Woodworking tools
Woodworking tools that turn rough stock into square parts. Start with the tool that fixes your biggest bottleneck, then build out.
Pillar guide
Best Router for Woodworking (2026): 3 Picks for Edges, Tables, and Trim
The best router for woodworking for most home shops is the Bosch PR20EVS Colt, a light palm router with a precise depth wheel. Choose the Bosch 1617EVS if the router will live in a table, or the AVID POWER compact router if you want bits and guides in the box for less.
Read the pillar guide →Start here
- 1BeginnerBest Router for Woodworking (2026): 3 Picks for Edges, Tables, and TrimEdges, grooves, and profiles: the first router most shops buy.
- 2IntermediateBest Benchtop Planer (2026): Two Picks for Flat, Even BoardsTurn rough lumber into even-thickness boards.
Start here
The guides to read first for woodworking tools, added as they ship.
The best router for woodworking for most home shops is the Bosch PR20EVS Colt, a light palm router with a precise depth wheel. Choose the Bosch 1617EVS if the router will live in a table, or the AVID POWER compact router if you want bits and guides in the box for less.
The best benchtop planer for most small shops is the DEWALT DW735X, a 13-inch three-knife machine with a two-speed gearbox and a chip blower. Choose the WEN PL1326 if you want a spiral cutterhead and a lower price.
Buying guides
Best-of and under-$ budget guides for woodworking tools.
The best random orbital sander for most woodworking is the DEWALT DWE6423 for its low profile and low vibration. Choose the BOSCH ROS20VSC if you want to sand without a shop vac, and the SKIL SR211601 for a light, budget finish sander.
The best router for woodworking for most home shops is the Bosch PR20EVS Colt, a light palm router with a precise depth wheel. Choose the Bosch 1617EVS if the router will live in a table, or the AVID POWER compact router if you want bits and guides in the box for less.
The best router for beginners is the Bosch PR20EVS Colt, a 3.3 lb palm router whose depth wheel moves the bit six thousandths of an inch at a time. The AVID POWER kit adds bits and guides in the box, and the TEENO is the budget first router at about $43.
The best router bit set for beginners is the Bosch RBS015MBS 15-piece carbide set, with the KOWOOD 15-piece as the value pick. Both cover the round-over, chamfer, and straight bits you reach for first, and the Bosch set lists every profile it includes.
The best benchtop planer for most small shops is the DEWALT DW735X, a 13-inch three-knife machine with a two-speed gearbox and a chip blower. Choose the WEN PL1326 if you want a spiral cutterhead and a lower price.
The best pocket hole jig for beginners is the Kreg 720PRO, a self-clamping jig that sets itself for board thickness so you can focus on drilling. The VEVOR 34-piece kit is the budget pick for a first project around $50.
The best safety glasses for woodworking are the NoCry adjustable wrap-arounds for all-day comfort, with the 3M Virtua CCS as the pair for dusty cuts and the NoCry OverSpecs for anyone wearing prescription frames.
The best drum sander for a small shop is the JET JWDS-1020, a benchtop machine that sands 10 inches in one pass and 20 in two without eating floor space. The JWDS-1632 and JWDS-2244 are the step ups for wider boards.
The best jointer for a small shop is the WEN JT833H, an 8-inch spiral benchtop with a table that extends to 51 inches. The Wahuda 6-inch is the compact pick, and the Cutech 12-inch flattens wide boards.
The best wood lathe for beginners is the WEN 3421, a compact mini lathe with a soft-start motor that turns pens, handles, and small bowls. Step up to the GarveeTech 14x40 or the WEN LA3424 when you want to turn larger pieces.