Three set-ups side by side
| Question | Planer alone | Jointer and planer | Combination machine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flattens a warped face | No — a bowed board springs back (DEWALT) | Yes, on the jointer | Yes, in jointer mode |
| Sets thickness, faces parallel | Yes | Yes, on the planer | Yes, in planer mode |
| Widest face jointed | None | The jointer's width: 6 or 8 in on the benchtop jointers reviewed | The machine's width: 8 or 12 in on Grizzly's |
| Changeover | None | None | Each switch of mode, power off |
| Jointer table length | No jointer | The jointer's own: 28-5/8 to 34 in on the benchtop jointers reviewed | 29-1/4 in (G0958) to 59-1/2 in (G0633) |
| Power as stated | 120 V, 15 A (DW735, DW734) | Each machine its own | 120 V, 15 A (G0958) or 220 V, 25 A (G0633) |
Built from the makers' figures; benchtop jointers are JET's JJ-6HHBT and Grizzly's G0945–G0947. Not a ranking.
Equipment notePaid link
6-in benchtop helical jointer
JET JJ-6HHBT
The benchtop jointer the table above draws on: JET's JJ-6HHBT, 6 in wide on a 28-5/8 in table, by its manual.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
What a planer alone cannot do
A thickness planer copies the face it rides on. DEWALT's manual is clear that a bowed board is pressed flat by the rollers and springs back as it leaves, and that its planer works best on material jointed first. Its suggestions for warped stock without a jointer — ripping cupped stock and alternating faces on slightly twisted stock — reduce the problem rather than remove it. So the honest answer to 'jointer-planer or planer' is about the stock: lumber bought already surfaced flat may only need thicknessing; rough or warped boards need a jointer's flattening, separate or combined. Why the order matters is in jointer vs planer.
Combination or separate machines
| Machine | Width | Jointer depth | Planer depth | Weight | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzly G0633 / G0634 (combination) | 12 in | 1/8 in | 1/8 in full width; 5/32 in on 6 in | 672 lb | 5 HP, 220 V, 25 A |
| Grizzly G0958 / G0959 (combination) | 8 / 12 in | 1/16 in (label: 1/8 in) | 3/64 in full width; 1/16 in on 6 in | 48 / 86 lb | 1-1/2 HP, 120 V, 15 A |
| JET JJ-6HHBT (jointer) | 6 in | 1/8 in | — | 71 lb | 115 V, 15 A |
| DEWALT DW735 (planer) | 13 in | — | 1/8 in on 6 in or less | Not stated in the manual | 120 V, 15 A |
| Makita 2012NB (planer) | 304 mm | — | 3.0 mm under 150 mm wide; 1.0 mm at full width | 28.1 kg | 1,650 W (European edition) |
Each figure is the maker's own. HP, amps and watts are different measures and are not compared. Not a ranking.
- The combination's strength is jointing width: 8 or 12 in, against 6 in on most benchtop jointers here. One motor and one dust port serve both jobs.
- Its cost in use is the changeover — guard, fence and dust port moved with the power off, as Grizzly lays out — and, on the small G0958, jointer tables only 29-1/4 in long.
- Separate machines need no changeover and can stand in different places, but take two footprints and two power supplies.
- Light cuts on small combinations. The 120 V G0958 is rated for 3/64 in at full width, against the 230 V G0633's 1/8 in.
Deciding between a planer, two machines or a combination
- Rough or warped stock needs a jointer's flattening
- The widest face you need to joint
- Floor space, and the supply each machine needs
- How often you would change a combination's mode
Jointer vs jointer-planer
A standalone jointer only flattens and squares; a combination adds thicknessing at the cost of changeovers. For a shop that already owns a planer, a separate jointer is the missing piece; for a shop with neither, a combination machine is one answer and two machines the other. The machines are explained in the jointer guide and the combination jointer-planer guide; choosing one is in choosing a combination machine, choosing a jointer and choosing a thickness planer. The cluster overview is the planer guide.
Sources
Each figure is the named maker's for its own machine; no machine was tested and none is ranked. The combination machines reviewed are Grizzly's only; others change over differently. Grizzly's G0958/G0959 manual gives two jointer depths, and both are shown.
- 1.
Model G0633/G0634 Jointer/Planer Combination Machine owner's manual (revised February 2018). Grizzly Industrial, 2018.
Used for: The G0633/G0634: 12 in in both modes; 1/8 in jointer depth; planer 1/8 in full width, 5/32 in on a 6 in board, up to 8 in thick, 22 ft per minute; jointer tables 59-1/2 in; 5 HP, 220 V, single-phase, 25 A, no plug; 672 lb; the changeover between modes with the power disconnected.
- 2.
Model G0958/G0959 8" & 12" Jointer/Planer with Helical Cutterhead owner's manual (for models manufactured since 03/23). Grizzly Industrial, 2023.
Used for: The G0958/G0959: 8 or 12 in; 1/16 in jointer depth in the specifications and 1/8 in on the label; planer 3/64 in full width and 1/16 in on a 6 in board; 22 ft per minute; 1-1/2 HP, 120 V, 15 A; 48 and 86 lb; a conversion that moves the dust housing over the cutterhead.
- 3.
Used for: A standalone benchtop planer: 13 in wide, up to 6 in thick, two feed speeds, 1/8 in on boards 6 in wide or less; it works best on material jointed first, and a bowed board springs back after planing.
- 4.
DW734 12-1/2 in. Thickness Planer with Three Knife Cutter-Head. DEWALT.
Used for: A standalone benchtop planer: 12-1/2 in, 15 A, 80 lb by the page's caption.
- 5.
Used for: A standalone portable planer: 304 mm wide, 28.1 kg, depth limited by width.
- 6.
Operating Instructions and Parts Manual, 6-inch Bench Top Jointer, Model JJ-6HHBT (M-718600, edition 3). JET, 2025.
Used for: A standalone benchtop jointer: 6 in wide, 28-5/8 in table, 71 lb.
- 7.
Model G0945/G0946/G0947 6" & 8" Benchtop Jointers owner's manual (for models manufactured since 12/23). Grizzly Industrial, 2023.
Used for: Standalone benchtop jointers: 6 or 8 in, tables 30 or 34 in, 43 or 50 lb.
About this comparison
Written by BenchRoot Editorial. How BenchRoot sources, checks and corrects its pages is set out in the Editorial Policy. If something here is wrong or unclear, the contact page explains how to tell us.