1/2" sub £200 best router reccomendations please!

[Bm101]

If you wanted to buy a new router......
1/2" with 1/4" capability
Plunge
Mountable (maybe.... at some point)
Soft start and variable speed
Good motor etc etc etc

So far I've come to this one.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/hitachi-m12ve ... 230v/87017
Has anyone got one, used one etc. Is there a better all rounder at the sub £200 price range?
If i'm missing any glaring obviousouses I'm happy to learn. That's why I'm asking.

Thanks
Chris

 

[RogerP]

Not having owned a Hitachi I can't say it would be "better" but I'd recommend you take a look at the Triton TRA001 (also available from Screwfix). Particularly good for table mounting.

 

[Bm101]

Thanks Roger I'll take a look. Can I ask why it's better suited for mounting?

 

[DiscoStu]

I'd also suggest the TRA001. Mine is great under the table. It is very heavy though so not great on narrow pieces, but I think you'll find that with most 1/2 routers


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[LJM]

The obvious question is, what do you want to do with it?

My first router (a blue Bosch 1/4" model) was great; excellent soft-start and speed control, easy to handle... but lacked capacity for bigger stuff.

When I came to need a bigger beast for things like kitchen installs, I borrowed and then bought a big Freud; this has the power, but is less refined than the Bosch, and more of a handful. It now lives in a table, where it does an excellent job.

I changed the little Bosch for a 1618 (I think!) with fixed and plunge based. If I were to have just one router, it would be this one.

The point is, no single tool is ideal for all tasks, and lots of people have many routers for different uses; define you primary tasks for it, and choose a tool suited to them.

For what it's worth, I've heard generally good things of they Hitachi.

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[RogerP]

Thanks Roger I'll take a look. Can I ask why it's better suited for mounting?

It can be height adjusted from the top through the table and they supply a handle to do so.

 

[Bm101]

Thanks LJM, that was the answer I was expecting for very good reason. You're right. I was hoping this thread might provide some answers so I was fishing if you like. Trying to find a good all rounder that would do most things well.

 

[Bm101]

Thanks Roger. Much appreciated.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Can you get 1/4" collet for it? They only specify 1/2" and 12mm.

 

[Bm101]

I think so Phil... It says 1/2 and 1/4" ?

 

[LJM]

Like many others here, I have a router raizer (sp?) fitted to my Freud; many of the popular routers, suitable for table mounting can be fitted with one, to give above-table height adjustment.

Worth keeping in mind.

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[Wuffles]

Triton TRA001 in a table here Chris. No idea what it's like out of a table though, can't be that bad.

I don't use the through table adjustment as the fine adjuster on the router itself is good enough, and as some bright spark pointed on here once, you're already bent over double trying to work out where the bit is going to land, use the fine adjuster while you're down there.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I think so Phil... It says 1/2 and 1/4" ?

Just looked again -1/2" and 12mm.

 

[Wuffles]

Amazon says 1/2" and 1/4" though. Think mine was 1/2" and 12mm. Like Festool, they change their included option every few weeks. Hunt around for one that's definitely 1/2 and 1/4 then.

 

[LancsRick]

For table mounting, Triton have by far the best features in that price bracket. If you're looking at more freehand use though, I know the Hitachi HV12 gets a lot of praise, but I've not used one myself.

 

[Bm101]

I think so Phil... It says 1/2 and 1/4" ?

Just looked again -1/2" and 12mm.

Ahh. I was looking at the Hitachi Phil.
Regarding the Triton I had a quick look at work today on the phone and it seems a little confusing. At first glance it looks like the 12mm collet is supplied with it in the EU. A quick glance at a router forum gave some leads. Newer models can be fitted with a replacement chuck? Something along those lines... :| I'll have a proper search round the net tonight and report back.

 

[RogerP]

I think so Phil... It says 1/2 and 1/4" ?

Just looked again -1/2" and 12mm.

Ahh. I was looking at the Hitachi Phil.
Regarding the Triton I had a quick look at work today on the phone and it seems a little confusing. At first glance it looks like the 12mm collet is supplied with it in the EU. A quick glance at a router forum gave some leads. Newer models can be fitted with a replacement chuck? Something along those lines... :| I'll have a proper search round the net tonight and report back.

All the normal size collets are available for the Triton both metric and imperial.
I have 1/4", 8mm, 12mm, and 1/2"

 

[Bm101]

So I could buy the half inch collet and fit it easily to the screwfix model? ? Bear with me Roger. I'm new to routers. I have an Erbauer gifted me a few years back but it's given up the ghost. I think its a ball of rust internally. Why the preference for the half inch collet over the 12mm and if the general consensus is (seemingly) for 1/2" why supply it with the 12mm?
I'm yet again befuddled.

 

[Wuffles]

More 1/2" bits available than 12mm, same goes for 1/4" over 8mm.


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[Bm101]

Cheers fella.