In the world of carpentry, palm routers are the most versatile bevel tool and is a must-have for a wooden workshop. The router is also known as a hand router or trim router. This handy device creates many wood edges, including square edges, basic butt joint, rabbet joint, etc. Palm routers are also used to smooth the rough wooden surfaces.
To help you decide, we have shortlisted 5 best palm router suitable for various woodworking and carpentry projects.
5 Best Palm Router Reviews
1. Dewalt (Dwp611) Router
We all know that a powerful motor is the most significant part of the router, as power is directly proportional to its efficiency. Dewalt router comes with a 1-1/4 HP powerful motor, perfect for dealing with resilient woodwork applications.
The variable speed control dial of Dwp611 allows quick speed optimization in various bevel applications.
Dewalt Dwp611routeroffers a soft start feature and an automatic electronic feedback system that maintains the speed of the motor throughout the cut.
The trim router also has an adjustment ring that enables precise bits’ depth variations to inside up to 1/64 inch. The clamping mechanism and depth ring both ensure that the motor remains protected in its position while it is running.
The motor housing and base are made of aluminum that ensures durability. Along with that, this trim router offers an extended sub-base. It means you will get extensive work surface contact for better user control. Moreover, the base is quickly changeable.
Dewalt (Dwp611) Router takes you to a new level of routing. If rated with numbers, it will undoubtedly take its place at the top-rated palm router. It is a package of enormous power with a 1.25 HP motor. The motor is powerful enough to meet the strictest applications.
Pros
- The motor is highly efficient
- It offers adjustable speed control.
- The dual LEDs provide clear and maximum visibility.
- The clamping mechanism keeps the motor locked in its position and improves stability.
- Aluminum housing makes it durable and long-lasting.
- The 1/4-inch collet ensures minimal vibrations.
Cons
- The clamps are not of excellent quality and loosen with time.
- Expensive compared to other similar products in the market.
2. Bosch Pr20evs Palm Router
The Bosch Pr20evs hand trims router comes with a unique design. The palm router is sturdy and provides you with both routing power and precision. With a soft grip, it is comfortable to hold.
It is an ideal tool for slot cutting, mortising for hinges, setting round overs on decks fences, and many more.
The router is simple to maintain its speed. The advanced circuitry offers overload protection by maintaining rapidity and ensure exceptional performance during operation.
The motor is 1 horsepower, which is the highest among the small motors. The soft-start control highly reduces the torque while starting hence minimizing energy loss. The trim router has a fixed base with macro-fine and micro-fine depth modification.
The design is unique and sophisticated. It angled the cord wire in such a way to keep the cord out of the way during operation.
Pros
- The Bosh palm router is very user friendly and works effortlessly.
- The Bosh palm router motor features variable-speed
- Easier to hold.
- It is perfect for light woodwork applications and trimming wood edges
Cons
- It requires periodic resting as the motor gets heat up with continuous use.
- It is not suitable for heavy load operations.
3. Makita RT0701CX7 1-1/4 HP Compact Palm Router
The Makita compact palm router has a powerful motor of 1-1/4 HP. This trim router is an excellent deal for deep precision and other bevel routing applications.
It has a variable speed control dial from 10,000 to 30,000 RPM, which allows the user to set the speed according to the carpentry applications.
Makita palm router comes with electronic speed control to keep constant speed during the application or under load. The hand router has a soft start feature that enables a smooth start-up.
It is very comfortable to use due to its highly sophisticated design and provides better control during operation. The finest adjustment system of depth increases precision.
The Makita compact palm router is double-insulated with a sturdy aluminum motor housing that will increase the durability.
Pros
- It includes an adequate depth adjustment system of rack-and-pinion to provide deep precisions.
- The base removal is easy and quick.
- It comes with a powerful motor that provides exceptional performance.
- It offers an easy shaft lock system for quick bit changes.
- The double-insulated body prevents overheating while running.
- It is cheaper as compared to other similar products.
Cons
- Handling cutter height is slightly tricky due to its complex design.
- There is no center line marking on the base, making it harder to set for precision.
4. Ridgid R2401 Laminate Trim Router
The Ridgid laminate trim router has round and square bases that add flexibility, versatility, and convenience of using it. It has a micro-adjust dial that is easily accessible and best for depth control of precision.
The hand router has a flat top that makes bits changing easy and handy. The Ridgid palm router is over-mold on the upper side to prevent the disfigurement of the woodwork surface. The trim router has an instant release lever that permits easy detachment of the motor from the router base.
It has a limited 3-year warranty and Lifetime Service Agreement.
The electronic feedback system offers consistent speed and power. It can be set at different speeds required for different types of material and procedures.
Pros
- It comes with a 90-day satisfaction assurance policy.
- The palm router is suitable for laminating works and mounting applications.
- It has LED light on the work area, which increases visibility during operations.
- It has an over-mold grip, which provides much comfort while holding it.
Cons
- Ridgid R2401 Laminate Trim Router has no reported cons to date.
5. Bosch Pr20evspk 5.6-Amp Colt Palm Grip
Bosch colt palm grip router has a contoured soft grip area, making it a supremely ergonomic router in its class that provides extraordinary comfort.
The router is equipped with the variable-speed dial that enables a palm router to match the pace of the work task.
It has a powerful 5.6 amp motor. It can be adjusted to run between 16000 to 35000 rpm with a soft start mechanism, which reduces torque and increases efficiency.
The quick clamp system of the hand router enables the fast movement of the motor.
The Bosch palm grip router is solid, durable, and precise in its operations due to its aluminum non cantilevered secure base.
The clamp attached to the router can be easily removed, due to which changing of the base becomes easy.
For a fast and accurate bit depth setting, the router has adjustable 7 step depth stop adjustments: Along with that its depth rod offers micro-fine adjustments.
Pros
- The bosch palm grip router is durable and solid.
- The adjustable depth settings allow fast and accurate precision.
- The router is engineered ergonomic design.
- The soft-start mechanism reduces torque during startup.
- The sub-base is very clear and illuminated to see the workpiece easily.
Cons
- No specific complaint was reported to date.
After reviewing the five best palm routers, let’s discuss what to remember while buying a palm router. Following tips and tricks can save you a lot of hassle later.
Buying Guide: Tips and Tricks for Buying Compact Palm Router
This buying guide will help you out selecting the best palm routers as per your requirements. This guide focus on the essential factors of the hand routers to make the buying process easier for the users.
Here is the list of essential features to consider before buying any palm router.
Speed Options
The speed options facility ensures the finishing of the woodworks applications. If speed is not controlled via adjustments, it can deform the wood or destroy the whole piece as different materials require different speeds of operation.
Many routers have two types of speed adjustment features that are multi-speed adjustment and variable speed adjustments. These options make it handy to control the speed according to the different wood types and bevel applications.
On the contrary, many palm router models come with a single-speed option. Adjustment of speed is significant for both the bit diameter and the perfect woodworks operations.
Size of Router
While choosing the best compact palm router, considering the router size is essential. For a small scale, you should go with smaller routers because they are easy to hold and grip in the palm.
But, for higher load, big size routers should be considered as they have more tolerance against a more rigid material.
Style of the Base
The base style is very critical, and it is also related to motor size. Base style depends upon the user’s carpentry projects and usage. Hand routers are available with two base types.
Fixed Base
As the name suggests, it is fixed and has attached knobs that help hold the router in perfect position during application. A fixed base is useful in mounting and edge routing on the router table.
Plunge
This base is the opposite of the fixed base. The plunge is beneficial and useful because of its multipurpose uses. This base is versatile and best for plunging into the woods. It is can easily carve numerous kinds of complex woodcuts, for instance, mortising operations, dado cuts, fluting, the blind groove, and many more. This base is perfect for various woodworks applications.
Soft Start
A soft start is a crucial feature in any palm router because, without it, many woodworking operations will go unpleasant. Both professional and primary user wants a full start at the initial phase of turning on a palm router. So, many trim router production companies encompassed a soft start feature.
If there is no smooth start, the hand router can fall off from the user’s hand because of its enormous power; it becomes tough to hold in hand. The soft-start is a solution to this problem. It makes the palm router start slowly after turning it on, and the speed increases gradually.
So, before buying a palm router, one should look for the soft start feature—moreover, the lesser the torque, the greater the efficiency. So, the router should take less energy while starting up.
Power
Power is directly proportional to the efficiency of the router. It should be one of the foremost things while purchasing the best palm router. The motor power of the palm routers is measured in horsepower (HP).
The power of the trim router becomes essential when the user works on tough wood. The powerful motor of the hand router makes low-quality bits work well. The top-rated palm routers always have powerful motors, that allow the routers to work efficiently and at a fast pace.
Durability
The router should be durable and made of a resistant material to withstand high pressures and workloads for large scale tasks. If a machine is not sturdy enough to resist the torque, it might get fractured and cause a lot of trouble.
Insulation
A well-insulated palm router can prevent overheating during operation. Thus it defends burn and damage of the workpiece or the router itself.
Design
Another important thing you should count is the design of the router. The design should be simple enough, so it is easy to handle and comfortable to work with while operation. The grip of the hand should be soft on the router to ensure maximum precision.
Electronic Feedback circuit
The routers which have an electronic feedback circuit can adjust the output torque to match the load placed on the motor. This feature helps in preventing the stalling of the motor. You don’t be worried about adjusting the load manually; the electronic feedback router does it for you.
Spindle lock mechanism
Most routers have two wrenches for changing the bit. One wrench holds the shaft of the motor, and the other is used to tighten and loosen the collet. The spindle lock is advanced as it has only one wrench through which you have to adjust only the collet and keeps the shaft in place on its own.
Table Adjustment
The router should be flexible to adjust the cutting height with a knob or set a handle from above: which saves you the trouble to go under the table and adjust it to your needs.
Check if it allows you to change the bits from above the table. So you don’t need a router lift to lift the machine to change the bit.
Conclusion
The first choice for professional woodworkers is High-quality palm routers. We tried to review the 5 best palm routers in the professional world.
These routers guarantee not only high performance but also outstanding woodwork. These are budget-friendly choices for the seeker.
Often, many options complicate the buyer while buying The best compact router. We hope the users have the tips and tricks of the trade for the top palm router from this detailed and well-researched review.