Best Planes for Beginners
Last reviewed on 2026-04-24
If you are new to hand planes, you do not need a full collection. Three planes cover almost all general woodworking, and those three are the ones almost every experienced hand-tool woodworker would point to if asked to start over. Buy them in this order, learn each one before adding the next, and you will outlast almost everyone else who started at the same time.
1. Low-Angle Block Plane
The first plane most people should buy is a low-angle block plane. The classic choice is the Stanley 60½-type design. Block planes are compact, inexpensive, and handle more day-to-day tasks than any other plane: trimming end grain on a cutting board, chamfering edges, fitting a tenon cheek, shaving a drawer front for a snug fit, easing the arris of a tabletop. They live on the bench and come to hand constantly.
Options:
- Vintage Stanley 60½ — about $30–$60 restored. Excellent tool once tuned.
- Lie-Nielsen No. 60½ — ready to use from the box; several times the price of a vintage tool.
- Veritas Low-Angle Block Plane — Norris-style adjuster, precise machining; similar price to Lie-Nielsen.
Full details: block plane guide.
2. No. 4 Smoothing Plane
The second purchase is a No. 4 smoothing plane. The No. 4 is the most common bench plane ever made, and the size (9 inches, 2-inch iron) is close to optimal for smoothing work up to medium panels. With a sharp iron and a close chipbreaker it leaves a surface ready for finish — no sanding required.
Options:
- Vintage Stanley No. 4 (1940s–1960s) — about $40–$80. Restoration project, excellent results.
- Lie-Nielsen No. 4 or Veritas Smooth Plane — premium new options, several hundred dollars.
Full details: smoothing plane guide.
3. No. 5 Jack Plane
The third purchase is a No. 5 jack plane. The jack plane is the general-purpose bench plane. At 14 inches it is long enough to flatten reasonably sized boards and short enough to be maneuverable for general work. With one setup it smooths, with another it dimensions stock, with another it joints edges.
Options:
- Vintage Stanley No. 5 — about $40–$80 restored. Very common on the used market.
- Lie-Nielsen No. 5 or Veritas Jack Plane — premium options with thick irons and precise tolerances.
Full details: jack plane guide.
Why These Three
These three planes cover the three fundamental tasks of hand planing: small work and end grain (block), finish smoothing (No. 4), and general bench work (No. 5). Every more specialized plane — jointer, shoulder, router, plow, scrub — is best added after you have experience with these three. Trying to buy a full collection at once creates a sharpening backlog and a storage problem without teaching you anything faster.
Buy these three before buying any specialty planes. They handle the overwhelming majority of hand plane work, and they teach the skills that every other plane depends on. If the budget is tight, buy the block plane first and spend time with it before the second purchase.
What Comes Next
After the core three, the next additions depend on the kind of work you do:
- Long glue-ups or hand-tool-only shops: a No. 7 jointer plane.
- Frame and panel furniture: a shoulder plane and a plow plane.
- Rough lumber without a thicknesser: a scrub plane, or a second jack plane reground with heavy camber.
- Inlay and hinge mortises: a router plane.