The 10 Best Router Lifts

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This wiki has been updated 20 times since it was first published in October of 2018. Most router jobs call for precise cuts, but, when trying to do everything completely by hand, you tend to stray off the mark a little bit. That's where these lifts come into play. Not only do they help you work with extreme accuracy, so you can get results just like a professional carpenter, but they also make changing bits more convenient. Most are compatible with a variety of cutting tools. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.

1. JessEm Mast-R-Lift II

2. Bosch Benchtop RA1181

3. JessEm Rout-R-Lift II

Editor's Notes

November 27, 2020:

There are a variety of new models of router lift available that were not on the market before, so we were able to add four new choices to a list that, while short, offered a good range of high-quality tools. The Skil RAS900 is a large unit that is still portable due to its folding legs. It also has two electric outlets for you to plug in additional tools or a vacuum system to keep your workplace less dusty. The Sawstop RT-LFT is the only lift on the list with a chain-driven four-post system to ensure that all the legs are the exact same height, which is invaluable for woodworking and routing.

Though more expensive than other models on the list, the Kreg PRS1045 is worthy of inclusion due to its excellent reviews and undeniable quality of construction and should be considered as a professional's option rather than a home hobbyist. The Bosch Benchtop RA1181 is small enough to be considered for home or on-site use, as it can be fixed to the surface of your choice, as well as being manufactured in die-cast aluminum with dust collection ports and guards included.

October 31, 2018:

When choosing router lifts, we put a priority on finding models that offer accurate height adjustments and stay firmly in place throughout hours of work. We did include one model that some users have experienced slippage with, the Rockler FX, because many people report to having fixed this problem by tightening up a couple of nuts. It is also intended for home DIYers who aren't likely to use it for hours on end.

Special Honors

Rutlands Premium Electronic R20 With an electronic router lift and a digital LCD control box, the Rutlands R20 is arguably the most precise and accurate lift in the UK. The keypad control gives you complete command of all of the features, and it has an inbuilt thread-tensioning design to ensure that the router will automatically lock in position after setting the cutting height. rutlands.com

4. Kreg PRS1045

5. Woodpeckers Precision Woodworking Tools PRL-V2-420

6. Sawstop RT-LFT

7. Skil RAS900

8. Incra Mast-R II

9. Kreg PRS5000

10. Rockler FX

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Brett Dvoretz
Last updated by Brett Dvoretz

A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.


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