Best Planers and Jointers for a Small Shop
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Prices were listed by the retailer as of Oct 30, 2026 and can change. Confirm the current price and availability on the retailer's page before you buy.
Start with the budget question, because price decides what kind of machine you are even looking at. The catalog lists 91 planer models. That spread tells you something. Below a few hundred dollars you find handheld planers, which smooth edges and take down high spots. Further up you find benchtop and floor machines from brands such as Grizzly Industrial, Powermatic and JET, which are built for a different scale of work. Before you compare features, decide which tier matches your shop and your lumber.
Three specifications do most of the sorting. The first is cutting width, the widest board the cutter head can handle in one pass. A wider cut means fewer passes across a board, but it also means a larger, heavier machine. The picks in this guide list widths of 2 in. and 3.25 in., which is handheld territory. If you need to flatten wide boards, a handheld model will not do the same job as a stationary machine.
The second is motor power. On corded machines this is often stated in horsepower or amps. Horsepower is a rough measure of how much work the motor can sustain under load. A stronger motor bogs down less when you take a deeper cut in dense wood. On cordless tools, look at voltage, amp-hours and whether the motor is brushless. Brushless designs use electronic control instead of carbon brushes.
The third is knife type. Straight knives are flat blades that slice along the cutter head. Helical heads use many small cutters set at an angle. In general terms, helical heads shear rather than chop, which is often chosen for figured or tricky grain. Finally, remember that this is milling work: flatten one face, then thickness the board to size.
Buying checklist
- Decide the widest board you need to plane in one pass.
- Choose corded or cordless before comparing models.
- If cordless, note which battery platform you already own.
- Check whether the listing says kit or bare tool.
- Read the in-the-box line for batteries, charger and case.
- Look for a stated cutter type: straight or helical.
- Compare motor figures only between like models, such as amps with amps.
How to choose
Cutting width
Cutting width is the widest board the machine can plane in one pass. The picks here list 2 in. and 3.25 in., so they suit edges, narrow stock and smoothing. If you plan to mill wide rough boards into flat panels, confirm the width in the listing before anything else, and expect to look at larger machines.
Motor power
On corded planers, the listing may give amps or horsepower. The budget pick here is listed at 6.5 A. Higher figures generally mean the motor can carry more load, but compare like with like. On cordless models, volts and amp-hours describe the battery, and brushless is a motor design, not a promise of results.
Knife or cutter type
Straight knives are simple flat blades. Helical heads use rows of small angled cutters, which cut with a shearing action. If tear-out on figured wood worries you, read the full listing and look for this detail.
Power source and platform
Corded tools run from an outlet. Cordless tools run on a battery platform, meaning a family of batteries and chargers that fit many tools. The picks here use M12, M18 and XGT 40V. If you already own batteries from one platform, buying into the same one can save money.
What is in the box
A kit may include batteries, a charger or a case. A bare tool is the tool only. Only one of these picks is listed as tool only. Read the in-the-box line carefully, because the same planer can cost very different amounts depending on what comes with it.
Speed and capacity figures
The picks list maximum speeds between 14,500 RPM and 17,000 RPM, plus a 4 Ah and a 5 Ah battery. Treat these as listed figures, not performance claims. They help you compare listings, but they do not show how clean a cut will be or how long a charge will last.
Our picks from the catalog
These picks come from what the listings state: prices, specifications and kit contents. Each says which listed facts it is based on.
Milwaukee M12 12V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 2 in. Planer with M12 2-Tool Combo Kit
$478.00 · Kit · Voltage: 12 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: M12 · Size / capacity: 2 in. · Max speed: 14,500 RPM
This Milwaukee M12 planer is the value pick because its listing shows many specifications and kit items for $478.00, which sits in the middle half of prices in this group. size and a maximum speed of 14,500 RPM.
Makita 6.5-Amp Corded 3.25 in. Planer Kit, Blade Set and Hard Case with 3.25 in. High Speed Steel Planer Blades
$209 to $219 · Kit · Size / capacity: 3.25 in. · Max speed: 17,000 RPM · Motor current: 6.5 A
The Makita KP0800K-D-46230 is the budget pick. It has the lowest price, $209 to $219, among the 55 models whose listings state at least two specifications. It is corded, listed at 6.5 A, with a 3.25 in. size and a maximum speed of 17,000 RPM. The listing states a case or bag is included. Keep in mind that it is a handheld size, so it is a different tool from a floor-standing machine.
Makita 40-Volt XGT Brushless Cordless 3-1/4 in. Planer (Tool Only)
$354 to $768 · · Voltage: 40 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: XGT 40V · Size / capacity: 3-1/4 in. · Battery capacity: 4 Ah
The Makita GPK01Z earns the heavy-use label on one fact: it has the highest listed battery energy in this group, at 40 V and 4 Ah. It is listed with a brushless motor, a 3-1/4 in. size and a maximum speed of 15,000 RPM, on the XGT 40V platform. It is a bare tool, listed as tool only with no battery or charger stated. Prices are listed at $354 to $768.
Milwaukee M18 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-1/4 in. Planer with One 5.0Ah Battery and Charger
$444.00 · Kit · Voltage: 18 V · Battery platform: M18 · Size / capacity: 3-1/4 in. · Battery capacity: 5 Ah
The Milwaukee 2623-20-48 is the kit pick because it has the most complete contents stated: the listing states 1 battery and a charger. It is an M18 18 V planer with a 5 Ah battery and a 3-1/4 in. size, listed at $444.00.
Skip it if...
- Skip a handheld planer if you need to flatten wide boards, since the picks here list widths of only 2 in. and 3.25 in.
- Skip the bare-tool Makita GPK01Z if you do not already own XGT 40V batteries, because it is listed as tool only with no battery or charger stated.
- Skip any listing that leaves out cutter type if grain tear-out matters to you, because the picks here do not state straight or helical knives.
- Skip the corded budget pick if you want cordless freedom, since the Makita KP0800K-D-46230 is a corded 6.5 A model.
Frequently asked questions
How many planer models are in the catalog?
The catalog lists 91 planer models in this group. Brands with the most listings are Grizzly Industrial and Powermatic at 24 each, followed by JET at 13, Makita at 11, WEN at 9 and Milwaukee at 6. Only 10 of the 91 are cordless, so corded and stationary machines make up most of the group.
What is the price range?
That wide spread reflects very different kinds of machines. The four picks in this guide sit at the low end, from $209 up to $478.00, and all are handheld-size planers.
What does kit versus bare tool mean?
A kit bundles the tool with extras such as a battery, charger or case. A bare tool is the tool only, with no battery or charger. In this catalog 8 models are listed as kit and 4 as bare tool, while 79 do not state a configuration.
What is a battery platform?
A battery platform is a family of batteries and chargers that fit many tools from one brand. The cordless planers here use M12, M18, LXT 18V and XGT 40V platforms. Buying into a platform you already own can mean you only need the bare tool.
How many models state a brushless motor?
The catalog shows 60 percent of models with a brushless motor stated in the listing. Brushless is a motor design that uses electronic control instead of carbon brushes. Two of the four picks, the Milwaukee 2524-20-34 and the Makita GPK01Z, are stated as brushless in their listings.