MIDSIZE ROUTER MELEE

Routers love them or hate them, there are an overwhelming amount of options available. Here's the breakdown on how this midsized lot performs.

- Willie Sandry

A router is a fundamental woodworking tool and sooner or later, you'll want to equip your shop with one or more of these high RPM workhorses. Spinning nearly 10x faster than a drill press, a modern router can handle a bevy of cutting and shaping tasks.

Whether you're in the market for a fixed base, plunge base, or something built for router table use, the specs and tests here should help narrow the field. This review is focused on the most common midsize routers in the 2-2.3 hp range. While compact routers certainly are popular, they're limited to a 1/4" collet and may be best as a second or third router purchase. Full-size 31/2 hp routers certainly have the power needed in a production environment, but few hobby woodworkers are raising cabinet door panels from dawn 'til dusk. So, the extra power these large units offer might not be worth the size, weight, and cost.

How strange to present a router review without a single Porter Cable tool in the mix! Despite being almost synonymous with routers, the Porter Cable brand no longer makes routers. So, take a moment to appreciate the tools that have served you well in the past, before turning the page and shopping for the next great tool. My first router was a small Craftsman, purchased at auction for a grand total of $17 and that included a router table.