For anyone looking for a full-on planer-thicknesser I bought the
scheppach hms260 about a year ago (after umming and ahhing about a
dewalt and electra-beckum instead) - and found it ideal (I would change
nothing about it) right up to it's maximum dimensions (though 300mm
width would be useful now and again, the price stepis significant).

How do people cope with thicknesser only? Surely the moment you
encounter some bowed boards you're stuck with an irregularity only a
surface planer can remove?