So I've decided the time has come to upgrade my little lunchbox planer to a J/P combo machine. I've read every thread on this website and every other thread that I can find anywhere else, watched every video I can find, and anything else that I can lay my hands on that discusses the two models (Minimax FS 30c v. Hammer A3-31). I've talked to the reps (thanks for Sam's contact info btw) and compared the machines with the segmented cutter blocks. One has a little wider working width, one has a little longer beds, one has a little bit more of this, the other a little bit more of that. You can find folks that are fans of either machine and also find folks that weren't happy with the alignment, flatness, machining, etc. of their machines when they came.

As far as I can tell, there doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to go with one over the other. Does it really just come down to price and which color you like? Right now, it seems like Hammer is willing to give me more of a deal than Minimax. So is that what it really comes down to?

Maybe that's a great thing b/c it means that I'll likely be happy with either. However, before I pulled the trigger, I thought I'd ask just once more if anyone has a reason that I should choose one over the other.