DeWalt DW618PK 2-1/4 HP EVS Fixed Base/Plunge Router Combo Kit with Soft Start

I have been using this kit for a few months now and I completely love it!Pros:~ Excellent quality! People love to complain about Dewalt's products no longer being produced in the US, but I find no signs of that effecting quality in my purchases so far. I own several new Dewalt tools and they are very well built and packaged. Dewalt has responded to criticism by now returning some manufacturing to the US and actually branding their tools "Built in the USA with GLOBAL MATERIALS", but frankly in my experience the tool quality seems totally fine (produced in the US or otherwise).The action on the plunge base is smooth and easy. The adjustable height stops have a clean positive click for each stop. The handles are sizeable and comfortable to use. Even the toggle switch has a feeling of solid quality. Everything considered, this just feels like a substantial well made tool.~ Soft start motor is perfect. An added benefit of the soft start is it makes this tool less scary to use for the inexperienced newcomer since it doesn't come screaming to life the second you hit the switch.~ It has the all the required accessories for a kit in this price range: 1/4" & 1/2" collets, dust collection shroud, included wrench, hard case for storage, adjustable speed, etc.~ I love that the power cord is detachable at the base. I have found with nearly every power tool I own, that interface--where the cord enters the tool-- ALWAYS eventually becomes the point of failure. Sometimes it takes years, sometimes it takes months, but this system will prevent that. The included cable is pretty durable, but if you were to damage it somehow, you can easily just purchase another and swap it out, no mess, no fuss. EVERY POWER TOOL SHOULD USE A SYSTEM LIKE THIS, PERIOD.Cons:~ I think the dust collection shroud is a bit wimpy. It is just a small plastic piece and I often find it a bit clumsy to attach. Once attached however, it does work well.~ Would be nice perhaps to include the edge guide. Even if that raised the price slightly its fine because I see this as being a router KIT and so many routing operations are well served with the edge guide. The hard case already includes a space for it, so why not include it for a few extra bucks.~ Their claim that the solid base allows for 1/64" adjustments is frankly bogus. There is a large collar threaded onto the motor shroud and by turning that you are supposedly able to make 1/64" adjustments. There is just no way, and that isn't even a knock against the tool they just shouldn't say it in the description. If you need perfect 1/64" adjustments, you would never expect to get that from a collar threated to something like 0.5"/turn. Its just not that accurate for repeatable cuts, but it also shouldn't be, that's why its a fixed base. You might be able to get it with the plunge base, but I bet not even there could you make repeatable 1/64" cuts just on the basis of the measuring guide. You would have to make test cuts to actually ensure you got that level of accuracy. Its not a router lift, its a hand held router.In summary, I love this router and both bases. The motor size makes it big enough to tackle most any jobs within reason and still compact enough that it remains versatile for edge routing.

I needed a router for my router table. This router needed to be able to use large bits, such as rail/stile bits for cabinet doors. Those need some serious torque for best results.I read some of the reviews here that indicated it is a good router that may have longevity issues. I figured I would give it a try, since most tool brands nowadays are garbage except for DeWalt, Milwaukee, Hilti, and some other high-end brands. The Milwaukee routers seemed to have similar reviews to DeWalt, but Amazon had this one for cheaper so here we go.After a couple of months using it for some hobby weekend woodworking, I like it so far. I cannot speak to its longevity or how it would work after years of daily use. But it has enough power to plow through denser hardwoods with tongue-and-groove bits, straight bits making deep dado cuts, and others that can remove a lot of material at once. No burn marks, no whining from the motor as long as I feed at a reasonable pace.This router is a great compliment to my 1/4" trim router. If that is all you have, and you want to do woodworking, get a 1/2", powerful router to do the things the smaller one cannot. I do recommend this DeWalt, with the caveat that I have only owned it for several months. If it holds up like their other tools, I am sure it will work well for years.When you compare routers' power to each other, try to use amperage, not horsepower. For example: this model uses 12A, but is rated at 2.25HP. That amount of horsepower, at 120V, equates to approximately 17A. It has a NEMA 1-15P plug, indicating that in order to be UL-certified, it cannot draw more than 15A. In fact it might even need to be derated to 80% of 15A, which gives us the 12A it claims to draw. What this means is the math on the amperage checks out, but the horsepower rating is complete nonsense.Pretty much every other corded power tool has the same garbage horsepower math, so ignore it: compare amperage instead. 12A is probably about the highest amperage rating you will find on a router or other power tool until you move up to tools designed for 20A or 240V circuits. Those are much less common, so this router will be one of the most powerful models you will have an easy time finding.

La compre hace varios años y he hecho varios trabajos de mi casa con ella.

The listing says it comes with a sub base concentricity gauge (centering guide or centering cone); it was missing from two different shipments of this kit. I tried to use DeWalt's telephone support, but never got a callback after I entered my phone number, so I returned the first one because Amazon support didn't have any luck with reaching DeWalt either. I'm trying DeWalt's online support for the second one... Update: no luck with getting through to DeWalt. However, I discovered that DeWalt's description of this kit, on their website, doesn't mention including the centering guide, so they may have changed what the kit contains.On the plus side, the dust collection using the plunge base was great.

Love it!