Best Affordable Planers | 2022 Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
What is the best budget planer? While being affordable, planers under 50 still can be full of beneficial features. Sure, they cannot be compared with expensive high-performance models, but the question is whether you need to do that amount of work. Then, why to use a planer at all? One of the advantages of using a machine over simply planing by hand is that the former is time-consuming and does the job more accurately. Still, there are several things to consider when shopping for the best affordable planer: the motor capacity, weight, cutting depth adjustability, material and product durability. We believe that WEN 6530 6-Amp Electric Hand Planer fits these criteria best.
Why have we chosen it? This model is manufactured by WEN, which speaks a lot about the quality of the product. The company has been producing high-quality and affordable power tools since the mid 20th century and today is one of the industry leaders. For that price, the tool has a powerful 6-AMP motor that can make about 34,000 cuts per minute. This 6-pound planer is more lightweight than many of its analogs on the market. Besides, it makes the work easier as you can adjust the cutting depth from 0 to 1/8 inches.
I’ve talked a little bit about planers previously, and I took a moment to point out that this is a hard tool to talk about at length. It’s not because they’re complicated – that’s in fact the opposite of the problem. This is a very basic, and very old tool that we’ve been using for millennia in one form or another. So, when we come to comparing various types of these, and discussing them at length, it’s easy to very quickly run out of things to say. I do mean quickly, too.
TOP Affordable Planers
1. WEN 6530 6-Amp Electric Hand Planer | Best Affordable Planer
I discussed this one in brief in a previous piece. When compared to power planers as a whole, it’s very … meh. But for someone on a budget, the comparison shifts a little bit. This isn’t an awful planer, it just lacks the durability and overall build quality to stand up to daily use over prolonged periods of time.
WEN is a “notoriously” budget tool brand, where something like Makita or DeWalt is a higher-end brand. This makes this something that a lot of professionals might keep around as a backup or for an assistant to use on lower-demand tasks. It’s also great for people who just occasionally need a planer here and there, and don’t want to invest a fortune on a posh model that they won’t use often enough for cost justification.
Features
- Power: 110v 6 Amp corded electric.
- Weight: 7.9lbs.
- Adjustable: Somewhat.
- Loud: Relatively loud, the motor makes this hum that’s disconcerting.
- Braking: Trigger-release braking.
Performance
I’ve said that this is an okay tool, but not remarkable. That doesn’t mean that it’s not going to do what you need it to do. My complaints with this tool are that it doesn’t really have that fantastic of a build quality. It’s got a case that creaks, it feels breakable (even though it’s more rugged than you might think). As I pointed out, it has a motor that makes some very concerning noises which often mean an imbalanced or half-dead motor. It’s probably fine, but that sound is usually not a good sign.
This is a tool for when you occasionally need a planer, not for constant everyday use. For a budget tool, it’ll do the job when you occasionally need this.
Pros and Cons
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Conclusion
If you’re new to working with wood, or just occasionally need a planer, or you need one in an emergency, this will work fine for you. Just expect to have to invest in a higher-end one down the line if you become more advanced in your projects.
2. Japanese Wood Block Plane | Best Cheap Planer
This one is really neat in a lot of ways. This Senkichi planer is a traditional Japanese tool used for a lot of wood working that’s so very distinct to their culture. Ancient/Feudal Japanese culture produced a lot of unique tools that reflected their philosophy of harmonizing simplicity but producing beauty in the most gentle and efficient way possible.
This is literally a block of wood with a handle and an angled blade in the traditional fashion. It was largely used to produce those wooden sandals we’ve all seen in movies and Anime. Those are called Geta, just for the sake of accuracy.
Features
- Power: This is a manual planer, though it often is accompanied by using a rubber mallet.
- Weight: 140g.
- Adjustable: No, it’s a hand planer.
- Loud: Well, if you use a mallet, you’ll make a soft hammering sound.
- Braking: You just let go of it.
Performance
Traditionally, as I said, this is used to make Geta, as well as a few other classic Japanese household wooden products. However, it works fine for most things you would use a manual planer on, though you might need to move the blade’s angle. Traditional Japanese architecture and craftsmanship celebrated cardinal angles, where western planer approaches like off-kilter obtuse ones.
Pros and Cons
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Conclusion
If you want a very cheap hand planer that also gives you a taste of a somewhat lost time and culture, you should really get one of these.
Japanese Wood Block Plane: Check the current price
What A Planer Is
Planers are, at their most basic, just an angled blade that shaves layers of wood off a surface, or cuts a consistent notch or furrow in the case of joint planers. They do exist in a variety of forms, though that variety is mostly a modern development with the advent of electric machinery.
There are traditional hand planers, which are what I tend to use the most, given I’m so accident-prone. There are electric hand planers, which just work faster and add some oomph to the whole affair, and then there are big industrial machines that may be hand-guided, or fully automated. The latter are really only something you want to invest in in cases where you do a serious workload with planers.
Uses For Planers
So, at their core, these either shave off a wood surface to adjust thickness and even out a surface, or they cut deep precise notches into wood, depending on which type of planer they happen to be. What exactly are these most used for?
Well, historically, there was a time before industrial lumber could be produced, and sawing into wood produced rough, uneven surfaces. We had no lathes or other sorts of sophisticated things to work the shape of wood once we had a block of the stuff, so all we really had were carving knives and planers.
In these times, a planer would smooth out and even a wood surface to produce tables and other flat level surfaces. They would etch joints to put wood together tightly, and they would help shape the more ornate geometric properties of some components of furniture and so on.
Today, we still use them for these processes, but it’s more for an ultra smooth surface (followed by sanding), or for adjusting wood thickness at angles and so forth. It’s a little more precision than you can just cut wood at, and you will find yourself often needing to shave a bit off the top or the sides just to get things level or to fit just like you intended.
They don’t produce a glass-smooth surface on their own, you will still need to go over it with a belt sander to get a polished surface, but this tool produces the step needed to get that surface to polish and sand down.
Joint planers are still widely used to cut those joints, because your other option would be a Dremel tool, and that’s just not a bad idea, trust me.
Who Makes Planers?
Pretty much every single tool company out there makes at least one variety of planer. DeWalt, Worx, Stanley, WEN, Black & Decker and of course the almighty Makita all produce a few different types of these. You have a variety to choose from. Today, we’re even going to see a traditional Japanese block planer, made by a very traditional Japanese company, which is frankly pretty damn neat.
A Brief History
Planers are one of the oldest tools in this category. We can’t know exactly when these first started being used, but we do know it’s an evolution of chisels, with some (like one we look at today) still involving being hammered. We have evidence of them from at least 4000 BCE, which is the bronze age. Wood workers in Egypt, the Levant, the Mediterranean and the Far East, around the same rough time, started using blocks or bits of metal to steady their chisel, or to replace them with patient hand strokes to shape wood into more cooperative forms.
They didn’t change much after this, aside from better materials, better blades and better applications of them coming along. Mechanized planers appeared in the industrial revolution, and shortly thereafter, electric power tool innovations produced the various modern non-manual versions we have.
There’s not much that’s likely to change with planers moving forward, unless we invent nanotechnology to do plane work, or lasers of some sort. These sound cool, but honestly, they’re never going to be practical, so what you see now is what planers will probably always be.
My Experience With Planers
I’m a bit of a hobbyist in the crafts world, enjoying the occasional bit of furniture creation (though my furniture work is basic and not amazing thus far), and in creating arcade cabinets or hardware cases.
There’s something I adore about building computer or set top boxes out of mostly simple wood, and applying a wood grain finish to that for this adorable and classy retro look. I have to do a lot of joint cutting and planer work to achieve this.
I’ve mentioned my MAME cabinet project, which was the biggest one, and my woes in not using planers properly at first.
I don’t really use power planers, as I appreciate the Zen of working on this wood by hand, patiently, steadily, pouring my soul into it. Manual planers aren’t hard work to use, but they take patience and steadiness. Sometimes they need a rubber mallet, depending on the wood.
On A Budget?
Do you only need to do a little bit of planer work (like me), or you just can’t afford a ridiculously-priced power planer or industrial planer? Do you expect budget tools to be garbage? Some are, but today, let me show you two interesting options for budget planers. One of them is really neat, the other is a bog standard power planer for the price. Either will work for your needs if you’re anything like me and just intermittently need this tool.
10 Best Affordable Planers | Comparison Table
DSHE Mini Hand Planer Small Trimming Planer 6-1/2 inch Woodworking Pocket Plane Hand Plane with 1 inch Blade...
- APPLICATION: Mini Hand Planer is perfect edge trimming plane for woodworkers, craftsmen and others , suitable for DIY woodworking, crafts making, repairing wooden furniture.
- MATERIAL: Small Trimming Planer is made of 304 stainless steel, surface paint treatment, rust-proof, sturdy and durable, Manganese steel sharp blade with fully quench treatment, large capacity to remove sticky chips.
- SIZE: Woodworking Hand Plane is total length 160 mm/6.3 inch, with a plane blade and a fixer, red body is made from 45# carbon steel, surface paint treatment, rust-proof, sturdy and durable. Block plane blade 110 mm/4.3 inch in length, 40mm/1.6 inch in width, blade is made from 65# manganese steel, sharp, has high strength and good wear resistance.
- Precise Adjustment: Hand planer with smart screw, convenient and easy for you to adjust the depth & alignment of cutter, Satisfy various requirements of yours.
- Ergonomic Design: Humane shape and designed as your hand feature which can help you with jobs of long time! Protect your hand from any hurt.Cast body and contoured shape design for easy gripping, adds comfort and control, The flat wire drawing base is smoother than the wooden base.
Mini Hand Planer 3-1/2 inch Red Adjustable, used for Wood Craft Processing, Carving and Trimming Projects,...
- 【Proper gift】with bright red appearance, exquisite workmanship, mini and cute design, this mini hand planer is a wonderful and practical gift to relatives and friends making them feel loved and blessed.
- 【Mini size】The mini hand wood planer is approx. 6.3 inches in total length; The blade is approx. 4.3 inch in length; Small size, light weight, easy to carry.
- 【Durable material】The small trimming planer is made of 304 stainless steel, the surface is rust-proof, strong and durable, and the surface blade of the small trimming planer is made of 65# manganese steel, sharp, with high strength and good wear resistance.
- 【Adjustable design】With tiny woodworking planes and screws, you can easily fix or adjust the depth and alignment of the cutter as needed; the mini hand plane is designed to meet your various needs.
- 【Ergonomic Design】Humane shape and designed as your hand feature which can help you with jobs of long time!It is a very nice choice for you whether you are going to do woodworking or just enjoy the pleasure of touching or handling the tool and the wood.
YOGEON Woodworking Plane,Hand Planer, Hand Plane Planer Wooden Carpenter Woodcraft Tool, Perfect for Woodworking,...
- 【Greater control】This premium planing plane is the perfect tool to help you perfect the shape and dimensions of wood or to give it a final finish. Nothing says woodworking like hand planes. The frog and base are a sturdy one-piece casting.
- 【Greater accuracy】The plane is made of high quality steel, sharper and more durable! Both planes have blades machined from thick 1/8'' steel for minimal chatter, and are precision ground for flatness. Precision ground cutter allows for cutting with greater accuracy and confidence.
- 【High quality construction】The TV remote control stand is allow you to move the entire remote easily and reduce your desk clutter down to almost zero, keep your desk neat tidy, the best choice for your office, school and home use. Two wood boards can be detached by hand, which means cleaning up is simple.
- 【Comfortable handle grip】The handle with a contoured design fit comfortably in the hand, making this planer easy to hold and control. The compact size fits anywhere without taking up the entire surface, keep your table looking stylish and chic.
- 【Widely Use】Our hand plane for DIY allows you to tackle a range of professional and DIY wood projects. Friendly to woodworkers of all skill levels from beginner to advanced, perfect for cutting, polishing and deburring woodworking surfaces.
WEN 6528 3.8-Amp Electric Hand Planer, 2-3/8-Inch
- 3.8-amp motor provides up to 32,000 cuts per minute
- 9 positive stops adjust the cutting depth anywhere from 0 to 1/16 inches
- Lightweight design weighs in at a mere 4.3 pounds
- Includes an onboard storage slot for the blade adjustment wrench and a kickstand to prevent damage to your workpiece
- Backed by a two-year warranty
Hand Plane for Wood, Katfort Smooth Plane Adjustable Wood Plane Bench Planer Smoothing Planer for Woodworking,...
- Smooth Plane: total length: 230mm/9”, with a plane blade, a fixer and a replacement blade
- Hand held wood planer: red body, made from steel sheet, surface paint treatment, rust-proof & durable
- Adjustable hand planer: plane blade,made from 65# manganese steel(58---62HRC), 80mm/3.15” in length, 44mm/1.73” in width, sharp & sturdy. Handles, made from PVC material, has high strength, ergonomically designed, comfortable to hold
- Depth adjusting screws help to adjust the blade and keep it in place, you can also replace the blade by loosening the screws
- Good smoothing plane for woodworkers, craftsmen and others, suitable for woodworking, crafts making, repair wooden furniture
YOGEON Tiny Woodworking Plane, Mini Hand Planer, Block Hand Plane Planer Wooden Carpenter Woodcraft Tool, Perfect...
- 【Greater control】This premium planing plane is the perfect tool to help you perfect the shape and dimensions of wood or to give it a final finish. Nothing says woodworking like hand planes. The frog and base are a sturdy one-piece casting.
- 【Greater accuracy】The plane is made of high quality steel, sharper and more durable! Both planes have blades machined from thick 1/8'' steel for minimal chatter, and are precision ground for flatness. Precision ground cutter allows for cutting with greater accuracy and confidence.
- 【High quality construction】The Mini plane is allow you to move the entire remote easily and reduce your desk clutter down to almost zero, keep your desk neat tidy, the best choice for your office, school and home use. Two wood boards can be detached by hand, which means cleaning up is simple.
- 【Tiny handle grip】The handle with a contoured design fit comfortably in the small hand, making this planer easy to hold and control. Plane dimension: 80*20*20mm / 3.2*0.8*0.8in.Plane weight: 76 g / 2.7oz
- 【Mini but Widely Use】Our hand plane for DIY allows you to tackle a range of professional and DIY wood projects. Friendly to woodworkers of all skill levels from beginner to advanced, perfect for cutting, polishing and deburring woodworking surfaces.
Mini Hand Planer, Katfort 3.2inch Hand Plane for Woodworking Wood Plane Hand Tool Flat Bottom Trimming Planer for...
- High Quality: High-speed steel material woodworking plane blade, approx 0.5” cutting width. Metal fixer with fixing groove and screw, you can adjust length of the blade, great for small wood crafts.
- High Efficiency: 0.9” bottom width, ideal to plane groove and other detail woodworking. Flat small plane blade can plane and trim different depth effortlessly, ease you from plain planer tools.
- Scientific Design: Smooth ebony plane body, durable and not hurt your hands by splinters. Little steel nail at the front, you can smooth or chamfer much more steadily by fixing angle with another hand on the steel nail.
- Wide Application: Mini carpenter woodcraft tool but multipurpose, no need to reinforce fixer with other tools. Practical to smooth wood surface and splinters, carving edges and wood stair, level details of woodcrafts, trimming edges & more, perfect for DIY wood crafting.
- Woodworking Favorites: Simple to use this little hand wood planer, friendly to both woodworking starters and professionals. Mind the sharp edge on the blade when using.
WEN 6530 6-Amp Electric Hand Planer, 3-1/4-Inch
- 6-amp motor provides up to 34,000 cuts per minute
- 16 positive stops adjust the cutting depth anywhere from 0 to 1/8 inches
- Make rabbets up to 7/10 inch in size with the included rabbeting guide
- Lightweight design weighs in at a mere 6 pounds. Motor:120 V, 60 Hz
- Includes power planer, dust bag, a kickstand, a parallel fence bracket and a 2-year warranty
2020 New Woodworking Edge Corner Plane, Newest Block Planer Woodworking Planer Chamfering Trimming Planer DIY...
- 💖Our block planer is suitable for trimming and chamfering all kinds of wood. The cutting depth can be adjusted according to work requirements.
- 💖Comes with horizontal and vertical bubbles for easy observation and leveling.
- 💖Mini size, portable and easy to operate. Suitable for trimming and chamfering all kinds of wood The cutting depth can be adjusted according to work requirements
- 💖Smooth trimming, smooth planing surface, high efficiency. It is a wonderful tool for carpenter or a woodcraft DIY
- 💖There are plenty of other tools that can be used for this purpose, but it looks like the goal of the Woodpeckers EZ-Edge is to be quicker, easier, and more precise.The EZ-Edge Corner Planes, makes quick work of edge relief without changing bits in your router or plugging in anything.
Mini Hand Planer Block Plane Red Adjustable Block Plane Small Hand Wood Planer Tiny Hand Trimming Planer for Wood...
- Flexible and adjustable: the depth and alignment of cutter can be freely adjusted to conform to your habits and requirements; The blade can be fixed by manually adjusting the black knob in the middle, you need to turn on the black knob, then replace the blade and tighten the black knob until it is not loose at all; Please tighten the screws before use
- Mini size: this mini hand wood planer is approximately 5.3 inches long and its blade is about 4 inch long; This adjustable block plane is mini and lightweight, easy to carry and not taking up space
- Proper gift: with bright red appearance, exquisite workmanship, mini and cute design, this mini hand planer is a wonderful and practical gift to relatives and friends making them feel loved and blessed
- Quality material: the mini planer tool is made of 304 stainless steel, which is not easy to rust, corrosion-resistant and durable; The blade of tiny hand plane is made of 65 manganese steel, incisive and wear-resistant, so you can go out the desired shape without strength
- Wide application: the mini wood planner can be applied to diverse occasions, such as DIY woodworking, crafts working, repairing wooden furniture, etc.; Mini and lightweight, this trimming planer is an ideal choice for operation; Warm note: before use, the blade position can be adjusted to achieve better operation