Best Biscuit Joiners In [year]

When you talk about construction materials, wood is the first thing that comes in your mind. While you work with wood, the type of tools you’re using determines the quality and outlook of the wooden structure or the furniture you’re making. Biscuit joiners certainly provide great credibility to your woodworking projects. They not only add durability and strength to your structure but also helps you make simple and unique joints without compromising with the quality of your project.

With a slew of options available in the market, it’s overwhelming to find a great biscuit joiner at a suitable price. Thus, we conducted nine hours of research and found the Lamello Classic 101600 to be one of the best biscuit joiners in the market. With Lamello Classic biscuit joiner, you can work on any woodworking project without worrying about the magnitude of your project. We’ve also prepared a buyer’s guide to help you make an intelligent purchase decision.

Best Biscuit Joiners

1. Lamello Classic 101600 Biscuit Joiner – Best For Fine Woodworking

Coming straight from the company that revolutionized woodworking, the Lamello Classic 101600 biscuit joiner provides you a very powerful 780-watt motor. Due to the great reputation of the brand, we set our expectations high for this biscuit joiner.

We found the stop square of this tool to be multifunctional and highly versatile. We were able to create slots easily in a variety of woods. Moreover, we also loved the fixed pivot and rotating front stop that allows you to create strong and precise joints.

The moment we got our hands on it, we found the design of this tool to be ergonomically engineered. It provides you a working angle of 0 to 135 degrees and offers six different depth settings namely 0, 22.5, 45, 67.5, and 90 degrees.

Due to this, we found it to be a great tool for fine woodworking. We were also able to use it with 14 different joining elements. This is a praiseworthy feature because other biscuit joiners can only be used with 5 or 6 joining elements.

While testing this tool, we used it for numerous purposes such as repairing resin pockets and cutting expansion gaps in wood ceilings. It also allows you to make grooves for tongue connections. We were generously impressed with the ability of this tool to work for other purposes.

On the negative side, we believe that the Lamello Classic 101600 is a bit costly. Although it’s a personal preference, we couldn’t find a cheaper tool that works really well and provides great results like Lamello.

Additionally, we also believe that the manufacturers should have included a carrying case with the unit. At such a price point, a sturdy storage case should have been included. Otherwise, the tool itself is great and works like a charm. 

Bottom Line

When talking about joining wood, nothing can beat the competency of Lamello Classic 101600 biscuit joiner. It has a really ergonomic design that makes it highly comfortable to use even with wood like maple or oak. Moreover, its fence, shoe, and slide are made from a single piece of milled metal. It boasts an extremely durable construction that provides you great accuracy in your work. We certainly consider this tool as one of the best biscuit joiners in the market.

2. AOBEN 8.5 Amp Biscuit Joiner – Best For DIY

There are very few power tools like AOBEN available at such a competitive price range. Even if they exist, they’re not as powerful and efficient as the AOBEN 8.5 Amp biscuit joiner. We certainly had a great experience with this tool.

We were able to make five different joints with this tool namely the butt joint, miter joint, corner joint, center joint, and frame joint. Moreover, we were also able to use it for a variety of wood including plywood and solid wood.

It also includes a dust collection bag that fits perfectly in the vent and collects dust efficiently from the area of operation. We noticed that its 4-inch tungsten blade spins at a speed of 11,000 RPM and supports biscuit sizes of 0, 10, and 20.

Furthermore, it has a very sleek and compact design due to which it weights very little. This allows you to carry and operate it with ease. You can even use the tool in manual mode with custom cutting depths.

The adjustable tilt fence of this biscuit joiner can even be locked in any position between 0-90- degrees. After a few angle adjustments, we were able to configure it properly for making rack and pinion joints.

Bottom Line

For the one-third price of a PORTER-CABLE, the AOBEN biscuit joiner is a great value for the money. Specifically, for a DIY hobbyist, this tool provides you everything without putting a burden on your pocket. It works perfectly for aligning and gluing up some pieces of wood together. Moreover, the best part about this tool is its depth adjustment screw.

3. Gino Development 01-0102 Biscuit Plate joiner – Best Cheap Biscuit Joiner

With a 1010-watt motor capable of delivering a rotation speed of 110,000 RPM, the Gino Development 01-0102 is one of the most unique biscuit joiners we’ve ever tested. There’s a lot to explore about this tool and we’ll cover everything one by one.

The preset depth of this tool stops for 0, 10, and 20 sized biscuits. We tested it against the wood of depth 0.55″ and it cut through it smoothly. Moreover, considering the size of its motor, we found this biscuit joiner to be very lightweight.

The best thing about this tool is its ability to support adjustments of wood board with varying thickness. We found it to be compatible with all thicknesses of wood without any limitations. It also provides great control and accuracy.

The only disappointing thing about this biscuit joiner is its dust collection outlet. We noticed that even if it is hooked up to a shop vac (get one) the outlet still gets stuffed with shavings. We believe that the internal chamber could have been made better.

The Gino Development biscuit joiner features an amazing 4-inch carbide-tipped blade. We instantly determined that the blade is built to last for years. Even at lower RPMs, we were able to cut through hardwood and other materials.

We found the speed of this biscuit joiner to be similar to that of the Makita PJ7000. When we explored more, we were amazed to know that both tools possess a lot of similar qualities. But, the Gino Development TruePower was able to cut angles between 0 to 45 degrees.

Talking about the biscuits, this tool again resonates with the Makita PJ700 and is compatible with biscuits 0, 10, and 20. We found that the maximum cutting depth of this tool to be slightly higher than half an inch.

Bottom Line

All in all, we found the Gino Development TruePower biscuit joiner to be a very well-built tool. The angle and height adjustments work pretty well except the depth adjustments that feel slightly sloppy and loose. The cuts were accurate and the speed is flawless in this tool. It provides a great value for money and is one of the best biscuit joiners in the market.

4. Ryobi JM83K Biscuit Joiner Kit

The Ryobi JM83K biscuit joiner kit features an 8-inch tooth blade with carbide tips. It has several unique features that allow you to make precise and accurate slots in wood. We found the over-molded levers of this tool to be very comfortable.

When you work with your wood crafts for a very long time, it brings tiredness and fatigue in long term. However, Ryobi provided us an enhanced comfort and lesser weariness while operating. The design of this tool is engineered with ergonomics.

We also found the motor of this biscuit joiner to be extremely powerful. It operates at 6 Amps and provides a speed of 10,000 RPM. Moreover, the angle of cuts for this joiner range from 0 to 135 degrees. We also found that the stops also vary from 0 to 135 degrees for this saw.

The on-off mechanism of this tool operates with a trigger switch. The user needs to grasp the device with one hand and place the other hand on the back lever. We loved how the twofold grip allows you to select from multiple positions of the hand.

We also found that the tool provides carbide-tipped blades and accurate fences with both rack and pinion adjustments.  This makes it ideal for making both 4 inch and 2-inch biscuits to join two pieces of wood.

Bottom Line

With its unique pistol-grip handle, the Ryobi JM83K biscuit joiner kit performed really well in our tests. It has a plastic insert at the center with markings that makes alignment less painful. Although the insert seems fragile and flimsy, it can certainly get the job done pretty well. The best thing about this tool is its vertical motor with helical gears that elevates the trigger 4 inches above the blade.

5. VonHaus 8.5 Amp Biscuit Plate Joiner

VonHaus might not be the most affordable tool on the list but its power and accuracy provide you great value for money. We used it to make a variety of joints and it worked flawlessly all the time. It is a perfect choice for making corner joints, T-joints, miter joints, and butt joints.

It features an extremely powerful 8.5 Amp motor that operates in 120V of power. There are t5hree preset depth stops of 0, 10, and 20. Moreover, we loved its 4-inch blade that spins with a speed of 10,000 RPM. It is certainly a great fit for small and mid-sized projects.

The moment we hold it in our hands, we were impressed with its lightweight body. Considering its powerful motor, it was very easy to handle and transport. We were able to use it on a variety of wood materials such as hardwood and oakwood.

Talking about the quality of joints, we were able to get highly accurate joints all the time, especially miter and T-joints. We love how the preset depth stops allow you to start using it right out of the box. We also found that the fence of this tool is completely adjustable.

We were able to set the right angles for miter joints within a minute. We were also impressed with its ergonomic design. The handle grip is very large and can fit on both smaller and larger hands. Moreover, you can also use it for a longer time without any user fatigue.

Bottom Line

If you have a moderate budget, we would definitely suggest you go with the VonHaus 8.5 Amp biscuit plate joiner ( porter cable has an alternative ). Although it does not include a rack and pinion height adjustment feature, the tool includes all the features that you need to begin your journey in biscuit joining.

6. Makita PJ7000 Plate Joiner

While most of the top plate joiners are corded, Makita aims to make your lives easier with their PJ7000 cordless plate joiner. It includes an 18-volt battery like other Makita tools. We didn’t purchase a separate battery and just took one from our other Makita tool.

We noticed that is has a powerful 6.5 Amp motor that provides a speed of 11,000 RPM. The combination of power and speed in this tool is ideal for quick and precise cutting in any type of wood according to us.

We also found that it provides a tool-less adjustment using a rack and pinion vertical fence system. Moreover, there are six different depth settings for most common biscuit sizes with one-touch stops including 0, 10, and 20.

The feature that we love the most is its angle guide and fence adjustments that are achievable with the help of easy and large cam lock available in the tool. We also found its rack and pinion fence system to be ideal for accurate fence adjustments.

While using it, we had to deal with a lot of dust and debris. The tool includes a sliding clip to attach a dust bag that collects all the dust and debris. It also allows you to adjust the direction of the dust port in case you don’t want to empty the bag while working on your project.

Bottom Line

Overall, the Makita PJ7000 is a very capable cordless plate joiner that can perform well in any circumstances. Whether you want to make common cuts or deep and angled cuts, it can be easily configured as per your requirements. Moreover, the toolless blade cover and a handy case add more value to this diligently designed plate joiner. If you do not mind not having a handle on the fence, you must go for it.

7. PORTER-CABLE 7 Amp Plater Joiner Kit

If you live for the quality of cuts, you must take a look at PORTER-CABLE 557 biscuit joiner. It features a powerful 7 Amp motor. With such good power, we were able to cut both softwood and hardwood without any efforts.

We also found that the blade spins at a speed of 10,000 RPM. The accuracy and cleanliness of cuts are surely a praiseworthy thing in this tool. The fence of PORTER-CABLE 577 plate joiner tilts from 0-135 degrees. This is much higher than other tools like DEWALT DW682K.

Due to its greater tilt, we found it perfect for doing miter joints and performing biscuit joinery both inside and outside the material. It also includes a positive adjustable stop at 90 degrees that helps you to lock the tool while cutting joints at such a popular angle.

We also loved how the rack and pinion system of this biscuit joiner makes fine adjustments a cakewalk. If you make constant adjustments to your tool; this feature will make the process a lot less painful for you.

It also offers seven depth stops for 0, 10, and 20. We loved how it can handle a great variety of wood and provides seven different settings for cutting. The handles are also large and comfortable with a plastic coating on them.

Bottom Line

Overall, what we like about the PORTER-CABLE 557 plate joiner is the quality and accuracy of its cuts. It not only provides you the ability to work with numerous biscuit sizes but also delivers results based on your needs.

8. DEWALT DW682K 6.5 Amp Plate Joiner Kit

Falling back to the decent range of tools, the DeWalt DW682K plate joiner provides you a motor of 6.5 Amps. Although we understand that a powerful motor is necessary, we found this tool to be a great match for accurate and professional wood carving.

While working with it, we noticed that the tool doesn’t leave any splinters and provides a perfect split that fits the biscuit nicely. The blades of this tool spin at a rapid speed of 10,000 RPM. We were able to cut through a variety of materials easily.

It provides a maximum cutting capacity of 100mm and a maximum cutting depth of 20 mm. We noticed that it works with common biscuit sizes of 0, 10, and 20. We were also able to adjust the size as per our requirements.

We were impressed with the versatility of the fence of this tool while working with miter joints. It is made out of a single-design non-marring aluminum shoe. This provides the tool an angular adjustment of 0-90 degrees.

It can also be locked to a certain position with the help of a knob. We were also able to calibrate the depth of setting f 20mm with the gauge. The tool allows you to make fine adjustments of the fence and joiner nose to match the blade alignment.

Bottom Line

If you have a limited budget, we’d definitely recommend the DeWalt DW682K because of its competitive price. It is very easy to handle and works really well. We were generously impressed with the build quality of this tool.

Buyer’s Guide – How To Choose The Best Biscuit Joiners

As you read the in-depth reviews about the products above, you may already have made your choice. However, if you’re still confused with the selection, read our buyer’s guide below. It’ll help you understand your requirements for a biscuit joiner.

1. Reliability

While buying biscuit joiners, you will have to invest a significant amount of money in your tool inventory. Therefore, you must consider the reliability of your tool before purchasing it. The most prominent way to determine the trust and reliability of a product is by looking at the manufacturer’s warranty. If a manufacturer provides you a long-lasting warranty, naturally the tool will have a great build quality. Moreover, even if it stops working somehow, you can get it repaired or replaced form the manufactures. We found the Lamello Classic 101600 biscuit joiner to be the best in terms of reliability. The company is known to provide high-quality products and covers a long-term warranty.

2. Power Options

In general, there are two major types of biscuit joiners available in the market – cordless and corded. While you’ll need a continuous power supply for corded tools, they’ll definitely provide you higher power output. On the opposite side, the cordless biscuit joiners are powered by batteries that provide them great portability and doesn’t require a continuous source of power. However, you’ll notice that the power of cordless biscuit joiners will be comparatively lower than that of corded tools. Without any doubt, the AOBEN 8.5 Amp Biscuit Joiner is the most powerful tool in the list. It operates with a powerful 6 Amp motor and is capable of providing faster and cleaner cuts.

3. Cutting Depth

The type of biscuits that you can use for the joint depend majorly on the depth of the cut of your tool.  A very low number of tools from this rundown can provide you the ability to customize the depth of cuts as per your requirements. In that case, you can either adjust the depth settings or the machine or use a different blade for varying purposes. When your tool provides you the ability to adjust the depth of cuts, you will be able to freely chose the perfect biscuit size for the type of joint you need to make. According to our research, the Gino Development 01-0102 Biscuit Plate joiner has the highest depth of cutting.

4. Weight

When it comes to hand-operated power tools, weight is always a dominating factor. If your biscuit joiners possess more weight, you will need more effort to operate the tool. In a similar manner, when you use a lightweight biscuit joiner, you will require lesser efforts to operate it. However, the weight of your tool is dependent on the battery or motor used in it. Therefore, if you are planning to use the tool for an extended time, you must consider choosing a lightweight and ergonomic model. We found the Ryobi JM83K Biscuit Joiner Kit to be the most comfortable tool out of all. It has over-molded handles that provide a comfortable grip and the tool is engineered ergonomically for ease of usage.

5. Cutting Speed

For a biscuit joiner, the cutting speed is depended majorly on the type of motor used in it. With a more powerful motor, you will be able to attain faster and higher cutting speeds that will make your operation quick. In a similar way, if you use a plate joiner with a less powerful motor, you will not only require more time to complete your operation but also have to deal with issues such as inaccurate cuts and overheating of your tool. The speed of a motor is calculated in terms of RPM (rotations per minute) and higher RPM means a more powerful motor. In our list of best biscuit joiners, we found the VonHaus 8.5 Amp Biscuit Plate Joiner to have the fastest cutting speed powered by a 120V motor.

6. Blade Diameter

The supported blade diameter is one of the most important features of biscuit joiners. The supported blade diameter determines the possible cutting dimensions of your tool. In general, you can find biscuits of 4 inches in length. Therefore, to work with them, you will require a blade of 4 inches in diameter. However, it is virtually not possible to find 4-inch biscuits every time. Sometimes, it can even split the wood into two parts and in that case, you need a 2-inch blade to make smaller cuts.

FAQs

1. How does a biscuit joiner work?

A biscuit joiner works with the help of a small circular saw blade that cuts a crescent-shaped hole, also known as the mouth. The hole is made in the edges opposite to the wood composite panels. After that, a highly dried piece of compressed wooden biscuit in oval shape is covered in glue. At last, the biscuit is placed in the slot and the boards are clamped together. The wet glue further improves the bond by expanding the biscuit.

2. Is a plate joiner the same as a biscuit joiner?

Yes, “plate joiner” and “biscuit joiner” are just different names for the same tool. Actually, the term “biscuit joiner” is more common and widely used in the United States. The tool is used to cut slots in two different pieces of wood to join them. The slots are used to attach crescent-shaped pieces of wood known as a biscuit. This helps in aligning the board and providing greater strength to the joint.

3. How do you join a board without a biscuit joiner?

There are numerous techniques to join two pieces of wood without using a biscuit joiner. The most popular way is wood joinery that includes artistic methods of joining two pieces of wood together by cutting their edges. Some major wood joinery techniques are Mortise, Mitered Joint, Butt Joint, and Tenon Joint. However, these techniques are not much accurate and leave an odd finish on the wood.

4. When should I use a biscuit joiner?

A biscuit joiner is extremely crucial when you need to join project parts in a quick and reliable way. You should always use them when you need to add durability and strength to your woodworking project.

5. Can a router be used as a biscuit joiner?

Technically, it is possible to make joints using a router. However, routers can never substitute biscuit joiners because they can only cut through the edges of a board and not across its face. Moreover, a router can only cut through square edges and no beveled edges. Due to this, it can never be used as a biscuit joiner.

The Takeaway

If you look online, you will find numerous different types of biscuit joiners. Each tool has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. During our reviews, we ensured that we cover everything about biscuit joiners. Our list includes all the best biscuit joiners in the market. All you need to do is determine your requirements and how much you are willing to pay for a biscuit joiner. Once you are clear about your needs, just pick the one that fits the bill for you.