Which Benchtop Planer?

[Carol Johnston]

My 10-year-old Delta 22-580 bit the dust today. It's been a good tool up until a year or so ago when the belt had to be changed and I had issues with the pulley nut staying on. I'm looking at two planers--the Delta 22-590 and the Dewalt 735x. The prices are similiar on Amazon. Any suggestions? I am wondering about the noise level of the Dewalt--read some reviews that it is louder than other planers. Thanks for any input you can give me.

[Curt Harms]

I don't have either, had a 22-580 and it was a good machine. The DeWalt has a built-in blower to eject wood chips, I don't know of any other benchtop that has the same thing. I wonder if that accounts for the addition noise. As you know, benchtop planer aren't the quietest machines around. There is a shelix head retrofit available for the DeWalt that might help somewhat with the noise in addition to the other helical head benefits.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

All the bench top planers are noisy, I suspect that's the main reason for people to upgrade to induction motor powered floor models with the same width. Given that the new Delta doesn't seem to have its parts and service quite set up yet and the good reputation of that dewalt model... I'd go with the dewalt.

[Geoff Barry]

I have the Dewalt 735 - I was lucky - a few years back (6 or 7), I went down to Toolking intending to pick up a reconditioned 22-580 for around $320. They were out of those, but had a reconditioned 735 for $359 . . . louder than anything I could imagine, but does a nice job (though at 92 lbs, it stretched the definition of "portable". I later picked up the extension tables, and once you have it set up, it's great. However . . . if you're paying retail ($600 or so), and then add in the cost of the extension tables (and a cart, if you want one of those), you're pretty close to a 15" planer. I suspect the Dewalt produces a better finish, but a 15" will be a lot more robust and durable than the Dewalt, a well as quieter. So, I'd say the Dewalt is probably the best benchtop planer, but it may not be the most cost-effective (a lot of people think well of the Ridgid, which is several hundred dollars cheaper, for example).

[Jeff Monson]

I'd recemmond the DW735, its a fine machine with a great reputation. If you have room you may want to look around for a used stationary planer, for the price of a new benchtop you may be able to find a one for about the same money, it will be twice the machine of a lunchbox planer. All planers with straight knives are fairly loud, its a horse a piece on which on is "louder", get a shelix head if noise is a concern.

[Jay Radke]

I picked up the dewalt just two months ago. Good price with extensions and extra set of blades. Even better deal right now at Rockler. Buy the 735 for $595 (I think that was the price i saw the other day in their flier), get the extensions, new set of blades plus the compact dewalt trim router.

[John Lifer]

my big orange had the rigid on sale the other day for $329. I would pick that one up rather than twice that for essentially same thing. a lunchbox is a lunchbox.

[Rich Riddle]

I just sold a Ridgid lunchbox planer, the model 4330. It worked well for what it did but seemed to go through blades very quickly. I didn't use it much yet it still used blades. It's ranked as a best buy in Fine Wood Working a couple of years and with the lower price point, it's a good deal. The 4330 version has a locking head.

That said, if I had to buy another, it would be the Dewalt.

[Carol Johnston]

Thanks for the input. I called Rockler this morning and they had the Dewalt on sale which included the extensions, extra blades and compact router. 20 minutes after opening they had sold 4 of the 5 in stock. I paid by phone and drove the 60 miles to pick it up. I wish I had room for a stationary model, but I don't, so I'm hoping this Dewalt will work for me. I wear two sets of hearing protection (tinnitus), so hopefully the noise won't be too bad. It can't be any worse than my Delta 22-580 as it was nearing it's last few minutes of life!

[Myk Rian]

Save your pennies for a Byrd head and turn that Dewalt into a super machine.