Top 5 Best Woodworking Routers for 2024 You Need to Know About

Coffee and Carpentry: The Humble Router

You know, sitting here on a drizzly Saturday morning with a warm cup of coffee is one of those simple pleasures that makes you notice the little things in life. The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the faint scent of sawdust drifting in from my garage workshop — it’s a harmony I didn’t know I needed until I stumbled into woodworking a few years back. And oh man, have I had my fair share of missteps. Let me tell you about my journey with woodworking routers — those nifty little tools that can either make you feel like a craftsman or utterly lost.

So, picture this: I’d just bought my first router. It was a modest little Porter-Cable, not too expensive but definitely had its fair share of rave reviews online. I remember unboxing it pretty much like it was Christmas morning — I couldn’t wait to give it a go. The moment I plugged it in, my heart raced with the anticipation of turning this plain old board into something beautiful. I mean, I wanted to create magic — not just shove some screws in a piece of plywood.

But, oh boy, the magic didn’t quite start brewing right away. It all went downhill when I decided to try a fancy edge profile. I saw this video online, you know the type — some guy with the most soothing voice you’ve ever heard, effortlessly gliding his router along the board. I figured I could do it just as smoothly. Spoiler alert: I could not.

I almost burned my first piece of cherry wood that day. Do you know what cherry wood smells like when it’s scorched? It’s something close to burnt popcorn, but worse — kind of a sickening aroma that makes your stomach churn a bit. Here I was, trying to channel my inner woodworker, and instead, I was left staring at this charred edge like I’d made a terrible mistake. I sat there, router still humming, and thought about giving up completely. I almost tossed it all in the corner and walked away.

But something kept nagging at me — that stubborn itch to try again. So I took a deep breath, cracked the garage door open to let in some fresh air, and regrouped. Maybe it was the sound of the birds chirping outside or the light breeze, but I decided to give it another shot, this time a little more calculated and definitely more patient.

You know, it’s funny how sometimes you think you’re doing everything right, and just the tiniest thing slips through the cracks — like how I didn’t even think to adjust the speed of the router. Turns out, the bit you use makes a world of difference when routing edges. Slower speeds are your friend, especially with harder woods. Who knew? Not me, apparently.

After fiddling a bunch with the settings and getting back to it with a clearer head, I finally started to see the beauty in the wood. The edges began to take shape, and for a moment, everything went quiet except for the sound of the router gliding smoothly along the grain. It was like poetry in motion, if you’d believe it. The router made this gentle whirring noise — almost calming like a heartbeat, and with every pass, it transformed the wood right before my eyes.

I remember that moment I lifted the router and saw a perfect edge — just a slight roundover, but it looked like a gem glinting in the sunlight streaming through the garage window. I laughed out loud, feeling silly but triumphant all at once. I was all by myself, but there I was, cheering like I’d just scored the winning goal in a championship game. My wife peeked in with a questioning look, and I just had to share my little victory. It’s those moments that keep you going, make you want to improve and learn more.

I ended up getting more comfortable with my router over time, picking up a few different brands of bits. The Whiteside bits became my go-to — I’m telling you, they cut like butter. That sweet pine aroma as the bit slices through the wood just makes it all better, you know? And the way the tiny curls of wood shavings fall to the ground — it’s like a little confetti at a celebration.

But I’ll be honest with you; I still have those days where things don’t work out quite like I planned. Just the other week, I was trying to dovetail some joints for a new drawer and nearly lost my mind when nothing lined up. I sat there, pulling my hair out for a good hour before realizing I hadn’t even marked my lines properly. So much for precision. It’s a humbling reminder that progress isn’t always linear, and that’s okay.

If you’re sitting there on the fence about diving into the world of woodworking, let me tell you, go for it! Buy that router, no matter how intimidating it looks. You’re going to make mistakes, and oh boy, are they going to be some unforgettable lessons. But in the end, it’s all worth it. Every little misstep leads you one step closer to getting it right.

Every project, every router pass, even every puff of burnt wood just adds to the story — to your journey. And let me tell you, every small victory, every perfect edge, will be something you cherish long after the tools get put away for the day. So grab that router, let the smell of sawdust fill your garage, and dive right in. Trust me, you’ll figure it out, just like I did.