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Electric hand planers are designed to quickly remove large amounts of wood and level a surface, making them a good choice for leveling boards with significant cups or crowns—work that could take hours with a manual planer tool. Tapping our experience with a variety of tools and materials, we researched over 15 handheld electric planers and selected the top three for hands-on testing in our woodworking shops.
And we found a favorite! The Bosch 3¼-Inch Planer took the best overall spot in our tests based on its ergonomic design, powerful performance, and ability to cut smooth chamfers on board edges.
The two models we tested in addition to the Bosch were outstanding, and they’re suitable for a range of handheld planer projects. Plus, we’ve included three more models from our shortlist that we didn’t test but would like to in the future. Keep reading to learn more about these popular woodworking tools and find out how our tested models earned spots on our lineup of the best electric hand planers.
- BEST OVERALL: Bosch PL2632K 3¼-Inch Planer Kit
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Wen 6534 8-Amp 4⅜-Inch Electric Hand Planer
↓ Jump to Review - BEST LIGHT-DUTY: Ryobi One+ P611 18V Cordless 3¼-Inch Planer
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR PROS: Makita XPK02Z 18V LXT Cordless 3¼-Inch Planer
↓ Jump to Review - BEST HEAVY DUTY: DeWalt D26677K 3¼-Inch Portable Hand Planer Kit
↓ Jump to Review - ALSO CONSIDER: Porter-Cable PC60THP 6-Amp Hand Planer
↓ Jump to Review
Our Top Picks
Even with a better understanding of electric hand planers, prospective buyers may still find the shopping process a bit intimidating. When it comes to choosing the best electric planer on the market, the following are some of the top picks for specific categories of use. Be sure to keep in mind the abovementioned considerations when comparing these models.
Best Overall
Bosch PL2632K 3¼-Inch Planer Kit
What We Like
- Powerful 6.5-amp motor
- Lightweight and easy to handle
- Non-slip ergonomic handle
- Swivel power cord
- Cuts smooth chamfers
Cons
- Shavings bag fills up quickly
Specs
- Power: Corded; 6.5 amps
- Cutting capacity: 3¼ inches
- Depth of cut: Up to 3/32 inch
Our Ratings: Build Quality 5/5; Ease of Use 4.8/5; Performance 4.5/5; Value 4.8/5
The Bosch PL2632K kit could be the right choice for anyone looking for a planer with built-in features and plenty of power. This corded model has a 6.5-amp motor that spins the two-blade cutter head at 16,500 revolutions per minute (RPM), resulting in quick material removal. It has a 3¼-inch cutting width and a depth of cut up to 3/32 of an inch.
There are several things we really liked about this corded hand planer from Bosch. It is lightweight, and we found its non-slip ergonomic handle comfortable. It features a ball-swivel power cord, which is a real perk because the cord rotates and doesn’t bind. There are spring-loaded feet and a chip ejection switch to direct the shavings, as well. The kit comes with additional blades, a guide fence, and a carrying case. It also has a shavings collection bag, but the bag fills up quickly and requires frequent emptying.
We especially liked the smooth chamfers the Bosch cut on board edges—they were clean, uniform, and required very little sanding.
What our tester says: “I was very impressed by both the power and the precision the Makita planer demonstrated. I could quickly level rough and uneven boards and only minimal sanding was required.” —Glenda Taylor, Product Reviews tester and writer
Get the Bosch electric hand planer at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.
Best Bang for the Buck
Wen 6534 8-Amp, 4⅜-Inch Electric Hand Planer
What We Like
- Powerful, 8-amp motor
- Wide cutting capacity
- Affordable price point
- Two chamfer grooves
Cons
- On the heavy side
Specs
- Power: Corded; 8 amp
- Cutting capacity: 4⅜ inches
- Depth of cut: ⅛ inch
Our Ratings: Build Quality 4.5/5; Ease of Use 4.3/5; Performance 4/5; Value 4.5/5
Blending heavy-duty capability with affordability can be challenging, but those looking for that combination should consider the Wen 6534 electric planer. It features a corded 8-amp motor that makes up to 32,000 cuts per minute. We were impressed with its power and 4⅜-inch plate width that made quick work of smoothing uneven boards. Best of all, it comes at an affordable price point.
This Wen 6534 delivered plenty of planing power and had a little something extra that the other models we tested lacked: two chamfer grooves to choose from, which allows the user to choose the groove that fits most comfortably when shaving chamfers.
Although it isn’t lightweight at almost 10 pounds, this hand planer’s heavy-duty motor and wide capacity make the weight a fair trade-off. This kit has a dust port (no collection bag), a fence, a sliding fence, and an automatic kickstand. If you’re looking for an extra-wide electric hand planer at a great price, check out the Wen 6534.
Get the Wen electric hand planer at Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Best Light-Duty
Ryobi One+ P611 18V Cordless 3¼-Inch Planer
What We Like
- Offers cordless convenience
- Lightweight and easy to handle
- Ergonomic hand grip
- Compatible with Ryobi 18V batteries
Cons
- Shavings collection bag is small
- Tool-only; battery and charger sold separately
Specs
- Power: Cordless; 18V battery
- Cutting capacity: 3¼ inches
- Depth of cut: 1/16 inch
Our Ratings: Build Quality 4/5; Ease of Use 4/5; Performance 4.3/5; Value 4.3/5
This light-duty Ryobi woodworking electric planer uses the brand’s popular 18V One+ batteries and features a two-blade design. We liked its 3¼-inch cutting capacity and 1/16-inch depth of cut. Both the top and front grips are ergonomically designed for better comfort and reduced vibration.
This Ryobi model has some built-in features that most might not expect from an entry-level planer such as this. It’s lightweight, weighing about 5½ pounds. It also has a built-in kickstand for protecting the blades and the workpiece and onboard storage for the blade wrench. It comes with a fence and a dust collection bag, but the bag is pretty small, and we had to empty it frequently.
This is a tool-only package, so batteries and a charger need to be purchased separately, which may be a downside for some. But those who own other Ryobi 18V cordless tools can swap batteries between them and save money.
What our tester says: “The P611 did a good job of leveling the test boards, but it didn’t have quite the oomph of the corded models. Being able to use it remotely, however, was a big plus. Overall, I think this is a great option for light-duty projects, such as planing moderate roughness on boards for building shelving or other DIY projects.” —Glenda Taylor, Product Reviews writer and tester
Get the Ryobi electric hand planer at The Home Depot or Amazon.
More Great Options
While we didn’t personally test the next three portable planers, they were next on our list after the three we chose.
Best for Pros
Makita XPK02Z 18V LXT Cordless 3¼-Inch Planer
What We Like
- Brushless motor for better power
- 2-blade cutter head design
- Ergonomic grips
- Bluetooth-ready AWS
Cons
- Tool-only purchase
Specs
- Power: Cordless; 18V battery
- Cutting capacity: 3¼ inches
- Depth of cut: ⅛ inch
For a prime example of the evolution of electric hand planers, we like the XPK02Z LXT cordless planer from Makita. This model has all the typical features, such as a 12,000-RPM brushless motor, a 3¼-inch cutting capacity, and a depth of cut of up to ⅛ inch. The twin-blade design is smooth, and the handle is ergonomically designed. But it also has some features that make this upgrade pick worth considering.
This model comes with Makita’s Bluetooth-ready Auto-Start Wireless System (AWS), which allows users to pair this device with a dust collection system to automatically activate when the trigger activates the planer. The result is instant dust collection without the additional wires and switches—something that can make hand-planing a much more enjoyable experience. We’re also fans of the deeper-than-most ⅛-inch depth capacity, which makes the Makita suitable for pros as well as DIYers.
Please keep in mind, however, that this is a tool-only kit, meaning it doesn’t come with a battery or charger. Users will have to use their existing stock of 18V LXT Makita batteries or buy one separately.
Get the Makita electric hand planer at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Acme Tools.
Best Heavy Duty
DeWalt D26677K 3¼-Inch Portable Hand Planer Kit
What We Like
- High top speed
- Kit comes with extra fence and blades
- Ergonomic handle design
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a dust collection bag
Specs
- Power: Corded; 5.5 amps
- Cutting capacity: 3¼ inches
- Depth of cut: 1/16 inch
DIYers and pros looking for speed, quality, and adjustability might want to consider DeWalt’s hand planer kit. This planer features a 5.5-amp corded electric motor that produces blade speeds of up to 34,000 cuts per minute at 17,000 RPM—that’s powerful. It also features a two-blade design, with reversible blades for longer usable life, and we like the rabbeting fence for creating precise rabbet joints.
This planer offers a cutting capacity of 3¼ inches and a depth of cut of up to 1/16 inch. It also has an ergonomic handle designed to keep the user’s wrist in a neutral position and a front-mounted knob for depth adjustments and overall control.
The kit comes with two extra blades and a fence, as well as a dust collection port. There isn’t a dust collection bag included with the kit, and for some, that may be a downside, but in our testing experience with the previous three models, the collection bags filled up so quickly that we found ourselves removing them most of the time anyway, so this isn’t a real problem.
Get the DeWalt electric hand planer kit at Amazon, Ace Hardware, or The Home Depot.
Also Consider
Porter-Cable PC60THP 6-Amp Hand Planer
What We Like
- Directable chip deflection
- Affordable price
- Comes with a dust collection bag and fence
Cons
- Might be a bit heavy for some users
Specs
- Power: Corded; 6 amps
- Cutting capacity: 3¼ inches
- Depth of cut: 5/64 inch
For another affordable option, check out Porter-Cable’s corded electric hand planer. This model features a 6-amp corded motor that produces speeds up to 16,500 RPM, or 33,000 cuts per minute, from its two-blade cutter head. It has a width of cut of 3¼ inches and a depth of cut up to 5/64 of an inch. That’s a bit shallower than some of the models we tested, but if you’re looking to fine-tune wood rather than removing material aggressively, it should be fine.
This model is affordable and has some desirable features, such as a built-in kickstand. It also has directable chip deflection, allowing the user to decide which side the chips exit from the planer. It comes with a fence and a dust collection bag, but at just under 8½ pounds, some folks might find the weight to be a bit of a challenge. We like this model for a cabinetmaker or DIY furniture maker.
Get the Porter-Cable electric hand planer at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Acme Tools.
How We Chose and Tested the Best Electric Hand Planers
Relatively speaking, there are not as many electric planer models available as there are circular saws or framing nailers. Still, there is quite a variety to choose from. We thoroughly researched more than 15 options before narrowing down our list to six and then choosing three of those six for hands-on testing. We considered the features we loved and the features we wished we had to give us a good start.
In actual testing, we used the planers to level uneven wood surfaces on softwood and hardwood boards. We also used their chamfer grooves to cut bevels on the edges of boards. We noted how smooth the planers left the wood surface—something that’s important for reduced sanding. We tested the planers with and without their shaving collection bags, and we tried out their fences to see how durable and accurate they were.
During the testing process, we awarded points based on a rubric. The better an electric planer did on an assessment or test, the more points it earned. After testing, we averaged the points to determine our best overall pick and to categorize the other models as to their best use.
| Testing Stats | |
| Products tested | 3 |
| Time spent testing | 12 hours |
| Tests performed | 4 |
| Price range | $60 to $150 |
What to Consider When Choosing an Electric Hand Planer
Although many DIYers and woodworkers are familiar with basic hand planers, electric hand planers are sort of a niche tool. Unlike basic hand planes, the type most often used for precise wood removal, such as planing a door, electric hand planers have high-speed cylindrical blades that lop off tiny chunks of wood. That’s not the only difference between them, as the following sections will discuss.
Power and Speed
Using electric hand planers instead of manual woodworking tools to pare down door edges, joists, and boards makes the job go much faster. The electric hand planers come in corded and cordless models, and the motor speeds are impressive.
Corded electric hand planers range from lighter-duty, 5-amp models to those with 8 amps meant for heavier-duty planing. They can reach speeds of up to 20,000 RPM or more.
Cordless electric hand planers are all about convenience. They use rechargeable batteries (generally 18V or 20V, depending on the brand) to power their electric motors and reach speeds of up to 16,000 or 17,000 RPM on average. Despite slightly lower speeds, many cordless electric hand planers feature brushless motors and electronic controls that allow them to match the heavy-duty output of some corded models.
Note: Beware that there is a distinction between revolutions per minute and cuts per minute. Cuts per minute refer to how many times the blades come in contact with the wood, whereas revolutions per minute refer to how many times the motor spins completely in 1 minute. Divide the cuts per minute by the number of blades to determine the motor’s speed.
Cutting Width and Depth
Electric hand planer shoppers need to understand two cutting designations. Capacity refers to cutting width, while the depth of cut refers to how much wood the planer will remove with each pass.
The general all-purpose cutting capacity for electric hand planers is 3¼ inches. This capacity can handle framing lumber, thick doors, tabletops, and most other wood products. Larger cutting capacities (sometimes more than 6 inches) are available, but they’re typically best for heavy-duty applications such as timber framing.
Possibly more important than cutting width is the depth of cut. Some electric hand planers can remove as much as ⅛ inch from the surface in one pass. However, this is often far too aggressive, so electric hand planers allow the user to dial in the depth of the cut in much smaller increments.
Blades
Electric hand planers vary in the number of planer blades they contain. Some models might feature just one planer blade, which will do the trick but can result in a choppier finish and/or more vibration than those with more blades. Models with two or three blades will result in a smoother finish and less vibration. Two-blade models are the most common.
Electric hand planer blades are typically carbide-tipped, which makes them durable enough for many uses. However, they will wear down over time, and some types can be hard to sharpen. Luckily, they’re easy to replace, and there are plenty of carbide-tipped replacement blades on the market.
Weight and Handle
Electric hand planers aren’t new, and some of the older models weighed around 20 pounds. This caused them to be a true handful, which often made controlling the cut toward the end of the board difficult. Today’s compact models weigh less than half of those older models, usually between 5 and 10 pounds, making them much easier to handle for repeated passes.
Also, modern electric hand planers have ergonomic handles on top that position the user’s wrist in a neutral orientation. Knobs on the front of most electric hand planers allow the user to adjust the depth of cut and maintain even pressure while planing. In many cases, one or both of these handles will feature rubber coatings to help dampen vibration and improve the user’s grip.
Additional Features and Dust Collection
Additional features that shoppers might want to look for when searching for the best handheld planers include adjustable, attachable fences that make guiding and controlling a hand planer much easier, preventing the planer from tracking off course during use. However, these fences are only valuable at the edges of boards. If you have a wider board, you’ll have to remove the fence to reach the center of the board.
Also, to get the most out of a planer’s blades, consider a model that comes with a kickstand. The kickstand keeps the blades off the worktable’s surface when the planer isn’t in use, allowing the blades to stay sharper for longer. It also prevents the blades from gouging the material.
Other features may include dust collection bags, a chip deflection switch that allows the user to choose the direction in which the chips fly, and even retractable feet in place of a kickstand.
FAQs
To shed light on any topics that need further clarification, this section offers answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about electric hand planers.
The only materials that a hand planer should be used on are wood products, though density of the species of wood may vary between pressure-treated pine and high-end, exotic species such as Brazilian walnut or cherry.
It’s possible to plane boards flat with a hand planer, but hand planer bases are too short to work well as jointers. If you need to square the boards as well as level them, a jointer-planer combo is the right tool. Alternatively, use a benchtop jointer to square the board and use a planer to level the surface.
Yes, it’s possible to plane a board to thickness with a hand planer, but it’s very difficult to get consistent results like the ones you can achieve using benchtop thickness planers.
Belt sanders use large strips of sandpaper that remove wood by grinding it off the surface. Hand planers use blades that remove wood in a faster, more aggressive fashion.
Electric hand planers can be dangerous if used incorrectly. They run at high speeds and can be hard to control. However, as long as the user has a solid grip on the tool, wears the appropriate personal protection equipment, knows how to use a portable planer, and works carefully, hand planers are no more dangerous than circular saws or any other power tool.
You can use a sharpening stone or honing guide to bring a razor-sharp edge back to the blade. Some blades, however, are not made to be resharpened, so check with the manufacturer before attempting to sharpen the blades.
Follow general power tool storage guidelines, clean dust from the tool, check alignment and adjust if necessary, and lubricate moving parts as often as the manufacturer recommends, and keep the blade sharp.
Electric planers are great for removing excess material and leveling boards, especially on large projects. However, they lack the finesse found on a manual wood hand planer, so use a light touch to keep from removing more material than you intended.
Meet the Tester
Glenda Taylor is a contractor, product tester, and writer focusing primarily on construction, DIY tools, and woodworking.
Additional research provided by Tom Scalisi.
