Thanks, guys. I'm down to considering a stationary 15 inch planer versus a 13 inch benchtop (the DeWalt 735 does look pretty good, Bill).

My main reason for considering a stationary planer is to get the extra width to plane glued up boards for something like a bookcase or small cabinet. I don't think I need the really heavy-duty features for durability and longevity, because I work slow and don't do that many projects. But, the extra width sure would be nice.

Never having used anything other than the little Ryobi, I didn't know if you could could get a higher quality finish with a stationary. Any opinions on that?

As for flattening a board with a planer, Nick, I read a thread on this website (not a recent one) in which a few people claimed to use a flat sled, shims between the workpiece and the sled, and light cuts to successfully flatten the first side of a board. I've had limited success just using light cuts, and I think I'll give this method more of a trial before I give up. I don't really care if a board is absolutely flat, anyway, as long as the finished piece is strong and not visually defective. I don't sell my work, so I don't have to worry about a customer using a straight edge to check flatness.