Best Electric Hand Planers - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide
by Scott Miller Updated on
As you are reading this article, you are probably in search of an electric hand planer for your woodwork.
What we advise you is to read our reviews of electric wood planers, as we have selected five top quality ones currently available on the market.
We believe that by offering you some tips on how to purchase them, we will make you decision easier and smarter, being that well-informed buyers are not likely to regret their purchase.
Our aim was to give you valuable information related to a great electric hand planer purchase.
This was not difficult to decide as DEWALT could not but make a great tool.
It is true that the price is high, but what you get is the tool that does everything and what is even better it produces better and more consistent work.
Its great advantages are that it is the lightest and most comfortable to use of all the models we tried.
Comfort and weight are significant features for those users who plan to use the tool frequently and work with it long hours.
The hand planing requires a patient tool user, it is very important that the worker is satisfied with his/her tool.
What we can resent is the waste collection which is pretty bad.
You will need to bring a broom and have cleaning up to do after the usage of this tool.
If you belong to the majority of people who are looking for both quality and affordable model, what we have to offer you is the WEN 6530.
This is the electric hand planer which is designed to do everything an average home user will want and be very affordable so that everyone can have it.
With the WEN 6530 and patience, you can do even more difficult jobs, too.
What we have noticed is that a tool that relies on sharp blades doing smooth work means more frequent maintenance pauses than you probably want.
The waste bag is also its weakness, as it fills quickly and then the sawdust is all around the room.
If this is the first electric hand planer you have ever bought and used, this is ideal solution.
Not only will you spend not so great amount of money, but also you can be confident that you can do most things with it.
One more well-known brand for its amazing tools is Porter Cable and they have made an electric hand planer which deserved the fourth position on our list.
The Porter-Cable PC60THP is a big and brutal tool.
Some users say that it is too aggressive as it runs the fastest of any of the hand planers we tested.
Its speed is like 17,000 RPM to 15,000 RPM faster than with other models, but the tool still has trouble with hard wood.
The best performance will be achieved with soft wood.
Being that planing wood demands finesse and patience on the part of the user, with this model there is a huge risk that if you are not careful enough you will destroy and damage your woodpiece.
The fact is that this is bigger than the other hand planers and the size causes more trouble when working with it as well as more hand fatigue.
The tool has certain safety issues, and if you are not an experienced woodworker, you should avoid it.
Bosch is a very famous brand and usually its tools are among the best.
However, we could not put this on a better position, due to the fact that the PL1632RT does not deserve it.
This is due to the fact that it is designed only for small tasks and soft wood.
For little household tasks, it will do the job pretty effectively for you and you will be satisfied with this tool.
On the other hand, if you need it for more heavy-duty tasks, it is suggested to take another model.
What users have noticed is that the shoe was made from aluminum, which is too soft metal prone to warping when exposed to heat and this is not what you expect for a hand planer.
This model is neither light nor cheap as it weighs around 10 pounds and comes with a pretty high Bosch price tag, but cannot offer Bosch quality.
Our recommendation is to look at something else which will be better and at the same price.
As you have read many things related to electric hand planers, you might believe that there is nothing more to say about these electric tools.
But, you are wrong.
We are offering you a helpful buyer’s guide with some handy tips to help your make the right decision.
How can I determine which model is ideal for me?
On order to determine whether the tool is right for you or not, it is important to determine what kind of job you expect it to do.
If you are going to do some household DIY tasks, you will be satisfied with small and portable models.
If you are planning to work with stronger woods and more frequently, you will need to invest more money in a large and powerful planer, as well as the one which boasts better quality.
You are the only one who can determine whether a hand planer is the right tool for the job.
Why is user's patience significant?
As we speak about hand planers, we have to mention that getting a perfect woodpiece is not only based on the tool’s performances, but the user’s patience as well.
The only way to guarantee good results is by combining of a quality tool and a great and patient woodworker.
No matter if you spend a real fortune on the most powerful electric hand planer, you can still get uneven, rough results as the tool is not doing the work itself.
So, we have to conclude that success and failure starts with the person using the tool, and that the majority of electric hand planers are capable of handling most jobs if they are in hands of an experienced user.
What about speed and power? How to know how powerful my tool should be?
When the speed and power are in question, we do not need to say that hand planers with a higher cutting speed and more power reach smoother results.
This is very important for the tool wear and tear, being that if the tool does the job easily, it will last longer.
If it has difficulties with the wood, then it can cause overheating and damage of both tools and woodwork.
What you should know about the power and speed is that underpowered planers are designed and efficient only on softwoods and have troubles with hardwoods.
So as to know which one is better, you can take a look at the number of cuts per minute and if that number is high, the more powerful and efficient the tool will be.
Another important thing related to the power of this tool is whether you have a corded or a cordless one.
We know that experienced users want their planer to cut at the same rate the entire time they are using it.
So, they are not voting for cordless hand planers.
It is true that this would be a great plus for portability, but the tool’s battery tends to get slower.
We suggest you get a corded electric planer rather than a cordless one.
However, cordless hand planers have their advantages as it is easier to take them to the job, but the quality achieved is not the same.
Cordless tool is only a secondary consideration when it comes to the quality of planning. as you will have to change or charge the batteries in the middle of the work.
If you follow our advice you will buy a corded model and you should look for the one which has the longest cord possible, as there are models with six feet long cords
Is comfort important an feature to consider?
Now that you know that user patience is the crucial factor which determines success, it is very significant that the tool is comfortable to him/her and does not cause too much fatigue on hands.
So, you should think about the weight and ergonomic design as very significant features.
For a stationary planer, this is of much less importance, but, when the hand planers are in question, user comfort is the key feature.
These tools should be portable and heavy electric hand planers induce fatigue and are not considered appropriate and satisfactory.
You do not want to be a less careful user, and that is followed by the fatigue.
Our top pick is the DeWalt DW680K rather than the Makita KP0800K just due to the 3.5-pound weight differential.
Another thing that can improve or reduce the comfort is the waste, as electric hand planers create a lot of it.
What you get from them are wood chips and dust which do not lead to safe and comfortable work.
What you should look for is a model that directs waste instead of letting it spray all over the place.
How about precision features?
Those who are experienced in planing wood know that precision is the crucial factor which can affect your final results.
So as to be able to reach ideal surface of your workpiece, you would want to control the tool as much as possible.
So as to get a flat, smooth surface, you will need a high-quality depth gauge.
This is designed, so that the user can work with steady and patient hands.
The less quality of gauges requires constant attention and less efficient work.
Precision is very important when you need to cut excellent chamfers and rabbets.
If you are planning to do both kinds of job, you should be looking at hand planers that are especially designed for both tasks are specialized.
The simple planing can be done with every model offered on our list.
What determines the durability of tools?
As with every tool, you do not want to get one that will stop working after a few usages.
When it comes to electric hand planers, they are constantly in contact with your working surface and this involves a lot of heat, and wear and tear.
All these cause the planer not to last too long and the better quality tools are usually more durable as well.
Our advice is to look for a model with cast metal plates which are better than a stamped metal ones when a heated, rough environment is in question.
How can I know if the tool is worth the money?
You could see that the WEN 6530 was our choice for best for the money and this was not determined according to the price only, as it is not the least expensive model.
We gave it this title because it delivers the best for-dollar performance.
It is ideal for those jobs where the tool matters less than the patience of the person using it, so you will get a satisfactory tool at not so high price.
You have to determine if the model suits your needs and your budget, thus know if it is worth the money you will pay for it.
Do not waste your money on a more powerful tool if you do not need it.
Conclusion
All in all, we can say that the DeWalt’s DE680K is the best electric hand planer which is more than three pounds lighter than the Makita KP0800K, and the weight is very important when you plan to use it frequently and for long hour of work.
We also liked the second model on our list and if it weighted a little less, it would definitely be our top pick.
The WEN 6530 is our choice as the best for the money choice, and it is ideal tool for household use.
You found out that the Porter Cable’s PC60THP is too aggressive and too big making the damage of your workpiece more likely to happen.
The last one was the Bosch’s PL1632RT, which is less precise and is not in line with the quality we expected from this manufacturer.
We know that it is difficult to determine the right tool for your needs, but as you have gone through the best of the models in the marketplace, we believe that you have at least an idea of what you should purchase.
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