The only downside-and it’s just a personal choice-is not having a ½-inch collet. The tool also features a guiding light that was bright enough to illuminate clearly the material we were routing. This fine-tuning ability separates an average router from a great one. The DeWalt router comes with the ability to make micro adjustments to the bit’s depth, which is vital for precision designs. We also tested the DeWalt in the center of our material this required tipping the tool, but its clear base gave us added visibility, so the results were good. We routed the edges of both pine boards and hardwood (oak) boards and got smooth edge profiles on both. It also uses constant response to monitor the bit’s speed and adjust it to suit the density of the wood.
We liked its soft-start technology that started the bit spinning smoothly without jerking the tool. The DeWalt can be held with two hands, but it’s compact enough to operate using just one-for those situations where a board must be braced with the other hand while routing. A dial at the top of the motor adjusts the speed, and we found it simple to reach with a thumb without shifting our grip on the tool itself. It comes with a 20V MAX 3 amp hour (Ah) lithium-ion battery that powers the motor to speeds up to 25,500 rpm. We’re familiar with DeWalt’s pro-quality power tools, so we weren’t surprised by the top-notch performance of this cordless router. We didn’t set out to choose a compact model for our Best Overall pick, but the DeWalt 20V Max XR Brushless Cordless Compact Router is only small when it comes to size-it’s right up there with full-size models when it comes to power and precision. After testing, we added and averaged the points to help determine the most suitable category for each model. The better a router did on a specific test, the higher the points it received. As we put the routers through their paces, we awarded points for each based on a rubric. We noted the brightness of the router’s guide lights, if applicable, the comfort factor (i.e., ergonomics), and how well the motor held up to routing dense wood, such as oak. We used various router bits to achieve different design results, and we noted how easy it was to adjust the bit’s depth and how precise the depth adjustment was. We also tested the routers by beginning our cuts in the center of the material (aka the field), which required either a plunge router or carefully tipping a spinning router down when we were using a fixed-base model. Next, we gathered armfuls of pine and oak boards and then started to test, routing the outside edges of the boards. We tested compact and full-size models to cover a range of user needs. The models we tested came with various power sources and included bit speeds up to 31,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). We selected both fixed-base routers and plunge routers for our tests. A ½-inch collet is best suited to heavy-duty routing projects, but a ¼-inch collet is suitable for most DIY routing tasks. Some routers come with a ¼-inch collet while others come with an additional ½-inch collet. We also noted the collet size of each tool-the collet is the ring that holds the router bit in place. Photo: Glenda Taylor How We Tested the Best Wood Routersīefore choosing routers for hands-on testing, we analyzed more than 25 routers in their respective categories, looking for the best models by type, speed, horsepower, ease of use, and other special features included by select brands.
BEST CORDLESS: Metabo HPT 36V Cordless Variable Speed Plunge Router.BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Kobalt Corded Router and Router Table.BEST OVERALL: DeWalt 20V Max XR Brushless Cordless Compact Router.Ahead, learn what to look for when selecting the best wood router for your project needs and find out how the following models earned a spot in our lineup. While routers aren’t complex or difficult to use, the finished quality of the project will depend on the quality of both the tool itself and the chosen bit. We tested every function and scored the routers based on their performance. We selected from today’s best-selling options and tried them out in our woodworking shop to determine where they excelled-and what they could do better. Power tool manufacturers have made several advances in their routers in recent years, adding variable-speed dials, ergonomic handles, and plunge capability, so we wanted to test the top models to see how they performed.
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