The best Dictum planes, compared.
Top pick: RALI 105 EVO N Best value: Spear & Jackson 3 inch trimmer – Highest value score among the rest, at about £10.99, with a printed 25 mm cutter and 4.2 from 189 reviews. Updated October 2026.
If you are looking for a Dictum plane, you are choosing a hand plane for wood. In the UK you buy one to flatten a face, square an edge or trim end grain. A suitable plane is the type that matches the job. A No. 4 is a two-handed smoother for faces. A block plane is one-handed, with the bevel up, for edges and end grain. A mini plane or a trimmer is for a tight edge, and it is the wrong tool for a wide board. A pull plane is drawn toward you and set by tapping a wooden body. Western irons are honed. A reversible chrome blade is flipped or replaced. Check the printed blade width, whether the mouth is adjustable, and whether the sole will take an even shaving. A cracked body, or an iron that will not hold depth, is a return under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Choosing the type first is set out in the [Dictum plane buying guide](/hub/hand-tools/dictum-plane/sub/dictum-plane-buying-guide).
If you are looking for a Dictum plane, you are choosing a hand plane for wood. In the UK you buy one to flatten a face, square an edge or trim end grain. A suitable plane is the type that matches the job. A No.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you planing?
The RALI 105 EVO N, model 108768, is a 400 g Swiss block plane at about £104.08 with four 48 mm chrome blades, a depth lever and a chipbreaker knob. The style field says a heavy sole, and the bullets say the blade is set parallel to the sole. Stars are 4.6 from 35. One UK review is in the file and talks about weight rather than a timber species. Other texts in the file are from Germany, Spain and France, so that star line is not a UK-only sample. A carbide blade for hardwood is described as a swap and is not in the box. The body is listed at 13 x 5.5 x 5 cm, with no case in the components.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the RALI 105 in this folder that lists four chrome blades and the Evolution N name.
Less suitable: You want a plane you will hone, or a large UK review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Do you sharpen the blades?
The listing says no. It includes four reversible 48 mm chrome blades. A tungsten carbide blade is described as a hardwood swap in under 10 seconds and is not in the included components.
How is the cut set?
The bullets say a lever and a red knob set depth and the chipbreaker, and that the blade is positioned parallel to the sole. The style field says a heavy sole. Weight is 400 g. Model 108768.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
The star line is 4.6 from 35. The listing has one UK review, which praises the weight. Other texts are from Germany, Spain and France.
The Stanley 220, model 1-12-220, is a cast-iron block plane at about £29.43, listed at 4.5 from 2,567 reviews. Bullets give a 21 degree cutter for cross-grain and light duty. The width field says 77 mm and the components line says 1 5/8 inch, so those two figures do not agree. Stanley's own page for the 220 prints 40 mm. Reviews repeat sole lapping and honing. In the 50 UK reviews read, door bottoms after new carpet show up once the iron is sharp. This file does not say the mouth is adjustable. Weight is 862 g, and country of origin is not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a widely reviewed Stanley block plane and you will lap the sole and hone the iron.
Less suitable: You need an adjustable mouth, which this file does not claim.
Specifications
Common questions
How wide is the iron?
The included-components line says a 1 5/8 inch block plane. The cutting-width field says 77 mm. Those two figures do not agree. Stanley's product page for the 220 prints 40 mm and 21 degrees. Do not treat 77 mm as the iron.
What do reviewers say about the sole?
In the 50 UK reviews read, a concave or unflat sole is a repeated complaint, including long lapping sessions. Other reviews use it on door bottoms after carpet, once the iron is sharp.
Is the mouth adjustable?
This file does not say the mouth is adjustable. It says the cutter is manually adjustable. The angle in the bullets is 21 degrees. A separate note on the current 220 describes a fixed mouth.
This Stanley listing, about £50.42, includes a storage pouch. The title says 6.1/4 inch and 5-12-2020. The item type says No. 9½ and the length field says 20 cm, so do not treat 6¼ inch as a settled length. Bullets say 21 degrees and fine grey iron. Stars are 4.5 from 783. Reviews repeat sole work. One review gives bow figures of about 1 mm across the width and about 2 mm along the length. Country of origin is not in the file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a Stanley block plane in this folder that the listing says includes a pouch.
Less suitable: You need the title length to be a reliable 6¼ inch. This file disagrees with itself.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is it?
The title says 6.1/4 inch and 5-12-2020. The item type says No. 9.1/2 Block Plane with Pouch. The dimension length is 20 cm. The part field says STANLEY 5-12-020 and the model field says 5.12-020. Do not pick one length and drop the others.
What angle does the listing state?
The bullets say a low-angled block plane at 21 degrees, for fine work and against the grain, in fine grey iron, with hollows in the sides and a pouch. The cutter-width field is 40 mm. Weight is 900 g.
What is the repeated review complaint?
Sole flatness. Reviews describe poor factory machining, a blunt iron, and one review states a sole bowed by about 1 mm across the width and cupped about 2 mm along the length. Another says the frog is slightly off.
The Spear & Jackson CBP95 is a cast-iron block plane with a 42 mm low-angle cutter, a fully adjustable mouth and a brass screw, 17.5 cm long and 898 g, at about £23.85. The listing is 4.5 from 547 reviews. Bullets name end grain and one-handed use. Review notes from 40 UK reviews include sole flattening, which is why the use score stays down. The cutting-width field also prints 1.63 inches beside the 42 mm bullet. Country of origin is not in the file. The best-sellers line ranks it under Hand Plane Blades even though the item is a No. 9½ block plane.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a one-handed block plane with an adjustable mouth under about £25.
Less suitable: You need a two-handed No. 4 for board faces.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the mouth adjustable?
Yes. The bullets say a fully adjustable mouth, a 42 mm low-angle cutter and a brass adjusting screw, for end grain and one-handed use.
Why is the sales rank under blades?
The best-sellers line in the file says 1 in Hand Plane Blades, while the item type is a No. 9½ block plane. The rank category and the product type do not match. The price is about £23.85 and the weight is 898 g.
Where was it made?
The listing does not state a country of origin.
The Amazon Basics DS-WPAMZ001 is a No. 4 bench plane with a 51 mm iron, an adjustable mouth, a cast-iron body and two handles, at about £16.20. The listing is 4.4 from 4,007 reviews, rank 1 in Smoothing Planes in this file. It weighs 1.21 kg and is 24.9 cm long. Across the 50 UK reviews read, door trimming and sharpness come up more often than an unflat sole. A minority say the iron arrived blunt and needed honing. Depth and lateral set take practice. It is lighter than the Spear & Jackson No. 4 in this folder, and the brand is Amazon Basics from China, not Dictum.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a two-handed No. 4 from this folder with the largest review count.
Less suitable: You want a one-handed block plane, or a plane you will not hone.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a No. 4 with an adjustable mouth?
The title calls it a No. 4 bench plane with a 2 inch (51 mm) blade, an adjustable mouth and a depth gauge. The body is cast iron, 24.9 cm long and 1.21 kg, with a front handle and a rear grip.
What do the reviews repeat?
Across the 50 UK reviews read, door trimming is a repeated job, and sharpness is a repeated comment. A minority say the iron arrived blunt and needed honing. A repeated unflat-sole complaint is not in those notes.
Is the brand Dictum?
No. The brand field is Amazon Basics and the country of origin is China.
The SUIZAN SK-001 is a 42 mm Japanese kanna with a beech body, 170 g, made in Japan, at about £29.80. The listing is 4.4 from 260 reviews and says the plane is pulled toward you. The body is listed at 15 x 5.4 x 4 cm, and there is no screw adjuster in the file. UK reviews praise the edge on small work and also describe the iron fit changing with the wooden body. One review says the iron was tight in summer and loose later. Another says a dried body left the iron too loose to hold a depth. A chipbreaker is not listed, and one UK review asks for one.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a light pull plane for small pieces and you will learn tap adjustment.
Less suitable: You want a screw-adjusted cast-iron No. 4.
Specifications
Common questions
Do you push this plane?
No. The bullets say you pull it toward you. The body is beech, 150 x 54 x 40 mm, 170 g, with a 42 mm iron. Model SK-001.
How is the iron held?
The listing does not describe a screw adjuster. UK reviews say the set-up takes practice. One says the iron was tight in summer and loose later. Another says the dried body left the iron too loose to hold a depth.
Is there a chipbreaker?
Not in the listing. One UK review says it needs one.
The Spear & Jackson CSP4 is a No. 4 smoothing plane with a 50 mm high-carbon iron, a brass adjusting screw and a cast-iron body, 1.8 kg, made in India, at about £17.20. The file shows 4.3 from 1,310 reviews. Reviews name joinery and doors once the plane is set up, and they also say to sharpen and check the sole. One review says the instructions tell you to sharpen before use. Another describes corrosion and a damaged handle on arrival. There is no case in the box. The height in the dimension line is much lower than the Amazon Basics No. 4, so do not treat those two heights as the same measurement.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a heavier No. 4 in this folder and you will hone and lap it.
Less suitable: You want a plane that reviews describe as ready without set-up.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the iron ready to use?
One review says the instructions tell you to sharpen before use. Other reviews describe a blunt iron, a fully retracted iron, and time spent setting the plane up.
How heavy is it?
The listing says 1.8 kg, with a 50 mm high-carbon iron and a cast-iron body. Dimensions are given as 24.8 x 6.3 x 4.2 cm. The height figure is much lower than the Amazon Basics No. 4 in this folder, so do not treat the two heights as the same measurement.
Does it include a case?
No. Included components are the No. 4 plane only.
The Jorgensen 70700 is a 250 g ductile-iron mini plane, about 90 mm long, with an O1 tool-steel iron and a depth knob, at about £14.99. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 2,258 reviews. Reviewers use it on door edges and chamfers, including work on a hinge side with the door still hung. One review says the iron does not sit square, and another says the cutter is too narrow for a door bottom in one pass. The depth knob is the adjuster, though reviews say it can take several tries. The included-components field says Saw Blades, which does not match a plane, so treat that line as unreliable. Country of origin is China. The listing prints the cutter as 1.25 inches.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are easing a narrow door edge or a small chamfer.
Less suitable: You want to flatten boards or remove a lot of wood.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it ease a sticking door?
The highlight names door trimming. Many UK reviews use it on door edges and small chamfers. One review says it is too narrow to cover a door bottom in one pass, and another says it is not for flattening large boards.
How do you set the depth?
The bullets say a knob sets the blade length. Reviews say that knob can take several tries. One review says the iron does not sit square in the body.
What is in the box?
The bullets name an instruction manual. The included-components field says Saw Blades, which does not match the plane. Treat that field as unreliable.
The Stanley listing titled 9.5 inch, part 1-12-020, is a metal block plane at about £43.98 with a 40 mm cutter field, made in Mexico. Bullets say the mouth, depth and angle are adjustable. The model field says STANLEY 12-920, which does not match the part number. Stars are 4.2 from 1,539. Fourteen UK texts are in the file. One UK review reports a failed top-plate screw. Another calls the adjustable mouth handy on pine.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the block plane in this folder whose bullets name an adjustable mouth and whose part number is 1-12-020.
Less suitable: You are choosing on the model-number field alone, because that field disagrees with the part number.
Specifications
Common questions
Which model number is it?
The title and the part number say 1-12-020. The model-number field says STANLEY 12-920. Those do not match. The item type line says a No. 9 block plane. The title says 9.5 inch.
What can you adjust?
The bullets say depth, mouth width and angle, and an adjustable jaw opening. The cutting-width field is 40 mm. Weight is 872 g. Origin is Mexico.
What do the UK reviews say?
Fourteen UK texts are in the file. Several are a single positive line. One calls the adjustable mouth handy on pine. One says the screw securing the top plate failed.
The Spear & Jackson CTP3 is a 220 g cast-iron trimming plane with a 25 mm low-angle SK4 cutter and a brass adjusting screw, made in India, at about £10.99. The listing gives it 4.2 from 189 reviews. Reviewers use it on small work. Some hone the iron first. One review sets the iron by tapping. It is the best value in this set because its value score is the highest among the planes that are not the top pick.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a very small plane for models, edges and corners.
Less suitable: You need to flatten a board or take a full door bottom in one pass.
Specifications
Common questions
How wide is the cutter?
The bullets say a 1 inch (25 mm) low-angle cutter in an SK4 steel iron. The cutting-width field also says 1 inch. The plane weighs 220 g.
What do reviewers use it for?
UK reviews describe small jobs, models, corners and light trimming. Several say it is too small for a wide surface. One review says the stock iron did not suit an ebony fretboard.
Does it come with a case?
No case is named in the included components. The box contents line is the plane itself.
The RALI 105 EVO B listing is about £82.98, made in Switzerland, 400 g, model 101678. The title says EVO B, the style field says 105 Monoblock, and the box line is one 48 mm chrome blade. The bullets also claim a heavy laminated sole and a blade change in under 10 seconds, which does not sit cleanly with a Monobloc reading. Stars are 3.1 from two reviews, neither from the UK. One German review says the blade was crooked and was sent back. Carbide for hardwood is mentioned and is not in the included components. The body line is 13 x 5.5 x 5 cm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know which RALI 105 variant this ASIN is, and you accept two non-UK reviews.
Less suitable: You want four blades and a clear Evolution N listing. That is a different ASIN in this folder.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the four-blade Evolution N?
No. Included components list one 48 mm chrome blade. The title says RALI 105 EVO B. The style field says 105 Monoblock. The bullets also say a heavy laminated sole. Those signals do not all match.
What do the reviews say?
The star line is 3.1 from 2. Neither review is from the United Kingdom. The German review says the blade sat crooked, could not be corrected, and was returned.
Do you sharpen it?
The listing says no sharpening and a blade change in under 10 seconds. Carbide is mentioned for hardwood and is not in the included components.
The RALI 220 Monobloc listing is a Swiss metal bench plane, 22.5 cm and 1.2 kg, at about £117.23. The title says 10 chrome blades. The components line says one extra 48 mm chrome blade. Model 108256 and part 118241 both appear. The listing has no star rating and no reviews. There is nothing to quote as a UK opinion.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the longer RALI in this folder and you can check the blade count on the live amazon.co.uk page.
Less suitable: You are choosing from stars. This file has none.
Specifications
Common questions
How many blades are included?
The title and the style field say 10 chrome blades. The included-components line says 1 extra 48 mm chrome blade. Model 108256 and part 118241 are both in the file. The count is not settled by the raw text.
Are there reviews?
No star line and no review text are on the listing. There is no rating to quote.
How big is it?
The file says 22.5 x 5.5 x 13.5 cm and 1.2 kg, metal, made in Switzerland, at about £117.23. The highlight says jointing and finishing with a reversible blade.
For this comparison we scored twelve hand-plane listings on amazon.co.uk. Prices, stars and review counts are the figures on those listings on 19 October 2026. There was no workshop test and no sole measurement of our own. Stars count for 35, the review sample for 20, use in the file for 30, and value in this set for 15.
Stars
35%The amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 35, and rounded to the nearest whole number. Halves round up. A missing rating line scores 0. This is the published star line, not a lab score.
Sample
20%1,000 or more ratings score 20. From 200 to 999 scores 14, 100 to 199 scores 10, 20 to 99 scores 6, and 1 to 19 scores 2. No rating line scores 0.
Use in the file
30%The score starts from how many reviews were read and whether a job is named, then rises when an unflat sole is not the repeated theme. It falls for a repeated unflat sole, or for a return, a snapped screw, a damaged arrival, or an iron that will not hold depth. The part is capped at 30.
Value in this set
15%A lower shelf price, one printed blade width, a listing that does not clash, a named pouch or case, a material line and a larger review count add points. A rating under 4.0, or a repeated sole fault or crooked blade, is marked down. The part is capped at 15. The highest total is the top pick. The highest value part among the others is best value.
A hand plane is chosen by the job first: bench, block, mini, pull or a blade you flip. Blade width, mouth and the sole come after the type. A badge does not tell you which of those you are holding.
A hand plane is a bladed tool you push across wood, or pull toward you if it is a Japanese kanna, to flatten a face, square an edge or trim end grain. In the UK you buy one for furniture, a sticking domestic door, or a small workshop job where a power plane is too coarse. People search for a Dictum plane because that is a brand range. The maker sells its own planes on its site, in euros. A listing from another maker is a different plane. Choose the type before any badge. A No.
Dictum's own planes are on the maker's site, in euros. An amazon.co.uk listing from another maker is not that range, even when the search that brought you here used the brand name.
A mini plane or a 3 inch trimmer is for a tight edge, a chamfer or a corner. It will not flatten a board, and it will not take a full door bottom in one pass.
If the cutting-width field and the components line disagree, do not pick one and drop the other. The Stanley 220 file prints 77 mm in one field and 1 5/8 inch in another. Stanley's page for that plane prints 40 mm. Do not treat 77 mm as the iron.
The type decides the job. A No. 4 is a two-handed smoother for faces, with an iron around 50 mm. A block plane is one-handed and bevel-up, for edges and end grain. A mini plane and a 3 inch trimmer are edge tools, not face planes. A pull plane is drawn toward you and set by tapping a wooden body. A replaceable-blade plane is a different promise: you flip or swap a chrome iron instead of honing it. Price and stars do not change that order. A heavy No.
Western irons are honed. A chrome blade described as not resharpenable is flipped or replaced, and grinding it is a mistake. Carbide for hardwood, where a listing mentions it, is an extra blade. Mouth and angle only count where the listing states them. An adjustable mouth is useful on end grain. A file that never mentions the mouth is not a claim that the mouth moves. If two fields disagree on width, length or model number, leave the clash visible.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a two-handed No. 4 for faces and you will hone the iron and learn the depth and lateral set. The Amazon Basics No. 4 has a 51 mm iron, an adjustable mouth and the largest review count in this set, at about £16.20.
You are easing a narrow edge or a small chamfer, not flattening a board. The Jorgensen mini plane is the one reviewers use on door edges. The Spear & Jackson CTP3 is the smaller trimmer, and it is too narrow for a door-width face.
You do not want to hone. The RALI 105 EVO N lists four 48 mm chrome blades you flip or replace, at about £104.08. Carbide for hardwood is not in the box, and the file has one UK review text.
The top pick is the Amazon Basics No. 4. It scores 86, with 4.4 from 4,007 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 51 mm iron and an adjustable mouth at about £16.20. Some irons arrive blunt, and the listing is Amazon Basics, not a Dictum plane. The best value is the Spear & Jackson CTP3 at about £10.99, with 4.2 from 189 reviews and a 25 mm cutter. It is a trimmer for corners and small edges, and it is too small for a wide face.
Spear & Jackson 3 inch trimmer
Highest value score among the rest, at about £10.99, with a printed 25 mm cutter and 4.2 from 189 reviews.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources for this comparison. Listing prices and stars are the amazon.co.uk figures captured on 19 October 2026.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Listings, review counts and public sources still decide the comparison. We did not run a lab test.
