Bosch 1619EVS 15 Amp 3-1/4-Horsepower Variable Speed Plunge Base Router with 1/4-Inch and 1/2-Inch Collets

The Bosch1619EVS is top of the line. The soft start lets you ease into your work. You can change bits quickly and easily with one wrench thanks to an easily accessible locking mechanism. For grins, I decided to use it to trim some laminate on a workstation I had just completed and it absolutely flew through the job. I may discard my tiny battery powered laminate trimmer. The router is well balanced and stable with plenty of power to spare. The start is on the right handgrip so it is very easy and convenient to use. The plunge release is within thumb's reach of the left handgrip. There are coarse and fine depth adjustments which are helpful and easy to use. I have no complaints. I am a female so this router is a bit heavy for me but I do not consider that a significant problem and it hasn't stopped me in the least.October 8, 2015 - This router is the best! It has had no problems to date and is still going strong.

I own several Bosch power tools, and I have really appreciated the quality build and reliability.HOWEVER...I bought the 1619ESV in July 2013, installed it under my router table, and since then have only used it for occasional lighter jobs; worked fine. But recently I started using it on a kitchen cabinet project, doing some cope and stick on red oak door frames, and after doing several pieces the router started making occasional loud clack noises; then the speed was varying and couldn't stay steady, and my shop lights started flickering. Then it was making a loud grinding noise and was getting hot. So I stopped, removed it out of the table, and brought it to the repair shop. They found that the motor armature was arcing and falling apart! Getting the replacement part from Bosch costs $200 and repair labor $50, bringing it close to the price of a brand new router! Now I am not sure what to do. After having a good experience with Bosch on other tools, this is super disappointing.Anyone else have this happen to you? Being 2+ years old I am assuming warranty wouldn't cover it. But it just doesn't seem right that a supposedly beefy tool like this would self-destruct after doing a handful of rails and stiles.UPDATE:After contacting Bosch Customer Service and describing the problem (the agent was very patient with me), she sent me a prepaid shipping label, and I shipped the router to the Bosch service center. They took a look at it -- and they replaced the armature at no cost to me, having concluded that the armature had apparently not been up to Bosch's reliability standards. They made it right, and shipped it back to me. Excellent response from Bosch. I plugged it in and it runs. Now I will need to get it installed back into the router table and start back on the rails and stiles, see how it holds up. Bumped up to 3 stars for now, and will update again after trying it out.

First, I have to say that this is my first router so I don't have another one to compare it to. I bought it because of the great reviews I found on this site. I still have some experimenting to do but I have used it for routing hinges and strike plates. Initially I am impressed with the power of the tool. I still find the plunging a bit awkward as I am not always sure that I am pushing the router down all the way. With the attachments for dust collecting it makes it very difficult to see the work area. I did find that the dust collection works great! After a few tests using a hinge template I felt that the router was doing an excellent job. I found the weight of the router (13 lbs) to be a bit prohibitive when using the plastic templates I was using to rout the door. The weight was loosening the nails that hold the template in place. I found that the adjusting knob moves a bit when pushing down the lever that locks it in place. Overall it performs very well and it is built well. I don't feel like I am using one of my son's plastic tools. I have other Bosch tools so I can vouch for their effectiveness.

This router is poorly made. I have had this router since August 2014. Since then the Spindle lock assemble has broken on it four times. Making the router useless because you cannot tighten the collet. Each time I have sent it in for repairs and every time it breaks again in the same place. I have a old 1619 Bosch router and it was built so much better. this new design is made with cheaper parts and it is evident on how it holds up to daily use. Further more Bosch customer service is terrible. Instead of being accommodating for this continual part failure they are not replacing the router. Instead they make me send it away for the repair. Repairing this router is useless and it is a piece of junk. It is unreliable and under powered compared to other routers of its kind. Save your money and buy a used older version or take the plunge and buy a Festool.

It's a pretty solid unit. Most of the difficulties I have with it are due to me being a novice with routers. As advertised it does a good job maintaining RPM through knots in wood. I find the height adjustment mechanism (in the router table) to be a little clunky.

serious router that went under my table, kind of heavy but height tuning is awesome!!really good tool but a big one