The manual planers used to process lumber were replaced by their electrical counterparts. Universal electric planers are widely used not only in workshops, but also in everyday life, allowing to increase labor efficiency.
The tool market offers a wide selection of electric planers with different functionality, equipment and price. The best option for domestic, semi-professional or professional use can be selected based on the rating and reviews of electric planers.
The brand
Not only the Bosch trademark is represented on the German market, but also the TTS Tooltechnic Systems AG&CO, which produces the Festool and Protool professional tool ranges. Industrial-grade carpentry tools are manufactured under the Mafell brand.
The Japanese counterpart to Bosch is the Makita brand, which launched the world's first electric planer. No less common among other Japanese brands are Hitachi tools.
The Bulgarian brand Sparky Professional has been popular since the days of the USSR. The company’s factory is the largest in Europe.
The Russian "Fiolent" and the Latvian Rebir gained popularity due to their long service life and durability. The factories of Interskol, which produces tools under the Fiolent brand, are located not only in Russia, but also in Spain and China.
Which electric planers should not be bought?
Trademarks in the era of globalization migrate between manufacturers and countries, so you should not chase a famous brand - for example, the names Riobi, Milwaukee and AEG are owned by Techtronic Industries Company Limited from Hong Kong.
The quality and reliability of Bosch tools depends on the country of assembly. The possibility of a collision with a fake cannot be ruled out. Many Asian manufacturers disguise themselves as Russia, giving their products Russian names. An electric planer purchased for less than three thousand rubles will most likely disappoint.
Compact and lightweight planers for infrequent use
The rating of electric planers for home use is opened by the Skil 1550 AA - an ergonomic and lightweight device that comfortably lies in your hand. Small work is facilitated by two 60 mm knives. A power of 450 W is enough for a quadruple selection of 7 millimeters and a planing depth of 1.5 millimeters. The aluminum sole is equipped with two notches for chamfering.
Disadvantages:
- The mechanical part wears out quickly;
- Not suitable for long periods of work.
Kolner Kep 600
The decent weight of the second electric planer in the rating for home use is offset by high accuracy in operation, which is uncharacteristic for tools in this price category. The maximum number of revolutions per minute is 16,000, the power is 600 W, which is acceptable for an inexpensive planer. The design resembles Makita brand appliances. In durability, Kolner Kep is inferior to Japanese counterparts, but much cheaper.
Disadvantages:
- Knives blunt quickly;
- Build quality is poor.
"Caliber Master RE-650M"
The main advantage of the model is the price - 2900 rubles. The weight is relatively small - 2.4 kilograms. This electric plane in the ranking of low-cost most powerful - 650 watts, which is enough for 82-mm knives. Depth of planing - 2 millimeters.
Disadvantages:
- There is no seam fold;
- The quality of individual copies does not match even such a low price.
Universal Planer for home use
Makita KP 0810, an attractive appearance tool, opens the rating of electric planers for quality. The optimal weight is 3.3 kilograms, excellent ergonomics. The constancy of speed under load and a smooth start are provided by Japanese electronics. A power of 850 W and a rotational speed of 12,000 rpm is enough for sampling a rebate with a depth of up to 25 millimeters and 4 mm planing. For high power and frequency it produces a moderate and non-annoying noise. For a minute passes 170 cm on a pine beam, without leaving chips and scoring.
Disadvantages:
- High cost - 15,200 rubles.
DeWalt DW 680
A planer can plan rocks of high hardness due to 600 watts of power and high speeds of 15,000 rpm. The cutting depth is 2.5 millimeters, the seam fold is also small - 12 millimeters. The second place in the rating on the quality of DeWalt electric planes is due to proprietary reliability. Carbide knives are supplied that keep sharpness for a long time.
Disadvantages:
Bosch GHO 15-82
The youngest electric planer from the professional rating. Small in weight, the device is intended for finishing work. A cord 4 meters long allows you to process products outside the workbench. Adjustable groove depth - up to 9 millimeters, planing - 1.5 millimeters. Power planer - 600 watts. Double-sided knives are easy to change.
Disadvantages:
- The metal casing is very hot.
- Low engine power.
- When buying a plane, you need to check the parallelism of the soles.
"Violet P3-82"
The optimal electric planer in the rating, designed to work with hardwood and characterized by durability, strength and relatively low weight - 3.5 kilograms. An excellent combination of quality, power and price. The production is completely Russian, all parts, including electric motors, are assembled on an Italian automated line. The power of the planer is 1050 W, which allows you to work for a long time without overheating. The factory gives a 36 month warranty.
Disadvantages:
- The power button is inconveniently located on the handle.
- The front sole is often skewed by 0.2-0.5 mm.
Sparky P 382
Compact and lightweight device (3.1 kilograms). The original design with a separate handle, not combined with a planer depth adjuster, and a raised and shifted forward engine received many positive reviews due to its high accuracy. Rotor balancing is carried out during production. For three knives, 750 W is not enough, but enough for measured homework.
Disadvantages:
- Lack of engine power for three knives.
- Noticeable skew of the back sole.
Next, we consider the rating of the best electric planers for construction.
Rebir IE-5708C
Rebir IE-5708C is a quality brand that has been tested over many years of experience. Compact size and high power - 2000 W - allow you to use the device as a planer. The width of the knife is 110 mm, which makes it possible to plan a beam-hundredth in one run to a depth of 3.5 mm, a beam-two-hundredth - in two runs. The chips are ejected to the right and left, the chamfer is removed by three recesses. The power of the planer is enough to work with oak and acacia wood. A weight of 7 kilograms complicates the selection of a quarter to 16 mm.
Disadvantages:
- Loud noise and heavy weight.
- The transfer of production to China from Latvia affected the reliability and quality of equipment.
Makita 1911B
The only model of the eminent brand, which was included in the quality rating by the number of reviews on electric planes. Reliable and simple model without unnecessary frills. High build quality. A small power - 900 W - allows you to work with pine wood. It can work for a long time.
Disadvantages:
- There is no possibility of sampling a quarter.
- There is not enough power to work with hardwood.
Interskol P-110 / 2000M
The model that takes the last place in the rating of electric power planes in terms of reliability. The sole length - 440 mm - allows you to rank the tool as a jointer and work effectively with long workpieces. Power is similar to the Rebir model. An electric planer is ideal for working with hardwood.
Disadvantages:
- The tools are manufactured in China at the Status Power Tools factory, which has reduced their reliability.
- Long work is not possible due to the large weight of the planer - 7.75 kg.
Now imagine the best planers for precision work.
Festool EHL 65 E-Plus28 270
The Festool EHL 65 E-Plus28 270 is a compact tool with a power of 720 watts and a weight of 2.4 kg that allows you to perform complex work with one hand, removing up to 4 mm in one pass through the wood. The noise level is reduced to a minimum thanks to a spiral knife located not parallel to the edge of the sole. The handle is ergonomic, fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The surface after planing is perfectly flat and smooth.
Disadvantages:
- Lack of emphasis for the left hand. Controversial point, since in most cases it is not required.
Mafell MHU 82 912710
The next model is in the rating of electric planers with average technical characteristics with a power of 800 W, 12000 rpm, a folding seam up to 22 mm and a depth of 3 mm. Professional plane with the possibility of long-term operation without overheating for many years. The package includes a Mafell-MAX case with a dust bag and stationary equipment. A clumsy handle with prolonged use of the tool leads to the appearance of corns on the hands, which is why it is advisable to use professional gloves. The price range for this model exceeds 7 thousand rubles, which depends on the quality and reliability of the tool.
Disadvantages:
- High cost - 47 800 rubles.
- Bad grip ergonomics.
DeWalt D26501K
The American model of electric planer weighing 4 kilograms and high power. Equipped with a lot of electronics. Small revolutions - 11500 rpm - are compensated by a shaft of increased diameter, supporting a high linear speed of the knives. Precision of work is ensured by the ideal geometry of knives and soles. Two knives, thanks to their high power, easily plan hardwood up to 4 mm in one pass and choose folds up to 25 mm. For a professional device it has a small price - 20 300 rubles.
Disadvantages:
- Lack of proper service support in Russia.
- A lot of weight.
- A bright yellow shade of the body strains vision when working.
The following models represent a failure of the best professional planers for heavy carpentry.
ZH 205 Ec
The weight of 12.5 kg for a device equipped with a 2.3 kW engine and capable of processing two-hundred-beam timber to a depth of 4 mm is quite small. Electronic adjustment ensures uniform rotation of the knives and a smooth start. Unlike the model of the same brand above, the ZH 205 Ec has good ergonomics.
Disadvantages:
- Problems with service in Russia.
- Too high a cost of both an electric planer and knives: the device will cost 270 thousand rubles.
Makita KP 312 S
In the rating of electric planers, this model is optimal in terms of the ratio of functionality and price. However, it loses to more expensive counterparts in power - 2.2 kW - and planing width - 312 mm. Unfortunately, the capabilities of a 19-pound tool can be unclaimed due to the fact that carpenters rarely use workpieces wider than 205 mm in their work.
Disadvantages:
- The assembly of the Japanese tool is British, which does not guarantee high quality and reliability.
- A lot of weight.
PL 205 E Festool
Due to its width, a 13 kg planer can be used to the maximum. Chip discharge is optimized, the processing line is clearly visible. The depth of planing is precisely adjustable from 0 to 3 mm. A power of 2000 W is enough for working with surfaces up to 205 mm wide. Functions for protection against overheating and soft start are provided.
Disadvantages:
Which electric planer is better: basic characteristics
The main advantage of electric planers is the ability to perform high-quality work in the shortest possible time and with minimal effort. How to choose a power plan by rating? Before purchasing a tool, you need to pay attention to the main selection criteria.
Power
The performance and class of an electric planer are determined by its power. The type of device - battery or network - also affects this indicator. The removal thickness in one movement will be greater for a model with more power.
The category of household includes electric power from 500 to 700 watts. Their weight does not exceed 3 kilograms, the dimensions are usually compact, the shape is ergonomic. Such models are optimally suited for homework or use as additional tools in the workplace.
The power of professional appliances varies from 1000 to 2000 watts. Such models are larger in size and heavier, in connection with which they are operated in workshops, at construction sites and in production.
The inclusion of a powerful engine is accompanied by a strong jerk, in connection with which it is advisable to choose models equipped with a soft start function. The option lowers the power supply during the start-up of the device.
Knives
The width of the wood processing depends on the installed knives and the width of the drum. A more effective result can be achieved by using planers with two knives.
The first places in the ratings of electric planers are equipped with 82 mm wide knives - it is enough to work with boards, door frames and study furniture details. Blades with a width of more than 100 mm are designed to work with large surfaces - for example, boards and timber for construction.
Electric planers can be equipped with knives of various shapes:
- Rectangular Used to process objects whose width is already the width of planing tools.
- With a rounded edge. Knives are suitable for working with wide surfaces. Planers with such blades are not designed to process the entire area at once, and therefore almost imperceptible transitions remain between planing lines.
- Rustic. Experts advise using them to give objects the effect of antiquity.
The type of cutting element should also be considered when choosing:
- Ordinary.
- Shuffled, made of high speed steel.
- Tungsten carbide double-sided knives.
The knives of the latter variety are sharpened on both sides, as a result of which they can be turned over during operation, but it is impossible to re-sharpen them.
Planing depth
Determines the thickness of a slice made in one pass. The maximum parameter found in planers is 3 mm. For greater depth, you can purchase tools with a planing depth of 4 mm.
The position of the blades on the planer may vary. A special scale, located on the device, allows you to adjust the depth and step. The minimum value of the parameter is from 0.1 to 0.5 mm. With this adjustment, you can work on a flat surface.
Number of revolutions
The manufacturer's operating manuals indicate the idle speed of the planer. The parameter depends on the size of the blade shaft. The optimum blade rotation speed is 45 m / s. With the diameter of the drum, the number of revolutions of the electric planer is 18 thousand rpm. The number of revolutions of a large shaft with a diameter of 56 mm is slightly less - 13 thousand.
Experts advising how to choose an electric planer in the rating are asked to pay attention to this indicator, but the most important is the availability of a support system for revolutions. It is required to maintain the performance of the device when working on an uneven surface. The stabilization system maintains the speed of rotation of the knives, regardless of the load exerted on the product.
Handle
An electric plane should have an ergonomic and comfortable grip. It is desirable that it be equipped with an anti-slip coating, which reduces the risk of corns on the palm of the hand during operation of the tool.
The accuracy of the tool increases with the presence of an additional handle. Usually it is placed in front of the planer.
Design features
- Parking shoe. The plane can be installed on a special sole if you need a break in work without turning off the knives.
- Fixed fixture. The presence of fasteners makes it possible to make a compact stationary machine out of a planer, the functionality of which makes it possible to work with long workpieces.
- V-shaped grooves. They form chamfered edges. On the sole there are usually several similar grooves, varying in depth.
- Lock start button. The presence of this option eliminates the need to hold the button and facilitates the work.
- Parallel emphasis. Limits planing width.
- Quarter sampling. The option allows you to adjust the depth and parallel emphasis. When moving along the edge of the planer forms steps. To obtain the required depth, several passes are performed. Depending on the model chosen, the processing depth can vary from 8 to 20 mm.