Craftsman CMEW320 15-Amp Benchtop Thickness PlanerWeekend Warrior

This Craftsman is a casual and beginner planer that shows up often on sale pricing. The 15-amp motor and cast-aluminum base give steady stock removal for a benchtop, and the quick-change reversible knives keep maintenance simple. It rewards careful setup, so someone who wants a set-and-forget tool should look at a three-knife DeWalt instead.

• Owners say the 15-amp motor removes stock confidently for a benchtop machine
• The cast-aluminum base gives it stability and keeps vibration down
• The quick-change two-knife head uses reversible double-edged knives that owners like for cutting life
• At sale pricing owners consider it a solid beginner and light-hobby planer

• Snipe at both ends is a recurring complaint, and owners say adjustments reduce it but don't fully remove it, so plan on sacrificial boards
• Factory screws are very tight and setup can be fiddly, with some units marking stock until dialed in
• Owners say good results take careful attention, it isn't a set-and-forget planer
• There's no stand included and it's heavy to move on and off a bench repeatedly

Replacement knives are Craftsman's CMZW320-2 set. It shares the Delta-derived platform with the Porter-Cable PC305TP, so behavior and mods line up. The port takes a 4-inch collector hose, and there's no helical head sold for it, so owners stick with straight-knife replacements.