Hand Held Planers Buying Guide

Average Rating	Average Price	Reviews	Products
	$200.14	237	43

Handheld planers (also referred to as power planers) are powerful, versatile tools. Designed to smooth the surface of wood, power planers are much more than traditional, manual hand planers and provide more control, allowing you to remove as much or as little material as you like.

Even though its primary purpose is to smooth wood’s surface, a power planer can also be used to level, straighten and taper wood – performing the same functions as a hand plane, belt sander and a jointer. Smooth, precise, and effortless to maneuver, the hand held power planer is a true timesaver.

Similar to a manual hand plane, a power planer rides on a shoe, and has blades mounted on a cutter head or drum. Typically spinning at 20,000 rpm, it removes wood equal to the difference in elevation between the front and rear shoes.

You can be very efficient and accurate if you learn how to properly hold and push the planer. Focus on balancing your body to ensure safety with a steady stance. This means that you should stand with your feet apart and in a position that you find comfortable throughout the full pass of the tool on the workpiece. Also, the depth setting along with the speed at which you push the tool will affect the smoothness of your work.

As for power planer safety, always unplug the tool before you change blades or make any repairs and adjustments. Be sure to change blades before they get dull and worn so that they don’t create smoke or fine powder as you plow through the work. If you’re going to resharpen or replace the blades, do both at the same time - this maintains cutter head balance, ensuring quality cuts. Just like all your other power tools, you should always protect your eyes and ears with the appropriate safety gear.

Types of Hand Held Planers

Corded

Corded power planers are best when used in a workshop. Like most corded power tools, the cord restricts movement and the length at which you can move around with the tool. The upside? Using an A/C power source provides a lot of consistent power!

Group	Average Rating	Average Price	Reviews	Products
Hand Held Planers		$200.14	237	43
Corded		$158.42	228	35

The 35 products in Corded Hand Held Planers have an average ranking of 4.5 with an average price of $158.42. There are 43 products in Hand Held Planers with an median ranking of 5. The median price is $200.14. Click the individual Corded Hand Held Planers product links for more reviews and information on the single models.

Cordless

Battery-operated power planers are practical and easy-to-use for smaller carpentry projects. However, lithium-ion technology has increased the power and reliability of cordless power planers without adding a significant amount of weight. This allows for a more powerful, versatile and portable tool.

Group	Average Rating	Average Price	Reviews	Products
Hand Held Planers		$200.14	237	43
Cordless		$241.86	9	8

There are 8 products in Cordless Hand Held Planers with an median rating of 5. The median price is $241.86. There are 43 products in Hand Held Planers with an median ranking of 5. The median price is $200.14. The product links have more reviews and information on each model.