The best machine planes, compared.
Top pick: DeWalt DCP580N-XJ – Highest score at 89: 4.8 from 1,425 reviews, on an 82 mm 18 V XR body at about £117.98, battery not included. Best value: Einhell TC-PL 750 – Score 84 beside the top pick, at about £39.78, with 6,008 ratings, and the tool is corded. Updated October 2026.
A machine plane is a powered handheld planer. A motor spins knives in a cutter block, and you push the shoe along the timber so those knives take a thin shaving. In a UK home the usual job is easing an internal door after new carpet, or taking a light skim off a door that sticks. Shoppers also search for an electric planer or a cordless planer. Those names are the same handheld tool. A bench hand plane, a block plane and a thicknesser are different tools. You tell a suitable machine plane by width, depth and power. An 82 mm cutter covers a typical door edge in one pass when the shoe stays flat. A narrower cutter is for edges and small stock. Set the first pass near half a millimetre, and measure the timber, because a dial can read high. Look for a lock-off, a park rest, and a bag or hose port. Those checks are set out in the [machine plane buying guide](/hub/hand-tools/machine-plane/sub/machine-plane-buying-guide).
A machine plane is a powered handheld planer. A motor spins knives in a cutter block, and you push the shoe along the timber so those knives take a thin shaving.
22 products checked · 48 hrs invested · +16,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Do you already own a battery platform?
The DeWalt DCP580N-XJ is an 18 V XR brushless planer, body only, listed at 82 mm wide, a 2 mm maximum depth and a 9 mm rebate, for £117.98. It scores 4.8 from 1,425 amazon.co.uk ratings, the largest cordless sample in this set, which is why it is the top pick on the score. Reviewers who already own XR packs describe running it on 4 Ah and 5 Ah batteries, a depth knob in 0.1 mm steps, onboard storage for a Torx key and spare blades, and a port you can vacuum. One review says that even on the zero setting the tool still shaved about a millimetre, so zero is not a promise of no cut. Another says the chip direction suits a right-handed user. DeWalt UK sells the N-XJ bare, with batteries and a charger separate, and declares 88 dB(A) sound pressure for this model. The listing weight is 3 kg. It earns the score, and it is the wrong buy if you do not already own XR packs.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own DeWalt 18 V XR packs, ideally 4 Ah or 5 Ah, and you want an 82 mm cordless planer.
Less suitable: A first planer if you have no XR batteries, or a job where zero on the dial must mean no cut.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the DeWalt DCP580N-XJ include a battery?
No. The included-components line says one brushless cordless planer only. The price is for the body.
What width and depth does the listing state?
Cutting width 82 mm, maximum depth 2 mm in one pass, and a rebate cut depth of 9 mm. Voltage is 18 V.
Will it cut on the zero setting?
One UK review says that even on 0 the planer still shaved about a millimetre. Do not treat zero as a promise of no cut.
The Bosch GHO 12V-20 is a 12 V brushless planer, body only, at £179.99, with two blades of 56 × 5.5 × 1.1 mm and a stated cutting depth of 2 mm at 14,500 rpm. It scores 4.8 from 146 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers in the file are cabinet fitters and joiners who already own 12 V packs: they use it on edges, 25 mm stock and door-closer rebates, and one says they would not use it to plane a solid door down. They say a 2.0 Ah pack is short, a 3 Ah pack is the one they reach for, and more than about 1 mm a pass is where the tool works hardest. The listing weight is 1.5 kg, the lightest here, at 25.5 × 11 × 10 cm, with a three-year warranty line and Hungary as the country of origin. The finger lock is called awkward because the tool is small. A 56 mm cutter is a different job from the 82 mm planers in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own Bosch 12 V packs and you plane edges, rebates or small stock at about 1 mm a pass.
Less suitable: Taking a solid door down, or anyone who does not already have a Bosch 12 V battery.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Bosch planer include a 12 V battery?
No. The style line says without battery and charger. The included-components line names two blades, 56 x 5.5 x 1.1 mm.
How wide is the cutter?
The blades in the box are 56 mm wide. There is no separate 82 mm cutting-width line. Stated cutting depth is 2 mm, at 12 V and 14,500 rpm.
Do UK reviewers use it on full doors?
Reviewers describe small stock, edges and door-closer rebates. One says they would not use it to plane a solid door down, and that it is happier around 1 mm a pass.
The Stanley FATMAX SFMCW300B-XJ is an 18 V V20 brushless planer sold body only at £104.95. The amazon.co.uk bullets name up to 15,000 rpm, 30,000 cuts per minute, chamfers of 3, 5 and 7 mm, two blades, a lock-off and a guide fence, and they do not state planing width or chip depth. Wickes lists the same bare model at 82 mm and 2 mm; that is a retailer spec, not an amazon bullet, and the comparison price stays the amazon figure of £104.95. The star line is 4.8 from seven ratings. The one UK review in the file, dated 29 August 2026, calls the unit sturdy, says the dust bag can sit on either side, and mentions a spring-loaded heel. That sample is too small to treat 4.8 as a settled verdict, and an Italian note on the same listing is not UK evidence. Batteries and a charger are not included, and a DeWalt XR pack does not fit a V20 body.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already run Stanley V20 batteries and you accept a seven-review sample plus a width that the amazon bullets do not state.
Less suitable: Anyone choosing on the star rating alone, or a buyer who needs the cutting width printed on the amazon listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Stanley SFMCW300B-XJ include a V20 battery?
No. The listing says batteries are required and not included, and the bullets say it is supplied without a battery and charger.
What chamfer sizes does the listing name?
The bullets name chamfering widths of 3, 5 and 7 mm, two blades, a lock-off and a guide fence. Planing width and chip depth are not in those bullets.
How many UK reviews sit behind the 4.8?
The listing shows 4.8 from 7 ratings. One UK review calls it sturdy and says the dust bag fits either side.
The Einhell TC-PL 750 is a corded 750 W planer that lists an 82 mm width, a chip depth up to 2 mm and 16,000 rpm, at £39.78 on amazon.co.uk. Across 6,008 ratings it sits at 4.5, and the jobs UK reviewers describe are door bottoms after carpet and cabinet doors, not a full day on site. The box line includes a parallel stop, a carbide reversible knife and an automatic park rest, which is the part that keeps the cutter off the bench when you set the tool down. The repeated complaint is dust: several reviews say no bag was supplied, and one says bags bought later were too large for a small job. Another review says the fence and depth stop arrived looking bent and were hard to fit. One reviewer was tired after a second door, which fits occasional use rather than trade endurance. At this price and review count it is the best value here for a few internal doors, if you accept that the chips need a separate vacuum.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are planing a few internal door bottoms or cabinet edges and you want a corded 82 mm tool with a large UK review sample.
Less suitable: A workshop that needs a dust bag in the box, or a day of continuous planing.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Einhell TC-PL 750 come with a dust bag?
The included-components line lists the planer, parallel stop, wrench, depth scale, carbide knife and instructions. A dust bag is not listed. UK reviews say none was supplied.
How wide does this Einhell plane?
The amazon.co.uk block states a cutting width of 82 mm and a chip depth up to 2 mm, at 750 W and 16,000 rpm.
Is a battery included?
No. The power source is corded electric. You need a UK mains socket.
The KATSU 101719 is a corded 600 W planer listed at 82 mm wide, 17,000 rpm and a 2 mm chip depth, for £34.99. It scores 4.3 from 124 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the jobs named are again door bottoms after new carpet. Reviewers like the weight next to older planers they have used, though the listing itself is 3.11 kg, heavier than the Einhell in this set. They tell you to attach a workshop vacuum before you start indoors, because the chips travel, and they call the instructions poor. One reviewer says their tool only planed to about 1 mm despite the 2 mm claim, so you should measure the timber rather than trust the dial. A lock-off button is named in the bullets, and the blade is listed as 65 manganese steel rather than carbide. It is the lowest shelf price here, with a thinner review base than the Einhell.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest corded 82 mm planer for a couple of doors and you will measure each pass.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs the depth dial to match the cut, or a carbide knife in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
What planing width does the KATSU 101719 list?
The amazon.co.uk block states a maximum planing width of 82 mm and a maximum chip depth of 2 mm, with a 600 W motor at up to 17,000 rpm.
Does the KATSU listing include a lock-off?
Yes. The bullets name a manual control switch and a lock-off button.
Is the full 2 mm what every buyer gets?
The listing states 2 mm. One UK review says their tool only planed to about 1 mm. Measure the timber rather than trusting the dial alone.
The Draper 57564 is a corded 900 W planer at £51.80, listing an 82 mm width, a chip depth of 0–3 mm and a rebate of 0–15.5 mm. Across 39 amazon.co.uk ratings it sits at 4.2, a small sample next to the Einhell’s 6,008. One reviewer took 13 mm off seven doors, which is many shallow passes rather than one deep cut, and another used it on oversized fence panels. Praise in the reviews is that it does the job and saves hand-plane effort. The complaints are a depth indicator that does not match the measured cut, a plug that arrived damaged inside an undamaged box, and a sole that showed marks from an opened carton. The bullets name a rebating guide, two blades, an angle bracket, a hex key and a dust bag, while the included-components line only says the planer, so you should check the box against both lines. Warranty text is 24 months on parts and 12 months on labour.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a corded 82 mm planer whose bullets name a dust bag and a rebate guide, and you will still measure the depth.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a large review sample, or who treats the components line as the full kit list.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Draper 57564 include a dust bag?
The bullets say it is supplied with a rebating guide, two blades, an angle bracket, a hex key and a dust collection bag. The included-components line only says one electric planer.
Is the 15.5 mm figure the chip depth?
The bullets separate the two: chip depth 0–3 mm, and rebating depth 0–15.5 mm. The spec line that says cutting depth 15.5 mm matches the rebate figure.
Does the depth dial match the cut?
One UK review says the cutting-depth indicator does not reflect the depth they measured. Check the timber after a pass.
Six machine planes on amazon.co.uk were scored from the listing extract. The published method multiplies the star rating by 16, so five stars is 80, then adjusts for the review sample: 12 points at 1,000 or more ratings, 8 at 100 or more, and 4 at 30 or more. Under 30 ratings, 15 points come off. Those two published parts are weighted 80 and 20 so they sum to 100. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the corded row with a four-figure review count at a shelf price under £40. There is no lab test. A width printed only by another retailer is not part of the score.
Amazon stars
80%The amazon.co.uk star rating times 16. Five stars is 80 points before the sample adjustment. The weight is 80 because that is the published maximum for the star line.
Review sample
20%1,000 or more ratings add 12, 100 or more add 8, and 30 or more add 4. Under 30 ratings, 15 points come off. The weight is 20 so this sample rule and the star line sum to 100. The largest bump in the formula is 12.
Start with planing width, then the depth you will actually take, then cord or a battery you already own. Dust, the park rest and the knives come after that. The notes below follow that order. None of the scores is a lab test.
A machine plane is a powered handheld planer for timber. A motor spins knives in a cutter block and you push the shoe along the work. On amazon.co.uk the usual domestic job in the reviews is trimming an internal door after new carpet, or easing a door that sticks. People search for an electric planer or a cordless planer. A bench [hand plane](/hub/hand-tools/hand-plane), a block plane and a thicknesser are different tools and are not this comparison. The first check is planing width.
A bare cordless price is the body. A battery and a charger are separate, and packs from one system do not fit another. A corded planer already includes the power source.
A listing maximum of about 2 mm, or 0–3 mm, is not the first pass on a door. Start near half a millimetre and measure the timber. Some reviewers say the dial reads higher than the cut.
A door that only sticks in damp weather, or a corner dropped by a loose hinge, is not a planing job. A certified fire door follows its own certificate. If the frame has moved, call a joiner.
82 mm is the usual UK handheld width and covers a door edge in one pass if the shoe stays flat. A 56 mm cutter is for edges, rebates and small stock. Listings state a maximum chip depth of about 2 mm, and one corded range is printed as 0–3 mm. Door guides say start near 0.5 mm. Measure the timber, because a dial can disagree with the cut. A corded tool uses UK 230 V and a BS 1363 plug. A bare 12 V or 18 V body does not include a pack or a charger.
Indoor door work fills a room with chips. Prefer a bag or a hose port, and do not sweep the dust. HSE limits are 3 mg/m³ for hardwood and 5 mg/m³ for softwood on an eight-hour average. Mixed dust uses 3 mg/m³. Hardwood dust is a carcinogen and a sensitiser. A park rest lifts the cutter off the bench. A lock-off reduces an accidental start. Reversible carbide stays sharper on painted or abrasive timber than a plain steel edge. At work, PUWER 1998, dust and noise are the employer's assessment.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are clearing door bottoms after new carpet and you want a corded 82 mm planer. The Einhell TC-PL 750 is about £39.78, with 4.5 from 6,008 reviews, 750 W and a chip depth up to 2 mm. The listing does not include a dust bag, so plan a separate vacuum.
You already own DeWalt 18 V XR packs, ideally 4 Ah or 5 Ah. The DeWalt DCP580N-XJ is about £117.98 for the body only, with 4.8 from 1,425 reviews, an 82 mm width, a 2 mm depth and a 9 mm rebate. The price does not include a battery or a charger.
You want a corded 82 mm planer whose bullets name a dust bag and a rebate guide, and you will still measure each pass. The Draper 57564 is about £51.80, with 4.2 from 39 reviews, 900 W, a chip depth of 0–3 mm and a rebate of 0–15.5 mm. The review sample is thin.
In this set of six amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the DeWalt DCP580N-XJ, about £117.98, with 4.8 from 1,425 reviews. The score is 89: the star line times 16, plus the bump for a four-figure review count. The listing is an 18 V XR body only, 82 mm wide, with a 2 mm chip depth and a 9 mm rebate. The best value is the Einhell TC-PL 750 at about £39.78, with 4.5 from 6,008 reviews and a score of 84. It is the corded row under £40 with a four-figure review count. The Bosch GHO 12V-20 scores 85 at about £179.99 and does not take best value. Each score is listing arithmetic, not a lab test.
DeWalt DCP580N-XJ
Highest score at 89: 4.8 from 1,425 reviews, on an 82 mm 18 V XR body at about £117.98, battery not included.
Einhell TC-PL 750
Score 84 beside the top pick, at about £39.78, with 6,008 ratings, and the tool is corded.
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.
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked in October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing figures in the display file, read on 22 October 2026. We did not lab-test these machine planes.
