Milwaukee M12 Brushless 2

We’ve all heard the age-old saying, “Measure twice, cut once”, but even the most precise cut may still require a little shaving to achieve the best fit. Rather than returning to your miter saw or grabbing your circular saw to make a dicey cut, we think there’s a better way to get good results—the Milwaukee M12 Planer.

Whether you’re perfecting your joinery skills or simply trying to make a door close better, planers are an integral part of a woodworker’s arsenal. A few years ago we had our hands on the Milwaukee M18 3 1/4-inch Cordless Planer and its power and ease of use made a really good impression on our testing team. Now, we have the Milwaukee M12 2-Inch Planer which offers plenty of cutting power but in a more compact package.

The Milwaukee M12 Planer is designed with busy carpenters and remodelers in mind. Its brushless motor spins the double-edged carbide blades up to 14,500 RPMs and removes up to a 5/64-inch layer of soft or hardwood in a single pass. With 21 cutting depth settings ranging from 0 to 5/64 inches, you can make precise adjustments to increase cutting accuracy.

This planer has a pretty low profile compared to traditional models and stands just 4.75 inches tall. From end to end, it measures 11 inches as a bare tool and weighs 4.6 pounds with an M12 XC4.0Ah battery.

Its lightweight 2-inch aluminum shoe glides smoothly over materials and makes this a great tool for common applications such as scribing and planing doors. For added convenience, Milwaukee added a small groove in the shoe that helps guide the tool while planing on corners.

Milwaukee went the extra mile and includes a folding kickstand and an onboard blade and tool storage tray. The bare tool comes standard with a spare set of carbide blades and a small hex wrench so you can quickly swap out blades and reduce downtime.

This cordless 2-inch planer retails for $199 as a bare tool and comes with a 5-year manufacturer warranty. As of the time we’re writing this, there isn’t a kit option available so don’t forget to snag an M12 Red Lithium High-Output battery and charger.

This compact cordless planer is well-suited for a variety of woodworking and remodeling projects. It has plenty of cut-depth settings and useful features you need to create a good finished product. We believe this planer is a great addition for finish and trim carpenters, door installers, and contractors who need to carefully trim materials to get a perfect fit.