This question may have been asked multiple times here but thought I'd start a new one. I am really looking hard at the 12" combo machines out there and thought I'd ask who has had experience with any of these machines. I have been using handplanes up to this point as a jointer and running everything through my lunchbox planer. I love hand tools but am over flattening everything by hand. I use stock wider than 8" quite often therefore want something larger and would really enjoy the space savings of not having to have a large 12" jointer as well as a planer. I work in my basement so shop space is limited. Getting tools down in the basement is another interesting task that prevents me from getting a long parallelogram jointer. Money is also something I really need to consider, this is just a hobby after all.
So having said that I really like the looks of the Minimax FS30 but is a bit more $ than I'm looking to spend. So I have been looking at the Jet JJP-12. This Jet is straight knives an I'm worried I will regret not getting the HH version. Is the helical head version worth the significant extra cost? Then there are the Grizzly versions. I own the Grizzly 17" Bandsaw and really like this. Are their Jointer/Planer combo machines like the G0634XP? It seems like you get a very nice machine with spiral cutter head for only $3K. This Grizzly is very tempting but I really don't want to be messing around with tables I can't get parallel or any other detrimental feature.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated or at least some advise on how to best spend the $. I'm sure some people on this section of the forum have experience with some of these machines. I usually hang out in the Neanderthal section so don't really see what happens over here. Again I'm sorry if this subject has been beat to death.