I found this amazing deal on a Ryobi planer and I'm curious if it's worth it for someone just starting out in woodworking. The link to the product is here: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-18V-Cordless-3-1-4-in-Planer-Kit-with-1-2-0-Ah-Battery-1-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-P611K2SB/333442794. I'd love to hear if anyone has experience with this model and whether it's a decent entry-level option or if I should be looking at something else!
3 Answers
This planer is more of a powered hand tool, which means it has pretty limited capabilities in woodworking. If you're planning on doing more serious work, you might want to consider something like a benchtop thickness planer instead. Dewalt is usually a solid choice for these, and if you're looking for quality, brands like JET are great but can be pricier. What exactly are you planning to do with the planer? That might help narrow down your options!
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this one. It's not even really suitable for smoothing out standard 2x4s due to its width. If you're planning to work with hardwood, you're definitely going to need a benchtop thickness planer. Electric planers like this just don’t give the precision you need; they tend to beat the wood into shape instead of shaving it smoothly. If you can get it as part of a battery deal, it might be worth it for that alone, but I’d skip it for actual woodworking tasks.
I’ve had experiences with budget electric planers and they really don’t cut it for serious work. They do have their uses though, maybe for small tasks, but if you're looking to do proper wood planing, it's better to invest in something that can handle the job without frustration. Honestly, if you're all about the Ryobi system, grabbing some extra batteries might be a good move, but steer clear of this tool for any serious projects.
Thanks for the heads up! I was just looking for something to help with basic projects, so if this isn’t it, I’ll definitely check out the Dewalt options.