What's inside
- DeWalt 13-inch planer options at a glance
- DW735 versus DW735X: what actually changes?
- How much space does a DeWalt 13 planer really need?
- Cut depth, feed speed, and finish quality
- Noise and dust extraction in a home workshop
- Ownership realities: knives, rollers, and snipe
- Final recommendation
- Related Guides
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The best DeWalt 13-inch planer for most home workshops is the DW735X, while the DW735 is the better buy if you already have suitable infeed and outfeed support; both are substantially more capable than a compact benchtop planer, but both demand serious floor space, dust collection, and noise control.
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DeWalt 13-inch planer options at a glance
There are not several fundamentally different DeWalt 13-inch planers in the current lineup. The meaningful comparison is between the DW735 and DW735X. The planer body, motor, cutterhead, speed settings, and capacity are essentially the same. The “X” package adds folding infeed and outfeed tables plus an extra set of disposable knives.
| Specification | DeWalt DW735 | DeWalt DW735X | Workshop implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum width | 13 inches | 13 inches | Handles standard 12-inch boards with useful side clearance |
| Maximum stock thickness | 6 inches | 6 inches | Suitable for substantial furniture components and slabs within capacity |
| Maximum cut at 6 inches or less | 1/8 inch | 1/8 inch | Best for rough stock removal in controlled passes |
| Maximum cut from over 6 to 13 inches wide | 3/32 inch | 3/32 inch | Shallower cuts reduce motor load and snipe risk on wide boards |
| Feed rates | 14 and 26 feet per minute | 14 and 26 feet per minute | 14 fpm favors finish; 26 fpm favors faster dimensioning |
| Cutterhead | Three-knife, indexed disposable knives | Three-knife, indexed disposable knives | Fast replacement, but replacement knives are an ongoing cost |
| Approximate body size | 24 x 22.5 x 18.75 inches | 24 x 22.5 x 18.75 inches | Measure the machine footprint, not just the tabletop area |
| Approximate weight | 92 pounds | 92 pounds | Stable during use, but awkward for one person to move frequently |
| Dust port | 4-inch port | 4-inch port | A dust extractor or collector is strongly preferable to a small shop vacuum |
| Included support | Depends on package | Folding infeed and outfeed tables | The DW735X is easier to deploy in a limited shop |
Published dimensions can vary slightly by measurement method and packaging, so leave additional clearance around the machine. The 24-inch depth is only the planer body; a long board needs several feet of unobstructed approach and exit space.
DW735 versus DW735X: what actually changes?
Choose the DW735
The standard DW735 makes sense when the planer will live in a dedicated station, rolling cart, or workbench with a flat support surface. It is often the lower-cost option, typically falling in the broad mid-to-upper hundreds of dollars depending on package and market. If you already own sturdy auxiliary tables, buying the bare planer avoids paying twice for support hardware.
Its 92-pound weight is an advantage once installed: the machine is less likely to shift as a board enters the cutterhead. It is a disadvantage in a one-car garage where tools must be lifted, stored, and reinstalled for every project.
Choose the DW735X
The DW735X is the practical choice for a home workshop that does not have a permanent planer station. Its folding tables make setup faster and provide a known support arrangement for reducing board drop at the entry and exit. The included spare knife set also delays the first consumable purchase.
That convenience does not make the machine compact. With the tables folded, it still occupies the same main body footprint, and in use the total working length becomes much greater. The “X” is a support-and-consumables package, not a higher-powered 13-inch planer.
How much space does a DeWalt 13 planer really need?
For storage, allow at least a 30-by-30-inch clear zone around the body so you can reach the controls, dust port, and knife access area. For operation, plan on roughly 8 to 12 feet of clear straight-line space if you routinely process long boards. This does not need to be permanent: a rolling cart can let you point the planer through an open garage door or down a driveway.
Support height matters as much as floor area. The infeed and outfeed surfaces should be level with the planer table, or very slightly higher at the far ends. A board that drops after leaving the cutterhead can lift the trailing end into the knives, causing snipe. A narrow, lightweight stand is also a poor match for a 92-pound machine and a long, twisting board.
| Your situation | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent bench, existing tables, lowest package cost | DW735 | Same planer performance without duplicate support hardware |
| Shared garage, occasional setup and storage | DW735X | Folding tables and spare knives simplify deployment |
| Weekly furniture making or repeated rough-stock preparation | DW735X or DW735 on a mobile cart | Two feed speeds and a three-knife head suit regular work |
| Very limited lifting ability or upstairs workspace | Consider a lighter planer type | 92 pounds is substantial before adding a stand and dust hose |
| Mostly narrow boards under 8 inches wide | Either DeWalt model, if capacity is still valuable | Both provide the same width and depth limits |
Cut depth, feed speed, and finish quality
The DW735’s maximum advertised cut is not a recommendation to remove 1/8 inch on every pass. Start with a shallow cut, especially on figured wood, wide stock, or boards with changing grain direction. For a 12-inch-wide board, the 3/32-inch maximum applies; a lighter pass is often better for reducing tear-out and motor strain.
Use the 26-feet-per-minute setting when dimensioning rough boards and the 14-feet-per-minute setting when the surface finish matters more than throughput. The slower setting does not eliminate tear-out caused by grain direction, but it gives the knives more opportunities to make a clean cut.
A useful planning calculation is simple: reducing a board by 1/4 inch with four 1/16-inch passes requires four trips in each direction, not one aggressive pass. If a project contains ten boards, that is 80 board passes before accounting for test cuts and final smoothing. This is why a proper dust system, clear support path, and mobile stand have more effect on ownership satisfaction than a small difference in purchase price.
Noise and dust extraction in a home workshop
A DeWalt planer 13 inch model is loud enough that hearing protection should be part of normal operation. Manufacturer sound figures and independent measurements vary with distance, room reflections, wood species, and dust collection, but expect roughly the mid-90-decibel range near the machine. A garage with concrete walls can sound substantially louder than an open-air setup.
The 4-inch dust outlet is designed around high-volume extraction. A small shop vacuum may connect physically, but it can struggle with the volume of chips produced by a 13-inch cutterhead. If chips accumulate in the housing or eject around the port, stop and improve extraction rather than continuing. A dust collector with a suitable hose, clean filter, and short routing is the better arrangement.
For a limited shop, position the collector where its hose does not cross the operator’s walking path. Also check that the combined planer-and-collector load is appropriate for the circuit. Avoid relying on a long, lightweight extension cord, which can contribute to voltage drop and nuisance tripping.
Ownership realities: knives, rollers, and snipe
- Knives wear first. Disposable indexed knives are convenient, but glue, embedded grit, and dirty reclaimed wood shorten their life. Keep a spare set on hand.
- Feed rollers need cleaning. Resin and dust on the rollers can cause slipping or uneven feeding. Disconnect power before cleaning and follow the manual’s access instructions.
- Wax the table, not the rollers. A suitable paste wax on the bed reduces friction. Do not leave a residue that can contaminate a later finish.
- Support prevents snipe. Keep long stock level as it enters and exits. Inspect the first board and adjust support before processing the whole batch.
- Do not plane dirty stock. Remove nails, staples, loose bark, and embedded grit before the board reaches the knives.
For occasional users, knife replacement and dust collection are the main recurring costs. For frequent users, the larger costs are time spent moving a heavy machine, consumable knives, electricity, and workshop cleanup. Those ownership factors can outweigh a modest package-price difference between the DW735 and DW735X.
Final recommendation
For most people searching for a 13 inch DeWalt planer, choose the DW735X if you need a ready-to-use setup for a shared or space-limited workshop. Choose the DW735 if you already have a strong, level stand and infeed/outfeed support. Either DeWalt planer 13-inch option offers the same 13-inch capacity, 6-inch thickness limit, two feed rates, and three-knife cutterhead; the deciding factors are support hardware, storage routine, dust extraction, and whether your shop can accommodate a loud, 92-pound machine.