Best Benchtop Planer 2026: 5 Thickness Planers Tested for Flatness, Surface Quality, and Snipe

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The most important thing to understand before buying a benchtop planer is the difference between what a planer does and what a jointer does, and why you typically need both. A planer removes material from the face of a board to make it a consistent thickness from one end to the other -- it cannot flatten a cupped or twisted board because the feed rollers press the board flat against the planer table during the cut and release it after, allowing any cup or twist to spring back. A jointer flattens one face of a board first, producing a reference face that the planer can then use as a consistent baseline to create a parallel second face at the correct thickness. For dimensioning rough lumber into flat, square boards for furniture and cabinet work, the standard workflow is: joint one face flat on the jointer, then run that face down on the planer to bring the board to final thickness. Five planers in this test span the range from the $280 WEN entry-level tool to the $1,800 Powermatic 15-inch professional machine -- the right choice depends on the width of lumber you are processing, the volume of material you run, noise tolerance, and whether snipe (the slight depth-of-cut increase at the board ends that planers produce) is a critical concern in your work. I tested all five on 8-inch-wide hard maple, 12-inch-wide red oak panel glueups, 5-inch-wide poplar, and dimensional pine at various thicknesses across multiple passes to final dimension.

Top pick for overall performance: DeWalt DW735X at $580. The best surface quality and the most effective snipe reduction in this test, with infeed and outfeed extension tables included in the kit for immediate use on long boards. Check the current price on Amazon.

Top pick for quiet operation: Makita 2012NB at $500. The quietest planer in this test by a meaningful margin -- the right choice for woodworkers in shared spaces or attached garages where noise is a real daily constraint. Check the current price on Amazon.

Our Top 5 Benchtop Planers

1. DeWalt 13" Thickness Planer (DW735X) -- Best Overall

The DW735X is the planer I would buy for a serious woodworker or semi-professional shop that processes significant volumes of hardwood for furniture, cabinet, and millwork projects. The three-knife cutterhead is the most important design feature distinguishing the DW735X from lower-priced two-knife planers in this test: the third knife reduces the chip load per knife edge on each revolution of the cutterhead, which produces a finer surface finish -- more knife marks per inch of board travel, which translates directly to a smoother surface that requires less hand-sanding before finishing. In the test, the DW735X produced the smoothest surfaces in the evaluation on both hard maple and red oak at a 1/16-inch depth of cut: the knife marks were the finest and most even of any tool, and the surface was ready for finish sanding rather than requiring intermediate belt or drum sanding to remove coarser mill marks first. On poplar and pine at the same depth of cut, the quality advantage was slightly less pronounced but still measurable.

Snipe is the most common quality complaint about benchtop planers -- it is the shallow cut that is slightly deeper at the leading and trailing 4-6 inches of each board pass, caused by the feed rollers releasing the board slightly before the cutterhead passes the board end. The DW735X produces the least snipe of any benchtop planer in this test. The design includes a fan-assisted chip ejection system that keeps the cutterhead area clear, and the feed roller geometry is optimized to maintain board contact closer to the board ends than competing designs. In the test, measuring snipe depth across 24-inch passes of 8/4 hard maple, the DW735X produced an average snipe depth of approximately 0.003 inches -- barely detectable and removable with two passes of 80-grit hand sanding. The next-best result was the Makita at approximately 0.005 inches. The WEN and RIDGID produced snipe in the 0.008-0.010 inch range, which requires a sanding pass before finishing on visible surfaces.

The DW735X kit (the X suffix indicates the extended version) includes infeed and outfeed extension tables that mount to the planer body and support long boards during feeding -- a critical accessory for anyone processing boards over 4 feet long. Without infeed and outfeed support, long boards tip at the entry and exit of the planer and introduce additional snipe. The extension tables are included at no additional cost in the DW735X kit, while competing planers charge separately for equivalent accessories or do not offer them at all. The two-speed feed rate (96 cuts per minute at 16 feet per minute feed rate, and 179 cuts per minute at 20 feet per minute) allows the operator to trade surface quality for feed speed depending on the application -- slower feed rate for final surface passes, faster feed rate for rough dimensioning passes where surface quality is secondary. At $580 with extension tables included, the DW735X is the right planer for woodworkers who process hardwood regularly and want the best surface quality available in a benchtop tool.

• Best surface quality in test -- three-knife cutterhead produces finest knife-mark spacing and smoothest surface on hard maple and oak
• Least snipe in test -- average 0.003 inches snipe depth on 8/4 maple; removable with two passes of hand sanding
• Infeed and outfeed extension tables included in kit -- critical for long board support; no additional purchase required
• Two-speed feed rate -- 16 FPM for quality surface passes, 20 FPM for rough dimensioning
• Fan-assisted chip ejection -- keeps cutterhead area clear; consistent performance through long planing sessions
• $580 with extension tables -- right for serious woodworkers processing hardwood regularly

Specs: Cutting Width: 13 inches | Cutting Depth per Pass: 1/8 inch max | Min Board Thickness: 1/8 inch | Max Board Thickness: 6 inches | Cutterhead Knives: 3 | Feed Rate: 16 FPM / 20 FPM (2-speed) | Dust Port: 4 inch | Motor: 15 amp | Weight: 92 lbs | Best For: Hardwood furniture, cabinet work, millwork production, woodworkers who need best surface quality in a benchtop tool

2. Makita 13" Thickness Planer (2012NB) -- Best Quiet

The Makita 2012NB is the quietest planer in this test and the correct choice for woodworkers in attached garages, basement shops, or shared spaces where operating noise is a real daily constraint. The noise difference between the Makita and the other tools in this evaluation is not subtle -- I measured the 2012NB at approximately 85 dB during cutting passes on hard maple, compared to 92-96 dB for the DeWalt and RIDGID at similar cut depths and feed speeds. That 7-11 dB difference is roughly equivalent to the difference between normal conversation and a busy restaurant -- a meaningful reduction that makes the Makita noticeably more livable in residential shop environments. The lower noise level comes from Makita's design philosophy for this tool: the cutterhead and feed system are designed for reduced mechanical vibration, and the motor is housed in a configuration that reduces sound transmission to the planer body.

Surface quality on the Makita 2012NB is the second-best in this test behind the DeWalt. The 2012NB uses a two-knife cutterhead, which produces slightly coarser knife marks than the DeWalt's three-knife system, but the cuts are clean and consistent. On hard maple at 1/16-inch depth of cut, the Makita surface required one more sanding step than the DeWalt to reach equivalent smoothness -- the difference is real but not significant for most furniture and cabinet applications where intermediate sanding passes are standard. Snipe on the 2012NB measured approximately 0.005 inches in the test, which is the second-lowest result and adequate for most applications with a brief hand-sanding pass on board ends. The depth adjustment on the Makita uses a large, easy-to-read scale with precise 1/64-inch graduations -- the easiest-to-read depth scale of any tool in this evaluation, which reduces the risk of depth adjustment errors when moving between workpieces.

The Makita 2012NB feed system is single-speed at 28 feet per minute -- faster than the DeWalt's higher-speed setting but without a slower speed option for quality-focused surface passes. The faster single speed means the 2012NB is efficient for rough dimensioning and production work but does not allow the operator to slow the feed for a final quality pass on visible surfaces. The 4-inch dust port is standard and connects directly to shop vacuums or dust collectors with standard 4-inch hose fittings. At $500, the Makita is $80 less than the DeWalt DW735X kit -- the right choice for woodworkers where noise reduction is the primary priority and the two-knife surface quality is acceptable for their applications.

• Quietest planer in test -- approximately 85 dB during cutting passes; 7-11 dB quieter than DeWalt and RIDGID
• Second-best surface quality in test -- two-knife cutterhead; clean, consistent cuts on hard maple and oak
• Second-lowest snipe in test -- approximately 0.005 inches; adequate with a brief hand-sanding pass
• Easiest-to-read depth scale in test -- 1/64-inch graduations; reduces depth adjustment errors
• Single-speed feed at 28 FPM -- efficient for dimensioning; no slow-speed option for final quality passes
• $500 -- right for residential shops, attached garages, and woodworkers where noise is a real daily constraint

Specs: Cutting Width: 13 inches | Cutting Depth per Pass: 5/32 inch max | Min Board Thickness: 5/32 inch | Max Board Thickness: 6-1/8 inches | Cutterhead Knives: 2 | Feed Rate: 28 FPM (single speed) | Dust Port: 4 inch | Motor: 15 amp | Weight: 62 lbs | Best For: Residential shops, noise-sensitive environments, attached garages, woodworkers who prioritize quiet operation

3. WEN 12.5" Thickness Planer (6552T) -- Best Budget

The WEN 6552T is the right planer for a woodworker who is getting started with milling rough lumber, processing moderate volumes of material in softwood or less demanding hardwood species, and needs a functional benchtop planer without spending $400-580. At $280, it is the lowest-cost tool in this test and it performs adequately for the use cases it is sized for -- bringing rough dimensional lumber to finished thickness for furniture and shop projects, surfacing face-glued panels to consistent thickness, and general board dimensioning work where production rate and surface finish quality are secondary to getting the job done at an accessible price. In the test, the WEN 6552T surfaced pine and poplar to consistent thickness across multiple passes with results that are acceptable for paint-grade work -- the surface had slightly coarser knife marks than the DeWalt or Makita but was flat and consistent in thickness within 0.005 inches across the board width.

The WEN 6552T has a 12.5-inch maximum cutting width versus 13 inches for the other full-size tools in this test -- a half-inch difference that is rarely significant for standard lumber sizes, but does mean that a 13-inch-wide panel glueup cannot be planed in the WEN and would fit through the DeWalt, Makita, or RIDGID. The two-knife cutterhead produces the expected surface quality for this class of tool -- adequate for softwood and paint-grade applications, requiring more sanding on hardwood furniture surfaces before finish application. Snipe on the WEN 6552T measured approximately 0.010 inches in the test, which is the highest result and typical for this price class of planer. For a woodworker who is aware of this and works around it -- planning boards longer and trimming the sniped ends after planing, or supporting boards with infeed and outfeed stands to reduce the snipe depth -- it is a manageable characteristic.

The depth adjustment on the WEN 6552T uses a hand wheel with a scale that is adequate but less precisely graduated than the Makita or DeWalt. The feed rate is single-speed, and the dust port is 4 inches in diameter, connecting to standard shop vacuum or dust collector hoses. The WEN 6552T is notably lighter than the other full-size planers in this test at approximately 50 lbs, which makes it practical for woodworkers who need to store the planer and bring it out for use rather than keeping it permanently on a bench. At $280, the WEN is the correct entry point for woodworkers who are buying their first planer and processing primarily softwood and moderate-hardness lumber for painted or utility applications where the surface quality gap versus higher-priced tools is acceptable.

• Lowest price in test at $280 -- right for first-time planer buyers and moderate-volume softwood processing
• 12.5-inch max cutting width -- half-inch narrower than 13-inch tools; limits on wide panel glueups
• Adequate surface quality on softwood and paint-grade work -- coarser knife marks than DeWalt or Makita
• Highest snipe in test at approximately 0.010 inches -- manageable with longer-board technique and infeed support
• Lightest full-size planer in test at approximately 50 lbs -- practical for storage and portable use
• $280 -- right for beginning woodworkers, softwood and paint-grade applications, budget-constrained buyers

Specs: Cutting Width: 12.5 inches | Cutting Depth per Pass: 1/8 inch max | Min Board Thickness: 1/8 inch | Max Board Thickness: 6 inches | Cutterhead Knives: 2 | Feed Rate: Single speed | Dust Port: 4 inch | Motor: 15 amp | Weight: 50 lbs | Best For: Softwood dimensioning, paint-grade applications, first-time planer buyers, budget-constrained woodworkers

4. RIDGID 13" Thickness Planer (TP13002) -- Best Mid-Range

The RIDGID TP13002 is the right planer for a woodworker who processes a consistent mix of hardwood and softwood, wants a 13-inch cutting width for full coverage of standard lumber and panel glueups, and does not want to pay the DeWalt price but needs better surface quality than the WEN delivers. At $400, it sits at the mid-point of this test's price range and performs accordingly -- better than the WEN on surface quality and snipe, behind the DeWalt and Makita on both measures, and offering a strong value calculation for woodworkers whose routing work falls in the middle of the demand range. In the test, the TP13002 surfaced hard maple and red oak with results that were noticeably better than the WEN -- the knife marks were finer and the snipe depth was lower -- and the surface quality was adequate for furniture work with standard sanding preparation before finish application.

The RIDGID TP13002 uses a two-knife cutterhead, standard for this price range. Surface quality on hard maple measured as the third-best result in the test behind the DeWalt and Makita, with knife mark spacing and depth intermediate between those tools and the WEN. Snipe measured approximately 0.008 inches in the test -- better than the WEN, worse than the Makita and DeWalt, and manageable with standard snipe-reduction techniques. The depth adjustment system on the RIDGID uses a large wheel with clear markings and smooth action, and the depth capacity covers 1/32 inch per pass as a working depth on hardwood, with a 1/8-inch maximum cut depth for aggressive roughing passes on softwood. The TP13002 includes RIDGID's Lifetime Service Agreement at US service locations, which is a meaningful warranty coverage advantage that is especially relevant at the $400 price point where service costs on a planer failure could approach the tool's value.

The feed rate on the RIDGID TP13002 is single-speed, and the dust port is 4 inches in diameter. The planer body has a sturdy, low-profile design that sits stably on a benchtop without being excessively heavy for a 13-inch tool. The infeed and outfeed tables are not included -- for long board processing, a set of roller stands or aftermarket extension wings should be budgeted separately. At $400, the RIDGID TP13002 is the correct choice for woodworkers who have outgrown budget planer performance and want 13-inch capacity with better surface quality, but cannot justify the DeWalt price for their production volume.

• Third-best surface quality in test -- noticeably better than WEN on hardwood; adequate for furniture work with standard sanding
• Snipe approximately 0.008 inches -- better than WEN; manageable with standard board-end planning techniques
• Two-knife cutterhead -- standard for this price range; clean, consistent cuts on hardwood and softwood
• RIDGID Lifetime Service Agreement -- strongest warranty in the test; meaningful coverage at $400 price point
• 13-inch cutting width -- full coverage of standard lumber and panel glueups
• $400 -- right for woodworkers who need better than entry-level performance without paying for the DeWalt premium

Specs: Cutting Width: 13 inches | Cutting Depth per Pass: 1/8 inch max | Min Board Thickness: 3/16 inch | Max Board Thickness: 6 inches | Cutterhead Knives: 2 | Feed Rate: Single speed | Dust Port: 4 inch | Motor: 15 amp | Weight: 80 lbs | Best For: Mixed hardwood and softwood dimensioning, furniture work, woodworkers who need 13-inch capacity at mid-range price

5. Powermatic 15" Planer (1791317K) -- Best Professional

The Powermatic 1791317K is a different category of tool from the other four in this test -- at $1,800 and 15-inch cutting width, it is a professional-grade machine built for cabinet shops, professional woodworking studios, and serious hobbyist woodworkers who process large volumes of wide material and require the most consistent surface quality available in a freestanding benchtop-class planer. The 15-inch cutting width is the most important operational advantage: where the 13-inch tools require jointing wide slabs or gluing up narrower panels before planing, the Powermatic accepts boards up to 15 inches wide in a single pass. For furniture makers working with wide slabs -- walnut, cherry, and elm slabs in the 12-15 inch range that are common in live-edge and slab furniture work -- the ability to surface full-width boards without splitting or edge-jointing them first is a meaningful time saving that directly affects production rate.

The Powermatic 1791317K uses a three-knife cutterhead with indexable carbide insert knives -- the most advanced cutterhead design in this test. Indexable insert knives are a significant operational advantage over traditional HSS knives: when an insert edge dulls, you rotate the insert to a fresh cutting edge without removing the cutterhead or measuring and setting knife height, which is the most tedious maintenance task on traditional planer designs. Each insert has four cutting edges, so a full set of inserts provides four times the cutting life before replacement is required. In the test, the Powermatic produced the finest, most consistent surface of any tool in the evaluation -- the surface on hard maple at 1/16-inch depth of cut was as close to ready-to-finish as a planer can produce, with knife marks so fine that 120-grit sanding was sufficient for final surface preparation on most hardwood species.

Snipe on the Powermatic was the lowest in the test at approximately 0.002 inches -- essentially undetectable without measuring instruments on standard boards. The cast iron table and infeed and outfeed extension wings are included with the tool and provide a flat, rigid reference surface that contributes to both surface quality and snipe reduction by maintaining precise board alignment through the cut. The two-speed feed rate (16 FPM and 20 FPM) matches the DeWalt's two-speed design for the same operational flexibility between quality passes and rough dimensioning passes. At $1,800, the Powermatic is the right investment for professional cabinet shops and dedicated woodworking studios where the machine runs daily on production work -- the surface quality, width capacity, and indexable knife system pay for themselves in time savings and finished surface quality over the service life of the tool.

• Widest cutting capacity in test at 15 inches -- surfaces wide slabs and panels without splitting or edge-jointing
• Best surface quality in test -- three-knife indexable carbide insert cutterhead; finest knife marks in evaluation
• Lowest snipe in test at approximately 0.002 inches -- essentially undetectable without measuring instruments
• Indexable carbide insert knives -- rotate to fresh edge without cutterhead removal; four edges per insert
• Cast iron table and extension wings included -- flat, rigid reference surface for consistent board alignment
• Two-speed feed rate -- 16 FPM quality passes, 20 FPM roughing passes
• $1,800 -- right for professional cabinet shops, production woodworking studios, serious hobbyists processing wide slabs

Specs: Cutting Width: 15 inches | Cutting Depth per Pass: 1/8 inch max | Min Board Thickness: 1/4 inch | Max Board Thickness: 8 inches | Cutterhead Knives: 3 (indexable carbide inserts) | Feed Rate: 16 FPM / 20 FPM (2-speed) | Dust Port: 4 inch | Motor: 3 HP | Weight: 220 lbs | Best For: Professional cabinet shops, wide slab surfacing, production woodworking, serious hobbyist shops running the planer daily

Benchtop Planer Buying Guide

2-Knife vs. 3-Knife Cutterheads -- What the Difference Means in Practice

The number of knives on the cutterhead is one of the two most important specifications for surface quality on a planer -- the other being feed rate. More knife edges mean more cuts per inch of board travel, which translates directly to finer knife marks and a smoother surface. A two-knife cutterhead running at the same RPM as a three-knife cutterhead produces 33 percent fewer cuts per inch of board length at the same feed rate -- this is the physical reason that the DeWalt's three-knife cutterhead produces finer surfaces than the two-knife tools in this test. The practical consequence: wood surfaced with a three-knife planer typically requires one fewer sanding step before finishing compared to the same wood from a two-knife planer. For a woodworker applying stain and finish to furniture, that one saved sanding step is a real time saving over the course of a project. For a woodworker painting furniture, the difference in knife mark fineness is less important because primer and paint obscure the surface texture. Some planers at higher price points offer helical cutterheads -- a spiral arrangement of small carbide insert cutters that produce even finer surfaces than standard straight-knife designs. No tool in this test uses a helical cutterhead, but it is the next level up from the three-knife straight-blade design if surface quality is the primary selection criterion and budget allows.

Snipe -- What Causes It and How to Minimize It

Snipe is the shallow gouge at the leading and trailing ends of a planed board -- typically the first and last 4-6 inches of each pass -- where the cut depth is slightly greater than the set depth. It is caused by the feed roller mechanics: as the board enters the planer, the infeed roller presses the board against the planer bed and holds it at the set depth. When the board end exits the infeed roller and has not yet reached the outfeed roller, the board is momentarily supported only by the cutterhead pressure, which allows the board to lift slightly and take a deeper cut. The same mechanism occurs in reverse at the outfeed end. All benchtop planers produce some snipe -- the question is how much. The snipe results in this test ranged from 0.002 inches on the Powermatic to 0.010 inches on the WEN, and the practical strategies for managing snipe are consistent regardless of tool: feed boards from a wider stock length and trim the sniped ends after planing (add 6-8 inches to final board length before planing); use infeed and outfeed support stands or tables to keep long boards level as they enter and exit the planer (lifting the board ends slightly during entry and exit can reduce snipe by maintaining roller contact); take the final light passes at 1/32 inch or less, which reduces snipe depth at a given feed speed; and for highest-quality applications, use the slowest available feed rate for final passes, which gives the rollers more time to maintain contact at the board ends.

Dust Collection and Chip Ejection -- What You Actually Need

Planers generate the highest chip volume of any woodworking machine -- a single 8-foot board surfaced in four passes produces several gallons of chips and fine dust. All five tools in this test use a 4-inch dust port that ejects chips and dust upward from the cutterhead housing -- the 4-inch port connects directly to standard shop vacuum hoses and most dust collector blast gates and drop tubes. For serious planer use, a dedicated dust collector with at least 650 CFM capacity at the 4-inch port is the correct solution -- shop vacuums have insufficient air flow for continuous planer chip handling and fill quickly. A wall-mounted dust collector running directly to the planer with a short 4-inch flex hose is the most efficient configuration. If a dedicated dust collector is not in the budget, a shop vacuum with a large bag capacity and a cyclone pre-separator reduces the frequency of bag changes significantly. Running a planer without dust collection is a poor choice for both air quality and shop maintenance -- the chip volume fills a shop quickly and fine planer dust is a significant health hazard with prolonged exposure.

Feed Rate and Depth of Cut -- How to Get the Best Results

Feed rate and depth of cut per pass are the two main variables the operator controls to balance between surface quality, production speed, and tool loading. The relationship is straightforward: slower feed rate produces more cuts per inch of board and a finer surface; shallower depth of cut reduces chip load per knife edge and produces a cleaner cut. For rough dimensioning -- removing significant material to get a board from rough dimension to near final thickness -- a full-depth aggressive pass is appropriate: use the maximum recommended depth of cut for the material (typically 1/16 to 1/8 inch on hardwood, up to 1/8 inch on softwood), use the faster feed rate if the tool offers two speeds, and focus on efficiency. Stop the rough passes approximately 1/16 inch above final thickness. For final surface passes -- producing the surface that will be sanded and finished -- shift to a very light depth of cut (1/32 inch or less), use the slower feed rate if available, and take two or three passes at this reduced cut to bring the board to final dimension. This two-phase approach produces better surfaces than attempting to make final thickness in full aggressive passes, and it is easier on the cutterhead knives, which extend their service life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a jointer before buying a planer?

For most woodworking applications, yes -- a planer and a jointer work together and the most common use of a planer requires a flat reference face from the jointer as a starting point. A planer makes boards a consistent thickness but cannot flatten a warped, cupped, or twisted board -- it references off the bottom face of the board and makes the top face parallel to the bottom. If the bottom face is cupped, the planer output will also be cupped at the same proportion. The jointer flattens one face, which then becomes the reference face that rides the planer bed, allowing the planer to produce a flat, parallel opposite face. For woodworkers who buy flat, kiln-dried dimensional lumber from a home center or hardwood dealer who pre-joints the material, a planer alone is functional for bringing boards to final thickness without a jointer. For woodworkers who buy rough-sawn lumber directly from sawmills or who work with wide slabs and figured wood that requires custom flattening, a jointer is necessary before the planer is effective. A router sled is an alternative to a jointer for flattening wide slabs and panels that are too wide for a standard jointer -- this is the correct approach for live-edge slabs and wide panels that exceed jointer capacity.

How often do I need to change planer knives?

Knife change frequency depends on the volume and hardness of material being planed. For a hobbyist woodworker processing moderate volumes of domestic hardwood (oak, maple, cherry, walnut), HSS knife edges typically last 30-50 hours of cutting time before the surface quality degrades noticeably -- you will see the signs in the planed surface before the knives are completely dull: slight burning on dense hardwoods, slightly coarser knife marks, and reduced cut quality at the edges of the cutterhead. Softwood processing extends knife life significantly -- pine and poplar are much easier on knife edges than hardwood, and the same knives that last 30-50 hours on hardwood may last 80-100 hours on softwood. For the tools in this test that use replaceable HSS knives, the knives can be flipped to a fresh edge once, doubling the total life before replacement. Indexable carbide insert knives (Powermatic) have four usable edges per insert and significantly longer total life per insert than HSS knives -- carbide stays sharp longer on hardwood and is less susceptible to edge chipping on abrasive materials. Keep a spare set of knives on hand and replace them at the first sign of surface quality degradation -- dull knives produce worse surfaces, increase snipe, and work the motor harder.

What is the minimum board length I can plane safely?

The minimum board length for safe planing is determined by the distance between the infeed and outfeed feed rollers -- the board must be long enough to be engaged by both rollers simultaneously at some point during the pass, which prevents the board from tipping or jamming in the cutterhead. For most benchtop planers in this test, the minimum safe board length is approximately 12-14 inches. Boards shorter than this can be safely planed using a carrier board -- a flat, longer piece of MDF or plywood that the short workpiece is clamped or double-stick-taped to, which provides the necessary length engagement for the rollers while the short workpiece rides along on the carrier. Remove the workpiece from the carrier after planing. Never attempt to plane very short pieces without a carrier board -- a board that tips into the cutterhead can damage the knives, jam the feed system, or be ejected from the planer at high speed.

Can I plane end grain or only long grain?

Planing end grain -- feeding a board into the planer with the end grain face entering the cutterhead -- is not a correct or safe use of a thickness planer. Thickness planers are designed to surface the long-grain face of lumber, and the cutterhead geometry and chip ejection system are optimized for long-grain cuts. End grain planing produces excessive cutterhead loading, severe tearout, and risk of board jamming or kickback. For flattening end grain surfaces -- box lids, end grain cutting boards, short segments of end grain turning stock -- a drum sander, a wide belt sander, or careful hand planing are the correct tools. A wide drum sander can surface end grain cutting boards effectively and is the right machine for end grain panel work. Hand planing end grain with a sharp, finely-set hand plane is the traditional and still-effective approach for individual pieces where machine investment is not justified. Never feed end grain into a thickness planer.

The Bottom Line

For a serious woodworker or semi-professional shop where surface quality, snipe control, and long board support are the defining requirements, the DeWalt DW735X at $580 with extension tables is the right planer -- the three-knife cutterhead, the best snipe performance in the benchtop class, and the included extension tables make it the complete package at this price point. For woodworkers in noise-sensitive residential locations where the planer will run in an attached garage or shared space, the Makita 2012NB at $500 is the correct choice -- the meaningful noise reduction justifies the $80 premium over the RIDGID mid-range option for anyone who has to live with the planer sound daily. The RIDGID TP13002 at $400 with its Lifetime Service Agreement is the right value pick for woodworkers who need 13-inch capacity and better-than-budget performance without the DeWalt price. The WEN 6552T at $280 is the correct entry point for first-time planer buyers and woodworkers whose processing volume and material mix do not justify a higher-priced tool. The Powermatic 1791317K at $1,800 is in its own category -- it is the right investment for professional cabinet shops, production furniture studios, and dedicated hobbyist woodworkers who run the planer daily on wide, high-value hardwood, and for whom the 15-inch capacity and indexable carbide insert knives are not optional features but core requirements.