Top 5 Benchtop Jointers for Small Shops
Top 5 Benchtop Jointers for Small Woodworking Shops
A woodworking jointer is an amazing tool that gives you two flat / square edges on your boards. They can remove twists and bows from lumber as well. A jointer is a great tool for making panels like table tops, cutting boards, and more! These are my picks or the top 5 jointers for small shops.
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#1 Wahuda 8-inch Jointer:
The Wahuda 8-inch benchtop jointer is my top pick. You will be hard pressed to find an 8-inch jointer at this price point, which is currently only $549. This is the best “bang for the buck” jointer because of that 8-inch cut capacity. This allows you to face joint wider boards to remove the twist and bows out of them. I’ve had this model jointer for over 3 years now. Wahuda also has a 6-inch version for $399.
These Wahuda jointers also have spiral cutter heads which provide a nice smooth finish after cutting. They are also better than a straight knife jointer because you can easily swap out a single spiral cutter knife by turning it 1/4 turn vs having to replace an entire blade.
#2 Craftsman Benchtop Jointer:
Probably the best “budget” option for a jointer would be the Craftsman Bencthop Jointer. Coming in at only $299, this 6-inch jointer is great for edge jointing boards if you make a lot of cutting boards, flags, charcuterie boards, etc.. Typically these style jointers aren’t great for boards over about 4 feet long because of the shorter bed. But for a small shop on a budget, this is a good option. If you prefer the Porter-Cable brand, check out their version of this 6-inch jointer. They look very similar in style as well as specs.
#3 Rikon 6-inch Benchtop Jointer:
Coming in at #3 is the Rikon Power Tools 20-600H, 6-inch benchtop jointer. This jointer, while it does have a 6-inch wide bed on it, does feature the spiral style cutter heads. This is a great upgrade to have on jointers. I’ve had a Rikon bandsaw now for over 2 years and it has been a great machine in the shop. Rikon might be one of the more underrated power tool brands on the market in my opinion. They make some very nice tools at prices that are very reasonable.
#4 WEN 8-inch Benchtop Jointer:
This WEN JT833H 8-inch jointer is a solid pick at #4. It has that 8-inch wide bed on it for wider cuts. It also has the extension arms like those on the Wahuda jointer to help you manage longer boards. And the WEN jointer has the spiral cutter heads as well.
#5 Grizzly Industrial 6-inch Benchtop Jointer:
Grizzly has been in business for a very long time making quality woodworking tools. This Grizzly G0946 Benchtop Jointer features the spiral cutter heads and comes in at a price that’s right around $350. This is a solid price for a 6-inch jointer that has the spiral cutter heads. This jointer has a powerful 1-1/2 HP motor as well.
When deciding what jointer is right for you and your shop, be sure to consider what you intend to do with the tool in the future. For me, I like the 8-inch size jointer for garage or small shops. They don’t take up too much room but still. have enough capacity to joint the wider boards. However, if you want to save some money and/or you make mostly smaller items like flags, cutting boards, etc. then the 6-inch jointers might be a better pick for you. Let me know which one you decided to go with!
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