Best DeWalt 12-Inch Planer: Models, Features, and Buying Advice

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Which DeWalt 12-Inch Planer Should You Buy?

The short answer: if you’re searching for a DeWalt 12 planer, you’re almost certainly looking at the DW734 — DeWalt’s 12.5-inch benchtop thickness planer — or stepping up to the 13-inch DW735/DW735X. DeWalt doesn’t currently sell a true 12.0-inch machine; the “12 inch planer” label is how buyers and retailers shorthand the 12.5-inch class. That distinction matters because the DW734 and DW735 differ substantially in cutting system, snipe control, and long-term knife costs.

The Models Behind the “DeWalt 12 Planer” Search

Two benchtop machines cover this category, plus a cordless option worth knowing about:

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#1 Pick

DEWALT Thickness Planer (DW735X)

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#2 Pick

DEWALT Benchtop Planer, 15-Amp, 12-1/2-Inch, 3-Knife Cutter, 20,000 RPM, Corded (DW734)

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#3 Pick

DEWALT Planer, Thickness Planer, 13-Inch, 3 Knife for Larger Cuts, Two Speed 20,000 RPM Motor, Corded (DW735)

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#4 Pick

DEWALT 20V MAX Planer, 30,000 Cuts Per Minute, 2 mm Cut Depth, Brushless Motor, Bare Tool Only (DCP580B)

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• DW734 — the actual “12.5 planer” in the lineup. Three-knife cutterhead, 15-amp motor, single-speed feed. This is the budget entry and the machine most people mean by a DeWalt 12 in planer.
• DW735 / DW735X — 13-inch capacity, two-speed gearbox, automatic carriage lock. The X version adds infeed/outfeed tables and an extra set of knives.
• DCP580B (class) — a cordless 3-1/4-inch hand planer on the 20V MAX platform. Not a thickness planer, but it shows up in the same searches and suits trim work, not stock dimensioning.

Spec Comparison: DW734 vs. DW735X

Capacity: Does Half an Inch Matter?

The extra half-inch on the DW735 sounds trivial, but it changes what fits. Common 12-inch-wide glued-up panels, face-frame stock, and rough boards with cupped edges are easier to pass through 13 inches of clearance — you gain a fudge factor for slightly skewed feeding. If your work is mostly rails, stiles, and boards under 10 inches, the DW734’s capacity is effectively identical in daily use. Both machines share the same 6-inch thickness ceiling and 1/8-inch max cut, so neither planes heavy timber faster than the other.

Snipe Control: The Real Difference

Snipe — the slightly deeper cut at the board’s first and last few inches — is the complaint most often aimed at benchtop planers. The DW735 addresses it mechanically with an automatic carriage lock that engages whenever the cutterhead is set, keeping the head assembly rigid through the cut. The DW734 uses a manual four-post lock you must remember to engage; it works well when used, but it’s a step beginners skip.

In practice, both machines still benefit from feeding boards back-to-back and supporting long stock at the infeed and outfeed. If snipe-prone hardwoods (hard maple, white oak) make up most of your work, the DW735’s automatic lock is worth real money. If you plane shorter pieces or can plan around 3–4 inches of waste per board, the DW734 is fine.

Finish Quality and the Two-Speed Gearbox

The DW735’s second speed — 179 cuts per inch versus 96 — exists purely for finish passes. Dimension stock at the fast setting, then drop to the slow speed for the final 1/32-inch pass and you get a surface that often needs only light scraping before finishing. The DW734’s single ~96 CPI feed leaves a good but noticeably less refined surface. For painted projects this barely matters; for clear-finished walnut tabletops, it saves sanding time on every piece.

Portability and Shop Footprint

At roughly 80 lb versus 92 lb, neither machine is “grab and go,” but the DW734 is meaningfully easier to move between a shelf and a workmate-style stand. Both fit DeWalt’s DW7350 rolling stand (with a small footprint difference). If the planer lives in a cabinet and comes out weekly, the lighter machine reduces setup friction — a factor that genuinely affects how often a tool gets used. If it stays mounted on a stand, the weight difference disappears as a criterion.

Knife Costs and Ownership Math

Both machines use double-edged disposable knives rather than resharpenable blades — flip them once, then replace. This is where long-term cost diverges:

• DW734 knives (DW7342 set): typically in the $40–60 range for a set of three.
• DW735 knives (DW7352 set): typically in the $50–70 range for a set of three.

Worked example: a hobbyist planing roughly 500 board feet of mixed hardwoods and softwoods per year will typically flip knives once and replace them once in that year — call it one set annually, so roughly $50–70/year in consumables either way. Over five years that’s $250–350, which narrows the DW735’s purchase-price premium considerably. The bigger cost trap is hitting a hidden nail or staple: one strike can chip all three knives on the fresh edge, costing a full set in a single pass. Always check reclaimed lumber with a magnet before planing.

Other ownership realities: the DW735’s blower-assisted chip ejection is excellent but will overwhelm a small dust collector without a separator lid; plan on a 4-inch hose to a collector or a trash-can cyclone. Feed rollers on both machines need occasional cleaning with mineral spirits to maintain grip. The drive belts and brushes are wear items on either machine but commonly last many years under hobbyist loads.

Decision Matrix by Situation

Buying Advice and Common Mistakes

If you go with the DW735, buy the X package rather than the base version: the included infeed/outfeed tables and extra knife set would cost more purchased separately than the price difference between the two boxes. On either machine, budget separately for the rolling stand and dust collection — they’re effectively required accessories, not options.

Three mistakes to avoid: taking the full 1/8-inch cut on hardwood (keep it to 1/16 inch or less for finish and motor longevity); planing end grain or boards shorter than the roller spacing (minimum length is roughly 12 inches, and short pieces can kick); and ignoring the manual lock on the DW734 — engaging it is the single biggest snipe reduction available on that machine.

Bottom line: the DeWalt 12 inch planer decision is really DW734 versus DW735X. Choose the DW734 for budget and portability; choose the DW735X for finish quality, hands-free snipe control, and heavy use — the price gap shrinks once you factor in the bundled tables and knives.