Simply mounting your router in a router table immediately gives you a massive increase in your routing capabilities allowing you to easily and safely perform tasks that would be difficult, sometimes impossible and/or dangerous freehand. Straight out of the box, a router table increases the range of jobs you can perform with your router and allows you to easily take on advanced projects such as raised panels or use larger cutters that are too big to control freehand as well as making it easier and safer to do things like putting edge moldings on narrow workpieces.
But that’s only the beginning. Everything that you want to accomplish can be made easier and a better end result obtained by investing in the huge range of router table add-ons and accessories. From router lifts to high-end router table fences and from coping sleds to box joint jigs, the range of specialist accessories has never been greater, or more affordable. Results that were previously only available to the professional are now easily achieved by everyone, but the choice of the right equipment can be daunting so check out all our router table reviews to find what’s best for you.
Bottom LineThe Bosch RA1181 is an open style, benchtop table made from quality components, with a good sized tabletop plus an excellent fence, giving you two of the main advantages of larger router tables in a compact, portable form and at an excellent price too. If space is at a premium and you are looking for a router table to get out and clamp to your bench each time you use it, the Bosch RA1181 should be right up there on your list.
Innovative T-square fence made from 100% aircraft grade aluminum
Large 32" by 24" tabletop topped by Kreg’s unique micro-dot skin
Heavy duty stand with option to customize into a fully enclosed cabinet
Kreg quality and design - made in USA
What's Not?
Some people might not like drilling their own holes in the mounting plate
Bottom LineThe Kreg PRS1040 is a top quality freestanding router table with a number of innovative features that make it stand out from the competition. The most noticeable feature is the innovative table saw style T-square fence which keeps the fence permanently parallel to the miter slot, even while you are adjusting it. All you need to do is set your measurement on the scale using the magnified cursor, lock down the cam lock and you can be confident that the fence is parallel and true for its full length, exactly as you would with a table saw. The quality of the components is top notch and, as with all Kreg products, the thought and workmanship that has gone into the Kreg PRS1040 router table make it a joy to use.
Indestructible solid birch plywood cabinet with 15" interior height
Two sets of fence slots to maximize available table space
Router mounting plate is set forward in the tabletop rather than in the middle
What's Not?
Lacks an external power switch
Bottom LineThe Bench Dog 40-001 ProTop Contractor Router Table is a cabinet base, benchtop router table made from top quality components, with a good sized tabletop, Bench Dog’s excellent ProFence and a solid birch plywood cabinet base that's designed for the rigors of the job site. It also features Bench Dog’s unique dual position fence slots that allow you to move the fence to accommodate larger panels, maximizing your usable tabletop space.
4 ProPlates available covering 20 of the most popular routers
1-1/2" thick cast iron tabletop
Fits all contractor grade table saws
What's Not?
ProPlate not included
Bottom LineThe Bench Dog 40-102 ProMax Router Table is the perfect solution for woodworkers who want the benefits of a freestanding router table but have limited workshop space. By attaching the Bench Dog 40-102 ProMax to your existing table saw, you get the benefits of increased table-top real estate, plus the stability that comes from not only the cast iron router table itself, but from the table saw it’s attached to, without taking up any more space in your workshop than your existing table saw.
1-1/2" thick 32" by 24" cast-iron table top (weighs nearly 100 pounds)
Integrated 4-Inch dust port in the back of the cabinet as well as the 2-1/2-Inch diameter dust collection port in the ProFence
What's Not?
At $847, the ProPlate should be included
Lacks an external power switch
Bottom LineThe Bench Dog 40-300 ProMax Router Table is Bench Dog's top of the range complete router table package including all of their top router table components - the ProMax RT Cast Iron Router Table Top, the 32-inch ProFence32 and the ProCabinet Baltic Birch Base. If you've got the space in your workshop, and you're looking for an enclosed, cabinet-style, floor standing router table, the Bench Dog 40-300 ProMax is one of the best router tables on the market for size, stability, and durability.
Enclosed cabinet for better dust extraction and less noise
Quality Fence
Solid aluminum mounting plate
Large 27" by 18" table top
What's Not?
MDF table top
Bottom LineThe Bosch RA1171 is Bosch’s cabinet style router table, designed to be mounted on your workbench (like the RA1181) but giving better dust collection and noise reduction due to the enclosed cabinet. Like the RA1181 it’s made from reasonable quality components, with a good sized tabletop plus an excellent fence, giving you two of the main advantages of larger router tables in a compact, portable form and at an equally good price too. It's not aimed at the heavy user, but for under $150 it performs well.
