Smooth and good power. Very finished surface.
Edge guide allowed me to square heavy timber fairly well.
Comments about the trigger lock being out of place are unfounded. I had no issues using the trigger lock on-the-fly. Just takes some practice and intentional movement. It is out of the way enough to avoid accidental engagement. Smart & simple design.

I had a chance to try one of these at a friends house prepping beams for a timber frame and ordered one now that I've started doing larger timber work myself. Smooth tool! I have a 12" Jointer, but this thing will be coming out in my shop for wider panel work to get the surface flat enough quickly after glue up to use hand planes and not spend half my life planing paneling to thickness by hand. Plus it can get a better finish surface in terms of tear out than kanna on difficult hemlock beams. Robust, well built, and with only two blades, not too slow to sharpen properly. Plus, it comes with the cool Japanese crate, a sign that the manufacturer gives a s*** about what's inside.

I look at the market and noticed an offering from a competitor for half the price. Knowing this tool will be used in a commercial setting I went with Makita. This tool is well made and worked better than expected. This planer leaves a beautiful finish with little vibration. I'm sure the competitors tool will do the job, just not sure of the longevity. I have used Makita for years and never let me down.

This is a beast of a machine. If you spend too much time on planing and sanding then this is for you. Don't waste your money on a Ryobi. Do it right the first time. The planer is heavy, but this is a sign of its craftmanship and its intended purpose.

A beast of a hand planer. Very solid and powerful. Depth adjustment is very accurate. Takes 2 hands for sure. Like the swing-down blade protector feature for when the tool is set down, a nice touch that my 3" Makita planer does not have.