There are many game-changing router tables out there, and in this article, I am going to mention some of the best router tables that are available in the market and taking aweing customers by storm, so that you can choose the best for yourself.
You should be making the best use of your router’s potential. Woodworkers can build their table, but those who have an endless list of projects in their hand should think about the following points.
- Dimensions of Your Work Surface: Pay heed to work surface dimensions as all your projects won’t specifically require large surface and keep in mind what plans you have at hand.
- Budget: A proper budget needs to be chalked out in order to build a table. The budget should be made in such as way depending on the kind of projects you generally work on.
- Safety Features: Your router should have lockout keys, bit guards, etc. These are some of the added features that will keep your router safe and less risky.
- Dust Control: The open frame router tables are exposed to a lot of dust in spite of the vac ports adequately installed.
Few Router Table which is Worth Mentioning
Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table
The RA1181 Benchtop Router Table has an aluminum work surface which features a dimension of 27″ x 18”. The weight of the router table is 30 lbs which is pretty much okay for portable options.
Most users of this product do like the fact that the router has an aluminum fence. This product has received positive feedback from customers. It is one of the highly rated router tables.
Make sure you check it out before buying it. It comes with a dust collection port in the fence which is a useful feature, but as the bottom of the table is open, you can expect that the dust will be pretty much collected at the bottom after the work.
Bosch RA1171 Cabinet Style Router Table
This is another Bosch product, the RA1171 Cabinet Style Router Table which has a smaller work surface area than the previously mentioned router table.
It is roughly 25″ x 16″. However, the router table weighs around 42 pounds. The one primary difference between this router table and the table mentioned above is that the dust is enclosed in the cabinet which otherwise would be flying off everywhere and pollute your work environment.
This model has two dust collection ports, one is located on the fence of the table, and the other one is found in the cabinet.
RA1171 excels especially in keeping your workplace clean for you. The fence is highly rated although it is quite identical to RA1181.
Interestingly, the router table has a number of features like two feather boards, a clear guard, and also three mounting tables along with two shims.
You can also check out the detailed manual of the table at their official site. Of course, it is cheaper than RA1181, because the work surface is not entirely aluminum.
Kreg PRS1045 Precision Router Table System
Next is the Kreg PRS1045 Precision Router Table System which stands as the highest end table and also a bit expensive.
Due to its high demand, the price never drops on any of the sites and has been satisfying customers for a longtime. Isn’t that great now?
Well, yes it is. The user of the product has to drill the holes so that their router works with any router system.
This adds a bit of work, but still, it is mostly preferred by the people as you won’t have unnecessary holes at the end of your workplace, only just the ones you require.
The table offers a large work surface which is 24″ x 32″ and is 1″ thick MDF. One additional feature to buying this model is that, if you can afford to have this space which is a stand-alone unit then you won’t require a bench-top space to work.
It is a self-squaring table which has an excellent quality where the fence runs on its own.
Bench Dog ProTop Contractor Benchtop Router Table
The Bench Dog ProTop Benchtop Table is quite a competitor on the list. It is a cabinet style router table which has an added advantage when it comes to dust control.
Its work surface area is a 16″ x 22″ with a laminated top, quite more significant than the other Bosch tables but not as substantial as Kreg.
It is pretty famous among woodworkers which is pretty good and comes quite affordable.
The fence system is not stable as the Bosch tables and not undoubtedly great as Kreg but is workable.
Though the fence does have a dust cabinet, the cabinet is not provided with one which is odd. This will make you regularly vacuum the workspace to keep it clean from the accumulation of the chips and dust.
PORTER-CABLE 698 Bench Top Router Table
Porter-Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table is last on the list, and it is not highly priced. Still then, this can compete with either of the Bosch router tables.
The router table has a work surface of 20″ x 17″ which is the smallest of all. One disappointing feature about the model is that it has split fence which requires to make the independent adjustment.
It can be time-consuming and not something one is looking forward to. The extra workload can lead to workpiece snags which can ruin your workspace and be risky in the end.
Now, if we look at all the products mentioned, if you are looking for the best router table and willing to spend a few extra dollars then you should go for the Kreg.
If you are looking forward to keeping your dust in control then go for the Bench Dog due to its two dust controllers and finally if you need a small workspace and have a limited budget then Bosch RA1171 is the best option.
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