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Best Handheld Planer

Published Jul 27th, 2020 1:21PM EDT

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Working on renovations to your house or putting together new projects will breathe new life into your abode. Handling the work all on your own can be difficult if you don’t have the right tools. Some people are just born handy, so they like to have a fully stocked workshop for any type of job that they may have to tackle. A specific tool that has a wide range of uses is a hand planer. A hand planer can be used for making rabbets, smoothing out wood, or shaving off parts of a wood door to make it stick less. During hotter times of the year, wood tends to expand, so your doors could be harder to open or close. If this is the situation, you should consider any of the handheld planers we’ve highlighted below to help you out. They make great additions to any home.

Handle many cuts per minute

Most Efficient

Thanks to its 6-amp electric motor, the WEN 6530 6-Amp Electric Hand Planer is efficient and speedy. You can choose between three different cut widths: 2 3/8″, 3 1/4″, or 4 3/8″. This provides up to 34,000 cuts per minute and there are 16 positive stops that allow for adjusting the cutting depth anywhere between 0 and 1/8 of an inch. The lightweight design checks in at around six pounds and the motor is 120V. It has a included rabbeting guide to give you the best measurements possible. This includes a reversible dust bag and a parallel fence bracket to go along with the kickstand for easier use. The power cord is 6′ long. There is also a blade adjustable wrench.

Key Features:

  • 120V, 6-amp motor
  • Comes in three different widths
  • Includes a rabbeting guide and only weighs six pounds
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Clear the dust away effectively

Best for Clearing Sawdust

Not being able to see what you’re doing because of a large amount of sawdust won’t be an issue if you have the PORTER-CABLE Hand Planer. This boasts a heavy-duty, 6-amp motor, it will move through your cuts rapidly. There are dual side dust extractions built into the design to allow for extraction on either side of the tool. There is an overmold depth knob with 10 positive steps to further adapt to your current job. There are three chamfering grooves for when you want to make the edges slope inward. It is an 11.5″ aluminum shoe and the cut width is 5/64″.

Key Features:

  • Dual side dust extraction
  • Overmold depth knob
  • Three chamfering grooves
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Put down your planer

Best with a Kickstand

If you’re working on a project and need to put down your planer for a second, you won’t have to worry about gouging the surface with the DEWALT 20V MAX Brushless Planer. This has a brushless motor that provides power and a runtime of 32,000 cuts per minute. It has a kickstand that allows users to rest the planer on their work surface without damaging it. This features precision-machined front and back aluminum shoes to ensure for a parallel between the cuts. It has a Poly-V drive belt that provides increased belt durability and there is a calibrated depth adjustment knob to 5/64″.

Key Features:

  • Kickstand that allows users to rest the planer
  • Features precision-machined front and back aluminum shoes
  • Poly-V drive belt
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Get a kit

Most Versatile

Filled with everything you’ll need, the Bosch 3-1/4 Inch Woodworking Hand Planer with Carrying Case is good to go from the start. This features a 6.5-amp motor and 16,500 RPM speed for fast stock removal. It weighs slightly over six pounds and you’ll get smooth finishes every time. It has an ambidextrous lock-off release button to help avoid accidental starts. There is also a lock-on button for extended use. This features a spring-loaded stand to elevate the tool and the aluminum front and rear shoes are precision-machined together for accuracy. This is an extremely versatile tool that has a two-blade hand plane system that can be converted and the dual-mount guide fence can be mounted on either side.

Key Features:

  • Weighs slightly over six pounds
  • Ambidextrous lock-off release button
  • Two-blade hand plane system with dual-mount guide fence
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Work more across with your hands

Best Bench Planer

Utilizing the Stanley No. 4 Adjustable Bench Planer with 2-Inch Cutter will make your job easier. Wider than a hand planer, the The 9 3/4″ adjustable bench planer is made from hardened, tempered steel to give the precision-ground cutter durability. The cast-iron base and durable epoxy coating provide it long-lasting protection. The high-impact polymer handles and knobs are contoured to be held easier.

Key Features:

  • 9 3/4″ adjustable bench planer
  • Cast-iron base and durable epoxy coating
  • Hardened, tempered steel
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Chris Hachey Commerce Editor

Chris Hachey is Senior Commerce Editor for BGR. With over a decade of editing and journalism experience, plus thousands of hours of product testing and research, he has helped millions of consumers find the best products and deals to fit their lifestyles.

When he's not searching for top deals, he's likely watching his favorite sports teams or walking around his hometown with his wife and his dog.