Milwaukee · Milwaukee M18
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Compact Router
- Speed
- 10,000–31,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- Unverified
Makers who rout a lot (cabinet edges, templates, sign work) and want the most speed control.
Compare · updated 2026-10-24
Best cordless compact routers
Six battery-powered palm and compact routers — DeWalt 20V MAX, Milwaukee M18 FUEL, Makita 18V LXT, Ryobi ONE+ HP, Bosch 12V and Ridgid 18V — compared on what changes your results: speed range, depth adjustment, base options and weight. All take 1/4" shank bits. New to bits? Read the router bits guide.
Our quick picks
Every number is sourced on the tool's page.
Ryobi · Ryobi 18V ONE+
Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Router
- Speed
- 15,000–30,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- 4.0 lb with battery
Beginners and crafters on Ryobi batteries: sign edges, box lids, roundovers on shelves.
Bosch · Bosch 12V Max
Bosch 12V Max EC Brushless Palm Edge Router
- Speed
- 13,000 (single speed) RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- 2.2 lb tool only
Light, small-hand-friendly edge routing: easing edges, small roundovers, trimming on crafts and boxes.
Makita · Makita 18V LXT
Makita 18V LXT Brushless Compact Router
- Speed
- 10,000–30,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- 4.6 lb with battery
Makita 18V owners and anyone who wants a metal-bodied router that can grow into a plunge kit.
Every spec, side by side
Try "DeWalt", "pink 12V" or "brushless budget". Every word must match. Works together with the filters.
Tap a column to sort. Tick “Compare” on up to 4 tools. Unverified = not published or not confirmed — we never guess.
DeWalt · DeWalt 20V MAX
DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless Compact Router
- Speed
- 16,000–25,500 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- Unverified
DeWalt 20V owners who want a dependable palm router for roundovers, chamfers and laminate trim.
Milwaukee · Milwaukee M18
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Compact Router
- Speed
- 10,000–31,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- Unverified
Makers who rout a lot (cabinet edges, templates, sign work) and want the most speed control.
Makita · Makita 18V LXT
Makita 18V LXT Brushless Compact Router
- Speed
- 10,000–30,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- 4.6 lb with battery
Makita 18V owners and anyone who wants a metal-bodied router that can grow into a plunge kit.
Ryobi · Ryobi 18V ONE+
Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Router
- Speed
- 15,000–30,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- 4.0 lb with battery
Beginners and crafters on Ryobi batteries: sign edges, box lids, roundovers on shelves.
Bosch · Bosch 12V Max
Bosch 12V Max EC Brushless Palm Edge Router
- Speed
- 13,000 (single speed) RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- 2.2 lb tool only
Light, small-hand-friendly edge routing: easing edges, small roundovers, trimming on crafts and boxes.
Ridgid · Ridgid 18V
Ridgid 18V OCTANE Brushless Compact Fixed Base Router
- Speed
- 17,000–30,000 RPM
- Collet
- 1/4"
- Weight
- Unverified
Ridgid 18V owners who want a ready-to-go kit with two base shapes.
Which bit does what? Our plain-English router bits guide covers straight, flush-trim, roundover, chamfer, cove, rabbet, dovetail, V-groove and Roman ogee bits for 1/4" palm routers.
Picks by buyer type
Pros and cons come straight from each maker's sourced specs.
Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Router
A brushless router in the budget tier, with an edge guide and dust adaptor in the box. Six speed settings cover small roundovers through bigger profiles.
Good
- Budget tier with a brushless motor
- Edge guide and dust adaptor in the box
- Micro-adjust dial for precise depth
Keep in mind
- Fixed base only
- Narrower speed range than Milwaukee or Makita
15,000–30,000 RPM · 1/4" collet · 4.0 lb with battery
Bosch 12V Max EC Brushless Palm Edge Router
2.2 lb before the battery, with the grip sitting over the workpiece. Single speed (13,000 RPM), so keep to small edge bits.
Good
- Lightest published weight here: 2.2 lb before the battery
- Offset design keeps most of the tool over the workpiece for edge work
- Fine depth adjustment of 0.04" per dial turn
Keep in mind
- One speed only (13,000 RPM) — not ideal for bigger bits
- 12V: made for edge forming and trimming, not deep cuts
13,000 (single speed) RPM · 1/4" collet · 2.2 lb tool only
Makita 18V LXT Brushless Compact Router
Aluminum body, rack-and-pinion fine depth, and it accepts the plunge and trimmer bases made for Makita's corded compact routers.
Good
- Aluminum housing and base
- Rack-and-pinion fine depth adjustment
- Works with the bases for Makita's corded compact routers (RT0701C)
Keep in mind
- Heaviest published weight in this group
- Battery and charger sold separately
10,000–30,000 RPM · 1/4" collet · 4.6 lb with battery
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Compact Router
The widest range here (10,000–31,000 RPM) plus a template sub-base, dust shroud and edge guide — ideal for templates, inlay and sign work.
Good
- Highest top speed here: 31,000 RPM, and the widest speed range (down to 10,000)
- Macro-adjust button (1.5" range) plus a fine-adjust screw
- Best-equipped box: edge guide, dust shroud and a template sub-base
Keep in mind
- Premium tier
- Milwaukee doesn't list a weight on its product page
10,000–31,000 RPM · 1/4" collet
DeWalt 20V MAX XR Brushless Compact Router
Seven speed settings, soft start and an electronic brake that slows the bit faster after switch-off.
Good
- Electronic brake slows the bit faster after you switch off
- Soft start and electronic feedback hold speed in the cut
- Dual LEDs and a depth-adjustment ring for quick setup
Keep in mind
- Lowest top speed in this group (25,500 RPM)
- DeWalt US doesn't publish a weight
16,000–25,500 RPM · 1/4" collet
Ridgid 18V OCTANE Brushless Compact Fixed Base Router
Round and square bases plus a 1/4" bit — start routing the day it arrives (battery sold separately).
Good
- Two bases in the box: round and square
- Comes with a 1/4" bit so you can start right away
- Brushless OCTANE motor
Keep in mind
- Weight not published by Ridgid
- Mostly sold at Home Depot — fewer places to compare prices
17,000–30,000 RPM · 1/4" collet
How to choose a cordless palm router
- Stay on your battery. Every router here is sold tool-only or with that brand's battery. Buying into the family you already own saves the most.
- Speed range matters for bit size. Ryobi's manual puts it simply: higher speeds for small bits, soft woods and laminate; lower speeds for larger bits. A wide range (Milwaukee and Makita go down to 10,000 RPM) gives you more room. source ↗
- 1/4" shank bits only. All six take 1/4" shank router bits — the size most palm-router bit sets come in.
- Fixed vs plunge. A fixed base is perfect for edges. If you want lettering, inlays or grooves in the middle of a board, check that a plunge base is available for your model (Milwaukee and Makita say they are).
- Feel. Only Makita, Ryobi and Bosch publish a weight. If comfort matters, the 12V Bosch is the lightest we could confirm.
Router safety, from the manuals
- Clamp the work and hold the router with both hands; let it reach full speed before the bit touches the wood.
- Feed against the bit's rotation. Ryobi's manual: feed left to right along an edge; the opposite, a "climb cut", can throw the router away from the work.
- Take light passes. Ryobi's manual says not to remove more than 1/8 in. per pass — make deep cuts in several passes.
- Battery out before changing bits, and don't touch the bit or collet right after a cut — they get hot.
Safety points summarize the Ryobi PBLRR01 operator's manual source ↗. Always follow your own router's manual.
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