The Best Wood Routers To Use In Your Woodworking Projects (According To Reviews)
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Whether you’re a professional woodworker or looking to up your DIY game, a high-quality wood router can be an essential part of your tool kit. Equipped with a rotating blade attached to a flat base, a router can be used to cut, trim, shape, and hollow out wood for any number of purposes. This includes rounding edges on trim and furniture you’re building, creating slots for drawer bottoms and the like, and flush-trimming wood, laminate, and veneer.
Wood routers also come in very handy in decorative applications, as they can be used for precision cutting and to carve decorative edges, as well as be used with custom stencils or templates to create letters and other images. You’ll want to know how you plan to use a router before purchasing one, though, as there aredifferent types of wood routersthat are best suited for particular jobs.
Two of the most common types are fixed-base and plunge routers, and you can find many different models from most major tool brands (as well as companies you’ve never heard of). If you’re wondering which routers are the best before deciding which one to go with, a great way to find out without testing them yourself is by relying on reviews from those who have. Expert reviews from reputable publications can get into the nitty-gritty pros and cons of a tool, while collective feedback from customers who’ve already purchased them can also offer valuable insight. Here are some of the best wood routers to use in your woodworking projects based on reviews from both users and professional reviews.
DeWalt, Ridgid, and Ryobi make some of the best fixed-base routers
You might or might not know DeWalt better for its multipurpose tools, but the brand got its start over 100 years ago innovating the woodworking industry byinventing the first radial arm saw. It’s no surprise then that DeWalt also has great reviews for another woodworking tool, its20V Max XR Cordless Compact Router. After thoroughly testing several wood routers, the home improvement publicationBob Vilanamed DeWalt’s fixed-base router the “best overall” of the bunch. While noting that it may not be ideal for larger projects, Bob Vila says that it’s easy to operate one-handed and has a conveniently placed variable-speed dial. The review adds that the compact router is “right up there with full-size models when it comes to power and precision.”
Another very well-reviewed fixed-base option is theRidgid 18V Compact Trim Router, whichPro Tool Reviewssays “is a stark departure” from the brand’s Octane lineup that “has quite a bit more to offer!” In its list of pros and cons, the publication couldn’t find a single significant drawback, though acknowledged that it doesn’t offer “as much power as a full-sized premium corded model.” Despite this, Pro Tool Reviews says “it’s still a great option for serious DIYers, woodworking hobbyists, and entry-level Pros.”
According to Home Depot customers, one of the best corded, fixed-base routers isRyobi’s 8.5-amp 1-½ Peak HP Fixed Base Router, which has a strong 4.6 out of five overall user score based on nearly 1,200 customer reviews. Additionally, 92% of surveyed customers recommend the tool. While this corded option is very well-liked, the brand’s cordless router is one of theRyobi products you should avoid.
Metabo, Makita, and Bosch are great brands for plunge and combo routers
If you’re looking for a plunge router rather than a fixed-base model,Bob Vilasays that theMetabo HPT 36V MultiVolt Cordless Plunge Routeris the best cordless wood router out of all the tools it’s tested.Metabo is a German-based manufacturerthat has been making quality cordless tools since the ’80s, so it makes sense that the brand’s cordless router would be a top option. From its testing, Bob Vila found the product to deliver precision routing with ergonomic dual handles, though said the guide light could be brighter.
If you prefer the reliable power of a corded tool, Makita also makes a highly-reviewed plunge router — the3‑1/4 HP Variable-Speed Plunge Router. It’s one of multiplecorded and cordless routers made by Makitaand has a solid 4.5 out of five overall customer score on Amazon, based on nearly 500 user reviews. Some of the few negative reviews of the tool concern its heavier weight, but feedback is mostly positive and praises the router’s build quality, power, and smooth plunge action, among other attributes.
Of course, you don’t have to decide between a fixed-base or plunge router — with a combo kit, you can have your cake and carve, cut, and trim it too.Wood Magazinehas been providing valuable reviews and other content to the woodworking community for over 40 years and has tested several multi-base routers. After putting these tools to work, the publication found that theBosch MRC23EVSK Wood Router Tool Combo Kitwas “hard to beat” and awarded it, along with Milwaukee’s router, the “Top Tool” award of the bunch. Perhaps not so coincidentally,Bosch’s Variable-Speed Palm Routeris another one of itspower tools worth buying on Amazon.
