I have a couple of Bosch 1617s One is the EVSPK kit, the other was a motor only. Got both from the orange big box store, on sale for $199 new. But from members who use CPO, it is very good. When I looked over routers, at first I considered a router, I did hands on comparison of the Bosch, PC and DeWalt. Figured out that PC was B&D so that was out-bad reputation of B&D. DeWalt was much better in many ways, but I didn't like the rotating depth control. But the Bosch was solid, fine machining, so I got it, then a motor only for the lift in the table. What a fine machine.
I have sincereplaced the Bosch in my table with a more powerful Triton TRA001, which has a built-in lift, but to me, the triton is too heavy for hand held use, so my 1617s still get plenty of hand held use. The Bosch routers have an amazing variety of accessories, the EVSPK came with both 1/4 and 1/2 as well as metric collets. The 1617 has soft start and speed control and the storage case is really nice as well.
The DeWalt has a fair number of fans here, and it is physically a very manageable size with the same power as the 1617, and I don't think you'd go wrong with one, but for my money, it's the Bosch.
I have sincereplaced the Bosch in my table with a more powerful Triton TRA001, which has a built-in lift, but to me, the triton is too heavy for hand held use, so my 1617s still get plenty of hand held use. The Bosch routers have an amazing variety of accessories, the EVSPK came with both 1/4 and 1/2 as well as metric collets. The 1617 has soft start and speed control and the storage case is really nice as well.
The DeWalt has a fair number of fans here, and it is physically a very manageable size with the same power as the 1617, and I don't think you'd go wrong with one, but for my money, it's the Bosch.
