9290 Cordless Router Review
This 19.2v cordless router from Porter-Cable compares well with corded routers when it comes to power
The Porter-Cable 9290 cordless router compares well with corded routers when it comes to power. I used it with several different bits in place of my 7/8-hp Porter-Cable 100 for cutting hinge gains, strike mortises, ogees and roundovers, and even cut 1/4-in. splines with a slot cutter. It won’t push a slot cutter all day, but it’s not supposed to. The 9290 is designed for intermittent work, and I haven’t noticed a difference in power between the cordless and corded models.
The 9290 comes with the same ready-for-template-guide base as the Porter-Cable 100 (base model 1001), which is also interchangeable with several other models. The 9290’s motor fits into the Porter-Cable 698 router table as well as the 6931 plunge base. Unlike its corded cousins, though, the cordless router has a spindle lock, so only one wrench is necessary for bit changing.
The only snag on this tool is the on/off switch, which doesn’t slide smoothly and can be an aggravation for a tool that must be turned on and off frequently. But the new Porter-Cable battery system almost makes up for it because it slides so smoothly.
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