If you want the best possible finish on your wood creations, the DeWalt DWP611 is the ideal router that is built to perform the toughest applications.
Whether you are hobbyists or a professional woodworker, you will find this machine more than capable. Read the full DeWalt DWP611 Review to find out more about this tool.
This is a compact combination router kit, otherwise known as the 611.
Let’s have a look at the key features in a nutshell
- It has a soft start
- Micro adjustment option
- Powerful 1.25HP motor
- Variable speed selection
- 12 levels adjustable spindle lock
- Two LED lights
- Aluminum housing
- 16,000-27,000 RPM
- It weighs only 4.1 lbs.
- D-style sub-base
DeWalt DWP611 Compact 1-1/4-HP Router Kit Review
Let’s go ahead and cover all the features of the DeWalt DWP611.
What’s Included
DeWalt includes a soft carrying tool bag, a plunge base, which I will cover the features later on, and the fixed base with a router itself. You will also get a wrench to remove the router bits and the owner’s manual.
You can choose the DeWalt DWP611PK model if you want to buy this as a kit. If you only want the bare tool, choose the DWP611.
They are essentially the same thing and DeWalt has some confusing name scheme so, it’s tough to differentiate between them.
Summary
The motor itself is a 1.25hp peak power drawing seven amps, and it comes with an 8-foot cord that is 18 gauge. It’s capable of spinning a bit really fast. This is a hard-working router that you can put through tough jobs. It’s slightly expensive but if you want the best, get this one.
Who Is This For?
This compact router is used for a lot of countertops like when you do the laminate edge banding; the compact size helps a lot. You can easily trim and smooth the edges with this router.
Variable Speed Dial
It has the variable speed dial feature that starts at 16000 RPM you can increase it to 27000 RPM. Each of the digits in between will give you a bump of 2200 RPM.
You can adjust it between the dials to get the right speed for your job. For more significant bits, DeWalt recommends setting between 1 to 3. And 4 to 6 is for smaller bits.
Design
The router has a subtle lift so that your hands know where the bit is. It doesn’t have the rubber back on the side, so it gets cold. If it’s colder temperature or a colder shop, you can get cold in your hand. You will see more detail in the following section.
Dust-Proof Switch
The power switch has a plastic cover. This prevents dust and debris from getting inside the motor and cause premature failure or other internal damages.
Some users like it, some hate it. It depends on personal preference, but it’s certainly a good feature to have.
Fixed Base
The fixed base features a locking lever, which most fixed base features. It also has a quick-release tab to release the router from its base. You can just slide it off, and it will come out smoothly.
One base itself, there is a scale for micro-adjustment that rotates 360-degree. You can easily do all your micro-adjustments with this adjustment ring. Let me tell you how it works.
You will see a little ring on top of the ring. When you slide the machine back, it’s going to pull back the quick-release lever, and it locks right in. You need to spin the dial to adjust the router.
It has a pretty slick design. It’s not too complicated, but it works smooth. You can adjust whatever the setting you require, lock down the lever, and you are ready to use this tool. For someone new, the adjustment might look a little complicated, especially if you have never used this type of router before.
If you are not sure about the adjustment, you can easily reset the micro adjustment dial. The base is a D-style base, and it’s clear, which makes it easy to see through.
Easy Bit Change
If you want to change your bits, release the level, and the base will slide out. It’s as simple as that. Thanks to the locking points which I will cover in detail shortly, the bit changing is very easy.
To change the bits, unplug the router first. Press the spindle lock, slide the bit in, use the wrench to lock that down, and release the lock.
LED Lights
A cool feature that I like about this wood router is the LED lights. It has two of them on the bottom, which is very bright. With any router, the router is only as good as the bit.
If you have a dull bit, you are going to burn through everything. If you have got a good sharp bit, that’s where the variable speed comes into play.
You judge your wood, and since it comes with two LED lights, you can see what the bit is doing as the LED lights up the surface. You can easily see if you are going too fast or too slow.
With those lights, you can also see the depths of pieces to see if you are leaving any grooves that aren’t supposed to be there. And if you are, it’s a got micro adjuster.
Locking Points
Another cool feature that I like that there are a lot of locking points. You will find the spindle lock on the bottom. You don’t have to make a 360-degree revolution to get the bits to lock in place, and it also locks pretty fast.
Quality
It has some weight to it, which isn’t a bad thing because this one is a heavy-duty router, so a little weight won’t be a problem. The sound of the motor is strong. In my personal opinion, I think it’s going to last at least four to five years.
Plunge Base
Finally, let’s talk about the plunge base that’s included with the kit. You will find this only on the DeWalt DWP611PK model. You can buy the router itself to save some money, but if you buy the kit, the investment is worth it because sooner or later, you will need to upgrade to a plunge base model.
Let’s talk about the handles first. Instead of using basic, cheap plastic handles, DeWalt used a rubberized grip that allows you to get a really good grip on the base.
On the side, you will see the turret as well as your turret stops, quarter-inch step-downs. If you are doing a plunge pass, you can do each pass with quarter-inch increments.
You will get an adjustment point that is fully adjustable so that you don’t overwork the router itself. You can adjust any particular depth you like. You will also get an adjustable reference needle.
It doesn’t matter where you are; you can always reference yourself back to zero on the 2-inch scale on the top side of the base. This makes the whole adjustment process a lot easier.
Just like the fixed base, this too has a clear base. On the back, there is a plunge lever. It’s pretty smooth too.
Pros
- It has a strong motor
- Easily goes through the wood
- It has a lot of nice features
Cons
- Expensive
Final Thoughts
In my estimation, this router performs really well. You won’t have any trouble regarding the usability or quality. In terms of value, I know there is a lot of routers out there, so why should you buy this one?
To me, this is the brand that I would trust for a professional router. It’s not a huge jump in price, so I would say the value is there. Hopefully, you have found what you were looking for in this DeWalt DWP611 review. For more reviews on various tools Visit Chooser Guide.
