Get 10% OFF If Your Orders ≥ $50
Cart 0
Get 10% OFF If Your Orders ≥ $50
Cart 0

Best Router Tables

Skil RAS900

Skil RAS900

Router Table with Folding Leg Design and Tall Fence Design


Look, I get it—router tables aren’t exactly the Beyoncé of woodworking tools. They don’t sparkle like a new bandsaw or flex like a cordless drill. But here’s the cold, hard truth: If you’re serious about woodworking, skipping a router table is like trying to bake a wedding cake with a toaster oven. This unassuming workhorse is the secret weapon behind pro-level edges, flawless joinery, and repeatable precision. Let’s strip away the myths, break down your options, and show you how to pick (or build) a router table that won’t collect dust in your garage.

Why Your Router Deserves a Throne (And You Deserve a Drink)

Let’s rewind: You’re hunched over a handheld router, white-knuckling a piece of walnut, praying you don’t gouge another “custom” divot into what was supposed to be a $500 cutting board. Sound familiar? A router table flips the script. By mounting your router upside-down, you turn it into a stationary shaping beast that handles the grunt work while you guide the wood. The result? Smooth edges, perfect dados, and joints so tight they’d make a dovetail blush.

Router Table Types: Bench, Cabinet, or Frankenstein’s Monster?

1. Benchtop Tables: The Compact Powerhouse

  • Best For: Apartment warriors, weekend DIYers, or anyone who values portability.
  • Top Pick: Bosch RA1181 ($250) – Lightweight, foldable legs, and a fence that doesn’t wobble like a Jenga tower.
  • Pro Tip: Bolt it to a sturdy workbench—it’ll handle 90% of your projects without crying uncle.

2. Cabinet-Style Tables: The Shop Anchor

  • Best For: Pros, serious hobbyists, or anyone who’s tired of their router table doubling as a beer holder.
  • Top Pick: Kreg PRS5000 ($600) – Cast iron top, built-in dust collection, and storage for days.
  • Pro Tip: Pair it with a lift (like JessEm Rout-R-Lift) for bit changes faster than a NASCAR pit crew.

3. DIY Tables: For the “I Can Fix It!” Crowd

  • Best For: Scrap wood hoarders and control freaks who want every feature just so.
  • Top Pick: Your grandpa’s salvaged cabinet door + a $30 phenolic plate.
  • Pro Tip: Use MDF for the top—it’s flat, cheap, and won’t warp like plywood.

Hot Take: Unless you’re a masochist with unlimited time, buy a pre-made benchtop table. DIY builds rarely save money (or marriages).

5 Red Flags You’re Using the Wrong Router Table

  1. Your Fence Drifts More Than a Tesla on Autopost
    A quality fence locks down like Fort Knox. If yours creeps, upgrade.
  2. Dust Collection? What Dust Collection?
    You shouldn’t need a hazmat suit to check your work.
  3. The Table Flexes Like a Yoga Instructor
    Cast iron or phenolic tops only—particleboard need not apply.
  4. You’re Using Duct Tape to Secure the Router
    If your setup looks like a middle school science project, stop. Now.
  5. “Adjusting the Height” Requires a Hammer
    A good lift or plate lets you tweak bits with fingertip precision.

The Router Table Feature Cheat Sheet

Don’t get suckered by shiny add-ons. Here’s what actually matters:

  • Flatness: Test with a straightedge—gaps > 1/64”? Walk away.
  • Fence System: Micro-adjustability is non-negotiable.
  • Dust Ports: 2.5” or 4” hookups keep your lungs (and shop) clean.
  • Insert Plate: Aluminum or phenolic—plastic warps faster than a politician’s promise.
  • Safety: Split guards, featherboards, and magnetic switches aren’t optional.

Router Table Hacks: Pro Secrets Your Tool Dealer Won’t Tell You

  • Double-Sided Tape Fence: Secure skinny stock with carpet tape + a MDF auxiliary fence.
  • Zero-Clearance Inserts: Cut custom inserts from scrap acrylic to prevent tear-out.
  • Wax the Table: Paraffin wax = smoother feeds than a greased hockey rink.
  • Lazy Susan Bit Storage: Mount a turntable under the table for instant bit access.

3 Projects That’ll Make You Worship Your Router Table

  1. Shaker-Style Cabinet Doors
    Use a raised panel bit + fence to craft doors that’d make Norm Abram jealous.
  2. DIY Picture Frames
    A coving bit + miter gauge = gallery-worthy frames in 20 minutes.
  3. Custom Moldings
    Turn scrap into crown molding that looks like it was stolen from a Versailles closet.

Safety 101: Don’t Become a Cautionary Tale

  • Featherboards Are Your Friend: They keep fingers 6” away from the spinny death wheel.
  • Climb-Cutting = Russian Roulette: Unless you enjoy ER visits, feed wood against the bit’s rotation.
  • Unplug Before Bit Changes: “But I turned it off!” isn’t a valid epitaph.

The $64,000 Question: Is a Router Table Worth It?

Let’s math: A decent benchtop table costs $250. If you sell one set of handmade coasters or floating shelves, it pays for itself. For hobbyists? It’s about transforming “good enough” into “holy crap, I made this?!”

(Jake “The Table Titan” Malone is a recovering handheld router addict and host of The Dust Diaries Podcast. When not geeking out over fence systems, he’s arguing with his parrot about who owns the workshop.)