I am not a "Pro", but I have used a lot of routers over the years. I would say that the quality of router motors is very good across the board and at an all time best. Routers now are almost to the point of being expendable as their price continues to fall. You will be very happy with a router from almost any major brand. I have jumped on a few deals from Menards in my area on Freud routers and have been very satisfied with them. I have gotten so lazy that I have several routers dedicated to certain bits that I use often so that i do not have to change them! I also have a larger router dedicated to my router table. With that said I have been most impressed with the Milwaukee routers. The biggest advantage for Milwaukee in my case is that I have a very good local authorized service center that can repair/replace anything and has excellent customer service. I did not figure this out without a lot of trial and error. porter Cable used to be my favorite for everything until the were bought out and have since made lower quality tools IMO and their support after the sale has gone non-existent. The last Porter Cable tool I purchased had to be sent out to a large distribution service center and I did not hear anything for 5 weeks and did not get the tool back for 3 months. I have very limited time to work on my projects and don't have time to wait like this, so I dropped them like 3rd period Latin. Sorry to write so much but maybe it will help. You might want to ask some professionals in your area, like carpenters and such what tools they go with and why. Most guys, especially pros love to talk about their tools!
Thanks Guys! Sounds like most name brands are a good bet (with the possible exception of Porter Cable - also read other reviews suggesting their quality may have taken several steps down?) Also ordering a jasper jig tomorrow .
I have a bunch of different routers in my shop . Progressions through the years. The dewalt plunge listed is far and away the best of its type I've used . Speed control is steady, the height adjustments and fence are flawless. Dust extraction , if its still included ,is cumbersome but effective. I'd guess the smaller model is as good. The porter cable listed is the industry standard for non plunge. They're cheap ,versatile a simple table can be whipped up upin no time using a clamped jointed board as a strait edge as a fence. Carefully used it can plunge too. The little elu is perfect for detail and inlay. Only 1/4" collet though. I would not suggest the porter cable linked last. While it seems a good idea,my experience is that using iht interchangeable base results in the router body getting dinged up enough that it loses the smooth dept control with the fixed base,which is one of its best points. http://www.dewalt.com/tool-categories/woodworking-routers.aspx http://www.portercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11094 http://www.trend-uk.com/en/US/trend/content/content_detail.php?record_type=Compatibility&id=1211 http://www.portercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11098
I use a Hitachi M12V. It's a little clunkier (heaver) but has soft start, speed adjustment and top mounted height adjustment dial. No dust collection though ( I built my own for that).
If you’re lucky, you have a good local woodworking club in your town. Go to a meeting. Check it out. If it’s a typical club, 75% of the members are retired, have a shop full of tools and a wealth of knowledge. Most of them will be more than happy to share that knowledge and someone might even offer to help with your project if you let them know why you’re interested in woodworking. You can help them on their next project. Before you invest in expensive tools that you may only use a few times at most—ask the local guys where they buy quality materials and equipment. Sometimes you can acquire high-end like-new equipment at a bargain price from a former member’s family after they have passed on.
Check out Triton brand. Great design, feature-rich, and affordable. Mine is fantastic- any time I have router work to do, I know that it'll go more smoothly than I expect because the Triton's just that good. But most modern routers are pretty solid.