Last Updated on 2021-06-24 by Harry Masterton
Most of us woodworkers have a strong opinion about power tool brands and a fierce loyalty to our favorite, especially at the hobbyist level. One debate you may have read; is Craftsman as good as DeWalt? Some take it further and ask, “Is Craftsman better than DeWalt?”
What is behind the names?
For some, asking which brand is better Craftsman or DeWalt, comes down to the history behind the names. For most of its history, Craftsman was a “house brand” create by Sears in 1927. The name was associated with long-lasting hand and power tools, especially in the growing DIY market in the 1980s.
Is Craftsman as good as DeWalt? The company with the craftsman brand began in 1923 and has built its reputation on high-end power tools for the building trades. Craftsman tool is known for durable products that can handle job site environments.
Craftsman Benchtop Planer – Part Of The Legend
Craftsman build a wide range and its craftsman power tool includes a benchtop jointer, miter saw, benchtop thickness planer, a table saw the craftsman planer and of course the popular cordless drill and corded hammer drill
When asking which brand is better Craftsman or DeWalt, some will say they are the same. In recent years, both became subsidiaries of the manufacturer Stanley Black & Decker. That does not mean that power tools, like the Craftsman benchtop planer, are the same.
Craftsman planer vs DeWalt Products
Price could be an indicator for some asking which brand is better Craftsman or DeWalt. DeWalt products come at a higher price point. That can make Craftsman an option for woodworkers with minimal funds.
The price comes down to the standards that the Craftsman planer vs DeWalt models use. DeWalt products are for rough traveling, high-volume, and the fluctuating environment found on job sites. Craftsman power tools cater to home use and lower volume workloads.
Is Craftsman as good as DeWalt? You could finish most DIY or hobby projects using either brand's benchtop planer. Is Craftsman better than DeWalt? That depends upon your needs.
Craftsman planer vs products from DeWalt
- Price – DeWalt costs more
- Performance – The Craftsman benchtop planer performs similarly to DeWalt in most applications
- Build quality – DeWalt is built to higher standards
- Warranty and support – Both brands are similar
Are Craftsman planers any good?
For many readers, the name Craftsman is synonymous with quality. The hand tools are durable enough to be passed from generation to generation. How does the Craftsman benchtop planer perform?
Craftsman covers the benchtop planer with the same three-year limited warranty that DeWalt offers. That should provide you with some consumer confidence.
The design uses quality materials. They are robust enough to handle DIY projects from homeowners and workloads typically associated with woodworking.
It uses a two-blade design, which is standard in the benchtop planer market. That keeps performance expectations on par with most other brands.
Beginning and intermediate woodworkers often appreciate simplicity. The benchtop planer from Craftsman caters to the homeowner and casual hobbyist, providing function without lots of extra features. That means you get an easy operation each time without feeling overwhelmed.
Craftsman planers are good, especially in home workshops with lighter workloads and stable work conditions.
Craftsman Benchtop Planer
See our full craftsman benchtop planer review here
Our Craftsman benchtop planer review begins with a look at the electric motor. It rates at 15 amps. What other Craftsman benchtop planer CMEW320 reviews might not tell you is that it can take away 3/64-inch off the face of a hardwood board 12-inches wide.
A benchtop planer needs a decent transfer of power from the motor to the cutting heads. Other Craftsman planer review articles mention that this machine uses a Poly-V cutter head but do not explain what that means. Poly-V refers to the belt connecting these components, using ribs to provide power transfer when planing all types of woods.
Under no-load conditions, you will get 8,000 Rotations Per Minute (RPMs) on the cutting head. With two blades, you can get up to 16,000 cuts per minute in optimal conditions. That is typical for the size and class of the power tool in this Craftsman thickness planer review.
The cutterhead uses two blades which is standard in most products in this class, as discussed in Craftsman benchtop planer review articles online. These blades are reversible, providing you with more cuts before they need replacing.
Craftsman has also made changing the blades easy, so woodworkers of any experience level can limit downtime for maintenance.
Craftsman Model CMEW320
Something worth noting in most Craftsman benchtop planer CMEW320 reviews, including our full planer review, is the four-column design. It will help prevent twist during the planing and should reduce rough textures, kickbacks, and snipe.
We wanted to include the setup in our Craftsman thickness planer review. You get a 5 mm hex wrench used to install some components, like the elevating handle. The Craftsman benchtop planer will take about 30 minutes to unpack, clean (including adding a layer of paste wax to non-painted surfaces), and assemble.
Our Craftsman planer review would not be complete without adding what others are saying about it. DIYers and casual woodworkers like the Craftsman benchtop planer because it is easy to use. They also appreciate the 90-day money-back guarantee, free service for the length of warranty coverage, and the three-year limited warranty on manufacturing and labor.
Craftsman CMEW320 vs Porter Cable PC305TPR
When looking at the two models side-by-side, they appear almost identical. Each uses a 15 amp motor, has a four-pillar cutting head support, a folding outfeed table, and cutting head driver belts. Both models also feature fine depth adjustment
The Craftsman benchtop planer weighs a bit less, making it somewhat more portable. It should be a little lighter on your wallet as well.
Both Craftsman and Porter-Cable are subsidiaries of Stanley Black & Decker.
A key difference, and one that has not been examined yet in this Craftsman planer review, is dust extraction. Craftsman has a port to attach your shop vac as a dust collector, allowing you to remove debris as it occurs. In the budget lunchbox planers category the CMEW320 also nudges ahead of the popular WEN 6552T
Craftsman Planer vs Dewalt
Comparing the Craftsman benchtop planer and the two DeWalt benchtop models is best approached from the viewpoint of a typical DIY homeowner or a woodworking hobbyist. Other Craftsman benchtop planer CMEW320 reviews shy away from head-to-head examinations, which sells the benchtop planer short.
Price Comparison – Craftsman Planer vs DeWalt
Most of us are looking for power tools to help with a hobby and not for professional applications. One area that Craftsman bench planer stands out compared to the DeWalt tool is the price tag. The CMEW320 is cheaper than the DeWalt DW734 and far less expensive than the DeWalt DW735.
Craftsman CMEW320 – Least expensive
DeWalt DW734 – Mid-range price tag
DeWalt DW735X – Most expensive
Width capacity – Craftsman Planer vs DeWalt
One statistic we researched for this Craftsman thickness planer review is the power tool's maximum board width. It is unlisted on Craftsman's website, but you can find a suggested maximum board width in the owner's manual. Here, the CMEW320 is more compact than either DeWalt thickness planer product.
- Craftsman CMEW320 – 12.0 inches
- DeWalt DW734 – 12.5 inches
- DeWalt DW735X – 13.0 inches
Cutter head – Craftsman Planer vs DeWalt
The Craftsman benchtop planer uses two planer knives in the cutting head, while the DeWalt products use a three planer blades design. That allows DeWalt planers to make more aggressive cuts with longer-lasting knives. A two-blade design should be sufficient for the workloads most hobbyists and DIYers require, however.
- Craftsman CMEW320 – two knives
- DeWalt DW734 – three knives
- DeWalt DW735X – three knives
RPMs – Craftsman Planer vs DeWalt
All three products employ a 15 amp electric motor, but the Rotations Per Minute (RPMs) will differ between the two brands. The two knife design on the Craftsman has a slower rate under no-load than the three blades on the DeWalt products. The Craftsman will need to take shallower cuts, but that should not be an issue with most lumber hobbyists use.
- Craftsman CMEW320 – 8,000 RPMs
- DeWalt DW734 – 10,000 RPMs
- DeWalt DW735X – 10,000 RPMs
Usage – Craftsman vs DeWalt
So where does each benchtop planer fit in to a working environment and what is it's intended usage?
- Craftsman CMEW320 – Home and DIY
- DeWalt DW734 – Serious Hobby Woodworking and Home Remodeling
- DeWalt DW735X – Professional Tradesman or Woman and Jobsite
Outside of the features listed above, the three benchtop models operate similarly. Each includes shop vac attachments, infeed/outfeed tables, and comparable product coverage.
It is worth noting here that the DeWalt DW735X does allow you to switch roller speeds for two feed rates.
Craftsman Benchtop Planer – The Last Shaving
If you're looking for full reviews of the best benchtop planer <—- for your shop go here.
In many instances, selecting the Craftsman benchtop planer will provide you with a quality power tool that will increase your productivity.
As mentioned before, it is available at a reasonable price. Those on a budget or starting a power tool collection can take advantage of that.
The features highlighted in this Craftsman benchtop planer review should meet the requirements of a DIYer or casual hobbyist looking to shape the lumber they are using on their project. That includes framing lumber as well as rough-sawn timber. The Craftsman CMEW320 is ideal for home use where light and medium workloads prevail.
The Craftsman benchtop planer may not be ideal for heavy-duty workloads, continuous cutting, or rough working environments. Upgrading to the 12.5-inch DeWalt DW734 may fit your needs if you are a serious hobby woodworker or when you're taking on a large home remodeling project.
If you need maximum board width and you're a trade or professional jobsite setting, spending the extra money on the DeWalt DW735X will give you 13.0-inch clearance and two feed rates on a three-knife cutting head.
For a full woodworking power tools review with a woodworking power tools list and relevant links to articles and reviews go here Woodworking Power Tools
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