Router combo kits-wood working review router

For mid-size routers with 1.75- to 2.25-hp motors, reviews often recommend router combo kits as the best buy. The motor can mount on either the fixed or the plunge base, usually with quick release levers for easy changes. Some woodworkers keep the fixed base mounted in a router table, using the plunger base for freehand work. Since you're only buying one motor, this option costs less than buying two separate routers, but there are some drawbacks. It takes extra time to switch bases, the bit size is usually limited to about 2 inches and the motors are usually 2.25-hp or less -- too small for heavy-duty jobs or continuous use.

Four 2.25-hp router combo kits, all with soft-start variable-speed motors, get the best reviews: The Bosch 1617EVSPK (*est. $220) plus the more expensive DeWalt DW618PK (*est. $240) , the Porter-Cable 895PK (*est. $270) and the new Milwaukee 5616-24 (*est. $250) . The most recent review we found of router combo kits is in the June 2007 issue of Popular Woodworking, where the 13-amp Milwaukee 5616-24 router kit gets top ranking. Woodworker Troy Sexton praises it as the smoothest running, with the least vibration. Controls are easy to reach whether the router is used handheld or table-mounted, and it's easy to change bits.

The Milwaukee 5616-24 router kit is not included in comparative reviews at Fine Woodworking or Taunton's Tool Guide issues, but a brief single product report at FineWoodworking.com praises it for low vibration and smooth plunge action. A review at Tools of the Trade Online also praises the plunge action, but notes that the depth adjustment can slip a little due to an undersized thumb screw. It can be tightened with pliers, but that could eventually strip the threads. The cord placement also requires extra care to avoid an accident.

In Taunton's 2007 Tool Guide, Bosch and Porter-Cable router kits share the Editors' Choice award. A few models are also included in the more recent Fine Woodworking review of wood routers for table-mounted use. The Bosch 1617EVSPK kit (*est. $220) includes the router ranked second by readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding. (Readers' top choice is the Triton MOF001KC plunge router, but Triton doesn't make a router combo kit.)

Taunton Press editors recommend the Bosch 1617EVSPK router kit if you plan to use the router as a handheld, especially for plunge routing -- though the fixed base has excellent depth adjustment too. The Bosch 1617 router has less vibration and better plunge performance than the Porter-Cable woodworking router, as well as more comfortable handles. The Bosch's fixed base offers easier bit changing and depth adjustment too.

For table-mounted use, the Taunton Press review recommends the Porter-Cable 895PK wood router combo kit (*est. $270) , since a long T-wrench makes it easy to adjust the depth from above the table. It also has two switches: one easier to reach when the router is table-mounted, the other easy to reach when using it freehand. It's also easier to change bases on the Porter-Cable wood router than on any of the other five routers tested, and the depth stop system is better. Tests at Fine Woodworking also rate it the quietest router combo kit, though at 87 decibels you still need ear protection. Reviews at About.com give top rating to the similar Porter-Cable 893PK router kit (*est. $260) , which adds a spindle lock for one-wrench bit changes.

Workbench Magazine's review of router combo kits praises the smooth plunge action and tool-less base changing on the Bosch 1617EVSPK wood router, but notes that the plastic chip shield fills quickly, obscuring the view. Owners complain about this at Amazon.com, too, along with some repair problems, though the Bosch router kit gets slightly higher ratings there than the Porter-Cable 895PK. Owners complain even more about a variety of quality-control problems at Porter-Cable, and both it and Bosch get low marks for customer service and repair time. Both brands carry only a one-year warranty.

The DeWalt DW618PK (*est. $240) carries a three-year warranty and gets top ranking at Popular Woodworking based on editors' two-year "endurance tests" for durability. Router expert Pat Warmer also recommends it, and owners reviewing router combo kits at Amazon.com give the DeWalt DW618PK higher average ratings than either the Bosch or Porter-Cable router kits. Changing bases is easy, and Wood Magazine's review of router combo kits praises the bit adjustment and self-releasing collets. An optional D-handle base (*est. $80) is designed for one-handed routing. The kit comes with two clear Lexan bases, one that accepts Porter-Cable bushings and another with a larger opening for bigger bits. Since the DeWalt has a better track record for durability (based on the available reviews), we've included it in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers for a mid-sized router combo kit.

The 12-amp Ridgid R2930 (*est. $200) is tested in the Fine Woodworking review of wood routers for router tables, where tests show the bit has only slightly more runout than the top-ranked Triton MOF001KC plunge router (*est. $200) . The drawback is that bit changing is quite inconvenient when it's mounted in a router table. A single-product review in the Woodworker's Journal eZine praises the Ridgid wood router as "smooth, powerful and feature-rich," with minimal vibration and a quiet soft-start motor. Like all Ridgid power tools, it carries a lifetime warranty once registered.

In addition to dust control ports on both bases, the Ridgid R2930 router kit features LED lights to illuminate handheld routing, plus a lighted plug so you can tell when it's plugged in. Another single-product review in Workbench Magazine praises the Ridgid R2930 router kit for these extra features plus excellent cutting-depth adjustment, smooth plunge action and comfortable handles and controls. It gets a lower rating in a Wood Magazine review; dust collection is deemed excellent but plunge action is stiff, and changing the base is awkward.

As a budget choice, the 2.25-hp Skil 1825 (*est. $100) is recommended in more reviews than any other in its price range. This router kit has variable speed and a work-activated LED light, and you can zero in the depth adjustment. However, at this price you do lose a lot of features. The maximum depth is only 1.5 inches, an inch less than many others (such as the DeWalt router kit above). The Skil 1825 doesn't have a soft-start EVS motor or self-releasing collets, and adjusting the depth can be tedious. Instead of a separate quarter-inch collet, it just has an adapter. Reviews say that adapters like this often don't grip as well or last as long. Tests at Popular Woodworking show more collet runout than the ideal, so the bits wobble a little. Dust control requires buying accessories (*est. $45) which would bring the price close to that of a better router.

Ratings in the Taunton 2006 Tool Guide review show the Skil 1825 performs better with its fixed base -- it's only "fair" for plunge performance, changing bit depth in the plunge base and changing bases. On all other factors, though, the ratings are higher, and switch location and handle comfort are excellent. It comes with a two-year warranty, and though the average rating at Amazon.com isn't impressive, most of that is due to criticisms of customer support; owners agree that the Skil 1825 is a good deal for the money. Professional reviews recommend it if you only need a wood router for occasional use.