Bosch GKF125CEPK 1.25 HP (Max) Variable-Speed Palm Router Combination Kit, Blue

I bought this router package to supplement its big brother, the MRC23, because I needed to do some delicate, free-hand work. The big MRC, perfect for the big stuff and for table mounting, was just too bulky and heavy for the little jobs. Kudos to me ~ I find that I have made an excellent choice. The little 1.25 horsepower Colt has plenty of power to do all my trim and decorative routing with ease. The single downside is that, as noted by some other reviewers, it does tend to run hot in extended use. At first I found this problem minor and not enough to offset the many other advantages. The more I use it, the more I seem to notice the heat. Not a deal breaker, but definitely an issue.A couple of other reviewers have noted that the fine adjustment on the fixed base does not work properly. Of course, I haven't seen the particular units they complained about, but I have noticed something they might have overlooked. The clamp on the fixed base has three different positions: Locked, which would keep the fine adjustment from working at all; Unlocked, which would make the clamp much too loose to engage the fine adjustment gears; and a middle setting, which is designed to engage the gears without clamping down too tightly on the motor body. I find that when the clamp knob is turned to that middle setting, the fine adjustment works perfectly! After the depth is properly adjusted, you can turn the clamp to the Lock position and you're good to go. Again, I don't know exactly what the other reviewers were experiencing, but perhaps my observations might help.Another reviewer posted a scathing comment on the router after discovering that the unit did not accommodate the (non-U.S.) electrical system in his/her home country. In fact, the Reviewer makes several complaints, none of which accurately lay any blame on the manufacturer. (1) He complains that the cord cap (what he calls a “plug”) is the wrong configuration for the electrical receptacles in his locale. He asserts that he needs a three-prong cap rather than the two-prong cap on the cord. He knowingly purchased this U.S. product on a U.S. market website, ignoring that the same product could be purchased in the Euro version with appropriate Euro cord configuration. His fault. (2) Reviewer then looks for the “UK ready adaptor plug” which he presumes that the manufacturer should have included, but which no manufacturer of electric equipment does. (It wouldn't have helped anyway. He really needs a power converter so that his US tool can work with UK current.) His fault, again. (3) Also, Reviewer complains that he can’t find a power converter (which he thinks is an adaptor) for the cord cap, which means that he hasn’t even looked. Such converters (adaptors) are only sold at EVERY major retailer in both the UK and the U.S., including this site where he bought the router! (4) Reviewer next attempts to remedy the problem by rewiring the cord with a Euro cord cap, ignorant of (or disregarding) the fact that the electrical current systems in the U.S. and Europe are completely different. Merely changing the cord cap is, of course, not only a poor solution, but downright dangerous to the tool and the user. Another “his fault.” (5) Reviewer then expresses his disappointment that it took him a year to discover the existence of the problem, so he can’t get a refund. The fact is (clear from his review) that he bought the tool and then sat on it for a year before he did even so much as plug it in! Totally. His. Fault!(6) Finally, Reviewer concludes that somehow he has been “conned.” It is this last, wholly baseless, accusation that went a step too far and compelled me to write. Not once did Reviewer mention any flaw in materials or workmanship in the tool or any misrepresentation on the part of the manufacturer or the seller. Nobody got "conned!" It is grossly unfair that the manufacturer should be saddled with that horrible and inaccurate review and the accompanying 1-star rating, when the only defective thing here is the Reviewer himself.

Easy to use and well made.

Bosch never fails me. I love this router.

Powerful for as small as it is and has adjustable to a very fast RPM to help provide clean cuts. Very nice tool.

I love the slow start and the LED lights. As others have mentioned it, the ergonomic design makes it feel good and easy to hold it. The hard case is a plus!

I have used my Bosch 1613EVS plunge router for years but always wanted to get a plunge router and then they put this one on sale with a plunge base. I haven’t used the plunge base yet but the trim router works pretty well. The one issue i have with it is that is seems a bit hard to adjust the bit height but I think as I use it more and get used to it’s nuances, it will be fine. Today I used it to do a couple of 3/8” round overs on Baltic birch. It ran for about 5-8 minutes on each side of the wood I was working on and I noticed when I got done that it was quite hot. I put it down and cleaned up to see how long it would take to cool off. I went back to it after 15 minutes and it was still pretty warm. I can’t imagine having to do anything too long with this but if that’s as hot as it gets then it’s not terribly uncomfortable to use. Also it was around 80 degrees in my work area. It’s got plenty of power and I look forward to trying it in the plunge base. It’s much like my full size router and I think adjusting it will be easier.

This is a very versatile router that can be used in so many situations. It’s well suited for carving rounding trimming and medium duty jobs.

Has great power and it's size makes it easy to handle... especially when doing round overs. The plunge feature is amazing and makes it simple to do door hinges. I also used a flush trim bit to follow a few templates. Works great!