A few years ago I picked up the HF 7" rabetting jointer. With coupons and the sale price it was somewhere below $200. Assembly of this jointer is insanely horrible, with incorrect instructions and the requirement of both SAE and metric tools (on the same bolt/nut!). You really have to go through the entire assembly instructions, then compare them to what you have, then grab a beer and torch the instructions. You're gonna be here a while. Setup takes a very long time because nothing is pre-adjusted. You will have to parallel the tables (an arduous process), adjust the knives, etc etc. I also had to make a trip back to the store when the fence lock broke right off the first time I tightened it.

Oh yeah, the fence lock. What a useless piece of crap. I was always afraid to crank it down because it feels like it will break off again, but since it only holds from one end, it never feels solid. You can't push against the fence or you'll end up with a knicked board. I wasted a lot of perfectly good wood. A jointer is your last step for a board, so expectedly it's already nearly at the required dimensions. Knick it and you're done if the dimension is critical (which it usually is of course).

Pretty much every time I used it, I found myself annoyed and having to fiddle with something. Adjusting the tables is a huge pain. The fence...nearly unusable. I was never able to get any joy from this tool, and felt that jointers were just useless things that only experts can learn to use.

There is no provision for dust collection, just a "chip chute" down one side. I was able to attach a large DC hood with 4" connector using double-stick tape. However since there's no intentional routing of vacuum, there is a lot of chip spray off the cutter head both against the cut and to the sides.

Enter the Jet ($449). I was convinced by several people that I really needed to have a jointer for a project I'm working on, and I couldn't see another way to get what I needed (perfect 45 degree miters for a cabinet). The local woodworking store had a couple people who owned the Jet and a Grizzly, and both swore I would love the Jet. They guaranteed it in fact, I could bring it back.

I ended up taking home the floor demo, it was their only one, so I can't comment on assembly. However I read the directions and looked at the cabinet, and it appears MUCH simpler than the HF. Almost everything was adjusted properly to begin with (store personnel assured me they did not adjust it, just put it on the stand to show). Tables were perfectly parallel and knives were in place. The only adjustments I needed to make were to the fence stops, and they were already within about .2 degree each. I wanted it more precise, so I spent a few minutes with a digital angle gauge and some tools. The stops are solid, the fence adjustment is fantastic, and the entire mechanism flows smoothly, unlike the HF which often had me looking for a hammer.

A 4" dust collection fitting is provided, and it does a very good job. There is a small amount of chip spray away from the cut, but very small. After a LOT of cuts, I would say there is less than a handful. Chip collection is better with the guard in place, most of the chips that were not picked up by the DC happened during cuts without the guard.

From the first cut, I knew I had discovered what a jointer is supposed to be. The machine is vibration-free and quiet, unlike the HF. Cuts are smooth, the motor is powerful. The fence is solid and accurate, without the possibility of pushing it out of place. I've suddenly found myself running nearly every board through the jointer just to get that perfect edge, even where it won't be visible, just because I can. Precision fit-ups are so much easier because I simply cut pieces slightly big, then take 1/64th off with a pass, test fit, and repeat as needed.

Overall I am 100% pleased with this purchase, and I truly wish I'd done it sooner. The guy at the wood store said that the first two tools any woodworker should have are a table saw and a jointer. Now I agree with him.