What is the best woodworking router?

Answer 1

This is probably going to start a flamewar, but here goes: Porter-Cable 690VS First, it's a very good machine. No one will contest that. This machine is every woodworker's either first or second choice in a router. (For me it's my first choice.) Second, in all the time it's been available they've only made four changes to the whole machine: the baseplate is now phenolic instead of metal, the router height lock is now a lever instead of a wingnut, the power has increased from 1-1/2 hp to 1-3/4 hp, and you can buy the machine in a variable-speed version. This router has been available for 75 years, so the very few changes indicate to me they got it right in the first place. Third, the base and motor are separable, and they sell extra bases. If you do table and freehand routing and only have one router, if you buy a non-separable router it takes a while to remove the router from the table. The P-C 690 is different--you flip the lever and the motor falls out in your hand, ready to be installed in another (relatively inexpensive) base. You can get this router as a "Promotional Kit" with two bases, a plunge and a fixed base, and many owners bolt the fixed base into their tables and leave it there. Fourth is the collet. You will never get a router bit stuck in a P-C collet because when you loosen it, the bit pulls out. If you manage to spin a bit in the collet you can get a new one. If you need a 3/8" collet Porter-Cable will sell you one. You get two collets--a 1/4" and a 1/2"--so you can use any bit in your local hardware store. Fifth is soft start. When you're using a heavy bit, a router without this will jerk in your hands. This is not very safe. The 690 won't jerk in your hands.