Bench Dog 40-001 ProTop Contractor Benchtop Router Table

The router is arguably the workshop’s most versatile portable power tool. And you can further enhance its versatility with the Bench Dog 40-001 Benchtop Router Table, which converts a portable router into a stationary, mini-shaper. The benchtop table allows you to perform a wide variety of routing operations that would be imprecise or dangerous to do with a handheld router, including routing dadoes, rabbets, grooves, slots, mortise-and-tenon joints, and raised panels.

The Bench Dog 40-001 Benchtop Router Table has an ample 16-by-22-inch top that’s covered with smooth, hardwearing plastic laminate. It’s outfitted with an adjustable, precision-extruded aluminum fence that has T-slots for accepting various add-on accessories. Other features include a melamine cabinet, dust-extraction port, miter gauge, and a clear acrylic insert that has 12 leveling screws for quick, accurate attachment and adjustment of the router base.

Weighing approximately 35 pounds, the router table can easily be moved around the workshop and stored away when not needed. There’s some assembly required, but clear directions and all necessary hardware are provided, so putting together the router table doesn’t take more than about 20 minutes. –Joseph Truini