Why is Festool Planer $500 and Bosch $200

[Bryan Berguson]

Where is the Festool made?

Where is the Bosch made?

If the Festool is made in Germany, and the Bosch in Switzerland, the comparison is fair.
If the Bosch is made in Malaysia or China, then it's perfectly clear to anyone who has tried to run a manufacturing business why there is a difference !

I was very disappointed to find out that Bosch tools are now made in China as are Makitas. At least some are but I can't speak for all of them. Not sure about the Planers.

Bryan

[Neal Clayton]

marketing.

[Jim Becker]

Although I don't own the Festool planer, I have used/tested it in my own shop a few years ago when Bob Marino brought an SUV full of Festool products over for me to faddle with prior to a get-together of a number of local woodworkers.

While my personal needs don't require this particular tool, I have to tell you that I was extremely impressed with the quality and functionality. The interchangeable knife system for special effects, controllability/feel and dust extraction were notable for this tool. That said, I cannot compare it to the Bosch or any other portable planer as I've never used another one...

[Michael Wildt]

Hi,

I took it as a challenge and started reading about both. I didn't know what Bosch model you looked at, but I assume it is the 3365. My notes are only based on a quick look and with what was available on the web.

Cutting depth appears to be easier to set on Festool than the Bosch. I would be checking if the cutting depth is easy to replicate from setup to setup if it was me.

Planing depth is larger on Festool 9/64 versus 5/64.
Rabetting depth also appears to be better on the Festool due to the fact that one side is flat so it can go all the way up to the edge. Sounds like a nice feature, but again it depends on the task at hand.

Both appears to have a one knife design, automatically balanced. That sounds very nice. Festool is a angled blade (spiral cut ?) and the Bosch is straight cut. Festool has choice of different blades. I would look further into which one is easier to replace blades on if I was purchasing one, as well as which one makes the best finish cut. I do not have a jointer my self, but I would expect a perfect cut and would expect a handheld planer to do the same.

The Festool can be mounted up side down as a 'portable' jointer. Does not appear the Bosch can.

Both have dust collector attachment capability. Not sure if Bosch needs the adapter that is listed in the accessory list.

Now I'm far from an expert on this, but it appears to be two nice products. I only spent 10 min reading about the models and while one is more costly than the other it all depends on what task it is you need it for. I can see tasks where the Bosch is just fine and tasks where the Festool would be better.

Michael

[Dave Falkenstein]

Correct, and new to woodworking also...

I do not intend to be out of line, but... If you are new to woodworking, are you SURE you want/need a hand-held power planer? I have a Bosch and use it seldom. I have several Festool products, but have not considered buying a Festool planer because I would not use it often enough. Festool makes great tools, and they cost a lot more than many other brands.

[Jim Dailey]

I view a power planer as a really limited use tool...

And I owe two power planers; the first one I bought 30 years ago, this is a Rockwell block planer & the second was a Dewalt. Neither have dust collection & are the noisiest dam power tools you'll ever run. However for my "once leap decade" use my ears so far seem to stop ringing between uses... But for these I would suggest you use in addition to ear protection a mask & eye protection to keep the air borne stuff out of your lungs & eyes

Maybe I'd upgraded to a higher quality unit if I was hanging door blanks all day but then again the last blank I hung I grabbed one of my Festool plunge saws & cut the bevel with more accuracy & speed than I could with any power planer I've used.

Both of the planers I have where bought for a specific job & paid for themselves based on a "single" job. In one case the material was too big to bring to the tool, the other the material had to be machined in place after it was assembled. If the material is suitable to bring to a jointer by virtue of the jointers longer bed you should get a straighter cut.

Hope this helps,
jim

[chris dub]

Festool seems to consistently offer: top end ease of use, accuracy, reduced set-up time, cut quality and enhanced dust collection to most other brands across its line of tools. Some of those benefits are slight improvements and some are more significant. But those are often the most valued features amongst power tool users. If you address the most important characteristics of your customers you charge a premium. How much of a premium? As much as they will let you get away with.

[peter de tappan]

I just checked the price of the Bosch on Coastal Tool's website and it was $129, a long way from $200.

[Per Swenson]

Hi all,

I own the 850, I own the Makita, and somewhere around here there is a
old PC. Now we are talking apples, oranges and peaches.
If you do not make a living in the woodworking business then you really don't need the 850. Though, if you do the price is more then justified.
The rebate capability, the rustic heads and the bench mount capability
combined with dust collection and precise controls shames the competition.
But, if you are going to use it only 4 times a year, then I believe your dollars are are better spent else where.
The PC, ( I really don't know where that is) I used solely for door work.
That tool was replaced by the TS55 and guide rail.
The Makita? Before the 850, was my go to tool for working rough sawn. No longer. It is relegated for the job of straightening out rough framing.
Its great for bringing studs and joists in to a truly flat plane and in that scenario who cares if there are chips on the floor.
So to sum up, the 850 is worth every nickle only if you use it.
Once a month? Get the Bosch.

If you care to see my review it can be found here

Per

[John Thompson]

What Per Swenson said... if you are professional the FT is probably the best option. If you are not... the Bosch is fine. I am not a professional and have the Bosch. There is no problem adjusting the height and the tool works fine the few occasions I use it as I have hand planes that get most of my needs building furniture inside the shop.

Sarge..

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

because they can get it.

[Jon Grider]

My thought is not so much debating and justifying the additional cost of Festool vs. Bosch, but of your need for a handheld power planer. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you don't need one as I don't know what kind of projects you have in mind, but to me a far more versatile basic tool, if you have the room would be a stationary jointer. For not too much more than the Festool, you could buy a new 8" Grizzly and from fleabay,a used Bailey bench plane.

[Ron Dunn]

I just bought the cheapest power planer I could find, to knock paint and other roughness off recycled timber before it gets anywhere near my jointer or saw. I paid around $40US, it has disposable blades, and has probably saved me a set of Tersa blades at over $100US already.

[Lyndon Graham]

My thought is not so much debating and justifying the additional cost of Festool vs. Bosch, but of your need for a handheld power planer. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you don't need one as I don't know what kind of projects you have in mind, but to me a far more versatile basic tool, if you have the room would be a stationary jointer. For not too much more than the Festool, you could buy a new 8" Grizzly and from fleabay,a used Bailey bench plane.

I have a 6" Jet Jointer. I plan to glue up 3+ planks for an 18" wide shelf. The jointer helkps me initally, but what happens after the glue up?

And my 26" wide cabinet makers workbench. I will glue together multiple sections of Maple that glued up arte 3" x 12 ". My current jointer and 13" planer will help with each peice, but I still need to plane the 24" glue up flat.

Am I missing anything?

[Jon Grider]

I have a 6" Jet Jointer. I plan to glue up 3+ planks for an 18" wide shelf. The jointer helkps me initally, but what happens after the glue up?

And my 26" wide cabinet makers workbench. I will glue together multiple sections of Maple that glued up arte 3" x 12 ". My current jointer and 13" planer will help with each peice, but I still need to plane the 24" glue up flat.

Am I missing anything?

Well Lyndon, as the saying goes,there's more than one way to skin a cat. Most folks here have probably done wider glue ups than their jointer or planer or the lucky ones wide belt or drum sanders are wide. I build cabinets doors from glue ups and get by quite well without a machine capable of surfacing wide doors. The trick is in matching edges and careful glue ups. I usually need only a cabinet scraper to clean up the glue line,but occasionally the job requires a few strokes with a sharp hand plane. Whatever method works for you,though.