Last updated on May 3rd, 2021
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If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your mitred corners or are used to joining your wood furniture pieces with dowels, check out these biscuit jointers (aka joiners). A biscuit jointer lets you create a hidden joint and no-one can tell how you joined two pieces of wood. This carpentry tool is often used in making fine furniture where you don’t want nails or any other connecting method to mar the elegant lines of the table, chair or cupboard. Joints held with pressed-wood biscuits and glue, as a bonus, biscuit joints help to align the two pieces of wood accurately, so matching up the grain or making sure that the edges of the two pieces are *perfectly* in line is within your carpentry grasp.
Our review of the Best Biscuit Jointers for Joining Two Pieces of Wood Together covers this tool over a range of price points. These jointers are all remarkably similar in their features but we list their individual pros and cons anyways. In discussing their features, we pull out what makes each tool different from the others in this review.
Our Buyer’s Guide is brief and discusses what to look for in each of the key parts of a biscuit jointer.
Our pick for the Best Biscuit Jointer is the Makita PJ7000 240 V Biscuit Jointer. This model has high-quality features that let you create the hidden joins in any fine wood project you construct. For extended use, hook it up to a dust extraction system for constant removal of the wood dust.
The Triton TBJ001 760W electric Biscuit Jointer is a more affordable option to our Best Pick and has most of the same features. It’s not too heavy for long periods of use and is easy to control, this is great if your just getting started.
BEST PICK
Runner-up
Top 4 Best Biscuit Jointers Reviews
1. Makita PJ7000 Biscuit Jointer
BEST PICK
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The Makita PJ7000 Electric Biscuit Jointer is the lightest jointer in our review (2.5kg), so you can manoeuver it around comfortably and for extended periods. It comes in a hard case for the organization of your jointer parts and for its protection, as long as you faithfully put it away after use.
This biscuit jointer has all the features that you need for professionally joined pieces of wood. The choice of six biscuit sizes, including the standard #0, #10 and #20 ones, plus three others gives a wide range of options for how you join your wood pieces. A one-touch control lets you change the depth easily. The smaller biscuits help with alignment and strength of the join though they are fiddly to put in. The diameter of the blade is the standard 100mm with a 22mm bore.
Changing the blade is accomplished easily – just use clamp screws for a safe exchange. The vertical fence is adjustable with angle adjustments at 0°, 45° and 90°. This Makita biscuit cutter comes with the very necessary dust bag though there are the usual online complaints that its capacity is too small. There’s no warning about when the bag is full except that dust starts flying everywhere. However, the rotatable nozzle lets you hook up the jointer to an available dust extraction system, usually a vacuum cleaner or a specialised dust extractor for tools. You may need to buy an additional connector as this nozzle doesn’t fit all vacuums.
Pros
- Premium Electric biscuit jointer for your woodworking tasks.
- Six pre-set cutting depths with one-touch access to the most common biscuit sizes for efficient work.
- The blade cover is easily opened for a quick change of blade.
- Pivot fence is cast aluminium with positive stops at 0°, 45° and 90°.
- Angle guide is adjustable through a combination of the lock lever and a rotatable knob to position the blade in relation to the top of the wood you’re working on.
- Dust bag collects the inevitable wood dust and the dust nozzle swivels to fit into your dust extraction system to keep your workshop as clean as possible.
- Comes in a hard case for storage and protection.
- Numbers:
- Blade diameter: 100mm.
- Blade thickness: 4mm.
- Hole diameter: 22mm.
- Power: 700W and 11,000rpm.
- Weight: 2.5kg.
Cons
- The dust bag is too small. (Common problem)
- The nozzle may not fit all dust extraction systems. (Univeral adaptor needed)
Our recommendation
The Makita PJ7000 Biscuit Jointer is a light, manoeuvrable biscuit jointer that has all the biscuit selections that fine woodworking needs. It’s our choice for Best Biscuit Jointer for this and other jobs where a good connection between two pieces of wood id needed. If your wood working projects require finesse, we recommend this jointer. Overall the quality build plus the accuracy and versatility make this one of the most picks.
Read next: Best dust extractors for biscuit jointers
2. Triton TBJ001 Biscuit Jointer
Runner-up
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The Triton TBJ001 Electric Biscuit Jointer is a more affordable option than our Best Pick but doesn’t have quite as many top-of-the-line features. It’s made of cast aluminium in the base and in the drive housing and fence for strength and durability. At 3.6kg, it’s not too heavy for long periods of joining wood and is still easily controlled but it is heavier than our previous pick by Makita.
The hinged base makes cleaning this jointer a snap and also gives you easy access to change the blade. The removable fence has adjustments from 0° to 90° and up to a height of 40mm for fairly thick wood. The blade is the usual 100mm in diameter. During our research, we noticed that some people found the blade that came with their jointer was quite dull and did not cut cleanly so maybe a new better blade could make this even better.
The Triton TBJ001 is compatible with the regular #0, #10 and #20 biscuits as well as the S6 one. There are six pre-set biscuit choices/depths to select from. One thing we did notice is that there is no lockable switch which means that you always have to have one hand on the ON/OFF switch to operate the tool. This leaves you with one hand to manoeuvre the jointer which may not give you enough control.
The dust bag draws the wood particles up through the blade housing. This keeps the blade clean and cutting efficiently.
Pros
- An affordable model ideal for beginners or DIY enthusiast.
- Electric cast-aluminium biscuit jointer with 760W of oomph for all your joining tasks.
- The removable fence is adjustable from 0° to 90° and from 0mm to 40mm in height for a wide range of joints.
- Works with the most popular biscuits – #0, #10, #20 and S6 so all sizes of joins are covered.
- Dust bag collects all the fine particles of wood power so you avoid breathing them in and harming your lungs.
- Comes with a soft carry bag for transportation between work sites.
- Numbers:
- Blade diameter: 100mm
- Bore diameter: 22mm
- Power: 760W and 11,600rpm.
- Weight: 3.4kg.
Cons
- Has no lockable switch.
- Blade may not very sharp.
Our recommendation
The Triton TBJ001 760W Biscuit Jointer is an affordable biscuit jointer that performs the task well. It may not be as high-end as our Best Pick but it still offers a selection of biscuit sizes as well as a standard size blade. This is our choice for Runner-up in our review as its a good combination of quality, features and affordability. If you are just moving up into fine woodworking or don’t do much work at that level, this jointer is worth looking at.
Read next: Best wood routers
3. Makita DPJ180Z 18V Li-ion LXT Biscuit Jointer
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The Makita DPJ180Z 18V Li-ion LXT Biscuit Jointer is similar to our Best Pick, the Makita PJ7000 Biscuit Jointer, except for one major difference – it’s cordless giving you more flexibility. Run from an 18V battery, the Makita DPJ180Z 18V Jointer gives you the ability to use it anywhere in your workspace unencumbered by an electric cord, plus if you already have other 18v Makita cordless tools, you can use the batteries you already have, saving you some money as you can invest in just the bare tool.
Because it’s battery-driven, this biscuit jointer produces less power than an electric model. You work with a blade that rotates at 6,500rpm instead of at 11,000rpm. This is the trade-off you make for mobility. However, 6,500rpm is still enough power to cut into most woods, even hardwood.
To go with the battery power is a battery charge indicator on the jointer. The scale from three green bars to totally blank bars lets you know how much charge you have left. On a full charge, you’re able to make 300 cuts or 150 joints to give you a rough idea. However, neither the battery nor a charger is included when you by just the bare tool, so keep this in mind when comparing prices. This jointer as another tool in Makitas expanding 18V Lithium-Ion series, but there is a selection of 18V batteries that work with the power tools in that range depending on what Capacity battery you use such as 3Ah, the higher the Ah rating, teh longer the run time. Investigate this further before you make your buying decision, as batteries can be costly.
The electric current limiter is there to protect the jointer from overload, and the warning light comes on if this happens which is a super handy feature. There’s also an anti-restart feature if this situation occurs.
Pros
- Professional cordless biscuit jointer means no cords to worry about and greater flexibility.
- Shaft lock lets you change the battery easily and safely.
- Blade cover opens with clamp screws so you can change the blade as needed.
- Cast aluminium pivot fence is cast aluminium with positive stops at 0°, 45° and 90°.
- Six depth settings include stops for #0, #10 and #20 biscuits along with three other popular sizes.
- Connects to a dust extraction system via the swivel nozzle or you can attach the (included) dust bag.
- Electronic current limit stops the unit from overloading for your safety.
- Numbers:
- Blade diameter: 100mm
- Blade thickness: 4mm
- Bore diameter: 22mm
- Power: 18V battery and 6,500rpm.
- Weight: 3.1kg.
Cons
- Battery and charger are not included unless purchased in a set.
Our recommendation
The Makita DPJ180Z 18V Li-ion LXT Biscuit Jointer offers you the cordless convenience of being completely mobile with your biscuit jointer. For a go-anywhere, lightweight biscuit router, this is a good choice for professionals and DIY enthusiast and if you already have 18v batteries, you only need to invest in the bare tool which put it at a price point similar to the corded best pick. If you do need to also invest in the battery and charger, then it does start to get costly. Overall though, if you looking for a quality biscuit jointer but a cordless model, this is the model we recommend you consider.
4. Ferm Precision Biscuit Jointer
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The Ferm Precision Biscuit Jointer is an electric power tool that suits the woodworker who’s just entering the fine woodcraft arena. This person may not be sure if this level of artisanship is for them and doesn’t want to invest much money in trying it out. This electric tool provides many of the same features as its more expensive counterparts, but not quite at the same level of accuracy, however, it’s still more than good enough for most jobs, most beginners wouldn’t even notice the difference.
This FERM biscuit jointer fits into the (included) hard case with all the bits and pieces that come with it – wrench, joint plates, extra carbon brushes and so on. This jointer has the standard cast aluminium base along with a spindle lock function for safe and easy change of blades. There’s a revolver setting for the popular #0, #10 and #20 size biscuits. The blade is also the standard size but there’s a long 3m power cable if you need to take the jointer outside your workspace.
Some online reviews identify that the accuracy of the settings leaves something to be desired. Some of these users played around with the different parts of the jointer to ensure that the readings were true or figured out by how much the readings were out and compensated for that.
Pros
- Perfect for beginners and those looking for a budget solution.
- Electric biscuit jointer comes in a hard case to keep everything together in your workshop.
- Cast aluminium base plate for maximum stability and accuracy for your fine furniture making.
- Spindle lock function enables easy exchange of saw blades.
- Settings for #0, #10 and #20 biscuits are easily achieved with the revolver setting.
- Fence settings from 0° to 90° are adjustable smoothly by turning a knob.
- Extra-long 3m electric cable gives you more freedom to move around your workspace.
- Dust collection bag saves you from being around too many wood dust particles.
- Numbers:
- Blade diameter: 100mm.
- Bore hole: 22mm.
- Max. cutting depth: 14mm.
- Power: 900W and 11,000rpm.
- Weight: 4.5kg.
Cons
- Blade may be a little quite dull.
- Readings are not as accurate as some of the more premium models.
Our recommendation
The Ferm Precision Biscuit Jointer is a budget-priced electric jointer that saws flooring along a wall as well as lets you join wood using biscuits, overall is a good starter tool.
It handles all the standard biscuit sizes and comes with a hard case and a dust bag. You have everything you need to start to craft wood projects and create those strong joins. Consider buying this biscuit router as an addition to your carpentry tools if you’re on a budget or are not sure if you will like using this type of power tool very often.
Buyer’s Guide
If you’re considering buying a biscuit jointer, then you appreciate the aesthetic value of a hidden connection in any wood piece you craft. This Buyer’s Guide is brief as there isn’t much difference between the biscuit cutters in the serious hobbyist field that we review. We cover what to look for in each of the main features and identify some of the common problems we came across in our research for this article.
For people new to this wood working tool
A biscuit jointer (aka biscuit joiner) has a small circular saw blade that cuts a crescent-shaped hole in the opposite edges of the two pieces of wood you want to join. The biscuit is an oval shape and is made out of compressed wood, usually beech. You then cover the biscuit with glue (or apply glue in the slots), place the biscuit in the slots (half in each) and press the two ends of the wood pieces together. They’re now joined together without anyone seeing how it’s done.
Jointer body
Most biscuits jointers are made from cast aluminium. Cast aluminium is heavier than the tubular metal and there is a difference in the weight of the jointers we write about. If you plan on using your jointer for long periods of time at a stretch, this may be a purchase consideration. Aluminium is strong and durable so your machine shouldn’t fall to pieces.
The handle is also worth looking at. As well as using it to grip and control the tool, it has to strong enough and attached well enough to carry the unit. Look for an ergonomic handle that’s been designed for gripping and for manipulating the jointer accurately.
Power
Most biscuit jointers are powered by mains electricity. Power is usually given in watts and the models we look at range from 700W to 900W. However, the power is transformed into the number of revolutions per minute (rpm) of the cutting blade – the blade’s speed. And even with the difference in wattage, the blade speed of the electric models are all about 11,000rpm. This seems to be a comfortable and efficient speed of the serious hobbyist. Blades at this speed cut through hardwood and produce clean and smooth cuts, even in wood that’s prone to splintering.
One of the models we look at is a cordless model. It runs on an 18V battery and gives a 6,500rpm cutting speed. You give up some speed for the convenience of portability, taking your jointer to different workspaces or work sites. The cordless Makita DPJ180Z 8V Li-ion LXT Biscuit Jointer we review doesn’t come with either a battery or a charger, so that’s an extra expense and this can sometimes be as much as the tool depending on what size battery you opt for, the larger the Ah rating, the longer the battery with last between tools. If you’re leaning this way, check carefully if you need to buy a specialist battery from the brand manufacturer for the unit.
Blade
The blade size advertised with each biscuit cutter is the diameter of the blade. It’s usually 100mm which cuts the slots for the most commonly used biscuit sizes. If you work small, consider purchasing a 50mm blade for the smaller size of biscuits. But check first that the jointer can accept both sizes of blade. The blade has either six or eight teeth, and you may have a preference for one of these.
The blade lock button is one safety feature that you should have. It locks the blade so that it can’t rotate when you’re replacing it.
Many online reviewers seem not to be satisfied with the sharpness of the blades they receive with their biscuit jointer, whatever brand they buy. We suggest buying a separate blade from the manufacturer.
Fence
The fence is a safety guard that rests on the workpiece. It holds the biscuit jointer steady and is adjustable for whatever thickness of wood you work on. On all the models in this article, you can adjust the fence from 0° to 90°, sometimes in pre-defined steps.
Dust collector
The dust collector is another necessary and safety feature. The biscuit jointer puts out a great deal of dust and wood shavings. You do not want these floating around your workspace and entering your lungs. At the very least, you need a dust bag attachment for the jointer to collect the dust particles. The two Makita units here both give you the option to attach an existing dust extraction system (probably your vacuum cleaner) to the jointer and run it for continuous extraction.
However, given that one of these jointers is battery driven and, presumably, selected for its mobility, would you want to be tied down by your vacuum cleaner’s electric cord?
One of the most common complaints from online reviews we came across for any biscuit jointer is that the dust bag is much too small. Having to stop your work, detach the bag and carry it across to the bin is both time consuming and irritating.
Biscuits
The size of the biscuits you choose for a particular project depends in large part on the length of the join between the two pieces of wood and the thickness of the wood. All the jointers in our review take the three standard biscuit sizes: #0 (for 8 to 12 mm thick wood pieces), #10 (for 12 to 15 mm pieces), and #20 (for pieces over 15 mm in thickness).
Most biscuits are made of wood but some are some plastic or PVC biscuits. You can even find metal connectors for the same purpose.
Final Conclusion
Biscuit jointers let you draw people’s attention to the fine quality of your wood artisanship, rather than how you put each piece of that chair together. It’s better to hide the connection method of two pieces of wood entirely than to have someone critique it, for better or worse. The biscuit jointers we review each provide basically the same function, but each has something a little different to offer.
Our Best Pick is the Makita PJ7000 240V Biscuit Jointer. This electric jointer has a one-touch control to change the cutting depth and a choice of biscuit sizes.
Our Runner-up is the more affordable Triton TBJ001 760W Biscuit Jointer. This jointer has a hinged base for easy cleaning of all the wood dust and sawdust that accumulates if you forget to empty the dust bag.
Your biscuit jointer needs the support of other wood working tools, and we have reviews for some of them. Our Best Table Saws article looks at the models that cut your wood cleanly and accurately, and for adding an interesting edge to your work, check out the Best Wood Routers review.
Last update on 2024-11-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
