​Why Should You Spend a Few Hundred Dollars on a Router Lift?

​The first thing that needs to be addressed is why in the world would you spend another $200-500 on an accessory that does something you can already do. Well... If that truly was the case, why did you end up here.

Sure, you can maneuver your bit up and down without a router lift, but not without an annoying amount of difficulty. Best case - you need to duck your head under your table to find the adjustment knob, release the locking mechanism, and then hope you can eye-ball a workable height adjustment. It's just not an efficient process.

A router table allows you to change your work flow so that everything occurs above the table. Need to raise the bit 1/16th of an inch - easy just make a single turn of the adjustment crank. Need to raise the bit 1/128th of and inch, get this... EASY, just turn the adjustment crank a 1/8th turn. The accuracy that can be achieved with a lift is truly unparalleled.

But that's not the only reason you would lay down semi-serious cash on an accessory. A lift allows you to raise the chuck completely above the router lift plate . No longer do you have to engage in under-table acrobatics to change a bit. If you have a small table, like I do, the frequency of bashed knuckles drops precipitously.

Accurate adjustments and easy bit changes are amazing and worth the purchase price by themselves. The kicker is the amount of time you save by adding a lift to you setup. When you no longer have to battle the router motor to make gross adjustments or eyeball bit height in the hopes that your cut will be accurate, the time you invest in each cut falls dramatically. If your anything like me it's hard to trust the adjustments that you do make - so you end up having to make test cuts after every adjustment. A lift eliminates the need guess and test.

​Standard Features of Router Lifts

The number one feature all lifts are going to offer is some sort of above table or side of table crank that allows to make easy bit height adjustments and bit changes. This is after all why you buy a lift in the first place.

In addition to increased accuracy and convenience, in just about every case an after market lift is going to include a superior plate relative to the standard plate that comes with the table. It will likely be made out of better material, it will accept a wider range of router motors, and it will be more solidly constructed.

I mentioned the fact that you can change bits above the table earlier, but the easy with which you can change bits is something to behold. For instance, the Woodpeckers PRL-V2 includes a spring loaded assist lift wrench that enables you to completely raise or lower your router motor in less than 5 seconds.

Accurate Cuts Made Easy

It's one thing to say that a lift allows you to make more accurate cuts, but it's another to hear all the ways this is made possible. First, the ability to use a hand crank vs. a knob attached to a fixed base is a world of difference. Counting the number of times you have turned a knob is a near impossible task. Counting revolutions with a hand crank is almost natural.

Many lifts include an incremental scale on the surface plate allowing you to make accurate adjustments to 1/512 of an inch. This level of accuracy is unattainable without a lift.

Don't Make a Dumb Mistake When Buying

If your going to make a purchase, be smart about it. There are a few things you need to check before you pull out your card.- Is the router lift compatible with your table? There are 2 universal plate sizes: 9 1/4" x 11 3/4" and 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" make sure you know which size your table requires before you purchase. (See guide below)

• Is the router lift compatible with your table? There are 2 universal plate sizes: 9 1/4" x 11 3/4" and 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" make sure you know which size your table requires before you purchase.
• Is the router lift compatible with your router? If you already own a router you need to make sure you are buying a lift that can support it. This is typically only a real concern once you start dealing with the big 3 1/4 HP models and above. If your buying a lift for one of these you'll probably have to pay up for a heavier duty lift.
• Are you going to be removing the Router motor from the base regularly? Honestly, avoid this situation at all costs. It is a pain to constantly be pulling your motor out of the base for handheld work. Small handheld routers are relatively inexpensive these days. If you absolutely must have the versatility to pull it out - try to get a lift that isn't too difficult to remove the motor from.

How Much Will Do You Need to Spend?

You guessed it - it depends. The mainstream lifts run between $180 and $360. The price you pay is going to be highly dependent on the features you want and the size of your router motor. If you motor is larger than 3.5" your going to be at the high end of the range.

I want to provide a break down of what it is you'll be looking at before we dig into comparisons. First, there are 4 major brands - the first two Woodpecker and Jessem are manufacturers that build lifts that fit a wide range of tables and motors, the third, Bench Dog, builds a lift specifically for it's router tables, it has a non-standard 8 1/4" faceplate that's not going to fit in other tables. Finally, Incra modifies the Woodpecker and Jessem lifts so that the lifts can accomodate Incra's MagnaLOCK reducing ring system (more on this later). Incra is not building the lifts, mearly doing a bit of machining on the lifts that Woodpeckers and Jessem produce.

Overview of the Most Popular Router Table Lifts

JessEm

Rout-R-Lift II

The Rout-R-Lift is the entry level model of the bunch. It costs about 1/2 as much as it's bigger brother, the Mast-R-Lift, but has the same functionality.

Insert Size

9 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Compatible Routers

​Bosch 1617/1618 series

​Dewalt 610/618 series

​Craftsman 1754x / 28190 / 28084

JessEm

Mast-R-Lift II

TheMast-R-Lift steps up the game of it's little brother by adding an upgraded anodized aluminum plate and the capacity for larger motors.

Insert Size

9 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Compatible Routers

​Clamping system allows for router motors up to 4.2" in diameter.

Woodpeckers

PRL-V2

The PRL-V2 adds a thumb scroll wheel and a Quick Raise/Lower functionality to the mechanism. The PRL-V2 comes in 6 different flavors to accomodate both 9 1/4" and 8 1/4" bases as well as three different width moters. Make sure you select the correct version for your setup when you buy.

Insert Size

9 1/4" x 11 3/4" or

8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Compatible Routers

​All depending on PRL-V2 Model (350/414/420)

Bench Dog

40-150 ProLift

The ProLift is constructed specifically to fit Bench Dog router tables. It's a solid lift that has recieved great reviews if you have a Bench Dog Table.

Insert Size

8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Compatible Routers

Porter-Cable 7518/7519

WITH OPTIONAL ADAPTER:

​Bosch 1617/1618 series

​Dewalt 610/618 series

Porter-Cable 690/890 series

INCRA

Mast-R-Lift-II & PRL-V2

INCRA modifies the JessEm and Woodpeckers lifts to add their MagnaLOCK Rings. These models cost about the same as the unmodified versions and the magnetic rings have recieved high praise.

Insert Size

9 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Compatible Routers

​Bosch 1617/1618 series

​Dewalt 610/618 series

​Craftsman 1754x/28190

​Rigid R29302

​Hitachi M12VC & KM12VC

​Makita RF1101 & RD1101

​Milwaukee 56XX

​Porter Cable 7518, 690-699, 890-899

​The Need-To-Knows About these Lifts

​The table above tells you most of what you need to know - but if your seriously considering one of these options I want to provide a some more depth for each. If your still here and still interested, let's dig a little deeper.

Why You Should Consider the JessEm Rout-R-Lift II

​The Rout-R-Lift II is the low end lift that JessEm produces, but this is still a high quality piece of equipment. Matt Heere produced a great review (and shows some lift setup) in the video I'll include at the bottom of this section. As you can see when Matt is installing the motor into the lift, the motor is secured with a clamping mechanism. So while JessEm only lists a few models as being compatible with the lift, it is very likely any 3.5" motor would fit securely into the lift. The reason this lift costs less than it's bigger brother is due to the fact that it cannot support the bigger 4.14" and 4.2" router motors.

If you have a 3.5" router motor, like the popular Bosch 1617, this lift is worthy of strong consideration. You get nearly half off relative to the other options, yet retain nearly all of the functionality.

​Should You Make the Leap to the Heftier JessEm Mast-R-Lift II?

The Mast-R-Lift is the bigger version of of JessEm's lift duo. You will undoubtedly ​find yourself asking "why should I choose the Mast-R-Lift vs the Rout-R-Lift". The answer is a more accomodating motor clamping system, specifically one that can hold larger motors up to 4.2" in diameter and an improved surface plate anodized aluminum vs. phenolic. Some say that build quality is better on the Mast-R-Lift, but both are solidly built. For my money, the reason you would upgrade is because you need to install a larger motor.

​Woodpeckers PRL-V2 Router Lift

​The Woodpeckers PRL-V2 is our absolute favorite router lift. There are two reasons why: 1. the spring loaded motor raising and lower feature that we looked at earlier, and 2. the thumb wheel that is easily accessible for micro adjustments to the motor height. Both of these features significantly enhance the ease of operation of this lift relative to the others, and after all, this purchase is primarily motivated by convenience and ease of use. Another nice feature about the Woodpecker lift is the availability of a lift that will fit your needs no matter what. There are 6 versions of this router available: a 350, 414, and 420 each with either an 8 1/4" plate or a 9 1/4" plate. So when you are buying this lift make sure you match the model up with the router and table insert size for your outfit. Each version is priced the same. Check out Thintz12's video review down below.

​Be careful if Your Considering the Bench Dog 40-150 Router Lift

​The Bench Dog Router lift is absolutely in the same class as the other lifts that we are looking at, however, it is made specifically for Bench Dog Router tables that have an 8 1/4" plate opening. This is not going to fit on most other tables. While the lift is robust and has all the typical functionality you would expect, it doesn't offer the same level of convenience as the Woodpeckers lift. I think this is a good choice if you already own a Benchdog table and you want to stay in the same brand with your lift.

Umm What? The Deal on Incra's Modifications to the PRL-V2 and the Mast-R-Lift II

​So INCRA is not producing there own router lifts. Instead, they have produced modified versions of both the PRL-V2 and the Mast-R-Lift II that we looked at earlier. Prices for the originals and INCRA's modified versions are about the same on the internet. The modification that was made to these lifts is fairly simple: INCRA has added the capability for these two lifts to accept their MagnaLOCK ring system. The system is pretty cool, and people do go crazy for it. Given that the price is the same, if you were thinking about either the PRL-V2 or the Mast-R-Lift, I think jumping over to the Incra Version makes a lot of sense. If you want to see how the MagnaLOCK system works, check out the video below.

The Final Word​

This post can be summed up in three bullets:

• If your on a budget and you have a 3.5" router motor - get the Rout-R-Lift. You won't be dissapointed and you'll save almost $200.
• If you want our absolute favorite lift get the Woodpecker. The spring loaded lift raise/lower is great and the thumb wheel adjustment is a genius addition.
• While significantly lower on our list of "I want it", the INCRA ​MagnaLock throat plate system will definitely be attractive to some, if it is for you, opt for the INCRA version of the Woodpecker lift.