Plunge routers, though a little top-heavy compared with fixed-base routers, are usually considered the safer type, because they keep the sharp cutting bit above the base when you're not actually routing. Plunge routers excel at any type of inside grooving or cutting, either freehand or following a template. It's easier to make several passes to deepen a groove with a plunge router, since you can change the depth with the motor turned on.
Since a plunge router can do the same tasks as a fixed-base router, some expert reviews advise buying a plunge router if you must choose only one, even though they're a bit more complicated to learn to use. Plunge routers have two spring-loaded columns that retract the cutting bit above the base, and then let you plunge the bit down straight into the wood. Most plunge routers now use a soft-start EVS motor to maximize your control. Quick depth adjustments are also important, since you can make them on the fly while the motor's running.
The 10-amp Craftsman 17517 (*est. $140) is the first plunge router to offer a digital display showing the depth setting. We found no comparison reviews that include this new router, but Popular Woodworking tests it in the November 2006 issue, finding that this feature works well only when the wood router is handheld rather than mounted in a router table. The Craftsman wood router also loses points for a dust chute that clogs right away. A Wood Magazine review rates it higher, finding no problem with dust collection, but noting some play that makes repeated cuts gradually lose accuracy. However, owners reviewing the Craftsman 17517 plunge router at Sears.com give it a near-perfect rating, praising the way the digital readout makes it easier to set the depth of cut.
The 10-amp DeWalt DW621 plunge router (*est. $220) , which collects dust through the column, is a favorite at Popular Woodworking and an Editors' Choice in an earlier review at American Woodworking. Owners reviewing it at Amazon.com give it mixed reviews, however, finding it nice for freehand use but inconvenient when mounted in a router table. As a budget choice, Popular Woodworking recommends the Firestorm FS1200RP plunge router (*est. $80), giving it a relatively high rating of 4 (out of a possible 5). The Firestorm wood router also collects dust through the column in a convenient way, but is bulkier and less accurate than the DeWalt router.
In past years, fixed-base rather than plunge routers have been recommended most for use in a router table. However, a plunge router is the top pick for router table use in the most recent Fine Woodworking review. Editors give both the Editors' Choice and Best Value awards to the new 2.25-hp (12-amp) Triton MOF001KC (*est. $200) . A survey of over 9,000 readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding magazines also gives this Triton plunge router top ranking as the best router overall.
Owners reviewing the 2.25-hp Triton plunge router at Amazon.com also give it top marks for its superior dust control, low runout (for accurate cuts) and easy adjustments even when table-mounted. It's also a relative bargain, with templates, edge guide and circle-cutting guide included in the price. Triton wood routers carry a three-year warranty. Overall, the 2.25-hp Triton plunge router is a natural ConsumerSearch Fast Answers choice for general router use. However, router guru Pat Warner warns that mid-sized routers like this aren't powerful enough for more than brief table-mounted use.
Since a plunge router can do the same tasks as a fixed-base router, some expert reviews advise buying a plunge router if you must choose only one, even though they're a bit more complicated to learn to use. Plunge routers have two spring-loaded columns that retract the cutting bit above the base, and then let you plunge the bit down straight into the wood. Most plunge routers now use a soft-start EVS motor to maximize your control. Quick depth adjustments are also important, since you can make them on the fly while the motor's running.
The 10-amp Craftsman 17517 (*est. $140) is the first plunge router to offer a digital display showing the depth setting. We found no comparison reviews that include this new router, but Popular Woodworking tests it in the November 2006 issue, finding that this feature works well only when the wood router is handheld rather than mounted in a router table. The Craftsman wood router also loses points for a dust chute that clogs right away. A Wood Magazine review rates it higher, finding no problem with dust collection, but noting some play that makes repeated cuts gradually lose accuracy. However, owners reviewing the Craftsman 17517 plunge router at Sears.com give it a near-perfect rating, praising the way the digital readout makes it easier to set the depth of cut.
The 10-amp DeWalt DW621 plunge router (*est. $220) , which collects dust through the column, is a favorite at Popular Woodworking and an Editors' Choice in an earlier review at American Woodworking. Owners reviewing it at Amazon.com give it mixed reviews, however, finding it nice for freehand use but inconvenient when mounted in a router table. As a budget choice, Popular Woodworking recommends the Firestorm FS1200RP plunge router (*est. $80), giving it a relatively high rating of 4 (out of a possible 5). The Firestorm wood router also collects dust through the column in a convenient way, but is bulkier and less accurate than the DeWalt router.
In past years, fixed-base rather than plunge routers have been recommended most for use in a router table. However, a plunge router is the top pick for router table use in the most recent Fine Woodworking review. Editors give both the Editors' Choice and Best Value awards to the new 2.25-hp (12-amp) Triton MOF001KC (*est. $200) . A survey of over 9,000 readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding magazines also gives this Triton plunge router top ranking as the best router overall.
Owners reviewing the 2.25-hp Triton plunge router at Amazon.com also give it top marks for its superior dust control, low runout (for accurate cuts) and easy adjustments even when table-mounted. It's also a relative bargain, with templates, edge guide and circle-cutting guide included in the price. Triton wood routers carry a three-year warranty. Overall, the 2.25-hp Triton plunge router is a natural ConsumerSearch Fast Answers choice for general router use. However, router guru Pat Warner warns that mid-sized routers like this aren't powerful enough for more than brief table-mounted use.
If you want to work mainly in a router table, the larger 3.25-hp (15-amp) Triton TRC001 plunge router (*est. $330) has similar features to the Triton MOF001KC, with more power for heavy-duty continuous use or for deep cuts in hardwood. However, instead of coming with two collets (half-inch and quarter-inch), it comes with a half-inch collet plus a quarter-inch adapter. This seems like a minor difference, but a 2006 comparative review in Workbench magazine finds that it does cause some bit slippage -- a major drawback in a wood router.
In this bigger size range, reviews prefer the 15-amp Bosch 1619EVS (*est. $310) , although the Triton gets points for better dust control, easier bit-changing and a longer warranty. The Bosch 1619EVS has a big 3.75-inch base opening for excellent visibility and ease of use with large bits, while the Triton base opening is 3.125 inches, just above the minimum that reviews recommend. Like the Triton wood routers, Bosch routers have variable-speed and soft-start motors with electronic speed control, but the Bosch carries only a one-year warranty. Owners at Amazon.com praise both routers.
As a budget choice for a big "monster" router, reviewers like the Hitachi M12V2 (*est. $210) , which updates the Hitachi M12V by adding dust collection and self-releasing collets. It carries a five-year warranty and has a big 3.5-inch base opening. The Hitachi handles rotate to any of three positions, which for some people could make a significant difference in comfort and control.
This newer Hitachi plunge router hasn't been included in any comparative reviews, but the older Hitachi M12V didn't perform as well as the Bosch 1619EVS in tests at Wood Magazine. Owners reviewing routers at Amazon.com give the Bosch a slightly higher average rating than the Hitachi M12V2. Some Hitachi router owners report quality control problems, with parts arriving defective or broken, or breaking soon after the purchase. The height adjustment knob seems to be an especially vulnerable part.
Reviews recommend the Worx WT600K (*est. $200) plunge router as an alternate budget choice in this size range for router table use. Editors at Workbench Magazine give the Worx router their Top Value award, finding it not only affordable but compact and uncomplicated to use, though tests show "some slop in the plunge." The Worx router uses two ports for dust collection -- one in the base and one in an edge guide included in the kit. Either port connects with a shop vacuum, but Worx includes a dust bag too. Not surprisingly, an in-depth review of the Worx router at American Router magazine finds the dust collection efficient. The Worx WT600K carries a two-year warranty.
Expert reviews note that few people try to use a router of this size as a handheld router, but Wood Magazine editors recommend the DeWalt DW625 (*est. $240) for this purpose. The review notes that mounting the DeWalt wood router in a table makes adjusting the bit height tedious. However, this router gets high marks for smooth plunge action, and an older review at American Woodworker gives it the Editors' Choice award.
Judging by earlier reviews of Festool routers praising their dust control, precision and quality build, we'd have expected the 3.25-hp Festool OF 2000 E router (*est. $430) to do well in comparative tests. However, four different comparison reviews rank other routers a better buy. The Festool plunge routers are designed for handheld use, while the routers discussed above also work well mounted in a router table. Workbench Magazine finds the Festool router's controls and depth adjustment awkward, too. The Festool router doesn't come with a quarter-inch collet, and has only a single-stage depth adjustment, which slows the process.
In this bigger size range, reviews prefer the 15-amp Bosch 1619EVS (*est. $310) , although the Triton gets points for better dust control, easier bit-changing and a longer warranty. The Bosch 1619EVS has a big 3.75-inch base opening for excellent visibility and ease of use with large bits, while the Triton base opening is 3.125 inches, just above the minimum that reviews recommend. Like the Triton wood routers, Bosch routers have variable-speed and soft-start motors with electronic speed control, but the Bosch carries only a one-year warranty. Owners at Amazon.com praise both routers.
As a budget choice for a big "monster" router, reviewers like the Hitachi M12V2 (*est. $210) , which updates the Hitachi M12V by adding dust collection and self-releasing collets. It carries a five-year warranty and has a big 3.5-inch base opening. The Hitachi handles rotate to any of three positions, which for some people could make a significant difference in comfort and control.
This newer Hitachi plunge router hasn't been included in any comparative reviews, but the older Hitachi M12V didn't perform as well as the Bosch 1619EVS in tests at Wood Magazine. Owners reviewing routers at Amazon.com give the Bosch a slightly higher average rating than the Hitachi M12V2. Some Hitachi router owners report quality control problems, with parts arriving defective or broken, or breaking soon after the purchase. The height adjustment knob seems to be an especially vulnerable part.
Reviews recommend the Worx WT600K (*est. $200) plunge router as an alternate budget choice in this size range for router table use. Editors at Workbench Magazine give the Worx router their Top Value award, finding it not only affordable but compact and uncomplicated to use, though tests show "some slop in the plunge." The Worx router uses two ports for dust collection -- one in the base and one in an edge guide included in the kit. Either port connects with a shop vacuum, but Worx includes a dust bag too. Not surprisingly, an in-depth review of the Worx router at American Router magazine finds the dust collection efficient. The Worx WT600K carries a two-year warranty.
Expert reviews note that few people try to use a router of this size as a handheld router, but Wood Magazine editors recommend the DeWalt DW625 (*est. $240) for this purpose. The review notes that mounting the DeWalt wood router in a table makes adjusting the bit height tedious. However, this router gets high marks for smooth plunge action, and an older review at American Woodworker gives it the Editors' Choice award.
Judging by earlier reviews of Festool routers praising their dust control, precision and quality build, we'd have expected the 3.25-hp Festool OF 2000 E router (*est. $430) to do well in comparative tests. However, four different comparison reviews rank other routers a better buy. The Festool plunge routers are designed for handheld use, while the routers discussed above also work well mounted in a router table. Workbench Magazine finds the Festool router's controls and depth adjustment awkward, too. The Festool router doesn't come with a quarter-inch collet, and has only a single-stage depth adjustment, which slows the process.
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