The electric brake is a brilliant safety feature. It does away with dangerous run-on that can cause accidents and gouge the workpiece. The solid and dependable construction that Makita users have come to expect is here in spades. From the comfortable low vibration handle to the positive stops on the fine adjustment knob, it’s a joy to use! It’s one of the best electric planers for chamfering. You get three “V” grooves in the foot for different sized chamfer cuts. It’s a good thing to see on an inexpensive planer. You get all the refined qualities of the excellent Makita KP0800, but without the cord. Ideal for working away from the mains or when you’re fed up with trailing cables.

Making use of a powerful brushless motor, you can get up to 15,000 rpm from the cutting blades. It really squeezes out every last drop of torque, and all without needing to change brushes. The rubberised handle is comfortable and helps to keep your hand at the optimum working angle. Like almost all Ryobi tools, the construction is almost all plastic. I’m sure it’ll last well but compared with the metal parts on the DeWalt DCP580N it feels a bit cheap. Forming part of Bosch’s “blue” line of professional quality tools, the GHO 26-82 D is one of the best electric planers you can get. The GHO 18V-LI Professional cordless planer delivers impressive performance in the 18 V category. It features a continuously adjustable depth-of-cutting setting of up to 1.6 mm, enabling fast, uninterrupted work progress. The planer is fitted with ultra-sharp and durable carbide reversible blades, producing high- quality, accurate surface results. Its lightweight design ensures easy, comfortable handling. Equipment & Application Removing a controllable amount of material is what the best planer does. They’re all controlled in a similar way- an adjustment knob on the front of the tool can be turned to move the spinning blade in relation to the front plate or “shoe” up or down in tiny increments- usually by 0.1 or 0.2 mm per turn. Planing Width

You can set the blade depth to “P” for “protect” on the front dial. This lifts the blade up above the line of the foot, keeping it out of trouble. No more scratched workpieces too! Like most cordless planers, this is a power hungry bit of kit. High Ah batteries are a necessary evil. They’re heavy but mean you’re not swapping over quite so often. This must be one of the best affordable cordless electric planers available right now. Compared with the DeWalt DCP580N it’s affordable for even casual DIYers. Planing and rebate depths are features you should definitely factor in when choosing an electric planer. The best cordless and electric planers have a planning depth per pass of around 2-3mm and a maximum rebate depth of 9-12mm.

The 2.5m power cable length is not generous enough. Corded tools like planers need longer cables, so you don’t have to get out the extension cord all the time. It weighs just 2.5kg without the battery. Compared to the heavyweight cordless Makita DKP180Z it’s noticeably light and portable. Even with a high Ah battery installed.You’re going to need to find your own way to keep this planer safe between jobs. It comes in a cardboard box, not a hard case. For a relatively inexpensive planer, the cutting depth is impressive. It can cut 0.4 mm more per pass compared to the Bosch GHO 26-82D. It’s a powerful bit of kit. German brand Einhell have been making tools since 1964, but only recently got into the cordless tool market. Their Power X-Change 18V system means you can power a whole range of tools with just one type of battery. I tried out the TE-PL cordless planer and think it’s one of the best budget planers for the money. The adjustable fence is sturdy and will help you cut rebates accurately. You can cut them down to an impressive 12mm as well, which is impressive. The hard case the planer comes in is brilliant. Compared to the cardboard box supplied with the Makita KP0800, I know which one I’d like to own. It’s smart, robust and will keep the planer safe.

I’m disappointed this isn’t supplied with a dust bag. Love them or loathe them, it’s an extra I’d expect to get with a premium electric planer.The other big Japanese tool brand, Ryobi, make one of the best DIY level electric planers I’ve tried out. Famous for their ONE+ series of tools that all share the same battery, it’s a great system to invest in. PL2632 3-1/4 In. Planer, (1) PA1202 Woodrazor Mini Micrograin Blades (2), (1) Dual-Mount Guide Fence, (1) Straight No-Mar Plastic Overshoe for Fence, (1) PA209 3-Degree No-Mar Plastic Overshoe for Fence, (1) Shavings Bag, (1) Blade Wrench, (1) Carrying Case There’s one thing you can count on in woodworking- if the tool is loud, spins fast and removes a lot of material, there’s going to be a lot of sawdust. It goes everywhere and gets into everything, so having an effective way to remove this stuff is vital.