What's the best router I can purchase in store from Lowes/Home Depot?

[Tony Haukap]

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I'm looking for a full-size, plunge base router... wouldn't be opposed to a battery power router (do they still make those? I have an old Porter-Cable, I bought because I saw the Router Workshop guys use it!)

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I know a lot of their products are made expressly for those stores and while they may have a similar model number, there will be an extra letter or number suffix that denotes a model made to Lowes/Home Depot specifications (ie. lessor quality to meet a price point). So is there anything they carry from the major manufactures that is of 'professional quality.'

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It's a gift, so price is not an issue.

[Loren Woirhaye]

DeWalt makes some good plungers. Black and Decker has a patent on the through-the-post dust collection. I've owned both Dw621 and Dw625 routers and they have worked well.

Home Depot may be able to sell you the Triton, which has some useful features for router table use.

[Moses Yoder]

This Bosch package from Lowes gets my vote. BOSCH ROUTER

[Jerry Wright]

I purchased the big Milwaukee 3.5 hp router online through Home Depot with free shipping to the store. At the time (15 mo ago) they had by far the best price.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I'm just curious, why you are limiting yourself the big box stores. If it's a gift, what about an equivalent value in a gift card. That way he/she can buy the router THEY like, wheher it be the "best" value or not, etc. Maybe they perfer red to yellow, and that would be the deciding factor. I know personally, I would rather get a 100 buck gift card, and buy myself a Bosch Colt vice getting a 130 buck DeWalt even if I had to fork over the extra 30 dollars. JUST AN EXAMPLE. Not dissing the DeWalt. Just a thought. Buying tools is a tough choice. Buying someone else a tool is harder. Unless you know what they want.

[Robert Parent]

I have a half dozen Bosch routers...... Sooooo what would be my choice? Bosch.

Robert

[Tony Haukap]

Just a thought. Buying tools is a tough choice. Buying someone else a tool is harder. Unless you know what they want.

I can understand that! I was helping someone and they were using a cheap China made router and you could smell the motor overheating... I thought I would get them a *real* router since he has some more work to do using it and this one isn't cutting it! And Lowes/Home Depot are about the only tool stores left around here, maybe Ace Hardware... I don't consider what Sears sells in power tools 'pro-grade' anymore.

[johnny means]

There really aren't any options besides what the Borgs carry. Unless your stepping up to Festool.

Anyway, my vote is for Bosch. I have and heavily use a lot of routers. It's the only brand in my collection that hasn't shown any major flaws or weaknesses.

[Peter Quinn]

What size are you looking for?

[Chris Padilla]

Cisco Nexus 7700.

[Peter Quinn]

Cisco Nexus 7700.

Do they sell those at your local Borg? There is nothing that fast at my local borg

[Myk Rian]

Cisco Nexus 7700.

Ay-yup. One in every crowd.
I have a PC 890 PK and a smaller Craftsman. Quite frankly, the C-man is a nice machine.
I keep the PC in the table.

[Michael Yadfar]

Triton. It's an online exclusive, but you can select to pick it up in store. It's supposed to be the best for its value

[Charles Taylor]

I'd vote for Bosch, DeWalt, or Porter-Cable. I have three Porter-Cables and one Bosch.

[Earl McLain]

Bosch 1617 EVS-PK. Enough power to do almost everything except huge bits (even those for a few passes here and there). Despite its size, it's managable enough to be okay for light work too. With the fixed and plunge bases, 1/4" and 1/2" collets offers some variety. Under the plate on the fixed base, you'll find the PC 690 screw pattern tapped--so any base plate or fixture drilled for the 690 easily fits. (no disrespect, but i don't get along well with my 690, but almost every router accessory made can be gotten in the 690 screw pattern). The maple handles offer (at least to me) excellent grip, especially in hot weather. Plunge base works well, smooth and accurate. I've come to like the Bosch guide bushings, but they are kind of abnormal--so just buy a 690 plate and use the "690" style guide bushings. The edge guide, while not included, is a worthy piece of equipment to add on with nice micro-adjust.

Other than that--i have no opinion.

earl