DEWALT Benchtop Planer, 15-Amp, 12-1/2-Inch, 3-Knife Cutter, 20,000 RPM, Corded (DW734)
Best for
Best for hardwood
Amazon rating
Amazon aggregate, one input among many in the Verdict Score
Based on 1 trusted source
Current price
$549.00
Updated Jun 23, 2026 · 1 min read
Sources behind this verdict
10 reviewers weighted by source trust
The consensus
What reviewers found
Synthesized across the trust-weighted source mix below.
Across the reviewers we read, the DEWALT DW734 is positioned as the single-speed, slightly more affordable sibling to the DW735. Its 15-amp, 20,000 RPM motor and three-knife cutterhead are cited for handling 'larger, deeper cuts in hardwoods,' and high-trust r/woodworking commenters recommend DeWalt benchtop machines for planing hardwood and softwood 'with a breeze.' Verified buyers give it the same 4.7 average as the flagship across 2,757 ratings. r/BeginnerWoodWorking threads weighing the DW734 against the DW735 note the main trade-offs: the 734 lacks the second feed speed, has somewhat less rigid construction, and slightly less precise height adjustment.
What reviewers liked
- Strong 96-cuts-per-inch finish from the three-knife cutterhead on hardwoods
- Large verified-purchase base (2,757 ratings) at a 4.7 average
- Lower price than the DW735/DW735X while keeping the 15-amp motor
- Community reports describe it as durable and likely a 'last planer I buy'
Where it falls short
- Single feed speed—no two-speed option of the DW735
- Reviewers note less rigid construction and less precise height adjustment than the 735
- Narrower 12-1/2-inch capacity versus 13-inch rivals
- Straight knives produce more tearout on figured wood than a helical head
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Across the reviewers we read, the DEWALT DW734 is positioned as the single-speed, slightly more affordable sibling to the DW735. Its 15-amp, 20,000 RPM motor and three-knife cutterhead are cited for handling 'larger, deeper cuts in hardwoods,' and high-trust r/woodworking commenters recommend DeWalt benchtop machines for planing hardwood and softwood 'with a breeze.' Verified buyers give it the same 4.7 average as the flagship across 2,757 ratings. r/BeginnerWoodWorking threads weighing the DW734 against the DW735 note the main trade-offs: the 734 lacks the second feed speed, has somewhat less rigid construction, and slightly less precise height adjustment.
- Powerful 15 amp, 20,000 rpm motor handles larger, deeper cuts in hardwoods.
- Three-knife cutter head with 10,000 rpm cutter-head speed provides 96 cuts per inch, one of the finest finishes of any portable planer
- Disposable, reversible knives deliver 30% more knife life and make knife change fast and easy.
- Four-column carriage lock drastically reduces the movement that causes snipe
- Extra-long infeed and outfeed tables provide 33-1/2" of material support.
- Material removal gauge and extra-large thickness scale deliver accurate cuts with every pass
- Turret depth stop allows user to return to their most frequently used depths with ease
It's still a great planer and the one I would recommend. I bought mine used almost 2 years ago and have had no issues.
Both models are currently $299 at Lowes. · Both have two blades. · WEN claims 20,000 cuts per minute at a 10,000 RPM · Craftsman claims 16,000 cuts ...
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“DEWALT Portable Thickness Planer DW734 Review” · YouTube
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