Routers are rather unique in the world of woodworking tools, especially amongst handheld power tools. They are the only tool which is designed for shaping the wood, rather than cutting it. Granted, these tools cut the wood in order to shape it, but the focus tool is creating the profile, the shape.
Many consider the router an “extra” tool, when compared to more “essential” ones. That depends on what type of woodworking you are doing. If your main thrust is rough carpentry, there is little chance that you would use a router. But if you are trying to do any sort of finish work and especially if you are making furniture, a router is essential.
A router works by spinning a bit which cuts a profile in the wood. They are most commonly used to form profiles on the edge of the wood, but can also be used quite effectively for cutting a relief into the surface of the wood. They typically work at extremely high speeds, as the higher the speed the router works at, the smoother the cut.
There are two basic categories of routers, ones with a fixed base and “plunge” models. The fixed base is used for cutting profiles in edges and the plunge base is used for cutting in the middle of a flat surface. Combo routers come with one motor but two bases, allowing you to use the same router for both purposes. This is a great money saver, especially for those who are buying their first router.
The motor on these routers is of medium size, typically about 1.5 HP. In comparison, some detail routers have .25 HP motors and some heavy-duty profiling routers have motors as big as 3 HP. The 1.5 HP motor is big enough to use with pretty much any of the small to mid-sized router bits, but is too small for use with the larger router bits. Larger bits have a 1/2 inch shank, which would prevent them from being mounted in some of these routers, which only have a 1/4 inch collet. However, the more powerful ones have both 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch collets, allowing them to accept all router bits.
Since these are all combo routers, they are very similar to one another. The biggest difference is going to be ease of use. Some manufacturers just seem to make their tools in such a way that they are easier to use than what others do. In addition to that, we want to take into consideration any differences in power, as well as overall tool quality. Check out our list of the best combo wood routers in 2022.