Thanks for the video. Let me just say for any wood workers out there: I’ve been woodworking since 1979 and in my own shop since 1997. I bought the 735 in 2001 and plane on average 300 board feet per year primarily Ash 65%, Black Walnut 25% and 10% mixed woods from Pine to Grey Elm. This is a garage unit that deals with all the ambient temperatures from 100°F to -15°F and it takes the abuse. I haven’t even had to replace brushes nor anything else just disassemble every 3 to 5 years to clean it up, reapply lubricant and ready to go again. Blades are cheap ($40ish for 6) easy to change and can be flipped and if chipped can be staggered to eliminate the chip. They last around 500 board feet before being flipped over and I always use the 179 speed. As the video stated, you’re getting a 220 or better finish on the boards so there is literally no reason to add a helix cutter to reduce your cutting depth and stress your motor - the design is already perfect. The only thing I’ve changed is I added a Wixey Indicator to nail the depth to the nearest thousandth of an inch. There you have it a 22+ year testimony. Wood Working is a long-term relationship, and you need your base tools to last and the DeWalt 735 makes the grade. Be Safe - Enjoy your hobby.

When I was first getting started last year, I took the advice of fellow woodworkers and bit the bullet on the 735x. I'm so glad that I did.

I've used industrial grade planers my entire life. As a matter of fact my last 12" planer weighed 550lbs and had a 7.5hp motor. When I moved into my new shop I was more interested in cnc and laser work so I purchased a 735. Other than how much can be removed in a single pass the 735 works better than any planer I have ever owned. The shelix head helps tremendously.

I have a porter cable planer similar in design to the 12.5 inch Dewalt. I have ran a lot of board feet through it. It has done a really good job, and if you pay attention to what your doing there is almost no snipe... Folks, I'm not a youtuber, I'm not sponsored from no one, and I don't have a million dollar shop either. I love dewalt tools! Don't get me wrong here... with respect to this guy and his video, you don't have to spend major money on any tools. One of my favorite sayings is "a good auto painter can use spray-bombs and have great results, but the other guy can have 2 million dollars worth of equipment and can't get metal chair to look right." Just sayin....

Planers are a tool I put a lot of research into a little over a year ago when I was beginning to put thought into, thinking I might be starting bigger than I've ended up starting. While don't currently have the space for either, when I get to that place, I intend to go with the DeWalt 735x. Thanks for taking the time and care to give a new perspective on a great tool that DeWalt has continued to improve upon since it's debut.

I bought the 735 over twenty years ago and have never had reason to doubt that choice. The blades now have a couple of nicks in them, but I plan on upgrading to a helical cutter head in the near future. Thanks for your time and effort in preparing this video. I guess we agree on my choice.

Nice review. I'm not sure I've seen a side by side comparison before. I bought a 734 myself last year and don't regret it. I think I might have gone with the 735 if I didn't have to think about dollars and cents, but it'll be interesting to see if ever my eye wanders over to the 735 or another upgrade in the coming year or two. Thanks for this!!!

I ordered one of these off Amazon a few years back on a black Friday deal. Upon delivery notification, I found a very small box that obviously wasn't it. Since the UPS guy had just come, I was able to approach him and prove that he did not deliver the unit. It was deemed lost in the system, and insurance claimed. I then ordered another one from Lowe's the next day (if you can believe it for less than $450 at the time), and started using it. Then the other one from Amazon showed up the next day. I called and asked what Amazon wanted me to do with it, and they said since it was already claimed as lost, that I should just have a Merry Christmas and keep it. I will likely use the other one for parts, or perhaps make my own custom 13" jointer someday after following Matthias Wandel.

I bought the 734 several years ago because it cost less. Since then, I have pulled the trigger and put a Shelix head on it. Best thing one can do for any planer out there. It greatly reduced the noise and improved how the motor runs. The finish is smooth as could be, though I don't have another planer to do a comparison. But I am quite happy with the finish I get. I made a four foot infeed/outfeed table for it out of melamine, another great improvement as that all but eliminated snipe . Would recommend that as another upgrade to any planer with these types of infeed/outfeed tables. Thanks for the good review on both.

Currently, I have a RYOBY and I have been wanting to get a Dewalt. You just confirmed my need. One thing I like about my ROYOBY is the dust shute I put a blower on one side and suction on the other, it seems to make a difference. After double checking, it is actually a RIGID planer. But the same idea.

Good info! I have the 734 and have been running it for about 4 years. No major problems. As a frugal woodworker, I’ll stick to the 734. As you said, the 735 does have better dust collection for small shops though.

I Just ran across your channel and watched a few videos. I like the fact that are to the point and don’t ramble on. Keep up the good work.

I got a nearly brand new 734 and have loved it. It has ran everything from pine to purple heart and not stopped. Love it

I always hated swapping blades out on my lunchbox planer. I found it really finicky to get them set properly. The 735 blade changes are simply foolproof and i don't get why more people don't talk about how easy it is. That was the single biggest factor for me and i don't regret it. The only thing I don't care for is the wheel on the side for adjusting depth of cut. I find i rub/bump against it with my gut lol.

Terrific review! You did such a nice job explaining this since I have never used a benchtop planer before. I wondered what the differences were, for $100 more. I would definitely get the higher end model DW735X with the feed tables and extra blades. The depth gauge, the 2 speed, and the auto carriage lock for less splining, is worth it. I would also add the Byrd Shelix Helical Head to the Dewalt myself for another $400. Now you have the best!

Worked on a project recently where the owner builder loved using reclaimed timber. In Australia, so most reclaimed timber is old dry eucalyptus and really hard stuff to work. He bought a 735 and we basically killed the regular blades on a couple of shallow passes, the edges were totally flogged out. He upgraded to the spiral tungsten carbide head and it plowed through anything we threw at it. Doesn’t like nails though! Otherwise, it hasn’t balked at even old iron bark, brush box, blue gum etc. so long as you don’t go crazy on the depth of cut.

19 years for a 735. I can't begin to imagine the board feet of wood I've run through mine. I did switch to an aftermarket straight blade that is a little thicker than the OEM blades and seem to last a bit longer. I can operate it continuously for over an hour planing 8-10" wide white oak or hickory with no problem. I've cleaned the feed rollers with 90% isopropanol maybe once a year. Every couple of years I open it up and blow out the roller chain that syncs the four posts. I wax the platten occasionally. Last year I added an iGauging DRO and I think I have just about the perfect small shop planer. I evaluated buying a Shellex head this year but for what I pay for HSS blades and that I am winding down my woodworking a bit, it wasn't worth the $400 cost. I had a Delta that was similar to the 734 and it was a snipe nightmare. My 735 has no snipe if I pay attention to feeding on a slight angle. The dust collection on the 735 is way superior.

As a person currently building up a shop and about to pull the trigger on a thickness plane I loved the very straightforward "apples to apples" take on these products. Finding out about the Blower on the one actually makes a fairly large difference for me, and make the 735 more appealing for that fact alone. You did a great job laying out the info without showing a leaning towards one or the other, which something others need to learn to do. Thanks!

Very concise and informative comparison of the two planers. Thank you

Nice review. I had the 734 and usually cutting redwood, but occasionally cutting various hardwoods. The finishes were excellent, the clean up easy until further use and then it took a while to clean it out. Not a big deal. But the bigger deals were the lock, getting the cut precise and the snipe. Neither were all that bad, but sometimes I'd forget to lock the bar down, and getting the cut precise for small work took a little time and practice. The snip was the most irritating. To fix it I'd use a longer piece and trim the ends. The in and out panels are somewhat loose and need to be set & fixed just right or you get snipe. I had the same dust collection system as you and it was OK, but after a full day in my small shop, I'd come out with a nose full of wood dust. (I just couldn't handle wearing amask all day.)

Great review of both units. I have the 734 and it works very well for my needs, dust collection is pitiful at best and just use it outside if I need to run more than 1 small thing. The price difference between the two is typically $250, so if you can find a deal it's a smart upgrade in features.

I purchased the 2 speed WEN with spiral head. I have been very happy with it. I recently ran several hundred feet of white oak with no issues. I will be upgrading the cutters to carbide once the steel cutters have run their course.

NIce review. I have the 735 and used to run it with a shop vac as well. The reason you had chips coming out of the front of the planer was that the blower was pushing more air than the shop vac could handle. When I upgraded to a Oneida Supercell and hooked the planer to the 4" hose, this stopped happening.

Excellent job! Addressing all the salient points in a brief update.

i do like the dust blower or extractor on the 735 and i use a large trash can to collect my chips. i built the lid on my cnc router and put a shop vac filter on it so dust dont blow out. works great no shop vac needed

I bought the 735X and so far so good no complaints we shall see over time.

I have the 735x and it's amazing. A wixey attachment makes it as accurate and repeatable in board thickness as you can get. I'd recommend it!

Well done. I have the 735 and it really meets my needs. I think it is a great value .

Well spoken and clear simple information. Congrats

Having run several brands and sizes of planers over the years, both at home and at various cabinet and furniture shops I've worked in, I can confidently say that the extra 1/2 inch doesn't matter at all - until it does. When you have to run something bigger than your planer's capacity to satisfy the needs of a client, that extra capacity is invaluable. You and I can use our CNC routers to surface some of these projects, but we both know that is a lot slower than using a planer, and not everyone has a CNC at their disposal. As for the heads up comparison between these two planers, I thank you for doing it. I'm eyeballing the 735X right now (to replace a 20 year old Delta lunchbox planer) so I was very interested in the comparison. Something I would like to see is a further examination of the quality of cut on each of them - particularly when it comes to snipe. Keep up the great videos, and thank you for this one!

This is exactly what I needed as I was debating on which to purchase. Thanks for making this video!

THANK YOU for this video, this exactly the kind of side by side comparison I've been looking for!

The industrial triple cutter head planer we had at our cabinet shop was only 18” and it worked great for 35 years…

Nice review!! This will definitely help someone who's in the market for one of these. I liked the fact that you could do a finishing pass with that one, I think it'll make the boards come out a little better. Also, Im not sure that a half inch difference really matters. But, I've never used a planner before so wth do I know. 🤷‍♂️😆😆

I bought a 734 as well, and after getting the chance to use a friend's 735 I can wholeheartedly say it is 100% worth every penny more.

Came across your channel and really liked your comparison video. It was very thorough and you answered all of my questions. As someone getting back into wood working, I like to buy tools for the long run and I've been leaning towards the 735x. The 1/2" may or may not make a difference, but the dual speed and helical cutter head upgrade (if I decide to add that at a later date) are what sold me. Excellent content. Cheers.

Thank you for the information. I've been shopping around for a planer and have been looking at these 2.

Great video. I've been comparing different brands but always come back to the Dewalt almost all my tools are Dewalt with exception of my tablesaw. Your video help me lean more towards the 735x. Thank you again for a great review and look forward to watching more of your videos

Thanks for a straightforward review of an item I plan to purchase. You pointed out some key features that helped me decide which one to buy. I just finished a floor- to-ceiling fireplace/entertainment centre project that could have benefited from a thickness planer.

Great video, my son is a beginner woodworker and I’m impressed with the dewalt wood planer thank you

Thanks for the vid. These were the exact models i was considering

Good comparison. Years ago I went through the same choice and went for the 734 since it was on sale for $339. Zero regrets, and if I was making the choice today, I'd still choose the 734 over the 735. If I'm spending 735 money, I'm saving a bit more for a planer with an integrated spiral cutterhead, or one of the big boys (15 or 20"). For me, the 735 just doesn't bring enough to the table to justify the cost over the 734. Also, you most definitely can add a spiral cutterhead to the 734.

great and helpful comparison. thank you

Thanks for the review!

Nice little review! I like your channel as you're always come across very honestly - as well doing some interesting projects. I was hoping you might have commented on the issue of snipe from both of these planers - any difference between the two?

Thanks for the review! I am looking at getting a planer for my garage shop, and was looking specifically at the Dewalt series.

Thanks for the information boss. Keep these coming.

I used my 734 for almost a decade and put thousands of board feet through it. Fantastic machine. After a decade it was showing it's age and there was a sale on the 735 so I bought one and sold my 734. I haven't put many boards through the 735 yet. but I have to say, I prefer the 734. The 735 is good, but has some irritating features like the exhaust port being as inconveniently placed as they could make it. Instead of being on the side, it's smack dab in the middle, preventing access to the wood coming out of the belt feed.

Thank you for this thorough side-by-side! Stepping into the planing world for the first time, I feel ready to purchase my 735x! The finishing pass option is what sold me.

Got my 735 yesterday new for $400 at Lowes, on sale plus opened a card and saved 20%. Worked fantastic on the black walnut I used.

Thank you for the comprehensive comparison.

I always work with rough cut lumber, since, I believe, it gives me better control over my finished work. As a result, a planer is a necessary part of my shop. I've had several planers in the past, all of which have disappointed me until I purchased ther 735. While there are several features I really like (you mentioned most of them), for me, the main benefit of the 735 is its cut rate. The high cut rate and rsulting silky smooth finish dramatically reduces the amount of sanding needed on a completed project. This is very beneficial when making cutting boards as well as other projects.

I was getting ready to buy one thanks for the info!

Got my MiL a 735x for Christmas because she's started doing a bit more serious woodworking stuff. I plan to run her a couple dedicated 20A circuits to the garage for it, and some of her other stationary tools. This was another fantastic review that gives more confidence that my research into a thickness planer for her was correct, and she's been given a solid tool to elevate her work to new heights. Thank you very much for this! +1

This is an excellent review and comparison. Another thing to consider is the difference in how the cutting head is supported. The 735's 4 support columns are much beefier than those used in the 734 (and similar planers from other brands). In addition, the 734 uses a thin metal 'bridge' at the top of the planer to bind the 4 support columns together. This helps prevent the planer from flexing from side to side or front to back. (Similar models from other companies often use plastic, instead of metal, for this bridge.) The 734's cutting head then moves up and down as needed, suspended by the support columns. The 735 has a completely different design. It's 'bridge' is much beefier and the cutting head is built into it. This is a much more rigid design. Because of these differences, the cutting head will flex less with the 735 than it will with the 734. The 735 is a better, more robust, design than the 734. It should provide more reliability and superior cut quality.

Just got the 734, appreciate this review.

Great video, just retired a 2 year old Harbor Freight planner I bought to see if I really needed and would use it enough. I do want a planner, the HF planner broke after 2 years and tech support passed me to second level"expert" that admitted she was using KZfaq to answer questions Yours is the best video of the 8 that I've watched

Wow! I must be WAY behind times! I'm still using a DW733 planer but thought about buying a DW735, but my 733 works fine! It has served me for many years faithfully! I only had to replace a drive belt once after neglecting maintenance on it. Beside that, the space in my garage is limited and I would have to get rid of my old friend 733! Thanks for the video and the comparison!

I got a 734 for $80, bc the switch was broken & it had no dust port. One $20 switch & $25 dust port later, I had the best tool I've ever owned. And yet, your video showed me that I'll get a LOT more benefit out of uograding than I thought. Why? 1) The 735 has the blower for the dust collection. I spend way too much time cleaning maple shavings out of a clogged up 734 port. I had no idea a blower was available. 2) The 400-grit level cutting speed. I work almost exclusively with reclaimed wood, meaning the wood hardness is off the scale, & sanding takes forever. This sounds like it would add hours of free time to every week of my life. Thanks for the info!

Thank you for your honest opinion!

As someone who wants to begin woodworking, I have a plan to start kind of backwards by purchasing a thicknesser/planer before almost anything else. This is because what inspired me to start woodworking was youtubers who use scrap wood and make heavy use of the thicknesser/planer. While I understand the importance of learning to use manual tools, I have a lifetime to practice my hand planing while I produce sellable work using machinery.

Good comparison for anyone on the fence between the two.

Thanks for making this video as I am looking at what planer to get. I was wondering the main differences between the 734 in the 735. This is a great start. Take care.

I’ve had the DW735 for over 12 years. I bought it reconditioned. So I got it for about 1/2 price. I bought the in-feed and out feed and the DeWalt cart for it. This year I bought and installed the Shelix cutting system. And a number of years ago I purchased the digital depth gage and replaced the existing one. My review: 6 out of 5 stars with the Shelix, 5 out of 5 stars with the factory blades. I’ve had zero trouble during the 12 plus years. Save your money on the digital depth gage. Over 30 plus years I’ve found that “accuracy is relative” and my digital gage has been all I’ve needed. The depth wheel that locks the crank in at a specific thickness has served me well. That is on the left side of the 735, you missed that in your comparisons. This wheel keeps the thickness consistent during final finishing. The 735 has metal gears which I think is nice in a world of plastic. I had a Delta planer before this DeWalt and the gears were plastic. It lasted about a year. I have found that blades are important as to who makes them. I used the DeWalt brand and also blades from Amazon. The DeWalt blades lasted longer and stayed sharp longer in my opinion. The difference between blades and cutters,the Shelix cutters basically is the cutting action and the fact that the Shelix slices instead of cutting straight across creating a smoother cut. In short. I’m 77 come December and I’m taking my planer with me! 😮 (that’s a joke). But, realistically, someone is going to get a really nice planer in the Estate Sale.

You did a great job.......I look forward to checking out more of your stuff

excellent review..I have the 735 and comparing it to my previous planer is night/day...fortunately, I have a 'Jet" dust collector and it's not an understatement how much difference this makes with debris extraction..the 2 speed option is a valuable option that also separates this unit from others..thanks for sharing!

Thank you for this great review.

Thank you this was very helpfule

very nice review, thank you

Good info, thank you.

My husband has a 734, he has used it for 4 years. It is a great planner no problems.

Thank you, Sir. Great comparison. Greetings from the UK!

Great review! Helped me make a purchase decision.

Very good in depth review.

For me the two big things are the finish cut and the depth gauge. I have the smaller one, it is older and does not have any dust collection. The problem with the depth gauge is that is leaves a mark in soft wood. Even medium hard wood will leave a mark but it will sand out very easily. But if you have soft wood, the mark is more of a gouge and take a fair amount of sanding to remove. I always plane soft wood where it won't hit the depth gauge, if it is not too big so I can.

Thanks brother 🏆👍 great comparison … DW735 is the way to go … I’ve been looking for a quality plainer

Thanks for the review and after a lot of research I chose the 735x on sale no less.

TKS, Muy buena comparación, ahora tengo la luz que ocupaba para realizar mi compra, saludos desde Costa Rica CA, Pura Vida.

My 734 is still on its first blades... my religious use of a metal detector wand and mostly new wood is probably the reason for that. I've used it on pine, fir, cedar, popular, and walnut so far. No complaints at all to date.

Very nice comparison. Thank you Sir!

Thank you for a good review

I got the smaller one for my workshop a few years ago. No complaints so far!

This last year I followed some advice about using fence pickets for lumber, and hooo boy those are *rough* . I spent so much time sanding, it felt like such a chore to make any of the projects that I abandoned them altogether. So when it comes to a planer having a "finishing pass" that can crank out smooth, perfect lumber in seconds -- no-brainer.

I put my 735 to work one time. I built a Paul Sellers style hand wood working work bench with two 12-1/2” wide by 4-1/4” by 72” long laminated pieces with a 4” tool trough in between. I laminated dry, old, lumber that I scavenged from my remodeling projects. They were all whacky after glue-up and I hand planed them until they were flat, but not perfect, on one side. Then I put 735 to work, planing off my reference side until clean, then planing opposite until parallel. I wound up with two dead straight, dead flat bench top pieces. Could not ask for anything more.

I have the 734 with the shop vac hooked up to it. The planer works well, but the dust collection is garbage. I don’t know if it’s average garbage or below average garbage dust collection, but I waste more time dealing with that than I do planing…I constantly have to stop the machine and clear clogs. The only reason I got the 734 at the time versus the 735 was that there were a few more less favorable reviews on the 735. You have me realizing my mistake 😂 And for what it’s worth, I never lock down the bar and I’ve never noticed any unwanted movement in any direction as a result of not locking it, and I use digital calipers very often while planing. I may need to pull the trigger on 735 if I see a good Black Friday deal

Thanks fo the review big man. I'm looking to get my first planer and this vedio is very helpfull.

Thanks for posting. Steve

I own the 734 and use it often. It serves my purpose but there are a few things I really don't like about it. 1. I hate the dust port. It is awkward and a pain to remove and remount. 2. The manual carriage lock is a pain, I find myself not putting it down sometimes,(forgetting). But, all in all I don't think these things are enough to upgrade to 735. Good video Thanks.

Thanks for the review

Great video, thanks. Subbed after watching. Years ago I wanted to save about $75, so I got the 734. It's done well for me, but I still kick myself for being cheap back then.

Very helpful! TY!

Great video. I’ve been looking at a surface planer and trying to decide between these two. if I get one, it will be the 735X and I’ll use your link. Thank you!

I am in the market to buy a new planer, and i have narrowed it down to three. This video goes a long way if i choose a Dewalt. Great video. Good job on the presentation. Thanks

I do not have either machine, but have one of the same design as the as the 734, with which I have had absolutely no trouble.

Good video. Very informative

I like DeWalt equipment a lot, drills, saws and cut off saw.

I'm just now trying to get my woodworking business going. Got my fb page started and have been a vendor at quite a few craft fairs/farmers market. I'm in shepherdsville ky, I knew exactly what you were talking about with the easy access to bourbon barrels around here haha

Great review 👍 shame the 735 is not available in the UK, we only have the 733 which I think is the equivalent to the 734.

I've have a 735 have worked it quite a hard for many years and it's sure stood up to the wear and tear - fwiw - also great review

I want to really thank you because I'm considering getting a planner at some point. I know i'm gonna get a dewalt one, but I did not now about different models, and your review kinda shown me that I should get the 735x. I also really laught at your dust collection system because it is exactly the same as mine. I have the same shop vac, and also built a little cyclone attachement to prevent me changing my bags really often... So dust collection is def something i'm looking into. All other features are nice to have, and I think I better take the fool-proof automatic lock. I'm a pretty dumb guy.