Need a new benchtop planer-which one

[dennis thompson]

I need a new benchtop planer (please don't ask me why, it's my own fault:mad:)
I just a hobbyist but I do use a planer quite a bit. I've had a Ridgid for about 10 years and I am quite happy with it, a new one is $500.
I also see that Amazon has a WEN with a spiral head for $428, anybody have experience with that or WEN in general?
In that price range what would you recommend? And what should I avoid?
Thanks

[Brian Runau]

I need a new benchtop planer (please don't ask me why, it's my own fault:mad:)
I just a hobbyist but I do use a planer quite a bit. I've had a Ridgid for about 10 years and I am quite happy with it, a new one is $500.
I also see that Amazon has a WEN with a spiral head for $428, anybody have experience with that or WEN in general?
In that price range what would you recommend? And what should I avoid?
Thanks

I have had a Dewalt for over 10 years, straight blades, still happy with it. I don't understand fancy cutter heads in lunch box planers. Brian

[glenn bradley]

I have had a Dewalt for over 10 years, straight blades, still happy with it. I don't understand fancy cutter heads in lunch box planers. Brian


Agreed. Let a lunchbox planer do what it does. A locking carriage or the DeWalt DW735 design (doesn't need one) is a must. I ran a DW734 for many years. A pro shop bought it when I listed it for sale despite having two floor planers.

[bill godber]

I've used a dewalt 734 for years and it always does what I need, it's been reliable and trouble free. I regularly take stock down to 3 mm before I go to the drum sander.

[Tom Bain]

I’ve had a Dewalt 734 for going on 15 years and it still runs great. Knife changes are easy with the indexed, replaceable blades.

[Dave Roock]

I have that Wen Planer, it has done very impressive work. Would recommend.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I have a DeWalt 733 that I bought secondhand for $120 or so about 12 years ago and it is still running strong, it's only needed knives and to have the overload protector removed. Right now CPO has new 734s for $460 plus tax on eBay with free shipping. I have bought from them once or twice years ago and was happy, and for the same price range I would much rather have the DeWalt than Ridgid or WEN.

[Paul Saffold]

I found this link helpful to compare DeWalt planers. https://machineatlas.com/guides/dewalt-dw733-dw734-and-dw735-planers-differences-and-upgrades/

[dennis thompson]

I was very close to buying another Ridgid but after reading your recommendations I bought the DeWalt 734. Thanks for the help , as I made this decision much more quickly than I usually do. Normally I would spend days, if not weeks, researching every planer known to man.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I hope that you'll like the DeWalt, and that it won't take too long to be delivered.

[dennis thompson]

I hope that you'll like the DeWalt, and that it won't take too long to be delivered.

I picked it up, the picture is from my shop:)

[Rich Engelhardt]

Amazon had the DeWalt 734 for $299 a few years ago so I picked one up.
It does a decent job - but - it doesn't clear all the chips out when I hook it up to the DC.
I have to stop every so often and clear it.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I should have realized you already had it. Do you like how it works? I took the dust chute off my 733 years ago and it just spews the shavings everywhere, and then I clean them up with a snow shovel and put them in barrels. I used to have trouble with the 2-1/2" hose getting clogged sometimes.

[Justin Rapp]

This comes up often, the winner is usually a Dewalt 734 or for a little more money a 735. Laguna now has a nice benchtop helical model for a bit more than the 735. If on a budget, scrub the want adds till you find a 735 in good working order.

Don't go with the cheaper models or you might end up with an upgrade shortly down the line, spending more money in total.

[dennis thompson]

I should have realized you already had it. Do you like how it works? I took the dust chute off my 733 years ago and it just spews the shavings everywhere, and then I clean them up with a snow shovel and put them in barrels. I used to have trouble with the 2-1/2" hose getting clogged sometimes.

I have only done a few test boards and it works fine. I have heard the dust chute does clog up occasionally but plan to leave on and live with the issue.