Thanks to the top-mounted motor, the cutterhead raises and lowers (instead of the table) when you make cutting-depth changes. So the fixed table lets you set up auxiliary infeed and outfeed supports for long stock when needed. A lockout key on its power switch gives you an increased level of safety when not in use. Minuses: The top-mounted motor also presents two drawbacks. First, you don’t have stock-return rollers on top to pass boards back across the machine after each pass. And, the motor must be tilted out of the way to provide access (albeit limited) to the cutterhead for changing cutters, adding time to this process. The 3cm-long cutter knives have only two edges, so expect to replace them more frequently than you would with four-edged, square carbide inserts. This planer sniped the most of seven 15" planers tested head-to-head, and its workpiece-thickness scale proved the most difficult to read and use.