What's a good first hand plane for a beginner?

Specialist-community consensus on r/handtools and r/BeginnerWoodWorking points beginners toward either a low-angle block plane (the Jorgensen 60-1/2 and 102 are repeatedly recommended as the best value in new production) or a No. 4 smoother. A jack plane (#5 or the No. 62 low-angle jack) is the most versatile if you only want one, but it's heavier and less forgiving to learn on.