The 10 Best Thickness Planers

At north of 800 pounds, referring to the Jet 208HH (around $3700) as heavy duty doesn’t quite do it justice. Constructed with durable cast iron and steel and equipped with a beastly induction motor that churns out detailed cuts, this machine may appear in the next "Transformers" movie.

You can quickly and easily rotate or change the cutter tips on the Cutech 40200H-CT (about $670), which helps you eliminate downtime on urgent jobs. Assembly is a piece of cake — just add the handle to the depth adjustment wheel and attach the dust collector.

Powered by a healthy three-horsepower motor, the Powermatic 15HH (appx. $3200) delivers a fine finish to a wide variety of hardwoods with its unconventional helical cutterhead. It’s gentle on surfaces despite its strength, and feeding materials through it is nearly effortless.

A wide, rigid base on the Makita 2012NB (around $940) provides the stability required for important, highly detailed projects. Whether you’re working on cabinets, furniture or a wooden staircase, you can expect an efficient operation and a clean, sharp finish.

Three strong blades, a robust motor and a sturdy platform combine to make the DeWalt 735X (about $1134) a top performer that should meet the standards of a professional tradesman. It comes with an extra set of knives and holds up to frequent use.

The infeed and outfeed rollers on the Jet 708524 (around $1161) are coated in rubber, allowing you to focus on achieving the perfect cut instead of worrying about marring the wood. An integrated fan helps keep it cool during extended sessions.

A powerful model suitable for use on boards up to 13 inches in width, the Rikon 25-130H (about $700) utilizes a helical head for precise cuts. It’s a little loud while you’re operating it, but its built-in dust collector helps you maintain a tidy workspace.

Thanks to a comfortable handle and an intuitive design, the Bosch PL1632 (about $159) is super easy to maneuver, which is quite useful for working on doors with uneven surfaces. It includes two wood blades and a wrench for making adjustments.

A compact, efficient machine, the Grizzly G0505 (around $458) features smooth return rollers to make the cutting process as fluid as possible. It should be able to handle whatever material you prefer to work with — be it oak, cherry, walnut or cypress.

The Porter-Cable 305TP (around $270) may move around a tad while you’re operating it, but you can remedy that issue by bolting it directly to your worktable, if you have the space. It can deliver 16,000 cuts per minute with its razor-like blades.