The best planer: which one to choose, review, rating TOP 12 good models for the home, simple and electric tools

Any home workshop should have 3 essential tools: a hammer, saw and a planer. A good master usually has several models, each for its specific operation. Choosing a planer is difficult, but you should not buy the first one that comes across. There are significant differences between different models.

What to look for when choosing a planer

In this review, we are talking about electric planers and conventional planers, although the former are slowly replacing hand tools. Working with a hand planer requires experience and skill, an understanding of how to work with different blade positions.

Another thing is electric planers. Most models from different manufacturing companies are arranged almost the same, but each has its own characteristics and nuances.

The standard set of options that you need to pay attention to when choosing an electric planer looks like this:

1. Motor power 800 W for standard models and 1200 W for professional planers.
2. Width and depth of the cut layer. Most models have a standard width of 80 mm, but up to 120 mm can be found. The cutting depth of the cutter can be 4 mm. But in this case, the motor power must be more than 1500 watts.
3. RPM of cutter and motor. The higher the tool speed, the higher the quality, the speed of material removal. Optimal - 16 thousand. rpm
4. For light models, it can be 12-14 thousand km. rpm, but not 18 thousand. rpm If the manufacturing company stated on a 1200 W planer performance of 18 thousand. rpm, the belt and brushes will burn out in a few weeks of operation.
5. Duration of work under load. Optimally, it should be at least 20 minutes for medium planers, 15-20 minutes for light ones and up to 40 minutes for heavy ones. At the same time, it is considered that at least 20% of this time the electric planer will work without load.
6. The resource is usually not less than the warranty period - 12 months. The real value is difficult to determine.
7. Machine weight. It's up to you, someone needs a heavy tool, but most choose light planers for small jobs.
8. Possibility of connection of a hose from a dust collector of the vacuum cleaner.

Many manufacturing companies add a swivel ruler support to the design, so that you can remove the edge from the board at an angle of 10-75O.

Overview of the best planers

The advantage of a hand tool is its simple design. The best planers are those that you can customize with your own hands. In fact, it is a wooden or metal case with a flat support sole, two handles and a cutting blade mount.

In a professional tool, there will definitely be a screw for fine adjustment of the inclination of the cutting edge, and in a specialized (additional) planer, you can see additional grooves for a chisel, with which you can manually cut a longitudinal groove on board.

The greater the weight of the planer, the more difficult it is for them to work, especially if you need to process more than one pair of boards. But the metal body provides high rigidity and stability of the support sole geometry. Therefore, for a home workshop, you can take a planer with a wooden case, in other cases it is recommended to choose metal.

Sixth place - Bison 18501-15

Designed in the "small size" format (length 150 mm), but all body parts are made of gray cast iron. Therefore, the planer turned out to be heavy, as for a “baby”. You can work with two hands, but most often planing with one, leading hand. It is used both as a universal tool for finishing boards and planks already planed on the machine, and for trimming blanks.

Characteristics:

1. The size of the supporting sole is 145x40 mm.
2. The width of the cutting edge of the blade is 30 mm.
3. Weight - 500 g.

The planer uses a U8A carbon steel blade. The edge can be easily sharpened on a grinder for any type of wood. But the tool is not suitable for planing a knotty surface or heavy rocks - the base and weight are too small. Therefore, a planer is only recommended for straightening and trimming, for example. It can be stored in the country as a carpentry utility tool for all occasions.

There are many complaints about the handles, the shape meets the requirements of GOST 266625-97, but the quality of fastening to the body is low. The handlebars need to be redone.

Fifth place - PINIE PremiuPlus 3-48

The tool from the Czech manufacturing company "PINIE" is made in the form factor of a classic planer with a fixing wooden wedge - a chipbreaker, a characteristic shape of the persistent (front) handle and relatively short base.

There is no second handle, so you can direct the body only by leaning with your other hand on the “back of the head”. Therefore, the rear of the planer is made rounded. This means that a worker with any size of palms can plan. This is usually a problem for people with wide and massive hands.

At first glance, the planer does not look very convincing, in shape and design it is somewhat reminiscent of a school instrument. But the impression is deceiving, this is a full-fledged planer with which you can plan any tree.

Characteristics:

1. Weight 890-900 g.
2. The length of the supporting surface is 220 mm.
3. The width of the cutting edge is 48 mm, with a total transverse dimension of the body of 50 mm.

Of the shortcomings, only a fixed angle of inclination of the knife can be noted - it is equal to 45O. For rough and peeling planing, this is the optimal value, as it provides cutting of the layer without jamming. But for thin planing, the overhang of the knives must be reduced, and it is desirable to reduce the angle.

PremiuPlus 3-48 - inexpensive, the price ranges from 4500 rubles. up to 5500 rub.

Of the positive aspects, the light weight of the planer can be distinguished. You can work with one hand, which greatly simplifies the process of planing. Small parts and rails can be cleaned without a workbench, with an emphasis on a wall or a vise.

Fourth place - Bison (Model No. 3)

At first glance, there is nothing outstanding in this model. But the body is made of cast iron, the blade is made of high-quality carbon forged steel (HRC 63), and the planer itself is designed for long-term load in the conditions of the production cycle of the carpentry workshop.

The design turned out to be simple and reliable. The tool will withstand any load, you can plan any tree, with knots, defects, fastener residues.

Blade width - 43 mm, but if necessary, you can install a knife of a special configuration. Since all the details of the planer are metal, the tool turned out to be quite heavy. Therefore, it is more suitable for carpentry finishing work.

The knife is fixed in the body with one screw, so you can always replace the blade with a new one, with a sharp cutting edge, and not waste time on resharpening.

The main knife in the Zubr is of high quality, but due to the high hardness of the edge, it is used mainly for semi-finishing and finishing manual planing, chamfering and grooving. Usually, a set of three or four blades is selected for a planer for different sampling depths and wood hardness.

Third place - NAREX 827

Czech brand tool. Simple structure, well thought out design. It differs from the majority of Russian and Chinese models in the structure of the case. It is composite, the main frame is made of aluminum alloy, the sole and the tide for mounting the rear handle are made of gray cast iron. When planing wood, you do not have to worry about chipping the leading edge, as is often the case with models with an all-cast iron body.

The tool is quite large - length 250 mm, width 51 mm, weight 1.5 kg.

The manufacturing company paid special attention to the quality of the cutting edge. Planer knife made of tool steel (chrome-molybdenum). The quality and composition of the metal are chosen so well that even broken and worn blades are used. From the wreckage make homemade knives and cutters.

This model is considered universal, so it is bought into the arsenal of home tools for all occasions.

Of the negative aspects, only the high cost of NAREX can be noted - 6000-6500 rubles.

Second place - KRAFTOOL A5 18527-35

Assembled in a lightweight aluminum-silicon alloy. The plane turned out to be stylish, with an expressive design in the style of the 40s of the last century.

Produced by a German manufacturer of hand tools. Therefore, the quality of the body, knife attachment and all secondary parts is high. But on the market, in addition to the original models, there are both low-quality fakes and complete clones, usually made in China.

Characteristics:

1. The length and width of the supporting sole are 250 mm and 50 mm, respectively.
2. The cutting edge width is 50 mm, the knife is forged from carbon steel.
3. Housing made of steel and gray cast iron.
4. Planer weight - up to 2.5 kg.

The planer is suitable for planing a tree of great length, where it is not possible to use an electric planer.

Of the shortcomings, only the tendency to corrosion of the blade and the mechanism for fixing the knife in the body can be noted. Therefore, you need to store the tool in a dry room. The option to leave to spend the winter in the country may result in re-sharpening of the knife. This will have to be done regularly, as the edge wears out quickly on a German planer.

Craftul A5 is popular with roofers, a heavy and sharp knife makes it possible to quickly cut the details of rafters, crossbeams, battens without using power tools.

First place - STANLEY, Smooth Plane Bailey-3

Professional level planer. The design is simplified, which is typical for any woodworking tool designed for high load and constant use. It has good build quality. The handles are made of polypropylene plastic, but the size and grip are comfortable for medium-sized hands.

Advantages:

1. The body is cast from gray cast iron by additional calibrating grinding of the supporting sole and sidewalls.
2. Weight - 1.62 kg, quite heavy.
3. Length - 270 mm, width of the supporting surface - 68 mm.
4. Equipped with a tilt adjustment system using a screw pair.

The cast iron base guarantees a consistently flat sole surface under any load and on any wood. You can easily plan a clean surface and do a rough peeling. In either case, the position of the blade will not change. Not only that, an experienced carpenter can easily adjust the reach of the cutting edge. Cast iron is not afraid of knots or old nails forgotten in the boards.

Of the minuses - increased sensitivity to shock. Dropping on the floor is not recommended, especially on concrete, cast iron can simply burst. The planer is quite expensive, up to 12,000 rubles, but the quality of the tool is worth the money spent.

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The best electric planers

When choosing a model of an electric planer, you need to pay attention to the following:

1. Build quality and adjustment accuracy.
2. Compliance with the declared engine power - revolutions and width of the cutter.
3. The quality of the belt, the presence of a device to compensate for the stretching of the material.
4. Maintainability of the electric planer.

The main thing is the engine, it must be powerful and high-speed. Best of all, original Japanese or South Korean motors, if you're lucky, then Bosch ones. Although they are more capricious in the selection and replacement of brushes. Everything else can be adjusted if necessary. Replacing the engine with a more powerful one will cost half the price of a new planer.

The second most important position is the quality of the belt and the presence of a soft starter. The strap must be new. The second one is included in the spare parts kit along with spare brushes. When choosing a model, many masters are guided by the ability to buy original consumables (belt, brushes, cutter).

Soft start is an electronic board on the motor. Thanks to her, the motor spins up slowly, without jerking. On early models of electric planes, they were not, you can work without a board, but its presence significantly extends the life of the belt and engine.

Another useful addition is the engine speed stabilizer. It is needed mainly for carpentry, when it is important to get a smooth surface of the tree. But in principle, you can work with a planer without it.

Sixth place - Elitech P82

The simplest option for an inexpensive electric planer. The tool is produced in China, it is clear that this is not an independent development, but a replica of one of the popular Swedish models.

Characteristics of the electric planer:

1. The length of the support plane is 290 mm.
2. Planing width - 82 mm, total transverse dimension - 170 mm.
3. Weight - 2.9 kg.
4. Turnover - 16 thousand. rpm
5. Planing depth - up to 3 mm.

There is no automatic speed control, no soft start system. Of the automation, there is only a button to turn off the engine if the tool suddenly falls out of hand. You can connect the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner.

The manufacturing company does not even complete the planers with additional brushes and a drive belt. It is believed that consumables will be enough to operate the planer for the entire warranty period.

Of the cheap Chinese models, this one shows the best reliability results. The price of an electric planer is 3.5 thousand rubles. rub., but this is not a professional tool. If used for trimming one or two boards per day with a planing depth of up to 2 mm, then it will last for a year or two.

Fifth place - model Stanley STPP7502

A replica of the original STANLEY American electric planer. Produced in China under license, but some of the components for the engine are supplied from the European Union. Fourth place for good build quality and low defect rate. Therefore, the manufacturing company gives a two-year warranty, instead of the traditional 12 months. At the same time, the price of the device does not fall below 6100 rubles.

Stanley STPP7502 belongs to the class of the simplest low-power electric planers with a planing width of 82 mm.

Characteristics of the electric planer:

1. Motor power 750 W.
2. There is an adjustment of the depth of planing (accuracy 0.2 mm) and sampling quarters.
3. Sole length 290 mm, cutting depth for linear planing - 0-2 mm.
4. Turnovers - 16500 rpm.
5. Weight 2.9 kg.

There are no automatic speed compensation systems or a smooth start of the engine in this model. In the ZIP, only a ruler or parallel stop is attached to the planer to hold the tool when planing long workpieces.

There is a pipe for a bag for collecting chips. In general, a good tool, can be used as an alternative to a hand planer for small carpentry around the house. In order to cut through all the lumber when building a house or assembling a roof frame, its capabilities, most likely, will not be enough.

Fourth place - planer Bosch GHO 12V-20

One of the best models of electric planers, if we evaluate the level of ergonomics and ease of use. The planer belongs to the battery devices, so it can be used to repair country houses, recreation areas, any wooden buildings. This is a typical electric planer for roofing, cladding or lining.

The main advantage of the Bosch GHO 12V-20 is that the planer can work up to 40 minutes continuously, with minimal breaks for rest or battery replacement.

Characteristics:

1. The design uses a valve brushless electric motor for 12 V, 800 W.
2. Turns - 14500 rpm under load.
3. Cutting width - 56 mm, planing depth in one pass - up to 2 mm.
4. Weight - 1.85 kg.

Among the shortcomings can be noted the lack of replacement straps and batteries. Although Bosch representatives say that any 12V Li-ion rechargeable batteries manufactured by the company for hand tools are suitable for this planer. In fact, the selection and installation of batteries often causes difficulties due to small (fractions of millimeters) discrepancies in size.

Another drawback is the high price, 20-22 thousand rubles. rub. without charger and batteries. But, on the other hand, this option is suitable for those who already have a Bosch cordless tool, and only the electric planer itself is needed.

Bosch's sales policy makes purchasing a planer economically disadvantageous. You can buy a Chinese version, a battery planer, 50% cheaper. Or the same Makita DKP180Z is cheaper, no worse in terms of reliability, only slightly less performance of the device.

But, on the other hand, the device is really good, in addition to the “perpetual” brushless electric motor, it has very reliable mechanics, high-quality blades and trouble-free electrical fittings.

Third place - Resanta Z-82/1100 75/5/4

The design of the electric planer was developed in Latvia and is produced in China. A fairly powerful tool with high productivity in terms of the depth of the cut of the wood. The quality of the mechanics and engine of the planer can be judged by the fact that the warranty period from the manufacturer is 5 years.

Characteristics of Resant 3-82/1100:

1. Motor power - 1100 W at 16000 rpm.
2. Planing depth - up to 3 mm.
3. The width of the cutter blade is 82 mm.
4. Weight 3.4 kg.

In general, a relatively light and powerful device, with reliable mechanics and precise sole geometry. In addition, the Resant 3-82/1100 has a soft start system, which significantly reduces the shock load on the planer drive. In addition, the absence of a jerk at start-up makes it possible to avoid "burning" on the planed surface.

Resanta is valued among professional carpenters, parquet and cabinet makers. The price for the model is 5200 rubles, which is lower than for the same BOSCH cordless planer. At the same time, the motor power of 1100 W makes it possible to connect an electric planer using a conventional reel extension cord (50 m), so Resantoy can be used even in hard-to-reach places.

Resanta can be used in the construction of a summer house or a country house. Hardy mechanics and a reliable engine will easily ensure the required amount of work. According to reviews, many owners of Latvian planes simply rented a small diesel generator and connected to it all the tools, from a planer to a miter saw or perforator. In any case, such a solution was cheaper than buying an expensive battery electric planer.

Second place Metabo HO 26-82

Another electric planer, this time in the light weight category. The weight of the Metabo HO 26-82 electric planer is only 2.7 kg. Therefore, this model is referred to as mobile. Metabo HO 26-82 is convenient to work with if you need to eliminate small imperfections on already planed boards or quickly trim a clapboard stuffed on the wall.

Characteristics:

1. Motor power 620 W.
2. Cutting depth up to 2.6 mm.
3. Sole length 295 mm.
4. Cutter speed 17000 rpm at idle, 11200 rpm when planing wood to a full depth of 2.6 mm.
5. Blade width 82 mm.

This is a variant of the pure electric planer. It is used where the highest surface quality is required. The engine of the planer is high-speed, but with a small torque. There is no speed correction system, but for such a model it is not needed, since processing to the full depth of planing is rarely performed, the main mode is focused on sampling within 0.5-1.5 mm.

The main advantage of the model is a simple scheme for removing and installing the cutter. The electric planer comes with a key and an additional cutter. As conceived by the developers, instead of significantly complicating the design, installing additional control systems, it is easier to replace the cutter with one that is more consistent with the planer's operating mode.

The disadvantage of Metabo HO 26-82 is the high level of noise during the operation of the planer. It is at least 86 dB(A) at maximum load. Therefore, when working with an electric planer, it is recommended to use protective headphones.

First place - Makita KP0810CK

This model is inferior to most competitors in terms of power and rotational speed of the tool. If we compare the planer according to the main characteristics, then the Makita KP0810CK looks average.

Main characteristics:

1. Power - 1050 watts. According to this parameter Makita KP0810CK is approximately in the middle of the range. There are more powerful models, even up to 2.2 kW, low-power ones of 600 watts. But in this model, engine power can be considered optimal.
2. The maximum depth of capture of a tree during planing is 4 mm. Moreover, this is the real value at which the electric planer is able to work for a long time, ensuring the proper surface quality.
3. Cutter blade width 82 mm.
4. Operating speed 12000 rpm. This is less than most professional tools, but even at these speeds, the electric motor easily copes with the maximum depth of planing.
5. Weight 3.4 kg. This is the optimal weight for an electric planer.

The developers equipped the Makita KP0810CK with a soft start system and a cutter rotation speed stabilizer.

That is, the tool looks like an average in the rating on almost all important points. But the main feature of the model is the huge survivability of the electric planer, like any other power tool of this brand. The developers have done everything to make the planer work stably and safely, even if it falls into the hands of a beginner.

Therefore Makita is appreciated by professional carpenters and joiners.

It will be easier to choose the best hand or electric planer if you practice with any quality tool before purchasing a tool. Understand what are its advantages over inexpensive models, and what points you need to pay attention to in the first place.

Tell us about your choice of a planer - what features of the model did you pay attention to, and did your hopes for the tool come true?