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Best Router Tables

Updated August 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Bosch Benchtop Router Table
Bosch
Benchtop Router Table
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

This well-built table offers a spacious work surface and is a great choice for heavy-duty tasks.

Pros

Built with a large aluminum top and rigid aluminum mounting plate for durability and better accuracy. Offers ample workspace. Features with easy-to-use and easily adjustable feather boards. Includes standard dust-collection port to eliminate debris.

Cons

More pricey than other options.

Best Bang for the Buck
Bosch Portable Benchtop Router Table
Bosch
Portable Benchtop Router Table
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Portable Convenience
Bottom Line

This product is stable, simple to use, and easy to transport.

Pros

Has a tall fence with 2 adjustable feather boards for extra control and guide work. Designed with foldable legs for easy storage and portability. Features laminated MDF top for better precision when cutting. Easy to assemble.

Cons

Some noted product is made with a lot of plastic.

Bosch Cabinet Style Router Table
Bosch
Cabinet Style Router Table
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Trusted Brand
Bottom Line

This table is ruggedly constructed, versatile, and easy to use.

Pros

Built with a tall aluminum fence with adjustable MDF face plates to ensure smooth operation. Has rigid aluminum router mounting plate for better precision. Comes pre-drilled to fit many routers. Feather boards are simple to use and adjustable.

Cons

Some noted plate is not very flush with the table.

RYOBI Universal Router Table
RYOBI
Universal Router Table
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

This product is a great choice for uniformly smoothing edges or cutting multi-tier molding.

Pros

Designed with sacrificial MDF pieces and aluminum T-track. Fence is adjustable and has joining capabilities. Router can be situated upside-down and work pieces can be accurately controlled through the router bit. Features 5 throat plates and an integrated vacuum port.

Cons

Some noted product may collect quite a bit of dust.

Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table
Kreg
PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table
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Well-made
Bottom Line

This precision-made benchtop kit will satisfy the most demanding woodworker.

Pros

Superbly made, sturdy, and durable. Large working area with a multitude of fence and featherboard options allowing vertical as well as horizontal jointing.

Cons

The Kreg is not cheap. There’s no angle guide. Some owners didn’t like having to drill mounting holes – though it does mean all routers fit.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

52
Models
Considered
76
Consumers
Consulted
20
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for best router tables

A router is already a versatile woodworking tool, and the addition of a good router table gives you even greater flexibility. It can help you make everything from small projects and useful workshop jigs to full-size furniture. There are thousands of free plans online to inspire you.

At BestReviews we strive to provide you with the information you need to make the best product purchases. The recommendations above offer a variety of solutions for every skill level and budget. They will help you decide the right router table for your particular needs.

We’ve also created the following router table buying guide, to provide further information.

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Planing end grain is notoriously difficult. Using a router table and guide block you can do the job faster and just as accurately.

Why buy a router table?

A router can perform a multitude of tasks, but in essence, it’s a freehand tool. With a parallel guide or bearing-guided cutter, you can be quite accurate – provided the workpiece is fixed securely to your bench – but operator skill has a lot to do with how good the finished job is.

A router table turns everything around. The router is now a fixed cutting tool, and you present the work to it. Fences can be set for accurate depth of cut. Featherboards guide the wood into the cutter precisely. You have great repeatability. T-slots and angle guides allow you to make all manner of cuts. Creating decorative moldings or attractive mortise and tenon joints is a breeze.

Almost every routing job can be completed faster and more accurately, and you can accomplish tasks that would be almost impossible otherwise. For the DIY fan or keen home woodworker they’re a tremendous bonus. For the professional carpenter or furniture maker they’re a must.

So how do you choose the right one?

Choosing a router table – size first

The big decision is which of the two basic types of router table you need:

  • Benchtop

  • Floor-standing
     

Benchtop router tables range from compact, and even folding models, to those that offer a substantial working area.

  • Folding router tables can be convenient for storage if you’re really short of space, and they offer easy portability. However, they do tend to be small, and the leg structure doesn’t offer the greatest rigidity we’ve seen. Usually a low-cost DIY tool, they aren’t robust enough for job-site work.

  • Small benchtop router tables are valuable for those who only have occasional need, or who will be working on projects of limited size. You can still make all manner of jigs, fancy boxes, trays and other household and garden items, but these tables fall short of the capacity for making large items. One of the main reasons is that you’re just not going to get a very powerful router in there.

  • Large benchtop router tables give you increased capacity. More table area means larger workpieces can be comfortably supported, so bigger projects can be made. However, size can begin to be a challenge. You need to think carefully about the space you have available, and where it will be stored when not in use.
     

Floor-standing router tables are larger, offering extensive working surfaces, but take up considerable space. Some have wheels, so they can be moved into an open workspace when needed, and stored against a wall or in a corner.

They are something for the serious woodwork enthusiast, or professional. If you have the budget, and the space, we thoroughly recommend one, but don’t underestimate the room they require.

If you already have a big, powerful router, you need a substantial table for it. Small tables won’t have a strong enough frame to support it, and will be damaged by the forces generated when it’s working.

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Expert Tip
A biscuit cutter is a great tool for your arsenal. Using a biscuit cutter with a router table gives you a fast, easy, repeatable way to edge-joint boards.
STAFF
BestReviews

Router table components

Once you have a good idea of the size table you want, look closely at the structure, and the components that make up the router table kit.

The supporting framework of a router table is usually steel, although some can be plastic. We have no problem with plastic moldings per se – if well made, they can offer equal or greater rigidity than thin steel sheet. However, a substantial steel section offers better durability and stability.

A table must be flat, and free of flex (another reason for a rigid undercarriage). It should also be smooth, so the workpiece glides across it without snagging. You have a choice of surface: aluminum, phenolic, or MDF with a low-friction laminate.

  • Aluminum is light, and can offer good resistant to flex. The appearance of thickness can be deceptive – deep sides often concealing quite a thin top. However, as long as there’s sufficient bracing it’s not a problem. It’s not the smoothest surface, and it’s difficult to modify. Usually found on benchtop router tables, it’s a good general-purpose, relatively low-cost solution.

  • Phenolic resin tables are extremely rigid, tough and super-slippery. They’re also heavy, usually expensive, and difficult to work.

  • MDF is also structurally rigid, and the laminate offers a smooth surface. It’s also quite heavy. The advantage it offers is that many experienced woodworkers like to modify the table for their own jigs and fixtures. MDF allows this, whereas other surfaces don’t. Though technically phenolic is smoother and harder, high-quality router tables often use MDF.
     

Fences are usually aluminum. Good ones are drilled so you can attach replaceable faceplates, which you can make yourself. Tall fences offer more support to the workpieces. Some high-end router table kits include quick-set guides. Precision adjustment may be available. Quick clamping makes for fast, easy setting.

A removable plate provides mounting for your router. Some are pre-drilled, and only fit a specific range of routers. Some you need to drill yourself, making them virtually universal.

A round insert allows easy access to cutters for changing. On some tables, a selection of different diameter or customizable rings are included, allowing clearance appropriate to a variety of cutter sizes.

Feather boards are almost indispensable, though not supplied on some cheap router tables. If you have a table saw, it’s not difficult to make your own.

Routers can generate a lot of waste, so a dust extraction port is an important addition.

A front-mounted on/off switch gives the option of wiring the router through the table, so you don’t have to reach under the table to use the switch on the router itself.

Some free-standing router tables have self-leveling feet – a bonus if your workshop floor isn’t quite even.

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For your safety
Always allow the router to reach full speed before beginning to cut. When finished, let it come to a stop naturally. Never be tempted to use a piece of scrap to slow it more quickly.
STAFF
BestReviews

What does a good router table cost?

The cheapest router tables tend to be made of flimsy plastics, or thin steel plate. They don’t have the strength, rigidity or durability you need for accurate woodworking. The low price certainly reflects the low quality.

Any decent router table is an investment. Prices start at around $150, for a benchtop router table that will satisfy many model makers and hobby woodworkers. That kind of budget ought to get you a pretty comprehensive kit: the router table itself, guards, guides, fences, and featherboards.

If you want to take things to the pro level, there are several very good bundles available. Benchtop models cost in the region of $300, and floor-standing router tables run from $700 upwards.

It’s possible to spend $1,000 or more for very large, high-precision router tables, though in our opinion you would need to be a full-time carpenter/machinist to need the capabilities of a tool like that.

Router table tips

  • Most tables will fit a wide range of routers – but it’s vital to check that yours is included. Some routers come with an insert plate that can be custom-drilled, but by no means all.

  • Usual safety rules for woodworking should be applied. Always wear goggles and a dust mask. Routers can be noisy, so ear protection is advised. Always use the guards provided, and keep your hands well clear of the cutter when running. Unplug the router when changing cutters.

  • Fences and featherboards help keep the workpiece in place. They make routing safer, and allow you to cut smoothly and accurately. They are particularly useful when doing repetitive jobs. Learning to use them properly will save a lot of time in the long run.

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Routers cut in a clockwise direction, so always feed work in from the right.

FAQ

Q. Which is better in a router table, a fixed-base or plunge router?

A. A fixed-base router is the most popular choice. Most of the time there’s no benefit in using a plunge router. They’re more expensive, and can be difficult to adjust when inverted. Router lifts are available that overcome the problem, but that means additional cost.

Of course, plunge routers offer much greater versatility off the table. One solution favored by some woodworkers is to buy a router with an interchangeable base. You can then leave the fixed base attached to the table, and change the router to the plunge base when away from it.

Q. What’s the maximum cut I take on a router table?

A. There’s no easy answer to this; it depends on the combination of router table size, cutter, and the power of the router itself. If you need to work with large pieces of wood, and take big cuts, you need a large, sturdy router table for safety and accuracy. A 1/2” router is going to be able to take much bigger cuts than a 1/4” model. Most large router bits won’t fit in a 1/4” router, anyway.

As a general rule, you’ll get a better finish if you take several small cuts rather than one large one. You won’t risk stalling the router, either. While that doesn’t answer the question of the maximum cut in one pass, using multiple passes you can cut as much as you need to.

Q. What is the difference between a router table and a shaper?

A. The router tables reviewed here cover pretty much the full range, from small benchtop and foldable models, to fairly substantial mobile router tables for the larger workshop. You need to fit a router to them.

A shaper is a larger workshop/industrial tool. It has a motor built in, so there’s no need to attach a router. Rather than changing the router bit, there’s often a cutter block that has removable blades (actually called knives). A shaper is a much larger, stand-alone machine, and much more expensive.