Customer Reviews

DEWALT DW625 3 HP Variable Speed Electronic Plunge Router

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Best plunge router on the planet. Best plunging smoothness by far, best collet system and best construction. Noticed in one of the other reviews that the author thought that DeWalt made the Elu routers. The reverse is true. This router and the DW615 and DW621 are in fact made in Switzerland by Elu which is now a division of Black and Decker. The only minor complaint I have is that the router does not project the bit far enough forward in the maximum plunge position which is a factor in router table use. The Hitachi TR12 and M12V are superior in this regard and much cheaper, but they don't have the smoothness of plunge and exquisite quality of the DW625. For freehand use it's unbeatable, for router table use the M12V is a better bargain and might be just as useable.

This router was top ratd in several woodworking magazines, so I thought I would try one. I also tried the Porter Cable,Hitachi, Makita, and Bosch. I have to agree. The DeWalt is tops for large plunge Routers. The plunge action is unmached anywhere. The Motor is so smooth, its hard to believe it's a portable power tool. I have had no problems with the variable speed,which I was wary about before I bought it. It will run any panel raising bit you can fit in the collet. I bought it to use in a router table. Not a good idea. Plunge routers are hard to adjust in a table. You have the plunge springs and gravity working together against you. Fixed base routers are much more convenient in this situation. But in its element, the big DeWalt can't be beat.

I have owned the 2.5 HP Elu predecessor for about five years and have had excellent results with it. My only complaint is the edge guide--the infeed and outfeed sides of the fence do not line up perfectly--even the replacement sent to me by the factory. I have found that it works fine in a router table; better than my non-plunge router. The secret is to remove the plunge springs and get the fine adjustment knob. The chuck is easy to manipulate and adjust, and the variable speed is easy to adjust. In fact, all the controls are ergonomically freindly. I think there is a review on this type of router in the current issue of American Woodworker or Wood magazine.

I bought my 3hp DW625 under the ELU trademark before they turned yellow and I love it. I have five other routers that are collecting dust because this one is so versitile. Fit and finish is perfection and I have run some of my heaviest 1/2" bits with ease. It has plenty of power to spare and feels well balanced when hand held. I especially like the variable speed feature for controlled cutting with various wood and bit combinations. I use it primarily in a router table and find fault only with somewhat limited bit extension. When used on a router table I recommend removal of the accessory fence knobs to prevent knuckle scrapes when changing bits. The collets are very high quality and machined to very close tolerance. This is the "swiss watch" of plunge routers.

DeWalt's DW625 is a wonderful router!

The router has enough power to run any bit you want (including raised panel bits).

The power switch and plunge lock are conveniently located allowing you to keep both hands on the router at all times for safety and control.

The built-in depth gauge is simple to use, reliable and consistant. Thus allowing you to quickly set the depth of cut during a project without having to use a ruler.

If you can't afford multiple routers, don't worry, the DeWalt 625 is all you need!

First bought one of these in the 2.5 HP version made by DeWalt under the ELU name. Loved it so much I bought 2 more of the 3HP DeWalt versions.

Fit/finish is superb. Runout virtually unmeasurable---the collets remind you more of something you'd see on a $100,000 multi-axis machine than what you normally see on a router.

This is one of my all-time favorite tools. I just love it!

I did alot of research before I bought this router and every positive thing that was said about it is true. This router works great. It has a smooth start and soft plunge action. With the hoss 3HP motor it rips through everything I've routed without any sign of bogging down. I've always heard that these big routers are too heavy for some jobs but I use this one for just about every application in my shop. It works great with my Leigh jig, easily adjustment in micro measurements. Buy this one if you are in the hunt for a good plunge router. You won't be disappointed.

I needed a versatile router that would spend about 2/3 of its working life mounted in a table, and one that I didn't have to worry about (power, reliability, reputation). The DW625 has fit the bill admirably. I especially appreciate the soft-start feature, something I really didn't appreciate before I turned it on. This machine provides enough torque that you need some warning as it spins up, lest you end up chasing it across your benchtop or removing it from your spleen. The soft-start feature takes care of that nicely.

I have used it in a few different materials so far, and I don't really notice a change in the pitch of the motor, which tells me it's not working all that hard. I've even been slightly stupid in taking out too much material in one pass, and it doesn't seem to care. Cutting through Melamine was perfectly clean with absolutely no tear-out (good quality bit, medium speed range).

My only minor complaint is the placement of the off/on switch. It's on the handle, and you need to slide it up and down to actuate it. Not necessarily a bad idea, but it requires a fair amount of effort--and dexterity-- to safely lock it in the on or off position. In this regard, the Porter Cable 2HP router is superior. However, I needed the power, and since I won't notice this inconvenience most of the time (since it will be table-mounted), I decided I could live with it, since otherwise it's an excellent tool.

Despite its mass and size, it does an incredibly nice job in or out of the table. I think it'll outlast me.

I bought this router to use in router table I had a problemwith the variable speed, it just stoped working. The router would onlywork at full speed the electronics are not cheap to repair. If you own for longer than the warranty it would be very expensive to repair. Otherwize it is good router.

I own several routers, both fixed base and plunge style, and I can say, "this is the cream of the crop!"
The 625 has excellent balance and feels much lighter than the advertised weight. It has power to spare, and with a sharp bit it routs any and all woods like a knife cutting through butter! The only router to come close to this one is the DEWALT 621.
I have only one small minor criticism of the 625 and that is the lack of a dust pickup, like it's little brother (sister) the 621.