Best Benchtop Router Tables of 2021 [Rated & Reviewed]

| Last Updated: October 20, 2022

Whether you are a serious woodworker or just a hobbyist, you will not get very far without a quality table to mount your woodworking router on.

We have compiled a list of the best benchtop router tables so that both amateur and professional woodworkers will be able to find the best product choice for them and their needs.

Comparison of the Best Benchtop Router Tables

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Designed with a dust collection port, 6 ft. power cord, dual-outlet switch, and two adjustable feather boards
  • Aluminum fence is manufactured with MDF face plates
  • The unit can be attached to any workbench
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  • The large 8”x6” work table is designed with an adjustable fence
  • Compatible with some cordless and all corded rotary tools
  • Can be used to groove, trim, slot, and sand edges
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  • RAS9000 is designed with a quick-clamp system and 2 containers
  • Two feather boards help guide the workpiece, ensuring a more accurate routing
  • Bit height gauge enhances the accuracy of cuts and makes the unit extremely easy to set up
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  • Industrial-quality fence is equipped with vertical jointing, adjustable faces, cam clamps, and dust collection
  • Router insert plate is designed with Level-Loc reducing rings and precision plate levelers
  • MDF table top is manufactured with an easy-slide surface
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How to Choose a Benchtop Router Table

Size

For many amateur or hobbyist woodworkers, you may not have access to an actual woodshop, so you will need a table that is on the smaller side and can easily be tucked into the back corner of a garage or outdoor shed space.

Sturdiness

This is potentially the most important quality a router table can have. Woodworking can become really dangerous really quickly when you are working on a table that is wobbly or shifts around underneath any weight.

Cleanliness

As any carpenter could tell you, woodworking results in a large amount of sawdust. You want a router table with a dust cleaning mechanism or at the very least an additional outlet so you can plug in your shop vac and have it handy for when things start to get a little dusty. 

Review of the Best Benchtop Router Tables

So now that you have a bit of a better idea what to look for in a well-made benchtop router table, let’s take a look at examples of some products themselves:

BOSCH RA1181 Benchtop Router Table 27 in. x 18 in. Aluminum Top with 2-1/2 in. Vacuum Hose Port

PROS

  • Includes multiple safety features
  • Dust extraction feature works well
  • Great for small shop woodworking
  • Made of durable, lasting, heavy duty materials
  • Users report this router table finally made them feel confident enough to use their router for projects they had been putting off

CONS

  • Leveling screws loosen easily

The Bosch Benchtop Router Table RA1181 is an awesome router table for those users who are looking for a bit of versatility in their router usage.

It is compatible with even more routers than advertised  since its plastic components allow for greater adaptability and the table itself is easily drilled and manipulated to fit multiple different kinds of routers. It is on the smaller side, so it could easily fit into whatever your woodshop situation is, even if your “shop” is the tiniest imaginable corner of your garage.

The Bosch table comes with a helpful instruction manual that can save a ton of time when first assembling it and will make you realize how quickly and easily it actually is to put this table together. Additionally, the table comes with extra guides on some typical Do It Yourself projects that are extremely helpful for rookies and those users who are entirely new to the world of woodworking.

Bottom Line

The Bosch Benchtop Router Table RA1181 is a great option for a small router table that you will able to fit anywhere and easily adapt to multiple different kinds of routers, not just the ones advertised as compatible with this table. The only drawback is that you may have to tighten the leveling screws more often than you would like.

Dremel 231 Portable Rotary Tool Shaper and Router Table- Woodworking Attachment Perfect for Sanding, Shaping, and Trimming Edges

PROS

  • Well designed
  • Good for small amounts of hobby woodworking
  • Can be modified to fit different spaces and needs
  • Good at making straight through cuts and edge cuts
  • Small enough to fit pretty much anywhere while still providing adequate woodworking space

CONS

  • Not made of the most high quality material
  • Dremel does not provide good customer service

The Dremel 231 Router Shaper/Table is an adaptable little table that can be fit on top of any work table and will save you significant time, energy, and money that you would otherwise have spent on constructing a full router table.

Because this table provides a smaller surface area for working, it is recommended that users only invest in this table if they plan to use it for hobby woodworking, not serious, consistent woodworking such as the kind necessary to make a living.

But for hobbyists, the table provides everything you will need and more., including an adjustable fence and four different kinds of edges (slot, groove, sand, and trim edges). Edge cuts can be made beautifully using this machine.

Bottom Line

The Dremel 231 Router Shaper/Table is a good router table for those interested in woodworking at the hobby level. If you plan on doing any woodworking that is more serious than that, you may want to invest in a router that is made of more high quality material than you will be able to find in this Dremel.

SKIL RAS900 Router Table

PROS

  • Sturdy
  • Attractive aesthetic
  • Table’s legs come with storage compartments for additional tool storage
  • Comes with a wide range of accessories: push stick, depth gauge, and fence
  • Comes with two outlets, one can be used for a shop vac to clean up sawdust

CONS

  • Black molding around the table’s edge is not flush with the table’s surface itself and should be trimmed down using a laminate trimming bit on your router

The Skil RAS900 Router Table is a fantastic option for a user who does not do a lot of consistent woodworking and consequently is most interested in a table that can be easily folded up and stored away when not in use. All user reviews extolled the easy storage ability of the Skil table.

Additionally, users report that is super easy to break this table down and to build it back up when you are assembling and disassembling it to place into storage.

Because it is easily broken down and is not intended to be left standing constantly, it is a little bit less sturdy than some of the other router table models you can find on the market today and make require some additional bolting to your work table’s surface as an extra safety precaution. But all in all, this is a great router table for someone who is interested in occasional woodworking using high quality tools.

Bottom Line

The Skil RAS 900 Router Table is an excellent router table that can easily be broken down and stored. Just know that you are going to need to take some extra time when it first arrives to trim down the table’s edging.

Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table

PROS

  • Good for use by amateur woodworkers
  • Included vacuum system to get rid of wood dust
  • Legs are strong and sturdy, table does not rock at all
  • Comes with set up bars, feather boards, and insert discs
  • Light enough to also be a portable table if you are woodworking on the move

CONS

  • Clamps holding the fence are not super strong – fence can move slightly if there is enough pressure

The Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table is a great table for use with hobby woodworkers. It is simple to set up, although users report that if you do not pay close attention to the provided directions and take your time to set it up properly, you will pay for it later – but of course, that is true for any tool.

One of the most awesome qualities about this Kreg table is that it is light enough to be transported fairly easily, so if you are woodworking on the go or if you anticipate moving around a lot, this table is a great choice for you.

Bottom Line

The Kreg PRS2100 Bench Top Router Table is a fantastic table that will enable you to get any woodworking job done, even if you have to stop in the middle, pack up the table, and resume again later. The one thing to consider is that the fence clamps will give if you apply enough pressure, so watch out for fence movement and consider reinforcing the clamps themselves if possible.  

Craftsman Router and Router Table Combo

PROS

  • Small size makes it easy to fit into any shop
  • Great for those new to the world of woodworking
  • Router bit height is easily adjustable, with a dial to make fine tuned micro adjustments
  • Router can easily be detached from the router table and used as a free router if desired

CONS

  • Router table is made of particle board, so not super sturdy

Forget all of the hassle of buying a top quality router and then searching the market for a router table that is compatible with the expensive router you just bought – or finally giving up, buying one that is not compatible, and needing to take the extra time to drill holes in the table that allow the router to be steady and be hooked up to  a power outlet! Those days are long behind you when you go with the Craftsman Router and Router Table Combo.

Because this combination comes from the reliable Craftsman brand, you know you are getting a high quality router, and in that regard, this product certainly does not disappoint. If you are looking for a smaller router table with an included high quality router to get basic home improvement woodworking tasks done, you will not be able to find something that better suits your needs than this Craftsman combo.

Bottom Line

The Craftsman Router and Router Table Combo are ideal as an all in one, inclusive package that will be able to fit into any woodworking shop with ease. Just be aware that the router table top is made of particle board, so it may need to be reinforced at some point down the line.

Conclusion

Benchtop router tables are an essential component of any woodworker’s repertoire, whether they are a professional or just casually woodworking as a hobby. The products on this list will be sure to not disappoint – get woodworking today!

People Also Ask

You have questions, we have answers: 

What is a Benchtop Router Table?

A benchtop router table is a means of connecting your router to a stable woodworking surface. The router itself is attached to the base of the table (which is why a sturdy table is so incredibly important) and the router’s spindle will then protrude from the table to be used in woodworking. 

What is a Benchtop Router Table Best Used For?

A benchtop router table is best used for Do It Yourself woodworking craft work. Users have reported that benchtop router tables can be ideal for fixing any issues involving wood around the house, such as a broken cabinet door, or for doing comprehensive projects, like actually shaping a piece of wood into a beautiful design.

Can a Plunge Router Be Used in a Table?

Yes, although it can be complicated. We recommend buying a separate base for using a plunge router if that is what you want to do.

What is the Difference Between a Router Table and a Sharper?

Both router tables and sharpers are effective woodworking tools, although they accomplish this effect in different ways. Router tables are obviously intended to be paired with a router, which uses router bits to cut and shape wood. Sharpers use a different system, a motor powered by a belt drive.

Benefits of Investing in a Great Benchtop Router Table

As with all major purchases, it is always tempting to go cheaper rather than upscale. But you do not want to compromise on quality when purchasing a router table. This is primarily for safety reasons: if you get a router table that is wobbly, or a router table that is intended to be easily folded up and put away but in actuality just has really weak leg joints that collapse easily, you could end up in a situation where the spinning router blade is moving around rapidly and unpredictably. It is important to avoid this situation by investing in a high quality router system that will ensure your safety when using woodworking tools.