Four routers side by side
| Router | Collets | Speed (rpm) | Largest bit | Bases in the documents | Published current |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch 1617EVS | 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 in, 8 mm | 8,000–25,000 | Cutter 1/4 in smaller than the opening; 2 in through the sub-base | Fixed; plunge (RA1166) and D-handle sold to fit | 12 A |
| DEWALT DW618 | 1/2 in, with a 1/4 in insertable collet | About 8,000–24,000 | 2-1/2 in | Fixed and plunge in the PKB kit; D-handle in the manual | 12 A |
| Milwaukee 5616 | 1/4 and 1/2 in | 10,000–24,000 | No larger than the smallest opening | Bodygrip fixed base; 48-10-5600 plunge base separately or in kits | 13 A |
| Milwaukee 5615 | 1/4 and 1/2 in | 24,000, single speed | No larger than the smallest opening | Bodygrip fixed base | 11 A |
Each row is that maker's own figures. Current is listed as published and is not a measure of cutting performance. Not a ranking.
What to compare
- Bases. A fixed base sets depth before the cut and suits edges and table work; a plunge base lowers the running bit into the work; a D-handle puts a trigger in one grip. Kits that pair a fixed and a plunge base on one motor — the DW618PKB, Bosch's 1617EVSPK — cover both. Plunge bases are compared in choosing a plunge router.
- Collets. 1/2 in shanks are what Bosch advises 'whenever possible', and what large table bits use. DEWALT supplies its own 1/4 in insertable collet that fits fully into its 1/2 in collet; that is the maker's part for that router, not an adapter to improvise for another.
- Speed range. The low end matters for large bits, which every bit maker rates slower. Milwaukee's 5615 runs at one speed only. Bit ratings and dial tables are set side by side in the speed chart.
- Largest bit. DEWALT allows up to 2-1/2 in in the DW618; Bosch asks for the cutter to be 1/4 in smaller than the opening it passes; Milwaukee never larger than the smallest opening. Freud adds that its bits over 1-1/2 in belong in a table.
- Depth adjustment. A fine-adjust ring or knob, and on plunge bases a turret of preset stops.
- Start-up and speed control. Milwaukee's 5616 and 5625 list soft start and feedback control; Bosch's and DEWALT's manuals describe electronics that hold the set speed.
Equipment notePaid link
Router combo kit
Bosch 1617EVSPK
The Bosch kit named above that pairs a fixed and a plunge base on one motor, from the 1617 series in the table.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
Will it go under a table?
If table work is part of the plan, the router's maker has to allow it in the base you would mount. Bosch allows the 1617 in a table in its fixed base and not in its RA1166 plunge base. Milwaukee says never to put its plunge-base models in one. DEWALT's DW616/DW618 manual reviewed here says nothing about table use either way, while Bosch's RA1181 table lists the DW616 and DW618 in their fixed bases only. Choosing the table itself is in choosing a router table.
A first router
For someone starting out, the makers' documents point to a short list of features rather than a model: a kit with both a fixed and a plunge base, variable speed with a low bottom end, 1/2 in and 1/4 in collets supplied, and an edge guide that fits. Smaller jobs and laminate are what a compact router is for — see choosing a compact router and choosing a palm router — and battery routers are compared in choosing a cordless router. How a router is used safely is in using a router.
Before buying a router
- The bases you need: fixed, plunge or both
- 1/2 in collet, and the 1/4 in collet the maker supplies for it
- A speed range low enough for your largest bit's rating
- The maker's largest-bit limit covers the profiles you plan
- Table use allowed by the maker, if a table is planned
- Edge guide and dust attachments that fit
What a router is and how its parts work is in the router guide; bits are explained in router bits, and choosing them in choosing router bits.
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for the router named. Amperage and horsepower are listed as published and are not used to compare cutting performance. No router was tested, none is ranked, and no prices are given.
- 1.
1617, 1617EVS, 1617EVSPK, 1618EVS Operating/Safety Instructions. Bosch, 2018.
Used for: The 1617 series: collets for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 in and 8 mm; speed dial from 8,000 to 25,000 rpm; the cutter at least 1/4 in smaller than the opening, and with the template guide removed no bit over 2 in, which will not fit through the sub-base; the RA1166 plunge base with a 1/8 in stepped turret, not recommended in a table; the 1617 allowed in a table in its fixed base.
- 2.
1617EVS 2.25 HP Electronic Fixed-Base Router. Bosch.
Used for: The 1617EVS's published figures: 12 A, 8,000–25,000 rpm, 1-5/8 in fixed-base depth range, 3-3/4 in base opening, 8.3 lb.
- 3.
DW616, DW618 Router System, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: The DW616 and DW618: a 1/2 in collet and nut with a 1/4 in insertable collet supplied; bits inserted fully then pulled out about 1/16 in; no bit over 2-1/2 in diameter; DW618 dial settings from about 8,000 to 24,000 rpm; fixed, plunge and D-handle bases; a five-position plunge turret with one adjustable stop; no statement on table use.
- 4.
DW618PKB 2-1/4 HP EVS Fixed Base/Plunge Router Combo Kit. DEWALT.
Used for: The DW618PKB kit: 12 A, 24,000 rpm maximum; fixed and plunge bases, 1/4 and 1/2 in collets, large-hole sub-base and vacuum adapter.
- 5.
Heavy-Duty Routers, Cat. No. 5615-20, 5616-20, 5619-20, 5625-20, 48-10-5600, Operator's Manual. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: The 5615 (11 A, 24,000 rpm), 5616 (13 A, 10,000–24,000 rpm), 5619 D-handle (11 A, 24,000 rpm) and 5625 production plunge router (15 A, 10,000–22,000 rpm); 1/4 and 1/2 in collets; the 48-10-5600 plunge base separately or in kits; soft start and feedback control on the 5616 and 5625; never using a bit larger than the smallest opening; 'NEVER use the Plunge Base Router models in a router table'.
- 6.
RA1181 Benchtop Router Table. Bosch.
Used for: Full-size routers a benchtop table lists, several in fixed bases only.
- 7.
Premier Adjustable Rail and Stile System (instructions poster). Freud.
Used for: Bits over 1-1/2 in diameter only with the router mounted in a table; a variable-speed router of at least 2-1/4 HP for its door-making set.
About this buying guide
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