Best Wood Routers - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide

Wood Routers: The Ultimate Buying Guide

If you are working with wood, you definitely know the significance of possessing a wood router.

By using different kinds of bits you will be able to achieve perfection in your work and it would be easier for you to do your job.

With a good wood router, you decorations will be astonishing in a matter of minutes.

Now, as you are reading this, you are probably trying to find the best router on the market.

Considering the fact that it is a tool that every woodworker must have, there are numerous brands offering their products and selecting an ideal router can be troublesome.

Why is the torque of greater importance than the horsepower or RPM?

When you are looking for a good wood router and you go through the reviews of both satisfied and unsatisfied users, you come across a lot of talking about torque, horsepower, and RPM.

It is reasonable that you have questions related to this.

These three characteristics of a wood router actually show capability of the machines. The horsepower represents how much force the motor produces and this should not be taken as something of vital importance as it does not affect the cutting power.

It can be best explained in an example of the Bosch MRC23EVSK model which has a 2.41 hp motor and the Bosch 1617EVSPK model which has a 1.93 hp motor.

The first thought that comes into our mind is that the MRC23 is better than the 1617EV due to more horsepower.

But, that is not the case, and here is the explanation why – at its minimum speed, which is 10000 RPM, the MRC23 would produces 1.27 pound-feet of torque while the 1617EV produces the same amount of torque at its minimum speed, which is 8000 RPM. The conclusion is that the two machines have the same cutting force.

Now, the difference comes into play when the maximum speed is in question.

The maximum speed of the MRC23 is 25000 RPM and it would produce 0.51 pound-feet of torque.

Nevertheless, the maximum speed of the 1617EV is 25000 RPM and it will produce only 0.41 pound-feet of torque.

This proves the fact that all three parameters have to be taken into consideration together so as to be able to determine the capability of the machine.

The majority of the manufacturers provide only the RPM. How can I get the horsepower and torque from RPM?

There is the possibility that manufacturers do not provide the hp rating for the machine.

Then, the best way to find it out is to look at the voltage rating and the current rating.

This will help you determine the horsepower rating – Horsepower = (current rating x voltage rating) / 745.699

In case there is the horsepower available, you can use this method to determine the real output of the machine.

Furthermore, as you have determined the horsepower, you can easily calculate the torque using this – Torque = (horsepower x 5252) / RPM

The conclusion is that torque increases with an increase in horsepower and it decreases with an increase in RPM.

How is the routing affected by the torque and RPM?

Let’s first discuss the usage of these two features and that way we will get to their importance.

Torque is a measure of the cutting force behind the bit and it indicates the routers ability to cut materials which vary in hardness.

The harder the material is, more torque is required.

So, the routing is affected by torque and you need to know whether you will work only with softwood or you will be using the router for hardwood as well before choosing to buy one.

RPM is there to limit the diameter of the bit you use on the router.

You are the one who sets the machine’s RPM, which means that you determine how fast the machine’s shaft will be rotating.

This feature highly depends on whether you want to use a large bit or not.

For large bits, it is advisable to buy a machine with low RPM ranges.

You can find this data on the specification page as every bit manufacturer provides the RPM range for their bits.

We now get how is the routing affected by these two features.

Are cut depth and accuracy important?

When looking for a good wood router, you do not need to worry so much about maximum depth of cut.

If the difference between the models is less than a half inch, that is not a huge difference and you can choose whichever you think is better due to some other qualities.

You can always run multiple passes to achieve the depth you want.

On the other hand, it is of great importance to pay attention to the quality of the adjustment mechanism.

Depending on the accuracy with which you want to work you can determine whether you need a high level of accuracy router or not.

For example, if the router is used only for dressing up the edges, the accuracy of 1/64th of an inch would do the job perfectly.

Make sure not to pay too much for a high accuracy model if you do not need it.

I think I got it, what are my options?

As we have chosen those routers that are famous for their high quality and capability, maybe they are not the ones that suit your needs, so you can check out some other models on the producer’s websites.

The best manufacturers whose routers you can take into consideration are Black+Decker, Makita,  DEWALT, Bosch, and Porter Cable.

Conclusion

As you can see from this article, it is difficult to find the ideal wood router which will both has excellent performance and quality as well as be affordable.

The first thing you should do before choosing one is to measure a router’s capability – horsepower, torque, and RPM.

That way you will know whether you need low RPM ranges for working with large bits or that is not important to you as you will be working with bits smaller than an inch.

The wood you are planning to cut has also a major role when deciding about the right router.

The cutting of hardwood requires a machine that yields high torque in the RPM.

By having in mind all these steps, you can find a router that fits your requirement.

It is important to pay attention to other features of this device such as warranty, material quality, and brand reputation.

As the technology has advanced, routers became more powerful and safer versatile tools and you need to have the right knowledge and guidance when purchasing it so as to make the right decision.

I hope you liked my article about Wood Routers, if so, please share or comment.