ALL tools are getting more expensive. The owner of Griz was talking. Iron, transportation, everything going up.
What I know for sure, is both my jointer and planer, I could never do more than a couple boards without nicking a knife. Lux and Byrd heads, not ay more! Sure, I paid twice for the jointer head than I paid for the jointer (Used 6 inch Ridgid) but now it is a tool where I only think about what I am doing not the tool. The DW 735 I do think about duty cycle and never going over 1/16 even for a 2 inch strip. 4 inch, I'll do 1/32. Wider, 1/64 only.
If you need a real planer, then yea, you have to buy a real planer. Woodworking is an expensive hobby. If a occasional user and you have patience, then the DW will do a great job. Long history, ask around. Buy cheap and you will by again. I went from RAS to benchtop to contractor to cabinet saw. Much cheaper to have bought the cabinet in the first place. On my second drill press, and I should have bought the Nova. Started with a Delta lunch box, went to Dewalt. Eventually I'll go for the 3 HP or bigger, so all the time and money spent on lessor tools was flat out wasted. On finish. the PM finish is scraper ready. My DeWalt needs sanding. Not much and I do it by hand, but not scraper ready.
Maybe a hint on pricing. I just found out they no longer make traditional knotted wool rugs in China. No one is willing to work that hard for almost nothing. Production moved to India and Afghanistan. Reminds me of a comment years ago when Nixon was first opening up relations with China again. " First Coke, then McDonalds. Collapse within a year" The reality is as the economy of China booms, the population expects more and won't work for nothing. China still has a big advantage on no pollution controls, but I suspect that will slowly wane. As far as stationary tools, we just don't have the foundries any more. Smelting and foundry are seriously dirty. Matter of fact, I lost a good friend who grew up on Sparrows Point. Lung disease @ 40 directly attributed to the air when he was growing up.