Best 12.5 Inches, 13 Inches, 15 Inches & 20 Inches Thickness Planer for Money

If you are a beginner or professional woodworker looking for a high-quality thickness planer between 12.5 inches, 13 Inches, 15 Inches & 20 Inches to easily handle your day-to-day work or industrial-heavy workloads.

Then you should mainly consider the features like build quality, motor power, cutterhead type, safety options, and depth control to have excellent performance and accuracy on the preferred size planer you buy for your working projects.

I have reviewed 8 thickness planers in this article and given you elaborate ideas to choose the Best 12.5 Inches, 13 Inches, 15 Inches & 20 Inches Thickness Planer for Money.

Compact and powerful: DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer

Versatile and precision: DEWALT 13-inch DW735X Thickness Planer

Stability and capacity: Grizzly Industrial G0815 – 15″ 3 HP Heavy-Duty Planer

Powerful and full-featured: Grizzly Industrial G1033X – 20″ 5 HP Helical Cutterhead Planer

Best 12.5 Inches, 13 Inches, 15 Inches & 20 Inches Thickness planer comparison table

# 8 Best 12.5 Inches, 13 Inches, 15 Inches & 20 Inches Thickness planer

1. DEWALT 13-inch DW735X Thickness Planer

DW735X is a versatile and powerful 13-inch wide and 6-inch depth capacity thickness planer from DEWALT. This planer’s huge 20000 RPM and superb helpful features like material removal gauge, thickness scale and extra-large turret depth stop make this great for professionals.

Also, with the DW735X planer, you get an infeed, outfeed table, and Extra blades.

Features

Build quality and Design: DW735X has a heavy-weight cast aluminium base with a four-threaded post-structured design, making it far superior to other lunchbox planers. This construction keeps the planer more stable and reduces the snipe.

This compact planer weighs a bit (92 Pounds) in this range, but you can move it around whenever needed.

Motor: In this planer, Dewalt used a powerful 15-amp motor to rotate the cutter head at 20000 RPM to handle heavy cutting tasks and remove material quickly and easily.

Gearbox: You get a two-speed gearbox 96 and 179 CPI to change speed according to your need. On the slower speed, you can make rough cuts and remove heavy materials; on the faster speed, make a finer and smooth finish.

Cutterhead: Dewalt used three knife cutterhead to give excellent cutting performance and 30% longer knife life, and reduces blade changing time. Also, you can use a helical cutterhead to have more smooth cutting.

Knives: DW735X uses disposable and reversible knives. That means whenever your blade gets dull, flip the other side and use the fresh one to reduce the blade cost. But the bad thing is that after both side blades are dull, you cannot sharpen the blades to have an extra life.

Carriage lock: In DW735X, you get a four-column automatic carriage lock system that reduces snipe to ensure a great working experience.

Depth control: Here in this planer, you get a depth adjustment knob to adjust the depth from 0 to 1/8 inch, which helps you to achieve the desired thickness.

Dust Collection System: They installed a 4-inch fan-assisted chip ejection dust port inside the planer with a powerful blower motor to vacuum the chips effectively.

Infeed and Outfeed Tables: Here, you get foldable automatic infeed and outfeed tables to plane longer workpieces and minimize snipe. Also, to save space, you can fold the table.

Except for the noise level, extra weight, and portability problem, this is the best 13-inch thickness planer to buy at around $700 for its compact design, powerful motor, three-knife cutter head, disposable reversible knives, and fan-assisted chip ejection features.

2. DEWALT 13-inch DW735 Thickness Planer

From DEWALT, DW735 is the exact same featured planer as the DEWALT DW735X I reviewed earlier in this article. Just the difference you will see is in the infeed and outfeed table.

With the DEWALT DW735, you won’t get any infeed and outfeed table, which you get in the DW735X, and another version of this DW735 planer comes with Planer Stand with Integrated Mobile Base.

If you don’t need an infeed and outfeed table or want a planer with a stand for that reason, you can choose the DEWALT DW735 planer instead of the DEWALT DW735X planer to save the cost.

DEWALT DW734 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer

DEWALT DW734 is a versatile compact benchtop planer from DEWALT. This planer is the older version of DEWALT DW735 and DEWALT DW735X. This planer costs less but offers many handy features to make planing easy.

Features

Build quality and design: This Dewalt planer combines steel and aluminium to ensure a solid construction. With its solid structure, this planer is much more compact, making it lightweight (80 Pounds) and portable anywhere.

This corded thickness planer can be used to plane up to 12.5 inches wide and 6 inches thick boards, enough to plane most of the planing tasks.

Motor: This planer runs on a 15amp motor and generates a huge 20000 RPM speed, enough to handle heavy woodworking planing tasks.

Gearbox: Though the speed is huge, they used only one-speed mode in this planer, which gives you less control over planing, but the 96 cuts per minute are sufficient to make this planer ideal for finishing tasks.

Cutterhead: Three-knife cutterhead system is installed in this planer to remove material from the surface quickly and cleanly. Also, the cutterhead blades are reversible and disposable to easily use the other side of the blade when one side gets dull.

Note: you can also use a spiral cutterhead in this planer to have a more precious finish, and you have to buy it separately.

Depth control: Adjusting the depth for planing is easier in this planer as you get a depth-controlling knob on the top and turret depth stop mechanism to adjust the depth accurately for your different projects.

Infeed and Outfeed Tables: The infeed and outfeed table DEWALT attached with this planer is foldable and 33.5 inches long enough to hold large workpieces to plane with less snipe.

Also, the feeding rollers grips the workpiece strongly and rolls forward from the infeed and outfeed table easily.

Carriage lock: Dewalt structure is stabled with the four-column carriage lock system, which reduces snipe and gives a smoother finish.

Dust port: You get a fan-assisted dust collection system with a 2-inch dust port to collect wood chips and dust effectively and cleanly while cutting.

This planer is the older version of DEWALT 13-inch DW735 and DW735X and costs less (under $500) from them but provides all the needed features and solid construction to have accurate and smooth planing.

Grizzly Industrial G0815 – 15″ 3 HP Heavy-Duty Planer

Grizzly G0815 is a powerful heavy-duty 15-inch planer from Grizzly. This planer’s powerful motor, four-post design, magnetic safety switch, anti-kickback and optional cutter head support make it the best for professional woodworking.

Features:

Build quality and design: G0815 is a four-post design solid steel build and base constructed planer. This heavy-duty constructed planer is much more stable and durable than other planers in the market.

Weight and capacity: As for the steel frame and iron table, this planer weighs more and is not suitable for portable use, but for the heavyweight, you will get less snipe.

Also, this is a large planer; for that reason, you get a 15-inch-wide and 8-inch depth capacity to handle large industrial woods easily.

Motor: you get a huge 3HP powerful motor in this planer, generating 5000RPM cutterhead speed; it can easily handle any type of soft and hardwood.

Cutterhead: G0815 planer provides a three-knife cutter head system in this planer to generate more numbers of cuts per minute to prevent the planer from stacking with wood while planing.

Also, the advantage you get is that you can use a spiral cutter head in this planer instead of the three-knife cutter head system to reduce the tear-out problem, quieter operation, and blade cost.

Gearbox: Grizzly offers two-speed feed rate settings in this planer, and by choosing between 30 and 16 FPM, you get more control over planing to have a finer and smoother finish.

Depth control: In this planer, you get a handwheel depth control mechanism to easily adjust the depth to have desired thickness.

Table: you don’t get any infeed and outfeed table with this planer; you only get a cast iron table and outfeed roller to easily grip the workpiece.

Dust port: You get a 4-inch dust port system in this planer to easily vacuum the huge chips and debris effectively without any blockage.

Safety: The safety advantage you get in this plane is the magnetic switch, thermal overload protection and headstock lock system to prevent accidental start-ups, burn from overheating and preventing movement while cutting planing.

The drawback of this planer is the absence of an infeed and outfeed table and its weight which ultimately is the advantage of this planer in reducing sniping and kickback. Except these, Grizzly G0815 is the best 15-inch thickness planer to buy at around $2000.

Grizzly Industrial G1033X – 20″ 5 HP Helical Cutterhead Planer

Grizzly G1033X is the monster’s powerful 20-inch planer from Grizzly. This is an industrial planer to use for huge construction projects. The size and the power are the main advantages of this planer. Also, you get the adjustable bed roller and triple V-belt drive features.

Features

Build quality and design: G1033X is a four-post robust, heavy-duty steel frame and base design durable planer that remains stable and reduces table movement while taking a huge workload.

Weight and capacity: As for the use of steel and iron material, this is a heavy-weight planer and cannot move this planer on a regular basis. With the robust look, you get a huge 20-inch wide and 8-inch depth capacity to plane large workpieces easily.

Motor: This planer has a powerful 5HP motor which rotates the cutterhead at 5000RPM to plane softwood and hardwood without any barrier.

Cutterhead: Grizzly offers a helical cutterhead system in this planer; this comes with carbide inserts arranged in a spiral pattern to give you a smoother finish with less noise and extended cutting life.

Depth control: Depth control is slightly easier on it; you get a handwheel to adjust the depth up to 1/8 inches to have your desired thickness.

Gearbox: In this planer, you can switch into two-speed mode and choose between 16 and 20 FPM to ensure a smooth finish and more control over planing.

Infeed and outfeed table: They have provided cast iron long infeed and outfeed table that easily hold and grip large workpieces until the end and reduce snipe.

Dust port: As the planer size, they have installed a huge 5-inch dust post to vacuum dust without stopping and keep your workshop clean.

Safety: They have installed multiple safety features to avoid any occurrence. You get a convenient pedestal-mounted switch with a magnetic switch that will prevent accidental start-ups.

Then thermal overload protection and headstock lock system to prevent the burn from overheating and preventing movement while cutting planing.

Though it is an industrial planer, the price is a bit high, the weight is heavy, and not much is always available, but the performance and the load it can take are worth the money.

WEN PL1252 15-Amp 12.5-Inch Two-Blade Benchtop Thickness Planer

WEN PL1252 is a woodworking two-blade cutting system planer from Wen. This planer’s compact design, powerful motor and features like depth control and material removal gauge make it versatile and affordable for under $400.

Features

Build quality and design: WEN PL1252 is made with a combination of steel base and aluminum frame. The steel makes it durable and helps to take over workload, and the aluminum frame makes it lightweight (‎68.9 pounds) to portable anywhere for work.

You can plane a maximum 12-inch wide and 6-inch-thick board in this compact planer.

Motor: Wen installed a powerful 15amp motor in this planer that generates 10000 RPM speed to handle a wide range of woods and make 20000 cuts per minute.

Cutterhead: You get an effective two-blade cutting system in this planer and the blades are too sharp and easily plane the surface quickly and removing material it smooths the surface effectively.

Knives: They used reversible blade in this planer so that when one side of the blade gets dull, you can use the other side and extend its lifespan.

Depth Control: On the top of the right side, you get a depth-controlling knob to adjust the thickness of planing from 0 to 1/8 and a visible scale to see the exact thickness depth.

Dust Collection System: In this planer, you get a fan-assisted dust collection system which quickly and cleanly collects dust and blows it out by the 2-inch dust port.

Infeed and Outfeed Tables: A foldable infeed and outfeed table is included with this planer, and with the Tri-feeding system, it holds and moves forward small and large workpieces easily and reduces snipe.

Safety Features: They installed a material removal gauge to track the thickness to avoid extra material removal and an overload protection system to protect the planer from damage.

The controlling switches and ports are well-placed for easily assessable while cutting. Also, on both sides, you get a handle to easily carry it and place it. With all these, this planer has maximum features to provide smooth and quality planing.

WEN PL1337 13-Inch Benchtop Thickness Planer

WEN PL1337 is a two-speed spiral cutter head benchtop thickness planer from WEN. This planer’s dual fast and slow feed rate, accurate planing and ability to take excess work overload are preferable for any woodworker.

Features

Build quality and design: WEN PL1337 is a compact design steel and aluminum made thickness planer. With its durable and stable design, this planer is not much heavy to portable in your working places.

You can plane a maximum of 13-inch wide and 6-inch-thick board in this compact planer.

Motor: You get a 15-amp powerful motor installed in this planer to produce 10000 RPM speed to ensure more cuts per minute and handle heavy cutting tasks.

Gearbox: This planer runs on a dual feed rate system. On the fast setting, this runs on a 26 FPM rate to cuts faster and slow setting, this runs on a 16FPM rate to cut slower with a more smoother finish.

Cutterhead: WEN has installed a spiral cutterhead system in this planer, and with this 26-staggered HSS blade, you will get a quick, smooth and clean planing surface. Also, as the blade is reversible, you can easily flip it whenever one side gets dull to expand its lifespan.

Depth control: Depth adjustment is much easier in this planer with the knob they have installed on the top of the planer and a visible scale for accurate depth marking.

Dust port: You get a combination 4-inch long and 2-1/2-inch head dust port here, and with a built-in fan-assisted dust collection system, it removes wood chips and dust easily and quickly.

Infeed and Outfeed Tables: They have included an Infeed and outfeed table with this planer, which you can fold and unfold for easy access. Also, the feeding system is well grippy to roll your large workpiece forward easily.

Safety features: This planer has a safety and overload protection switch to prevent damage and accidental start-ups. Also, the material removal gauge works properly to monitor the material removal amount.

Under the $550 price, you get a dual gearbox system, powerful motor, large 13-inch space, reversible dust port system and accurate and accessible switch positioning, which is worth purchasing for a professional woodworker.

Delta Power Tools 22-555 13 In Portable Thickness Planer

Delta 22-555 is a compact and powerful midrange budget thickness planer from Delta. This planer’s capability to handle heavy-duty work and easily accessible features are the main advantage of this planer.

Features

Build quality and design: Delta 22-555 is a lunch-box shape four-column design, durable and stable planer. This planer’s 13-inch size and compact design make it lightweight to give you access to portability.

The capacity of this planer is 13 inches wide and 6 inches thick to plane large and wide boards easily.

Motor: Delta used a powerful 15AMP motor in this planer that rotates at 9400 RPM speed to cut at 28 feet per minute, which is well enough to handle heavy planing tasks.

Cutterhead: This planer is equipped with a two-blade cutter head system, which only runs at a one-speed mood, gives you less access to planing multiple speeds but effectively removes material from the wood surface.

Depth adjustment: You can easily adjust the planing depth to achieve the desired thickness with the depth adjustment knob and get a scale where you can see the exact point thickness mark.

Dust port: You get a 2.5-inch reversible dust port in this planer which you can easily move right or left for easy access. Also, with the fan-assisted dust system, it takes wood chips and dust easily and quickly.

Infeed and Outfeed table: They have included a foldable nitrile synthetic rubber infeed outfeed table in this planer to hold large workpieces easily.

Safety: You get a material removal gauge and a safety switch to monitor accurate planing and prevent accidental start-ups.

In the midrange budget of $400, this 13-inch benchtop planer provides you powerful motor, depth adjustment system, fan-assisted reversible dust port and durable construction, which is enough for accurate and smooth planing.

Buying Guide

No matter which size planer you buy, keep these main features in your mind to have a perfect planer for your project.

Capacity: More capacity means larger woods or multiple woods you can plane at a time. So as your working project need buy a suitable capacity planer.

Motor power: More motor power means you can plane harder wood without any barriers. Determine the workload you will push into your planer and then choose sufficient motor power for that project.

Cutterhead Type: Select the planer that supports the Helical cutterhead with carbide inserts because this will ensure smooth cutting actions than other cutter heads.

Gearbox: Two-speed feed rate gearboxes are more convenient than one; you can choose faster and slower material removal to have more control over planing.

Table and structure: Choose a planer that comes with a steel-made stable structure and infeed and outfeed table to have less snipe and vibration while planing.

Safety: Try to choose a planer with two features, such as a magnetic switch, thermal overload protection or headstock lock system to ensure safe planing.

Depth control: To have an accurate thickness depth adjustment mechanism is important, so check the planer you are buying has this feature.

Price: Budget plays a vital factor here; thickness planers are costly tools, so set a budget range according to your project, compare the features on different models with the points I mentioned, and purchase a suitable one.

Conclusion

According to your small and large project needs, it is crucial to choose the perfect size planer to have excellent performance and accuracy.

Here in this article, I have highlighted 12.5 inches, 13 Inches, 15 Inch & 20 Inches planer’s good features and bad aspects. Now on your working needs, choose the perfect size planer for your project. I hope you got all the answers. Thank you.