# Planer DeWalt DW734 vs Ridgid R4331



## Purrmaster

I budgeted for a thickness planer and have narrowed my options down to two.

The DeWalt DW734 (the 735 is outside my budget) and the Ridgid R4331. 

Both are available at Home Depot. The only other place to find these things is at the woodworking stores, where the prices are inflated. Also, the HD is literally 5 minutes away so if I have to return it or something it will be easier.

HD has the DeWalt on sale for $360. Normally it's $400. The Ridgid is at the normal price at $400. 

I read some reviews in here and other forums but I was hoping to get some opinions.

I'm currently leaning towards the DeWalt. Partly because of the sale price and partly because I've read good reviews. And my DeWalt random orbital sander has been very reliable.

I'm also slightly concerned that the only planer model Ridgid shows on their website is the R4330. If they haven't updated the site for a revised model it makes me wonder how easy it would be to get service and technical information.

If the answer is that both are fine and will probably do what I need, I'll just get the DeWalt. With the savings I can get an extra set of knives or perhaps an adjustable table I can use to extend the tables.

Thank you.


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## knotscott

Like many things, it'll really boil down to a matter of opinion. I'm sure both will do a good job...I doubt anyone will come up with any solid evidence that one is clearly superior to the other. I've got the R4330 that I'm marginally pleased with....the R4331 has some updates that I wish the R4330 had. The Lifetime Service Agreement on the Ridgid is a plus. Take an HF 20% coupon with you....


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## haugerm

Both will do fine by ya. However, if you take the sale price of the Dewalt to the competitor, they should do a price match plus take off another 10%. That's why I ended up with the Dewalt. Or at least they used to. You NEED to ask for it though, they won't do it automatically. 
--Matt


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## Paul W Gillespie

If they won't take the HF 20% coupon get the Lowes 10% from the free USPS moving kit. Just go to the post office and ask for the moving kit with the coupons. I also have the Dewalt 734 and think it is a good planer. I got my for $175 used, but like new condition. I got lucky. Good luck and let us know how you make out.


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## sawdustfactory

I have the 734 and it's great. I plane a ton through this thing and it gives nice clean cuts.


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## Purrmaster

I don't believe Lowe's has the DeWalt 734. I know Harbor Freight doesn't. I'm not sure I understand how a Harbor Freight coupon would help me at Home Depot. 

I'm going to go with the DeWalt 734. The 3 year warranty on it seems to be enough. 

Of course I have to tune the jointer first. I got the knives sharpened and I need to reinstall them. I'm getting *very* non smooth cuts on the jointer and tons of snipe.

But that's another thread I will probably post soon.


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## VolRouter

*DeWalt 734*

I recently purchased the DeWalt 734 new from Amazon and have had no problems of any kind. It seems to be an excellent planer for the money and worked well right out of the box.

I have no experience with the Rigid and cannot offer any opinion on it.


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## BassBlaster

They dont have to sell the same item to accept the coupon, just a comparable item.


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## Purrmaster

So if I bring a 20% off one item coupon to Home Depot, they'll take 20% off of the DW734?

I'm going to have to build or buy a stand for the planer. Though extensions or rollers may not be possible. My "shop" is part of a barn with a dirt floor. Needless to say the surface any kind of bench or table lives on is neither level nor stable. I'm trying to throw down pieces of MDF under the legs of things to create a slightly more stable surface.

But hey, it could be worse. I could have no space at all to work in.


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## knotscott

Purrmaster said:


> So if I bring a 20% off one item coupon to Home Depot, they'll take 20% off of the DW734?
> 
> I'm going to have to build or buy a stand for the planer. Though extensions or rollers may not be possible. My "shop" is part of a barn with a dirt floor. Needless to say the surface any kind of bench or table lives on is neither level nor stable. I'm trying to throw down pieces of MDF under the legs of things to create a slightly more stable surface.
> 
> But hey, it could be worse. I could have no space at all to work in.


"Cooperation" from HD varies by store and by manager, but it only takes one "yes" to make the deal. Take the coupon with you and tell them you'll buy the planer if they can honor the coupon. Don't be afraid to ask more than one manager or go to more than one store.


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## Purrmaster

I'll see if it works. Even if not, the planer is a fair price. 

I got some Madrone recently at Rockler. It seems like nice stuff but the boards have very pronounced wavy ridges on the faces. Do you think the DeWalt will be able to smooth this stuff out? I'm told it's quite hard.


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## del schisler

Purrmaster said:


> I budgeted for a thickness planer and have narrowed my options down to two.
> 
> The DeWalt DW734 (the 735 is outside my budget) and the Ridgid R4331.
> 
> Both are available at Home Depot. The only other place to find these things is at the woodworking stores, where the prices are inflated. Also, the HD is literally 5 minutes away so if I have to return it or something it will be easier.
> 
> HD has the DeWalt on sale for $360. Normally it's $400. The Ridgid is at the normal price at $400.
> 
> I read some reviews in here and other forums but I was hoping to get some opinions.
> 
> I'm currently leaning towards the DeWalt. Partly because of the sale price and partly because I've read good reviews. And my DeWalt random orbital sander has been very reliable.
> 
> I'm also slightly concerned that the only planer model Ridgid shows on their website is the R4330. If they haven't updated the site for a revised model it makes me wonder how easy it would be to get service and technical information.
> 
> If the answer is that both are fine and will probably do what I need, I'll just get the DeWalt. With the savings I can get an extra set of knives or perhaps an adjustable table I can use to extend the tables.
> 
> Thank you.


I have had the ridgid for i guess 4 or 5 yrs bought it new or just when they first came out. It has work very well for me. It comes with 2 set's of blade's easy to change. I sharpen my blade myself, they are good enough to cut again. I wouldn't buy just on cost my self tho, The ridgid has a life time warrenty on the unit. I have had nothing go wrong. Has dust collection for 2" and 4" hook ups. I have the delta dust collection and very few chip's come out the back. It also has a bed lock for the snip , Mine has none most of the time maybe a little if i am not watching the way the wood come's out even with lock down or not. I would buy another one if i need another one. It plane's 13" i belive and a 1/4" . my 2 cent's good luck on purchase


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## Purrmaster

Planer acquired. I'll let you guys know how it goes once I've fired it up. Though it will be difficult to really evaluate it until I get the jointer set up to produce perfectly flat boards without snipe and chomping.


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## gobluefan77

I just purchased the Ridgid 4331 for 339.99 at a local HD. The 4330 is being discontinued and sold for 339.99. The issue for HD is that both 4330 and 4331 share the same sku so if your store has a 4331 in stock it will ring up for 339.99 at the register. It works wonderfully so far! Planing quarter sawn white oak as we speak and it is keeping up just fine. With the Ridgid lifetime warranty, you can't go wrong as far as im concerned. I haven't used the DeWalts but I am completely satisfied with the 4331. Dust collection is pretty good too. Does a great job with a vac hooked up.


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## knotscott

The R4331 has a manual cutterhead lock, and a chip ejection impeller....two very nice features IMHO that the R4330 does not have. Good luck with yours. :thumbsup:


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## del schisler

gobluefan77 said:


> I just purchased the Ridgid 4331 for 339.99 at a local HD. The 4330 is being discontinued and sold for 339.99. The issue for HD is that both 4330 and 4331 share the same sku so if your store has a 4331 in stock it will ring up for 339.99 at the register. It works wonderfully so far! Planing quarter sawn white oak as we speak and it is keeping up just fine. With the Ridgid lifetime warranty, you can't go wrong as far as im concerned. I haven't used the DeWalts but I am completely satisfied with the 4331. Dust collection is pretty good too. Does a great job with a vac hooked up.


Did you find the extra set of knives?? their are under the out feed table. Or at least that's were mine were. I haven't had any problum's with mine and i got it when they first come out. good luck


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## gobluefan77

No extra set of knives on this end. Just adjusted the infeed and outfeed tables to eliminate all snipe though. There was just a little out of the box.


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## del schisler

gobluefan77 said:


> No extra set of knives on this end. Just adjusted the infeed and outfeed tables to eliminate all snipe though. There was just a little out of the box.


they must have stop that i got a extra set of knives with mine back than. Be sure and call the company and regester your planer. I don't belive they take the warrenty by email. I would also call the company and ask about the extra set of knives. The bed lock also prevents snip . good luck nice unit mine was right on out of the box.


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## gideon

I'm buying either the Dewalt or the Ridgid planer described here next week. 

Was there ever consensus on which it better or it pretty much a toss up? I do like the ridgid lifetime guarantee tho.


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## Matt tennessen

gideon said:


> I'm buying either the Dewalt or the Ridgid planer described here next week.
> 
> Was there ever consensus on which it better or it pretty much a toss up? I do like the ridgid lifetime guarantee tho.


I own the dewalt but used the ridgid quite a bit a few years back; I think it's a toss up. Both have obvious limitations but I think they surface well. I got a good deal on a barely used one so I can't relate to warranty concerns, but if the ridgid guarantee is low-hassle, I'd probably go for that one.


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## Purrmaster

I haven't spent enough time with my DeWalt to give a good opinion on it. But initial results seem good.

I could easily be wrong but I'm dubious of "lifetime" warranties. Lifetime doesn't usually mean your lifetime but the product lifetime. Which can vary greatly depending on what the maker thinks the lifetime of the product should be. Back in the day I had an external analog modem (56kbps, made by US Robotics) with a lifetime warranty. I discovered its projected lifetime was about 2 years or so.

One question: Has anyone put a link belt on the DeWalt? I've got some extra 1/2 inch link belt I was thinking of swapping onto the DeWalt. Swapping a third party belt might void the warranty though so I probably won't. But I was curious.


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## gideon

Purrmaster said:


> I could easily be wrong but I'm dubious of "lifetime" warranties. Lifetime doesn't usually mean your lifetime but the product lifetime. Which can vary greatly depending on what the maker thinks the lifetime of the product should be. Back in the day I had an external analog modem (56kbps, made by US Robotics) with a lifetime warranty. I discovered its projected lifetime was about 2 years or so.


that is a great point and something I hadn't even considered. they could say given material thickness that the life of the unit could be 45 days. Guess I'll call them and ask to see what "lifetime" means.

Also, I came across this listing on ebay for a helix cutter head for the dewalt planer:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330353762207?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Good advantages here? What's setup like? Seems pretty compelling considering cost of full blades vs smaller squares.


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## woodman1969

I would have to.say ridged, I've had mine for 6 plus years. Not a problem one. I have ran an excess of 5000 bf of Oak through mine with no problems, granted I have 4 sets of blades. So far I have had no problems just keep it blown down after each use. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.


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