Late last month, someone wrote in about the Bosch 1617EVSPK router kit being on sale, and indeed it was. The next day, I was preparing to post about it, but the price went back to its usual $219.
I checked just now, and the router kit is on sale again, at $189. I believe the last sale price was $179.
I have the Craftsman Professional rebranded version of this router, and it’s a very good tool. It’s powerful, easy to control, and quick and precise to adjust.
It’s *almost* everything I could want from a router. I saw almost, because my Craftsman-rebranded version seems to have a different sub-base, and as such it won’t work with the same guides and all the same accessories, at least not without modification. At least this is what I read a few places over the years every time I looked into it. Of course, Craftsman hasn’t carried the router or any accessories for it in years.
It also doesn’t work with any brand’s guide rails, something that my Festool test sample has spoiled me on a little bit. But there are ways to guide a router like this, it just requires a little planning and DIY jiggery.
In a nutshell, this is a very good router. If I had to start anew, and was looking to buy a 2-1/4 HP router with fixed and plunge bases, this is the one I’d get, hands-down.
When I bought my Craftsman Pro router combo, I had pined over this Bosch combo for quite some time, but it was well above my budget. Eventually, I went with the Craftsman Pro because it was on sale or clearance, and I had a nice sized gift card that covered a majority of the cost.
I sometimes regret not waiting longer and getting the Bosch version, but it might have been “wait for the Bosch or don’t use a router for anything” for a few more years.
Holiday discounts are coming soon. If I had to guess, I’d say we’re bound to see $25 off $100+ promo. There were times when Bosch and Amazon offered a $40 off $200+ promo, but that hasn’t happened in a few years.
It’s hard to say whether we’ll see a better discount on this promo. Will we see it sell for $179 again, or is $189 the lowest it’s going to be for the foreseeable future?
I can’t answer any of these questions.
All I can tell you is that this is a very good and highly recommended router, and it’s currently on sale for $189, from its regular price of $219.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Thank you to fred and Ktash for comments about the previous deal! I am sure someone else emailed me about it directly, but can’t find the email. If you are them, please remind me so I can give you credit and a “thank you” for the deal tip!