DeWalt DW735X 13-Inch Planer Review: The Bench Planer Most Woodworkers Should Own
The DeWalt DW735X is a 13-inch, two-speed benchtop planer with a three-knife cutter head that handles hardwood surfacing without hesitation. Here's how it performs in a working shop.
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I've put the DeWalt DW735X through two years of regular furniture-scale work — milling rough white oak, hard maple, black walnut, and cherry. It's not the only planer I've used, but it's the one I'd buy again at this price and for this style of work. At $669, it's not cheap. But for what it costs to buy surfaced hardwood at a premium lumber yard, it pays for itself faster than most woodworkers expect.
TL;DR: The DeWalt DW735X is the best benchtop planer for serious hobby and semi-pro woodworkers. Two speeds (96 or 179 cuts per inch), three-knife cutter head, fan-assisted chip ejection, and 13-inch capacity handle real furniture-scale milling. Loud, heavy, and $669 — but it earns every dollar. Street price: $669.
What Makes the DW735X Better Than the Standard DW735?
The DW735X is the DW735 plus extras: an infeed and outfeed table extension set, and a second set of replacement knives. These additions alone save $80-100 versus buying them separately, and the extensions are not optional for milling boards over 24 inches long (DeWalt, 2026). Without the infeed/outfeed extensions, long boards tip and produce inconsistent thickness — the DW735X package solves that out of the box.
The included replacement knife set is also worth having. Knives dull over time and dull knives produce tear-out in figured wood. Having a sharp set ready means no downtime when you're mid-project and don't want to wait for a knife order.
How Does the Two-Speed Cutter Head Work in Practice?
The DW735X runs at two speeds: 10,000 RPM for heavy stock removal (96 cuts per inch) and 20,000 RPM for finish passes (179 cuts per inch). The practical translation: use high speed for rough material removal when you have 1/4 inch or more to remove, and switch to low speed for final passes when surface quality matters.
The difference in surface quality between speeds is real and significant. A board planed in three rough passes then finished with two low-speed passes requires minimal hand planing or sanding to prepare for finishing. A board planed only on high speed needs more follow-up work.
Pro Tip
How Much Snipe Does the DW735X Produce?
Snipe — the shallow gouge that appears at the beginning and end of a board as it enters and exits the cutter head — is present on the DW735X, as it is on essentially every benchtop planer. The magnitude is manageable with proper technique: support the board throughout its full length, keep consistent downward pressure as it enters and exits, and either leave extra length to cut off, or use a sled with sacrificial lead-in and lead-out boards.
With correct technique, snipe on the DW735X is typically 1/16 inch deep or less and confined to the first and last 2 inches of the board. It becomes a non-issue once you develop the habit of accounting for it.
DeWalt DW735X Full Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Width Capacity | 13 inch |
| Motor | 15 Amp |
| Cutter Speed | 10,000 RPM (high) / 20,000 RPM (low) |
| Cuts per Inch | 96 (high) / 179 (low) |
| Max Depth per Pass | 1/8 inch |
| Min Board Length | 6 inch |
| Min Board Thickness | 1/8 inch |
| Max Board Thickness | 6 inch |
| Knife Count | 3 (double-sided, replaceable) |
| Weight | 92 lbs |
What Kind of Dust Collection Does It Need?
The DW735X has a fan-assisted chip ejection system that blows chips upward and away from the cutting area — a real improvement over machines that drop chips onto the outfeed table and create a mess. That said, it still produces significant volume of chips that need somewhere to go. A 4-inch dust port connects to standard 4-inch shop vac hose or a dedicated dust collector.
For production use, a dedicated dust collector (at least 1.5 HP with a 4-inch port) is the right setup. For occasional use, a shop vac manages the volume but fills quickly. Don't run the DW735X without dust collection — the chip volume is too high and the cleanup is genuinely miserable.
Is the DW735X Worth $669 in 2026?
It's expensive for a benchtop tool. The honest comparison is to alternatives: the WEN 6552T is $150 cheaper but uses a spiral cutter that some woodworkers prefer, lacks the two-speed option, and has more limited support in the enthusiast community. The Makita 2012NB is in the same price range with a strong reputation but a different design philosophy. The DeWalt earns its position at $669 with a three-knife cutter head, two-speed operation, fan-assisted chip ejection, and DeWalt's reputation for parts and support availability.
For a woodworker who mills rough lumber regularly and cares about surface finish, the DW735X is the right tool. For someone who mills a few boards a year, $669 is hard to justify — rent access to a planer at a local makerspace or lumber yard instead.
Shop DeWalt DW735X on Amazon↗Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the DW735 and DW735X?
The DW735X includes infeed/outfeed table extensions and an extra set of knife blades. These additions save roughly $80-100 versus buying them separately. Unless you only plane very short boards, the DW735X is the version to buy.
How long do the DW735X knives last?
Under typical hobby woodworking use — several hours a week, mixed species — the included knives last 6-12 months before surface quality degrades noticeably. The knives are double-sided (flip for a fresh edge before replacing), which effectively doubles their service life. Replacement knife sets run $20-30.
Can the DW735X handle figured wood without tear-out?
Yes, with the correct technique. Figured wood (curly maple, quilted maple, highly figured walnut) requires running on the low-speed setting, reducing the depth of cut to 1/32 inch or less per pass, and sometimes running the board at a slight diagonal (skewing) through the machine. With that technique, the DW735X produces excellent results in figured material.
Does the DW735X need a dedicated circuit?
It draws up to 15 amps under load — the same as most 15-amp circuits. It doesn't require a dedicated circuit, but sharing a circuit with other high-draw tools (table saw, dust collector) while running simultaneously can trip a breaker. A dedicated 15- or 20-amp circuit is the clean solution for a workshop.
For more on setting up a serious woodworking shop, see our ultimate beginner woodworking loot kit and compare benchtop tools side by side.
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