Planers · pressed steel against cast iron
Is a cast-iron planer worth four times the price?
Both machines surface and thickness. One costs €240 and the other €991, and for once the specification sheets explain the gap in full — because the Metabo publishes everything and the Scheppach publishes enough.
| Compared on | HMS850 | HC 260 C/2,8 DNB |
|---|---|---|
| Functions | Surface + thickness | Surface + thickness |
| Motor | 1,250 W | 2,800 W |
| Planing width | Not stated | 260 mm (10.2 in) |
| Maximum depth of cut | Not stated | 3 mm (0.12 in) |
| Tables | Not stated | Cast iron |
| Price in Germany | €240 | €991 |
| Mains requirement | Standard socket | Close to 12 A — check the circuit |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | No |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these machines answer different questions.
Buy the Scheppach as a first planer. It does both jobs, it moves, and it turns rough-sawn timber into usable stock — which changes what a workshop can afford to build far more than table flatness does.
No amazon.com listing was found for this one. We hold references for other markets but none for the United States, so it may not be buyable here — which is the first thing to weigh against anything below.
Buy the Metabo when the planer has become the machine you use most. Cast-iron tables are a reference surface that stays flat, and 3 mm (0.12 in) of cut at 260 mm (10.2 in) wide means fewer passes on every board.
A surfacing table is a reference: the flatness of your board cannot exceed the flatness of the table it slid across. Cast iron is machined flat and stays flat for decades, and it damps vibration, which shows up directly in the surface finish.
On 230 V that is close to 12 A, within a standard 16 A circuit but with little headroom if an extractor shares it. Plan a separate circuit for the extractor before the machine arrives.
1,250 W · surface and thickness · €240
The cheapest machine that does both jobs — flattening a face and taking a board to thickness — and the one most first workshops buy.
Best for: A first workshop buying rough-sawn timber instead of pre-planed stock
≈ $835
2,800 W · 260 mm (10.2 in) · cast-iron tables
The only machine on this page with cast-iron tables and a 2,800 W motor — and the only one that publishes every figure that matters.
Best for: A permanent workshop that processes rough timber regularly and wants to stop compromising
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
