π§ Hand Tools
Best Hand Planes UK 2026 - 8 Picks Compared
A sharp hand plane leaves a finish that sandpaper struggles to match, and it costs a fraction of what a powered planer does. We compared eight planes you can buy in the UK right now, from a Β£17 cast iron starter through to a 555mm jointer that trues the edge of a full board. Here is what each one does well and who should buy it.
Key Takeaways
- Best overall: Stanley No.4 Bailey Bench Plane - a 254mm smoothing plane with a solid cast iron body and a long record of happy owners
- Best first plane: Amazon Basics No.4 Plane - around Β£22, wooden handles, and it teaches you the setup routine without risking much money
- Best block plane: Spear & Jackson CBP65 - a small 6.5in plane that earns its keep trimming end grain and easing edges
- Best for rough timber: Faithfull No.5 Jack Plane - the 355mm workhorse that flattens and sizes boards before you smooth them
- Best for long edges: Faithfull No.7 Jointer Plane - 555mm of cast iron that takes the bow out of a board edge
Suggested reading: Best Wood Chisels for Beginners β’ Best Sharpening Stones β’ Basic Woodworking Tools
Quick Picks
π Best Overall
π· Best First Plane
βοΈ Best Block Plane
βοΈ Best Adjustable Block
π οΈ Best Step-Up Smoothing
πͺ΅ Best Jack Plane
π Best Jointer Plane
πͺ Cheapest Cast Iron
Quick Comparison
| Product | Price | Type | Length | Cutter | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley No.4 Bailey | Β£60 | Smoothing | 254mm | 50mm | Overall best |
| Amazon Basics No.4 | Β£22 | Smoothing | 254mm | 50.8mm | First plane |
| Spear & Jackson CBP65 | Β£24 | Block | 165mm | 41mm | Trimming end grain |
| Stanley 1-12-020 | Β£43 | Block | 241mm | 42mm | Adjustable block work |
| Jorgensen No.4 | Β£47 | Smoothing | 254mm | 58mm | Step-up cast iron |
| Faithfull No.5 Jack | Β£47 | Jack | 355mm | 50mm | Rough timber |
| Faithfull No.7 Jointer | Β£57 | Jointer | 555mm | 60mm | Long edges |
| Amazon Basics No.4 (Grey) | Β£17 | Smoothing | 254mm | 51mm | Cheapest option |
Prices were checked in September 2026 and move around often, so treat them as a guide rather than a fixed figure. Cutter widths come from the manufacturer specifications.
In-Depth Reviews
Every plane below is assessed on what matters at the bench: how flat the sole is out of the box, how easy the blade is to adjust and sharpen, how the handles feel after an hour of work, and whether the price makes sense for the jobs you actually do. If you are still building your kit out, our guide to basic woodworking tools covers the rest.
1. Stanley No.4 Bailey Bench Plane
254mm cast iron smoothing plane | 50mm cutter | Adjustable frog and depth wheel | Beech handles
Around Β£60 on Amazon UK
The No.4 is the plane most woodworkers reach for first, and the Bailey design is the one everything else copies. At 254mm long it sits comfortably in one hand, the cast iron body has enough mass to carry through a cut, and the depth wheel lets you take a shaving thin enough to read through.
The adjustable frog is the part that separates this from the cheap clones. You can shift the blade forward to close up the mouth for difficult grain, then open it again for hogging off material. That single adjustment is the difference between a plane that tears out on figured oak and one that copes.
Expect to spend twenty minutes flattening the sole and honing the blade before the first proper cut, because no plane at this price arrives ready to go. Pair it with a honing guide and a set of sharpening stones and it will hold a keen edge for years.
β Pros
- Adjustable frog for fine or coarse work
- Genuine Bailey pattern with spare parts available
- Solid cast iron body with good weight
- Comfortable beech handles
β Cons
- Needs fettling and sharpening before use
- Blade steel is basic compared with premium irons
- Three times the price of the budget No.4s
2. Amazon Basics No.4 Adjustable Bench Hand Plane
254mm cast iron body | 50.8mm steel alloy blade | Adjustable depth wheel | Impact-resistant wooden handles | 1.73kg
Around Β£22 on Amazon UK
This is the plane to buy if you have never owned one and you are not sure you will stick with hand tools. The body is cast iron rather than stamped steel, which puts it ahead of most sub-Β£20 planes from unknown brands, and the wooden handles are shaped rather than moulded plastic.
The blade is a basic steel alloy, so it dulls faster than an A2 or O1 iron and you will sharpen it more often. That is not a fault at this price. Treat it as a training plane: learn to set the depth wheel, learn to sharpen a bevel consistently, and learn what a sharp cut feels like without risking a Β£70 tool.
The same advice applies as with every budget bench plane, and Amazon prints it on the box: check the sole is flat and sharpen the blade before you use it. Once that is done it will smooth a shelf or trim a door edge perfectly well. If you want to compare hand planing with the powered route, our guide to electric and hand planing sets out when each one wins.
β Pros
- Cast iron body at a very low price
- Easy to adjust for beginners
- Huge number of Amazon ratings to gauge against
- Cheap enough to keep as a second plane
β Cons
- Blade dulls faster than premium steel
- No adjustable frog
- Sole usually needs flattening first
3. Spear & Jackson CBP65 6.5in Carpenters Block Plane
165mm cast iron block plane | Rosewood-stained hardwood handles | Brass fittings | Adjustable mouth
Around Β£24 on Amazon UK
A block plane is the second plane most people buy, and it earns its place faster than you would expect. Because it is short enough to hold in one hand and the blade sits at a low angle, it slices end grain cleanly where a bench plane would crush or tear it. Trimming a door, chamfering a shelf edge and fitting a mitre all become a ten-second job.
Spear & Jackson has been making carpenters' tools in Sheffield for a very long time, and this one follows the classic pattern with a cast iron body, a milled base and brass adjustment. The rosewood-stained handles and brass screw give it a look that costs far more than the asking price suggests.
The 6.5in size is the right first block plane for furniture-scale work. The 9.5in version, the CBP95, gives you more registration on longer edges, and the two together cover nearly every trimming job. Either way, keep it sharp and it will out-cut a cheap chisel on end grain every time.
β Pros
- Clean cuts on end grain
- Traditional pattern with brass and hardwood
- Excellent value for a branded plane
- Small enough to keep in a tool bag
β Cons
- Too short to flatten a whole board
- Blade benefits from a light hone first
- Mouth adjustment is fine rather than precise
4. Stanley 1-12-020 9.5in Block Plane
241mm block plane | Hardened chrome carbon alloy steel cutter | Adjustable jaw | One-hand operation
Around Β£43 on Amazon UK
If you want one block plane to cover a wider range of jobs, the 9.5in Stanley is the sensible upgrade. The extra length registers better on door edges and wide rails, and because it is designed for one-handed use with the blade adjustment sitting under your thumb, you can change the depth mid-cut without putting the tool down.
The cutter is hardened chrome carbon alloy steel, which takes a keener edge than the basic steel in budget planes and holds it noticeably longer. The adjustable jaw controls the mouth opening, so you can close it down for fine work on end grain and open it when you are removing more material.
Stanley's pickup is a fair description, because this plane typically sells for somewhere between Β£30 and Β£43 depending on the seller, and it is worth watching for a dip. If you already own a small block plane, this is the one that replaces it rather than adds to the pile.
β Pros
- Thumb-adjustable blade for one-hand work
- Longer sole registers well on edges
- Hardened steel cutter holds an edge
- Widely stocked, so spares are easy to find
β Cons
- Price swings a lot between sellers
- Heavier than a compact block plane
- Still needs a hone before serious use
5. Jorgensen No.4 Wood Plane, 58mm Blade
254mm ductile iron body | 58mm 9CrWMn blade (O1 equivalent) | Aluminium lever cap | Beech handle | 2.24kg
Around Β£47 on Amazon UK
The Jorgensen sits in the gap between the budget No.4s and the professional bench planes, and it competes hard on materials. The body is ductile iron rather than the grey cast iron used on cheaper planes, which means it resists a knock instead of chipping, and the blade is 9CrWMn steel, an O1 equivalent that sharpens to a finer edge and holds it longer than basic alloy steel.
At 58mm the cutter is wider than the standard 50mm, so you cover a board in fewer passes and the blade stays supported by more of the body. The sole is ground flat and the 2.24kg weight carries the plane through a cut without you having to push hard, which makes a noticeable difference on a long run of boards.
This is the plane to buy if you want a smoother that will still be in the workshop in ten years, but you are not ready to spend premium money on an A2 iron. It also holds resale value better than an unbranded plane, which matters if you later trade up.
β Pros
- Ductile iron body takes knocks better
- O1-equivalent blade holds a keen edge
- Wide 58mm cutter speeds up flattening
- Useful weight for consistent cuts
β Cons
- Heavier than a standard No.4 for fine work
- Blade needs honing out of the box
- Fewer ratings than the big-name alternatives
6. Faithfull No.5 Jack Plane
355mm cast iron jack plane | 50mm cutter | Wooden storage box | 5 year manufacturer guarantee
Around Β£47 on Amazon UK
The jack plane is the middle child of the bench plane family, and it is the one that does the unglamorous work. At 355mm it is long enough to flatten a cupped board and short enough to keep under control, which is why it is usually the first plane of the three that a new woodworker should buy if they are working from rough sawn timber.
Faithfull builds this to the traditional pattern with a precision-machined cast iron body, wooden handles and a cam-lock lever cap that lets you pull the blade for sharpening in seconds. It arrives in a wooden storage box with a five year manufacturer guarantee, which is a genuine comfort when you are spending nearly Β£50 on a hand tool.
The tuned approach with a jack plane is to set it up with a cambered blade, meaning a slight curve across the cutting edge, so you take heavy shavings down the middle of a board and leave the edges alone. Then you finish with a smoother. That combination, plus a solid bench to hold the work, is how you turn rough timber into something flat, and our simple workbench build covers the bench side of it.
β Pros
- Right length for flattening rough boards
- Quick blade removal for sharpening
- Wooden storage box included
- Five year manufacturer guarantee
β Cons
- Heavy for long sessions on a vertical surface
- Not a finishing plane on its own
- Blade steel is basic rather than premium
7. Faithfull No.7 Jointer Plane
555mm cast iron jointer | 60mm cutter | Precision machined sole | Walnut finish handles
From around Β£57 on Amazon UK
Two boards will only glue up invisibly if their edges are dead straight and square, and that is the entire job of a jointer plane. At 555mm the sole is long enough to ride across the high spots of an edge and shave them down, so the finished edge comes out true rather than following the curve of the timber.
The 60mm cutter is wider than the No.5, which means fewer passes along a wide board and less chance of tipping the plane and rounding the edge. The trade-off is weight, and a 555mm cast iron plane is a serious lump to push for an hour. In practice you use it for one job at a time, then put it back in the box.
This is a specialist tool rather than a first purchase, and it makes most sense if you are building tabletops, doors or anything that involves jointing long boards. If you mostly trim and fit, a smoothing plane and a block plane will cover everything you need, and a jointer will sit unused.
β Pros
- Straightens long edges properly
- Wide 60mm cutter for fast coverage
- Machined sole and sides for squareness
- Handles feel good in the hand
β Cons
- Heavy and tiring over long runs
- Specialist tool most people use rarely
- Needs a rigid bench to work properly
8. Amazon Basics No.4 Bench Hand Plane (Grey)
254mm cast iron body | 51mm blade | Adjustable mouth and depth gauge | 2-inch cutter
Around Β£17 on Amazon UK
This is the same family as the wooden-handled Amazon Basics plane above, finished in grey with plastic handles and an adjustable mouth as well as the depth wheel. It regularly sells under Β£20, and it carries the largest number of UK ratings of anything on this list, which tells you it is the plane most people actually buy.
The adjustable mouth is the feature worth noting at this price. You can close it down for a finer cut and open it up when you are removing material quickly, which is unusual on a plane that costs less than a takeaway. The plastic handles are less pleasant than wood over a long session, but they will not split.
Buy this one if you want to experiment with hand planing at the lowest possible cost, or if you need a second plane for site work where it might get knocked about. If the wooden-handled version is only a few pounds more, most people will prefer how it feels.
β Pros
- Lowest price on this list
- Adjustable mouth and depth gauge
- Very large number of owner ratings
- Fine as a knockabout second plane
β Cons
- Plastic handles rather than wood
- Blade needs sharpening before use
- Basic steel dulls quickly
How to Choose a Hand Plane
Start with the size of the job, not the price
Plane sizes are numbered, and the number tells you how long the sole is. A No.4 at 254mm is a smoothing plane, so it follows the shape of the work and leaves a fine finish. A No.5 at 355mm is a jack plane, long enough to flatten a cupped board but short enough to control. A No.7 at 555mm is a jointer, built to straighten the edge of a long board. Buy the size that matches the work you do most, because a plane that is the wrong length for the job will frustrate you no matter how good the steel is.
Cast iron body or nothing
Cheap planes use stamped steel or thin castings that flex as you cut, and no amount of sharpening will fix that. The body needs to be heavy and rigid so the blade stays steady. The two materials worth considering are grey cast iron, which is what most traditional bench planes use, and ductile iron, which handles knocks and drops without chipping. Anything described only as metal or alloy is worth avoiding at this price level.
The blade matters as much as the body
Basic steel alloy blades sharpen quickly but dull quickly too, so you spend more of your evening at the stone than at the bench. Blades in A2 or O1 tool steel hold an edge far longer, and 9CrWMn is the O1 equivalent you will see on mid-range planes. If you are sharpening by hand without a jig, a basic blade is actually easier to learn on. You will also want a honing guide, some stones and something to flatten the sole, because no plane under about Β£70 arrives ready to use. Our picks of the best sharpening stones cover the essentials.
Adjustable frog: the feature that separates good from usable
The frog is the angled block the blade sits on, and on a better plane you can slide it forward to close up the mouth. A tight mouth supports the wood fibres right where the blade cuts, which is what stops tear-out on figured timber. Plenty of budget planes skip this adjustment entirely, and while you can still get a good finish with a tight blade setting, the frog gives you more control when the grain turns against you.
Workholding is part of the tool
A plane only works if the board cannot move, so a rigid bench and a couple of clamps matter as much as the plane itself. A folding workbench is enough for small jobs, but planing a 2 metre board on one is an exercise in frustration. If you are starting out, budget for the workbench before you buy your third plane.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict
For most UK woodworkers the Stanley No.4 Bailey is the plane to buy. It has the adjustable frog, the cast iron body and the spare parts availability you want in a tool you will keep for a decade, and at around Β£60 it is not much more than the mid-range alternatives.
If you are not sure yet, start with the Amazon Basics No.4 at around Β£22, learn the sharpening and setup routine, then decide where to spend properly. Add the Spear & Jackson CBP65 block plane before you add any other bench plane, because trimming and end grain work comes up constantly.
Work from rough sawn timber and you will want the Faithfull No.5 jack plane as well, with the No.7 jointer joining the line-up later if you start glueing up panels. Buy them one at a time as jobs demand, not all at once.
Last reviewed: September 13, 2026 Β· Evidence-based review Β· Contains affiliate links