One of the essential tools for woodworkers is the jack plane, most known as a hand plane! In ancient times, this tool is always at arm’s reach to shape, smooth, and straighten any piece of twisted wood. At present, it comes in multiple designs and styles, but they all function the same—to flatten wood surfaces. If you are a beginner, a jack plane is an important and handy tool you must have in your toolbox. However, if you are having difficulty looking for one, then this list of the best jack plane for beginners is the perfect reference for you! Check out the seven best jack planes and choose wisely!
Comparison Chart
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley Low Angle Jack Plane | If you are looking for one of the best jack planes for beginners that is easy to use, then the Stanley Low Angle Jack Plane is the best option for you! Check out why it is the first on our list! | ||
| GreatNeck C4 Bench-Jack Plane | If you are looking for one of the best jack planes for beginners with professional and durable quality, then the GreatNeck C4 Bench-Jack Plane is the best option for you, especially if you are a beginner! It is easy to use and operate, without any of the complicated adjustment mechanisms used by professional wood artisans and carpenters. | ||
| Stanley – No.4 Premium Bench Plane | Durable, impact-resistant, and stable—these three qualities perfectly describe the Stanley – No.4 Premium Bench Plane. This hand plane is perfect for beginners for being easy to use. | ||
| Bench Plane No. 5 Jack Plane | Beautiful, precise, and sharp are the three defining qualities of the Bench Plane No. 5 Iron Jack Plane that makes it one of the best jack planes for beginners. Get yourself this highly efficient hand plane and work on your projects with no sweat! | ||
| YOGEON Woodworking Hand Plane | Elegant, affordable, and easy to use, these qualities perfectly sum up the YOGEON Woodworking Hand Plane. Give yourself a smooth-cutting plane with one of the best jack planes for beginners! | ||
| PORTER-CABLE Hand Planer | Affordable and at the same time assures high-performance, the PORTER-CABLE Hand Planer is a great jack plane for woodcraft professionals and beginners and hobbyists. Get yourself an electric hand plane to smoothen things out efficiently and quickly! | ||
| Katfort Hand Plane for Woodworking | If you are looking for one of the best jack planes for beginners with a sleek design but is also an efficient wood tool, then the Katfort Hand Plane for Woodworking is the best choice for you! Add this accessory to your woodworking toolbox, and you will see lesser problems and be more efficient as a wood artisan. |
Detailed Reviews of the 7 Best Jack Planes for Beginners
Stanley Low Angle Jack Plane
If you are looking for one of the best jack planes for beginners that is easy to use, then the Stanley Low Angle Jack Plane is the best option for you! Check out why it is the first on our list!
Product Highlights
The Stanley Low Angle Jack Plane has cast its base and frog for a more accurate plane cutting. It features a patented lateral adjustment lock mechanism and has a mouth adjustment that can work for different wood types. It comes with a cherry wood handle and knob that is comfortable working on wood and allows smooth adjustment and operation. Its iron casting allows weight stability and durability.
The Good
What is great with this jack plane is that it is high-quality, even if affordable. It features a mouth adjustment and a patented locking mechanism. Not only that, but it has a thick and sharp blade.
The Bad
The downside to this plane is that its blade does not properly work. The base is not balanced properly, and it falls apart after a few uses.
PROs
- Great quality plane for its affordable price
- Mouth adjustment feature
- Patented locking feature
- A thick and sharp blade
CONs
- The blade does not properly work
- Not durable
- The base is not balanced properly
GreatNeck C4 Bench-Jack Plane
If you are looking for one of the best jack planes for beginners with professional and durable quality, then the GreatNeck C4 Bench-Jack Plane is the best option for you, especially if you are a beginner! It is easy to use and operate, without any of the complicated adjustment mechanisms used by professional wood artisans and carpenters.
Product Highlights
The GreatNeck C4 Bench-Jack Plane is that it comes with a cast iron body that manufacturers have accurately machined and polished, giving it a professional quality and look. It features dual handles that allow precise and excellent control when working on your wood. Its hardened and tempered steel cutter is powerful and sharp. You can easily adjust its blade laterally and for depth.
The Good
What is great with this wood tool is that it comes in great value. It is very durable and well-crafted. The best thing about it is that it is easy to adjust.
The Bad
Its bad design and unbalanced base make it difficult to operate. It also needs more tuning for you to use it efficiently and effectively.
PROs
- Comes in great value
- It is durable
- Easy to adjust
- Well-crafted jack plane
CONs
- Bad design
- Needs more tuning to work efficiently
- Unbalanced sole or base
Stanley – No.4 Premium Bench Plane
Durable, impact-resistant, and stable—these three qualities perfectly describe the Stanley – No.4 Premium Bench Plane. This hand plane is perfect for beginners for being easy to use.
Product Highlights
The Stanley – No.4 Premium Bench Plane comes in a universal design that allows smooth and precise woodworking. It features an impact-resistant cherry wood handle that you can tightly grip and a durable iron blade to make quality trimming and shaving of wood. Its durable cast iron body surely provides strength and stability during use and comes with an adjustable gear for more precise results. It even has a one-year limited warranty.
The Good
The great thing with this tool is that it has a durable iron blade. It has a universal design and features an impact-resistant wood handle.
The Bad
The issue of this jack plane is that it is difficult to adjust the iron blade. You need to tap the for adjustment constantly. Overall, it is a low-quality hand plane.
PROs
- Durable steel alloy blade
- Impact-resistant wood handle
- Universal design
CONs
- Difficult to adjust the iron
- Low-quality plane
- Needs constant re-tapping of the frog for adjustment
Bench Plane No. 5 Jack Plane
Beautiful, precise, and sharp are the three defining qualities of the Bench Plane No. 5 Iron Jack Plane that makes it one of the best jack planes for beginners. Get yourself this highly efficient hand plane and work on your projects with no sweat!
Product Highlights
The Bench Plane No. 5 Jack Plane by Caliastro features a perfectly flat sole that is great in smoothing any wood surface. It comes in a beautiful design—rosewood handles and knobs and a full plane iron adjustable. It also has frog and lever caps that give it a more efficient function. Its ground serrated sole makes the sliding action quick and reduces resistance. The plane weighs approximately 5.7lbs.
The Good
What is great with this wood tool is its beautiful design, which is also ideal for finishing your wood projects. It has a precise fit and has an improved sliding for its sole and blade.
The Bad
The problem with this jack plane is that it has a defective sole or base, and its iron blade is difficult to adjust.
PROs
- Beautiful design
- Ideal for final finishing of woodwork
- The improved sliding action of the blade
- Precise fit
CONs
- Defective sole or base
- Difficult to adjust the iron blade
YOGEON Woodworking Hand Plane
Elegant, affordable, and easy to use, these qualities perfectly sum up the YOGEON Woodworking Hand Plane. Give yourself a smooth-cutting plane with one of the best jack planes for beginners!
Product Highlights
The YOGEON Woodworking Hand Plane is ideal in processing or preparing rough and uneven wooden surfaces. Its precision cutting iron quickly removes material just by using diagonal strokes. You can also use if for distressing. You can adjust the iron blade using a wooden edge and just simple tap it if you need a deeper cut. Its elegant and simple design provides easier handling and use. Being a wooden plane, they are easier to tune and maintain compared with metallic planes.
The Good
The great thing with this jack plane is that it is easier to tune than the ones on this list. This jack plane has an elegant and simple design, and its iron blade is easy to adjust. Its contoured handle grip makes the hand plane easier to move, slide and control.
The Bad
The downside with this jack plane is that it needs a better finish—it needs more sanding. It has an unbalanced base and not a durable jack plane.
PROs
- Easier to tune
- Elegant and simple design
- The iron blade is easy to adjust
CONs
- Needs a better finish
- Not durable
- Unbalanced base
PORTER-CABLE Hand Planer
Affordable and at the same time assures high-performance, the PORTER-CABLE Hand Planer is a great jack plane for woodcraft professionals and beginners and hobbyists. Get yourself an electric hand plane to smoothen things out efficiently and quickly!
Product Highlights
The PORTER-CABLE Hand Planer is a heavy-duty hand plane with a 6-amp motor. It features a dual side dust extraction with a dust bag to give yourself a cleaner area when working. It includes an over-mold depth knob that has ten positive steps. It also comes with an 11.5in cast aluminum shoe that provides more control and better quality of finish.
The Good
The great thing with this jack plane is that it is affordable and a high-performing plane at the same time. This jack plane comes with an ergonomic design that makes it easy to operate. Overall, it is a well-built jack plane.
The Bad
The problem with this electric jack plane is that it is difficult to adjust its blades. The dust bag is bulky and usually gets in the way of work, same with the power cord that is too short and limits movement.
PROs
- Affordable and high-performing plane
- Has ergonomic design
- It’s well-built
CONs
- Difficult to adjust blades
- The dust bag is bulky
- The power cord is too short
Katfort Hand Plane For Woodworking
If you are looking for one of the best jack planes for beginners with a sleek design but is also an efficient wood tool, then the Katfort Hand Plane for Woodworking is the best choice for you! Add this accessory to your woodworking toolbox, and you will see lesser problems and be more efficient as a wood artisan.
Product Highlights
The Katfort Hand Plane for Woodworking is a high-speed steel material plane blade with a 0.5-inch cutting width. You can adjust the length of the jack plane’s blade using its metal fixer. This hand plane can trim any wood effortlessly, even in different depths. Its design is a smooth ebony body that is durable and comfortable to the hands. This plane is great in smoothing wood and splinters, carving edges and stairs, and trimming wood edges. Overall, this hand plane is friendly for professionals and beginners.
The Good
What is great with this jack plane is that it is easy to use, so it is perfect for beginners. It is high quality and efficient with a sharp blade and sleek design.
The Bad
The problem with this jack plane is that it has an unbalanced base, having the left side cut deeper than the right. The blade also is slightly loose, which may be a problem. Overall, this plane seems to be a result of poor-quality control.
PROs
- Easy to use
- High quality and an efficient jack plane
- Sharp blade
- Sleek design
CONs
- Low-quality control
- Slightly loose blade
- Unbalanced base
Conclusion
Now you know the seven best jack planes for beginners available in the market! Honestly, it will be great, as a beginner woodworker, to invest in one efficient jack plane. With constant woodwork practice, you will learn how to use and work it and start using other kinds of jack planes. However, always remember that there are no perfect jack planes. Even the ones listed here may not hit the mark, quality-wise. Just keep in mind, though, that knowing what works for you and suits you is the best solution to get rid of the dilemma in what to get. Hopefully, this best jack plane for beginners list has given you enough information to find the right one for you! Find out more about jack planes.