Bosch Home and Garden Electric Planer PHO 1500 (550 W, Planing width 82 mm, Weight 2.4 kg, Cutting depth 0 – 1.5 mm, in carton packaging)

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It weighs just 2.5kg without the battery. Compared to the heavyweight cordless Makita DKP180Z it’s noticeably light and portable. Even with a high Ah battery installed. PL2632 3-1/4 In. Planer, (1) PA1202 Woodrazor Mini Micrograin Blades (2), (1) Dual-Mount Guide Fence, (1) Straight No-Mar Plastic Overshoe for Fence, (1) PA209 3-Degree No-Mar Plastic Overshoe for Fence, (1) Shavings Bag, (1) Blade Wrench, (1) Carrying Case The brushed motor delivers 14,000 rpm and can cut to a maximum depth of 2mm per pass. It has a maximum rebate depth of 9mm and can cut up to 82mm wide. Thanks to a pair of quality double-edged carbide blades, it cuts smooth. It even performs well when you drop the depth down past a few tenths of a millimetre.

As far as I’m concerned, the best cordless electric planers have brushless motors. They’re more powerful, efficient and you never need to change brushes. More and more power tools are becoming battery-powered. Thanks to powerful 18V battery systems, even hard-working tools such as planers can be used “off-grid”. Cutting annoying cords has set professional carpenters and savvy DIYers free to plane wherever they want. Cutting speeds are generally slower and they’re heavy when high Ah batteries are installed, however. Planing Depth Several users have complained that the dust port gets clogged too easily. It needs regular cleaning out, which wastes time and effort. I’ve always been a fan of Ryobi’s GripZone technology, the rubber over-moulding won’t slip out of your hand easily. It’s always comfortable to hold and helps to keep some of the vibrations down as well. You can certainly go for a cordless electric planer too, although speed can be somewhat slower for these (10,000-15,000rpm).The maximum cutting depth of 1mm is poor compared to the Makita KP0800. It’s not the ideal tool for removing large amounts of material. Compared with the Makita KP0800, Ryobi include a dust bag with the price. It means you can get to work straight away without ruining the carpets. If you want to spend a bit extra for a planer without annoying power cables, the Makita DKP180Z is for you. Making use of the Japanese tool masters’ brilliant LXT 18V technology, you can go “off grid” when you need to. It performs as well as most corded planers too. The DKP180Z looks like the KP0800. It features the same comfortable anti-vibration grip and accurate depth adjustment. The build quality is what you’d expect from Makita: tough, refined, and easy to use. The first thing to note about this planer is the handle. It’s comfortable and uses Ryobi’s signature rubberised GripZone found on most of their tools. It makes up for the fact that this is a heavier planer than some on my list at 3.1kg. It’s not too heavy, but you can feel the difference over longer sessions.

The hard case the planer comes in is brilliant. Compared to the cardboard box supplied with the Makita KP0800, I know which one I’d like to own. It’s smart, robust and will keep the planer safe. Weighing in at just 2.4kg, it’s not too heavy for any user. Corded power tools need to be lightweight, and this one is just that. Write: DIY Garden (Harris Creative Ltd), Lytchett House, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA This must be one of the best affordable cordless electric planers available right now. Compared with the DeWalt DCP580N it’s affordable for even casual DIYers. There’s one thing you can count on in woodworking- if the tool is loud, spins fast and removes a lot of material, there’s going to be a lot of sawdust. It goes everywhere and gets into everything, so having an effective way to remove this stuff is vital.Fitted with ultra-sharp, durable carbide reversible blades for high-quality, accurate surface results

I’m disappointed this isn’t supplied with a dust bag. Love them or loathe them, it’s an extra I’d expect to get with a premium electric planer. The maximum rpm of 14,000 isn’t that fast compared with the cordless DeWalt DCP580N. Usually, the faster a planer blade spins, the less it causes tear-out.Continuously adjustable depth-of-cutting setting of up to 1.6 mm for fast, uninterrupted work progress