Tool Test: Portable Thickness Planers

Not too long ago, a thickness planer was a tool strictly available for shop use. Now, however, manufacturers have made the planer something that can be brought to the job site. For this tool review, Montana builder Christian M. Whalen tested seven portable thickness planers, evaluating them on "the Four P's": precision, performance, portability, and practicality. Among the seven, Whalen rated a DeWalt model as best overall and a Ridgid model as best value. This article includes a sidebar on counteracting snipe with an inexpensive infeed/outfeed table.

Product Finder: Related Products

Makita - 2012NB Portable Thickness Planer
The Makita 2012NB is compact and portable without the flashy features of many in its class of board-surfacing tools

Ryobi - AP1301 Portable Thickness Planer
the Ryobi AP1301 portable thickness planer makes smooth surfaces with minor chatter markes and has a nice price tag but the features indicate this model is for hobbyists and the engineering needs improvement

Steel City Tool Works - 40200 Portable Thickness Planer
The Steel City 40200 portable thickness planer has positives and negatives but once the bugs are worked out on this newly released model, this planer could be a contender

Craftsman - 21759 Portable Thickness Planer
The Craftsman 21759 is among the heaviest and largest of the portable thickness planers. It has an accurate digital depth readout and features an oversized paddle switch, removable lock, and nice dust-collection system

Grizzly Industrial - G0663 Portable Thickness Planer
The Grizzly G0663 is an economically-priced, entry-level portable thickness planer that is functional enough for professionals