single that out as the deciding factor. On straight-grained hardwood the board comes out of the machine with a surface you would be happy to call finished.
The four-column carriage is the snipe story here. Rather than the two posts on lighter machines, four columns resist the head flexing under load, and owners report the difference shows up on wide boards where cheaper machines wander. The 33-1/2 inches of combined infeed and outfeed support is unusually long for a benchtop unit, which helps with dimensional lumber that is longer than the machine.
The real compromise is that there is only one feed speed. If you mostly work clean hardwood, that is irrelevant. If you plan figured stock, walnut with sap, or anything tear-prone, you have no low-feed setting to slow the board down, and the practical workaround is to feed more slowly by hand and take lighter passes.
One more thing to check before you buy: only a dust hood is included. Unlike the DW735X, there is no fan-assisted ejection, so you will want a dedicated hose and a collector of some kind to keep chips under control. Several owners run it to a shop vac successfully with a proper adapter rather than a bare hose.
Where the DW734 fits a small shop best
It is the answer to a specific problem: you build furniture and cabinet parts, your material is 1 inch to 12.5 inches wide, and you cannot spare a dedicated planer corner. At roughly 80 pounds it is still heavy, but it is heavy in a way one person can manage with a furniture dolly, and it will sit on a folding table or a stout workbench in a way the DW735X will not.
Long-term owners on r/woodworking point out that the DW735X is a straight upgrade path from this machine, and buyers who outgrow a 12.5 inch width later generally move up rather than sideways. That is a good sign for resale and for parts familiarity.
Where the DW734 costs you
Dust collection setup is entirely on you, and that is a real cost in time and fittings. The absence of a second feed speed means no built-in answer for figured or wet stock. And the reversible knives, while quick to change, still need changing, and the cost accumulates exactly like the DW735X.
If your work includes 13 inch material and you already have the floor area, the DW735X is the better machine and the DW734 is the wrong width. Buying a 12.5 inch machine and then hunting for a 13 inch jointer-planer later is a common and expensive detour.
3. CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 Benchtop Planer: Best Value for Steady Work
CRAFTSMAN Planer, 15 Amp, For Benchtops, Two Knife Solid Steel Cutter Head (CMEW320)
15 amp motor
Two knife solid steel head on ball bearings
12.25 inch width
61 lb with vacuum port
Pros
- Ball bearing steel head runs smooth under heavy volume
- High carbon steel reversible knives last
- Knob depth adjustment with fine increments
- Stable base with bolt-down holes
- Light enough to move around a small shop
Cons
- Two knife head can bog on knots
- More snipe than helical or spiral heads
- Front-mounted power cord gets in the way
- Dust port clogs with big shavings
The CMEW320 is the pick for someone who is going to push real board volume through a machine and does not want to think about consumables. Owners report this one having cut well past 1,000 board feet and still tracking true, which is the durability story you want from a planer in a small shop doing production work.
The head is the reason. A solid steel two knife cutterhead mounted on ball bearings is a heavier, more stable assembly than the pressed steel heads used on some cheaper machines, and the ball bearings are what keep it smooth as the knives wear. The knives themselves are high carbon steel, double edged and reversible, so a dulled edge flips rather than the whole set being replaced.
At 61 pounds it is one of the lighter machines here, and that is not incidental. It is heavy enough to stay put on concrete or a driveway and it has bolt-down holes if you want a fixed stand, but light enough to carry into position solo. For a one-room shop, that combination of stability and portability is unusual.
The depth adjustment is a knob with fine increments rather than a turret with preset stops. Some buyers miss having quick presets, but most find the fine control better for working to a dimension on a single part rather than running the same thickness repeatedly.
Two knives is the tradeoff. A two knife head removes a bigger chip per pass than a three knife head, so it has more capacity on clean stock but less margin when a board has a knot or resin pocket. Owners report it bogging down on knots in rough material, which is a specific kind of board you either have a lot of or none of.
Snipe is also more likely here than on a helical or spiral machine, and dust management is manual through a vacuum port that fills quickly with large shavings. The power cord exiting at the front left is an awkward spot when you are working the left side of a long board.
Why owners keep this one for a decade
Steel on ball bearings with reversible high carbon knives is a mechanically conservative design. It is not the fastest way to remove material and it will snipe more than a spiral head, but there is very little in it to wear out. People on woodworking forums who run CRAFTSMAN machines tend to describe them as boring in the best way.
For a small shop doing furniture or cabinet work on a consistent schedule, the practical economics are good. Blades are cheap and simple, the machine is easy to keep level, and the base will not wander across the floor mid-pass.
Where it is the wrong choice
If you work a lot of figured or highly figured stock, a spiral head is a better answer. If snipe bothers you at all, you will be fighting it here more than on the machines with insert heads. And if your boards routinely carry knots, the two knife capacity ceiling will show up as stalls and inconsistent passes.
It is also a 12.25 inch machine. Like the DW734, it is for people whose stock genuinely fits. The manual hand-crank that moves the head between edge and flat positions is another small friction point that owners mention more often than you would expect.
4. WEN PL1326 13-Inch Spiral Planer: Best Budget Spiral Head
WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop Thickness Planer
26 rotatable HSS spiral blades
10,000 rpm at 26 FPM
Handles 6 inch thick and 13 inch wide stock
81 lb cast iron base
Pros
- 26 staggered spiral blades give a clean finish
- Blades rotate before replacement doubling life
- Cast iron base holds boards flat
- Handles boards up to 6 inches thick
- Strong finish for the money
Cons
- Brush motor noise is as loud as a knife head
- Forceful chip ejection is impractical indoors
- Material gauge is a small pin not full width
- Snipe returns if tables are not set right
The WEN PL1326 is the machine that surprises people. A 26 blade spiral cutterhead usually signals a premium price, and here it sits well below where most spiral head machines live. Reviewers consistently report finish quality that matches machines costing considerably more.
Spiral blades are staggered around the head, so each one takes a small chip rather than a full width slice. That produces a surface with visible witness marks from the blade edges but a very consistent overall thickness, and it is dramatically more forgiving on figured or tear-prone wood than a straight knife head. The blades here are HSS rather than carbide, so they do not last forever, but each one rotates before you replace it.
Capacity is genuinely useful. It handles boards up to 6 inches thick and 13 inches wide, which covers rough-sawn slabs, thick stock, and the wide dimensional lumber a small furniture shop runs into constantly. The 15 amp motor turns the head at 10,000 rpm with a 26 feet per minute feed rate, which is a fixed speed rather than a two-speed gearbox.
The cast iron base is a good sign. It is the surface the board runs on and it holds flat over time better than a thin cast plate. Owners also report that the infeed and outfeed tables were straightforward to level, and one reviewer reported zero snipe after that adjustment, which is not a claim most machines can make.
Now the honest part, and it is a real one: this is a brush motor machine, and it is about as loud as a straight knife design despite the spiral head. Owners who expected spiral head quietness report being let down. If noise is a factor in a shared or residential shop, look elsewhere.
Chip ejection is also forceful, with chips thrown hard enough to be impractical indoors without real extraction. The material removal gauge is a small round pin in the middle of the planing area rather than a full width indicator, so you are eyeballing how much you are taking. And the machine is wide for something called a benchtop unit, which is worth measuring before you commit.
When the spiral head actually pays off
It pays off on wood that would tear out a knife head: figured maple, walnut with sap, cherry, and anything with a reversal in the grain. It also pays off in finish consistency across a batch, because small chips mean the head does not have to be razor sharp to produce an even surface.
For straight-grained dimensional lumber the advantage narrows considerably, and a good three knife machine will get you there too. If most of your material is framing lumber and SYP, the premium for a spiral head is money better spent elsewhere.
When to skip it
Skip it if you work in a shop where noise is already a problem, because the brush motor erases the quietness advantage people associate with spiral heads. Skip it if you have no extraction plan, because the chip stream is aggressive, and check the width carefully, because at 13 inches this is one of the widest machines in the group.
5. Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer: Best for Quiet Shops
Makita 2012NB 12″ Portable Planer
Rated at 83 dB
12 inch planing width
4-post head with cross supports
62 lb with folding table extensions
Pros
- Quietest machine in the class at 83 dB
- Accuracy holds to 0.002 inch over years
- Fastest and easiest blade change system
- 4-post design with cross supports stays stable
- Long-term owners report thousands of feet run
Cons
- Dust hood sold separately
- Disposable blades still need changing
- Protective packaging is thin
- Feed rollers need periodic cleaning
The Makita 2012NB wins on one specific number: 83 dB. That is the manufacturer rating, and it is low enough that this is the machine to buy if you plan in an apartment, a shared building, or any space where a table saw would bother the neighbors. It is also the only published noise figure in this group, and it sits far below what the other machines deliver in practice.
It is a 12 inch planer in a genuinely compact format. Owners describe it as light and portable enough to move between a shop and a jobsite, and it arrives ready to run with nothing to set up beyond bolting it down. For someone with limited floor space, a machine that can be put on a shelf between uses is worth more than it sounds.
The durability story here is the standout. Long-term owners report 10 to 20 years of continuous service and 5,000 to 6,000 feet of hardwood with almost nothing beyond blade changes. Accuracy holding to within 0.002 to 0.003 inch years after purchase is the number that matters for someone building glued panels, because that is where thickness consistency pays off.
The head design does its part. A four-post arrangement with diagonal cross supports resists the flex that causes snipe, so owners report very little snipe when feeding with proper technique and supported ends. The blade change system is the fastest in the class and the tools live inside the machine, which removes the most common excuse for putting off a blade change.
The two knife head still produces a smooth, nearly gloss-like surface on hardwoods, though it is a knife head and will tear out on figured wood where a spiral head would not. The disposable double-edged knives need changing every few months under heavy use, which is the price of a machine with no sharpening skill required.
Two practical catches. The dust hood is not included and must be bought separately, so budget for that before the first pass. And on boards longer than about 60 inches you need infeed and outfeed supports or you will get end snipe, because the folding table extensions are sized for shorter stock.
Why accuracy is the deciding factor here
If you glue up panels, build cabinet carcasses, or mill your own stock for furniture, the ability to hit a dimension repeatedly is what you are paying for. Holding 0.002 inch after a decade of use means your parts fit the same way they did the first year, which is not something the budget machines in this list can promise.
That accuracy is also why it holds resale value well. Machines that drift out of parallel force repeated calibration and eventually get sold. A machine that stays true does not.
Where the Makita is not the answer
It is 12 inches wide, so standard 13 inch stock and full width 4×8 panels are out of reach. It is a two knife machine, so it will not handle a slab with a lot of knots without stalling. And the feed rollers need periodic cleaning of pitch and sap, which is routine maintenance but something you will actually have to schedule.
Packaging is also worth a note, because multiple owners report dents in transit on arrival. Inspect the machine before you remove it from the packaging and document any damage immediately.
6. VEVOR 13-Inch Two-Speed Planer: Best Starting Two-Speed Machine
VEVOR Power Benchtop Planer Three-Blade Two Speed 13″ Thickness Planer
23,500 rpm 2000W motor
Two speeds at 24 and 15 FPM
35 inch table with extensions
62 lb with tool storage
Pros
- Strong price to performance
- Noticeably quieter than competing machines
- Two feed speeds handle rough and figured stock
- Cast iron bed keeps boards flat
- Built-in tool storage cabinet
- Minimal setup out of the box
Cons
- Factory knives have arrived with no usable edge
- Tray tables are hard to level perfectly
- Dust hood clogs with large shavings
- Weak slipping wrench included in the box
- Limited parts support after the return window
The VEVOR exists because the spec sheet is genuinely good for the money. A 23,500 rpm 2000W motor, a three knife head hardened to HRC55-60, a machined cast iron bed with a steel plate, and two feed speeds at 24 and 15 feet per minute. On paper that is a machine that should cost considerably more.
The two speeds are what make it interesting. The 24 FPM setting is for getting rough stock down to thickness quickly, and the 15 FPM setting is a real finishing speed for figured material. A single-speed machine at the fast setting has no equivalent option, and a single-speed machine at the slow setting wastes time on rough boards.
Owners also report it is noticeably quieter than competing machines in the class, and that the table pull-out extensions supply 35 inches of total length, which is generous support for a benchtop unit. The built-in tool storage cabinet in the top of the machine is a small touch that matters more in a tight shop than it sounds, because loose wrenches migrate to the floor.
Setup is minimal. Most owners report a couple of small adjustments and then it runs. Some machines come with metal bevel gears rather than plastic, which is a durability upgrade over what the spec sheet implies.
Now the problems, and they are real. The most serious is that factory-installed cutting knives have arrived with no usable edge on multiple machines, forcing owners to buy a second knife set before the machine will cut at all. That is not a defect you can adjust your way out of, and it means you should budget for a knife set on day one.
The outboard tray tables are also difficult to level perfectly, so boards come out mostly flat rather than accurately flat. The vacuum hood clogs quickly with large shavings, which can dimple the workpiece surface as chips are re-cut. The rear table extension does not lock in the up position, and the wrench included in the box is weak and slips on the blade bolts.
The biggest of these is support. Reviewers report limited manufacturer support with no replacement parts offered after the return window, which for a machine with consumable parts is a genuine long-term risk. The manual being written in poor English also slows down any adjustment you were not already familiar with.
Who this machine actually suits
A first-time planer buyer who wants a 13 inch two-speed machine and understands the two speeds are a real feature, not marketing. Someone who does clean work rather than walnut slabs, and who will spend the time to level the tray tables properly before judging the output.
It is also a reasonable second machine for a shop that needs a second planing station, where a second failure would be annoying but not fatal.
Where it falls down
The dull factory knives and the parts situation are the two that would stop me. Everything else is a calibration or a technique problem that a careful owner can solve. Those two are not.
If your shop depends on the planer for income, the support situation is the deciding factor, because a machine that cannot get a part after the return window is a liability. Check that the current listing includes replacement parts before you commit, and buy a spare knife set regardless.
7. JET JWP-13BT Helical-Style Planer: Best Insert-Head with Fold-Away Tables
JET 13-Inch Benchtop Thickness Planer for Woodworking, Helical Style Cutterhead with 2-Speed (18 FPM / 26 FPM) Feed Rate, 2 HP, 120V 1Ph (JWP-13BT)
26 quick-change HSS inserts in 6 rows
2 HP motor at 10,000 rpm
Two speeds at 18 and 26 FPM
75 lb, 5 year warranty
Pros
- Helical-style insert head cuts smoother and quieter than knife heads
- Precision cast iron bed helps keep boards flat
- Two feed speeds trade speed against finish
- Four-post head design supports the cut
- 2 HP motor handles 1/8 inch depth of cut
- Folding tables save shop space when stored
Cons
- HSS inserts dull faster than carbide
- Large footprint at 28 inches and heavy at 75 lb
- Warranty drops to two years for commercial use
The JET is the machine for someone who specifically wants an insert cutterhead and cares about shop space. A helical-style head with six rows of 26 quick-change high-speed steel inserts produces a smoother, quieter cut than a straight knife design, and the inserts that dull or pick up a nick can be rotated or individually replaced rather than replacing a whole set.
The bed is where the flatness comes from. A precision-machined cast iron bed with a steel cover resists wear and helps keep boards flat while reducing snipe, and the four-post head design gives the cutterhead strong support through the cut. That combination is what separates an insert machine that stays accurate from one that does not.
Power is not in question. A 2 HP motor at 10,000 rpm handles the full 1/8 inch maximum depth of cut on boards 6 inches wide or less, and the two feed speeds at 18 and 26 FPM let you choose between moving material and refining a surface. An adjustable depth stop supports doing the same cut repeatedly without re-dialing.
The part that matters most in a small shop is the folding infeed and outfeed tables. They adjust and fold, so when the job is done they get out of the way. On a machine this heavy, being able to reclaim the floor area rather than dedicating a permanent bay to it is worth real money in a converted room or a one-car garage.
The compromises are consumable cost and size. HSS inserts dull faster than carbide and each set is a recurring line item, so the cost of ownership over years is higher than the purchase price suggests. At 75 pounds and a 28 inch footprint, this is one of the larger machines here even before you add support tables at either end.
Read the warranty carefully. It is 5 years for home use but drops to 2 years for commercial or industrial use, and that is a real consideration if the small shop is actually a business. A shop running a planer as a revenue stream should confirm the terms before buying rather than assume.
Why an insert head is worth the money
Inserts cut small chips, so the head stays sharp longer between changes and finish quality is less sensitive to how recently you changed the blade. When one insert nicks in a knot, you rotate or swap that insert instead of removing and sharpening a whole knife set. Over a decade of use that changes the maintenance rhythm completely.
The quieter cut is also a real quality-of-life difference in a small shop, because you are more likely to run a full pass rather than rushing a noisy one. And with two feed speeds you have a finishing setting that a single-speed machine in the same class simply does not offer.
Where the JET is the wrong choice
Wrong for a hobbyist doing a few boards a month. The consumable cost and the machine size only make sense if you will actually run it. Wrong for a very tight space if your tables cannot fold away, because 28 inches plus support is a lot of room. And worth a hard look if you are a commercial shop, given the two-year commercial warranty.
The review base is also thinner than most machines on this list, which means fewer long-term ownership reports to draw on. That is a reason to buy with a return option rather than a reason to avoid it.
8. RIKON 25-135H Helical-Style Planer: Best for Repeat Cuts to One Thickness
RIKON 25-135H 13-Inch Portable Planer with Helical-Style Cutterhead
26 rotatable two-edge HSS inserts
Two speeds at 16 and 26 SFPM
13 inch width, 1/8 inch depth of cut
67.9 lb with dust hood and adapter
Pros
- Inserts rotate when worn or nicked
- Two feed speeds balance removal against finish
- Threaded 4-post head support with depth gauge and repeat-cut control
- Dust hood plus 4 inch to 2-1/2 inch adapter included
- 13 inch width covers typical small shop stock
Cons
- HSS inserts wear faster than carbide
- Aluminum base is lighter duty than cast iron beds
- Largest footprint here at 34 inches long
- Heaviest per unit of capacity at 67.9 lb
The RIKON is built around one specific workflow: cutting the same thickness over and over. Its repeat-cut control, depth gauge and thickness scale form the most complete adjustment package here, and if you are milling a batch of parts to one dimension rather than surfacing random boards, that is exactly what you want.
The head is a six-row helical-style design with 26 two-edge HSS inserts that rotate when worn or nicked. That two-edge design is the practical trick, because it doubles the usable life of each insert before anything is replaced. Two feed speeds at 16 and 26 feet per minute let you take aggressive passes on rough stock and slower ones on the final approach.
Dust collection is handled properly out of the box. It includes a dust hood plus a 4 inch to 2-1/2 inch adapter, so it will connect to most shop vacs and common collectors without a trip for fittings. In a small shop where dust is the thing you notice every time you turn the machine on, that is a meaningful detail rather than a footnote.
Capacity is straightforward: 13 inch width, 6 inch stock thickness and up to 1/8 inch depth of cut on boards 6 inches wide or less, which covers typical small shop material with room to spare.
What the repeat-cut control actually does
It locks the depth setting so you can return to the same number without re-dialing and without the handwheel drifting. On a batch of cabinet parts that sounds minor until you have planed thirty pieces and had to recheck every one. It is a small feature that pays back disproportionately for repetitive work.
The threaded 4-post head support is the other contributor to repeatable results, because it resists the flex that changes effective depth under load. Pair that with a depth gauge and thickness scale and you have a machine that gives the same number twice, which is the whole definition of a planer working well.
What the footprint costs you
At 34 inches long this is the largest footprint in the group, and in a small shop footprint is a first-class consideration rather than a footnote. The tables extend for support, so plan your floor area for the machine plus support at both ends before you commit.
The aluminum base is lighter duty than the cast iron beds on the JET and VEVOR. It moves around less weight, which helps in a tight space, but it is a surface that will wear over a very long life. At 67.9 pounds it is the heaviest per unit of capacity here, so moving it is not casual.
One caution on expectations: the review base for this machine is small, so the ownership history is thinner than for the established names. Buy it with a return option and check that inserts are available for the head before you commit.
9. Triton TPT125 Benchtop Planer: Best for Casual, Occasional Work
Triton TPT125 High Performance Benchtop Planer with 12-1/2″ Cutting Width
17,500 cuts per minute
Depth set in 1/16 inch increments
Onboard circuit breaker
65 lb, side-mountable dust chute
Pros
- 17500 cuts per minute gives a smooth finish on common woods
- Low entry point for occasional shop work
- Side-mountable dust chute routes extraction away from the exit path
- Onboard circuit breaker for safety
- Knives are easy to remove and sharpen
Cons
- Not consistent across the board width on the first pass
- Height crank vibrates and can be bumped out of position
- Thickness scale is largely unusable
- Loud and needs hearing protection
- Bogs down on rough or figured softwood
- Recurring end snipe
The TPT125 is the machine for someone doing a few boards a month, not a few boards a week. It will produce smooth boards on oak, poplar and cedar once it is set up properly, and at this price it is a reasonable way to find out whether you actually enjoy machine planing before you commit real money.
The cutterhead runs at 17,500 cuts per minute, which is a healthy figure, and depth of cut is set in 1/16 inch increments, which is coarse but predictable. The onboard circuit breaker is a small safety feature you would expect on a more expensive machine. The side-mountable dust chute lets you route extraction away from the exit path, which is genuinely thoughtful in a confined space.
Its infeed and outfeed tables arrived nearly coplanar, needing only minor adjustment, and the knives are easy to remove and sharpen. Those two points matter, because on a low-volume machine the friction of setup and maintenance is what determines whether you keep using it.
What you get in return for the low entry cost is consistency. Owners report that it does not deliver consistent thickness across the full board width on the first pass and often needs multiple passes, which turns a one-pass job into two or three passes. For occasional work that is acceptable. For batch work it is not.
Which problems show up in practice
The height adjustment crank can be bumped out of position and vibrates during use, so the depth setting does not stay as carefully as it should. The thickness scale is poorly designed and largely unusable for accurate settings, which means you are reading the depth of cut from the crank rather than from a reliable reference.
It is loud and needs hearing protection, and it can bog down on rough, weathered or figured softwood at reduced depth settings. End snipe is a recurring complaint, and in an owner review one person compares it unfavorably to the equivalent Harbor Freight machine on the same job. That is a direct signal about where it sits relative to other budget options.
Who should buy it, honestly
Someone who plans a handful of boards a month, has very limited floor space, and wants to know whether a planer earns a permanent spot in the shop. Under those conditions the rough edges cost you time you have, and the entry point is the lowest here.
Anyone doing regular work should look one tier up. Multiple passes per board on a machine you intend to use weekly is a frustrating way to spend an afternoon, and the machines directly above it solve that problem for very little more. If the planer is going to be part of your workflow rather than a curiosity, the CMEW320 or the WEN PL1326 are the better buys.
How to Choose a Benchtop Planer for a Small Shop
Most buyers pick a planer by horsepower or price and then discover the real constraints afterwards. Here is the order that actually matters for a shop with limited room: width, floor area, circuit, cutterhead, then everything else.
Will it fit your shop? Measure this first
The number people look at is the machine’s weight, and the number that actually decides the purchase is the total floor area including support. A planer without supported infeed and outfeed ends will sag in the middle and produce a crowned board, which is the single most common complaint among first-time owners on woodworking forums.
Start with the machine dimensions and add roughly 2 feet of supported table at each end if you plan to handle long stock. Working through the nine machines here, the footprints run from about 23.5 by 17.5 inches up to 34 by 22 inches before any extension, and the weight range is 61 to 102 pounds. Those two numbers are the difference between a machine on a workbench and a machine that owns a corner of the shop.
Also ask whether you can move it. A 100 pound machine that never leaves one spot is a 100 pound machine, and a 61 pound machine you can carry to the material is worth more in a one-room shop. A folding table or a stout workbench matters more than most spec sheets suggest.
Helical vs spiral vs knife: what each cutterhead actually costs you
Knife heads cut one wide chip per blade. They are cheap to own, fast on clean stock, and easy to sharpen, but they tear out on figured wood and produce more snipe because each blade is taking a big bite. Double-sided disposable knives make the sharpening question disappear, at the cost of recurring consumables.
Spiral and helical-style heads cut many small chips. Finish quality is more consistent, the head stays effective longer between changes, and an individual damaged insert can be rotated or swapped instead of replacing a whole set. The costs are more expensive consumables, a higher purchase price, and in some cases an expectation of quietness the motor does not deliver.
The practical breakdown: use a knife head on straight-grained dimensional lumber and tight budgets. Use an insert head if you work figured hardwoods, tear-prone species, or anything where a fuzzy surface means extra sanding. WEN and Triton sit on the budget end of the insert spectrum with HSS blades; JET and RIKON use HSS inserts with more control; true carbide spiral heads are a step above everything on this list.
15 amp or 20 amp circuit: check before you buy
Most of the machines here are rated 15 amp, which does not mean they run happily on a 15 amp circuit. Several owners of the DW735X specifically report tripping a shared 15 amp circuit, and the fix is a dedicated 20 amp branch circuit, not a different machine.
On a 15 amp circuit, the safe list is narrower. Look for a machine in this group that draws lower and does not have a fan-assisted ejection system running at full tilt. The DW734 and the CMEW320 are the more forgiving options. If your shop has only 15 amp circuits, verify the circuit with a load before you buy rather than after.
Dust collection: machine blower or shop vac
There are three setups, and they are not equivalent. A machine with fan-assisted ejection throws chips hard enough that a shop vac keeps up but a small one clogs constantly. A dust port running to a shop vac works fine on lower-volume machines if the port does not clog with large shavings, which is a known problem on a couple of machines here. A dedicated collector with a cyclone is the answer for anyone running serious volume.
Forum owners consistently say shop vacs struggle to keep up, and that is a function of chip size rather than suction. Spiral and insert heads produce smaller chips in some cases and larger ones in others. Whatever you choose, plan the route before you uncrate the machine, because adding ducting across a shop floor is a weekend project.
Who should skip a benchtop planer entirely
A planer makes a board flat. It does not square an edge, it does not joint, and it will not flatten a twisted board into a straight one. If your work is edge jointing, you need a jointer, and a Fine Woodworking thread we read makes the same point: enthusiasts who need jointing capability should look at 12 inch jointer-planer combo machines instead.
If you are doing a few hobby boards a month, a hand plane and a planer sled is a legitimate alternative that costs almost nothing and teaches you something. Owners are genuinely split on this, and for low volume it is hard to argue against.
And consider pre-surfaced lumber. Owners note that construction-grade timber can be a better deal if you have a machine to cut it, which flips the usual logic: if you can dimension your own material, rough lumber is often the cheaper input. That is a strong argument for a planer, not against one, provided you will use it.
For a related read on getting consistent flat stock, see our picks for benchtop planers for flat boards, and if you are finishing your small shop out, our guide to drum sanders for small shops covers the next machine most people add. Beginners can also start with our benchtop planer picks for DIYers to see the simpler end of the range.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best planer for a small shop?
The DEWALT DW735X is the strongest all-round choice for most small shops because it combines a 15 amp motor, a three knife cutterhead and a two-speed gearbox in a package owners keep for years. If floor space is the binding constraint, the lighter CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 is easier to move, and if noise rules the shop, the Makita 2012NB is quieter than anything else in the class.
What is the best budget benchtop planer?
The WEN PL1326 gives you a 26 blade spiral cutterhead, which no other entry-level machine in this group offers, and its finish quality compares well with machines costing considerably more. The CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 is the alternative budget answer if you prefer a heavier, more conservative solid steel head and reversible high carbon steel knives. Both beat a two knife machine on finish; neither matches an insert head on tear-prone wood.
Which is better, a spiral or a helical cutterhead?
A spiral cutterhead places many small blades around the head, while a helical-style head arranges them in angled rows for a smoother cut. Both beat a straight knife head on figured and tear-prone wood, and both let you rotate or swap a damaged blade instead of replacing a full set. The difference in practice is small; the bigger factor is whether the inserts are HSS or carbide, since carbide lasts much longer between changes.
Is a Craftsman benchtop planer worth it?
Yes, if you are pushing steady board volume and want a machine that stays true. The CMEW320 has a solid steel two knife head on ball bearings and high carbon steel reversible knives, and owners report it cutting well past 1,000 board feet. The tradeoffs are a lower capacity ceiling on knotted stock and more snipe than an insert head, plus a dust port that clogs with large shavings.
What is snipe when using a planer?
Snipe is a shallow depression at one or both ends of a board, caused by the board not being fully supported as it enters or leaves the cutterhead. It is the most common complaint among first-time planer owners. The fix is usually mechanical rather than technique: level the infeed and outfeed tables to the bed, support the ends of long stock, and check that the cutterhead is not moving under load.
How much space does a benchtop planer need?
Budget for the machine plus roughly 2 feet of supported table at each end if you handle long stock. The machines here measure from about 23.5 by 17.5 inches up to 34 by 22 inches before extensions, and weigh 61 to 102 pounds. In a one-car garage, the support area usually costs more floor space than the machine itself, and folding tables save the space when the planer is idle.
Final Verdict for Small Shops in 2026
Buy the DEWALT DW735X if you can give it a corner and a dedicated circuit; it is the machine most owners keep longest and the one that handles the widest range of work. If the shop is genuinely tight, the CRAFTSMAN CMEW320 does the same job at 61 pounds with a head that will not wear out, and the WEN PL1326 is the smart way to get a spiral cutterhead without paying a premium for one.
Whatever you pick, measure the support area before the machine, check your circuit, and plan where the chips go. Those three decisions prevent almost every complaint we hear about the best benchtop planers for small shops.