Customer Reviews for Porter-Cable 1-1/4 HP Compact Router with Plunge Base and Bag

It was love at first sight. Light, powerful, well made, terrific plunge mechanism.

Porter-Cable 1-1/4 HP Compact Router with Plunge Base and Bag is a nice one. I've been using a cordless finish router and this corded Porter-Cable has plenty of power. First off so you know my bias have other tools by Porter-Cable and found them to be reliable and well-made. I got this one for the plunge feature and am not disappointed. The plunge has impressive features and a solid feel. The router is a single speed unit at 27,000 RPM that shouldn't be a problem with a small 1/4-inch collet. Using my 1/2-inch and smaller bits haven't noticed any problems with plenty of power to complete the cut. I like that the router has a soft start so it doesn't jump on and gouge the wood as easily. The router slips easily into the base and has a standard latch to secure it. The plunge base has a solid feel with no wobble to the descending bit. It is precisely manufactured The depth adjustments were smooth and easy to setup and change. When I tried it out found it to be solid in my hands and moved along smoothly. The fixed base is equally impressive. It has a fine adjustment ring for depth with 1/64th-inch markings. The coarse adjustment can be set when first putting the router in the base and turning the ring down to it and locking it with the latch. The fine adjustment ring worked smoothly and spins off when used in the plunge base. The router isn't lighted and the position of the on/off switch is not to my liking. My other router let me turn the unit off with one finger while holding it. With the Porter-Cable you definitely need your second hand to do it which I'm not used to doing. My old router has a light, but frankly, this Porter-Cable works just fine without one. It has no dust collection feature. The router aside from the lighter weight and size works just like the bigger ones. The plunge base has an optional edge guide and accepts guide rings. Unless you are looking to put your router in a table using large bits this one should do fine for your woodworking needs. Its a tool that will hold up and do good work.

This would be an excellent tool if it had a dust collection port.

Did exactly what I wanted it to do

worked great for my project

Bought several months ago and cannot use with a bit over one inch in diameter, such as a qtr inch round over bit.

Quality woodworking router.Great price for the kit.

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Exceeded my expectations.

I was doing a project where I needed a router to make mortise for a hidden hinge. The company where I purchased the hinge from suggested using a Porter and Cable guide and a special bit, while using a plunge base router. The guide did not fit on the plunger for this router, even though it was a P & C, so I ended up buying a different one, so I had to returned it. So if that is your need for this router I would recommend looking for a different one, so it is hard for me to make a true answer for an overall rating and also the friend's recommendation.

I got this to do inlay work and it worked perfectly, very good for the task and I have a large router for heavier work. Good purchase. have my eye on other porter cable products for later. Quality tools.

This is the second Porter Cable compact router I purchased because the first one stays installed in my portable router table now. I needed a good plunge router and found this to be well built.

Very high quality tool, it is a pleasure to use.

Solid built and compact plenty of power for the job

I received this compact router for free to write this review. If you are looking for a compact router, this is a good one. If you are trying to decide between a compact router and a traditional router, I recommend getting both. I don't think a compact router can fully replace a full sized router. Pros of a compact router: -Very Controllable, you don't feel thrown around by the router. I sometimes find the larger routers a little hard to handle. -More affordable. Cons of a compact router: -Small base opening, there are 1/4" shank bits that won't fit because the hole in the bottom of the router is too small. -A little harder to keep flat on the wood. The base is a lot smaller, it is easier to start leaning without realizing it. -Harder to mount in a router table.

Porter-Cable 1-1/4 HP Compact Router with Plunge Base is made extreamly well. This router works perfect for me (home dyi) I'm far from a professional but work and final product looks like I can do a professional job. (but why lie I do it just for me and fun.) The router slips easily into the base and has a standard latch to secure it. The plunge base has a solid feel with no wobble. I also discovered that I don't always need the plunge base, and the versatility is a plus. Comes with a nice storage bag. This is an all around tool allowing me to create more finished projects.

wimpy product, designed for light duty routing using small cutting tools. Not suited for heavier duty application such as used for 5/8 materials, e.g. high density particle board, oak, baltic birch, etc. Sales information gives you the impression that it is used for shop type environment but is more suited to the hobbyist for very light duty.

This tool is so well made! Beautiful bit of engineering. I like the size for my uses. I've not had one before so I'm excited to get a chance to use it. I especially wanted to use it to remove material from bowls I'm carving. Using Jigs and a plunge router this is a pretty safe way to remove the material without damaging the project. There are a number of uses, that combined with a Jig, you can use the plunge router - mortises, doweling, dadoes (with the use of a straight edge), circle routing (using a trammel to keep it in a perfect circle no saw needed). I like that it comes with a nice storage bag too. Always a plus. I was just reading that there are a number of templates made for this unit and that will be something i'll purchase next.