Router Selection

[Paul Canaris]

I would appreciate some friendly advice. My current router is close to giving up the ghost; it is an 18 year old Bosch 3 ½ hp VS plunge. So I need to buy something. I have narrowed it down to a Fein RT1800, Festool OF-1400 EQ or a Festool OF-2000 E. I would appreciate anything you feel is a positive or a negative about the units mentioned. To date I have owned a single router to do all tasks.

[JayStPeter]

I bought the OF1400 with plans of getting rid of my other router(s). While I like it a lot, there are some things I prefer my Bosch 1617 kit for. If I had to have just one, it'd be the Bosch. Mainly because I like the stability of the fixed base when edge routing. The Festool seems to want to tip and the odd handle setup seems to make it worse. In fairness, the Bosch plunge base isn't a lot better, but is a little. There are also some operations I really like the handle setup on the Festool for.

[Jim Becker]

For a "one router" shop...my recommendation would be one of the 12-13 amp "kits" with multiple bases. The DW618 is my favorite there. I own it with all three bases. I also own the Festool OF1400 and Festool OF1010. (My table router is a PC 7518) I like the Festool routers for a lot of things, but like Jay, still prefer alternatives for some functions...like dovetailing. I like a fixed base, low center of gravity router there.

The Festool OF2000 is a real beast...not one that I'd recommend for someone that didn't specifically require the power and brawn that it has.

[Paul Canaris]

Thanks for the input guys, so many things to consider it can give a guy a headache.