Power: 11 amps Street price: $120 Cut quality: Good Router accuracy: Fair Control and handling: Fair Cut visibility: Good Ease of bit changes: Fair
This twist-to-adjust router was the quietest in the test, and is the lowest priced. Other than that it had the most pitfalls of the lot. The soft start was jerky, the motor had a lot of vibration, and the grips were slippery. We also struggled to remove the router base and to get the bit to release from the collet. Last, the baseplate was significantly off center, and its countersunk screw holes made it impossible to adjust. We can’t recommend this router.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Festool DF 500 Q-Set Domino Joiner
This joinery machine revolutionized woodworking for so many. There is no easier way to get mortise and tenon joints—but it comes at a cost.
The Festool Rotex is a top-of-the-line choice. On its coarse setting, it removed stock nearly twice as quickly as the second-fastest model. But that speed doesn’t mean you’ll have to wrestle with it. It’s no huge task to control it with two hands, and its long body gives you plenty of room to find a sweet spot while holding it.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
Become an UNLIMITED member and get it all: searchable online archive of every issue, how-to videos, Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking digital series, print magazine, e-newsletter, and more.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in