What To Look For in an Electric Planer
The best electric planers should be powerful yet precise enough to shave fine slithers off a piece of wood with minimum vibration and noise.
You should look for a no-load speed of at least 16,000rpm for corded models. You can certainly go for a cordless electric planer too, although speed can be somewhat slower for these (10,000-15,000rpm). Cordless electric planers are more versatile but they are also more expensive, not least thanks to the cost of a battery and charger.
Planing and rebate depths are features you should definitely factor in when choosing an electric planer. The best cordless and electric planers have a planning depth per pass of around 2-3mm and a maximum rebate depth of 9-12mm. Planing width is very consistent at 82 mm for most models. Also, look for reversible planer blades with a sharp edge on both sides that can be flipped through 180° for longer life.
Any power planer should also feel comfortable to hold and use. They typically weigh between 2.5 and 3kg.
A dust or chip extraction facility is a very important feature on any woodworking tool that generate a lot of sawdust – look for a dual-sided dust port so a hose or bag does not get in the way.
You can snag a quality budget electric planer or splash out on a cordless planer because I’ve thoroughly reviewed them all. Read on and see what I found out…