Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
The Ridgid R86044B cordless trim router is going to be the next must-buy for Ridgid tool owners. At just $99, this router is perfect for laminate or other small routing jobs.
A trim router is great for Formica and getting those small details on door stiles. I do some custom kitchen doors, and a small laminate router comes in handy. Really, this type of tool is for anything that doesn’t require the removal of a lot of material. Bigger jobs take a larger shaft and motor as these smaller trim routers aren’t made for harder pulls. The Ridgid cordless trim router is a new tool that gives you a lot of freedom. Operating on the company’s 18V battery platform, this is only the second cordless trim router I’ve seen. Aside from the Ridgid R86044B, there’s just the Ryobi One+ model P600G which sells for less than $50.
Having never previously used either cordless router, I like the design of the Ridgid a little better. It seems to center the weight, and I’d surmise there’s a bit more power available due to the brushless motor.
One thing is for sure, a cordless router is a step into the future. Of course, for us older guys, even a corded router is a godsend. Before routers were invented you’d use hand planes. Guys in their shops would have 25 different planes with unique profiles to make the shapes they needed. It was a slow, arduous process.
The first thing I noticed about the Ridgid cordless router was the thick acrylic shoe. The size of the shoe on this router is about the same as the Bosch Colt palm router I currently use. The size stabilizes you as you pull without getting in the way. Ridgid also includes a circular acrylic shoe which you can install to replace the square one. A square base is often more convenient when you’re using a straight edge during a free-hand cut. A round base can yield mixed results if it isn’t perfectly centered on the router blade.
Compared to my Bosch Colt, the adjustment is a tad harder for using the included fence or edge guide. There are two set screws instead of a single centered screw. Still, the set screws hold it nice and fast, and the Ridgid cordless trim router depth is easy to adjust.
A handy rheostat at the top of the router lets you adjust the speed. I don’t think I tend to back off the maximum RPMs with smaller bits, but if you wanted to, you could.
The Ridgid 18V router stands up nice—right on the battery. The pull switch takes some getting used to when you first start it up. After I did it a few times, I actually liked the safety of the design. There’s no way you’re going to accidentally turn that motor on. It’s also easy to turn off.
Before using the router I set the depth of the bit we were using. It was a small contour bit I use to make the outside edge of custom cabinet doors. It just gives them a nice look, and it’s a great fit for the smooth, even grain of poplar. The clamp for the depth set was a bit too loose out of the box, so I adjusted the clamp screw with a 5/16-inch wrench to give it a surer grip.
When holding the Ridgid cordless router, it’s certainly controllable. The grip isn’t exactly as comfortable as a Hogue combat pistol grip, and you may have to figure out the best placement for your fingers. Overall, none of this detracted from using the tool accurately.
So long as you’re doing smaller trim jobs—roundovers, detail trim, laminate trimming, etc—this tool is going to rock your world. You’re not going to want to plunge route with a 25,000 RPM trim router. I’ve seen guys do that, and it’s a good way to get hurt—like giving a monkey a chainsaw. These small trim routers should be held sure.
Also, you don’t want to use a larger bit in this (or any other) trim router. When you do need to get deeper rabbet cuts, for example, you should probably do it in two passes. It’s not that the power isn’t available to get the job done in a single pass, it’s just a safer and smarter way to work.
The Ridgid cordless trim router definitely gave me as good a cut as my colt router—but without the cord. The RPMs are certainly there, as is the power and control.
I route all of my hinges and locksets with a small trim router like this. Using this battery-powered router will be really handy when mortising those hinges and locksets.
The Ridgid cordless trim router is a great tool with lots of promise. The only negative is the design of the included fence. While easy to set up, the individual threaded rods take a little more time to install and remove. They also require the complete disassembly of the fence as opposed to simply unscrewing a single stud and removing the whole thing as a single unit.
In a place without power, this is a great addition to all the other tools I’m now able to use without a plug. It’s also just convenient. I remember when I never thought I’d use a cordless orbital sander, and now my corded tools just sit in the garage unused. A tool like this Ridgid R86044B makes the job quicker, so my in and out time improves, and I get home in time for the game.
David Delk has always enjoyed working with wood, ever since his teen years. Naturally, this landed him in the carpentry business. He has over 35 years experience that spans a couple decades of trimming out new construction to his more recent work of designing cabinetry and custom fabrication. Right now, David is partially retired and enjoys taking on select "old school" finish and trim carpentry work. We asked David about any pet peeves. The solitary answer: dull blades.
Next-Gen Ridgid Mid-Torque Impact Wrench Steps Up In Power There’s nothing like having the right tool for the right job. When it comes to fastening nuts and bolts, an impact wrench is great, but no one model does everything for everyone. We put the Ridgid 18V brushless mid-torque impact wrench to the test to see […]
Consolidate Your Ridgid Battery Charging With One Convenient Device The Ridgid 6-port sequential charger (R86096) works with all Ridgid 18V batteries and offers twice the charging speed of its predecessor. Ridgid lauds the 6-port charger as a major upgrade in its battery charging line. Having reviewed the Ridgid Dual-Port simultaneous charger, we wanted to see […]
Hilti Nuron Cordless Jigsaw Gives You The Control You’re Craving Cordless jigsaws have been a part of our lives for years and have really come into their own as full corded replacements. We got our hands on the Hilti Nuron cordless jigsaw to see how it compares to the other major players in this space. […]
Keep Your Cool With Ridgid’s Updated 18V Cordless Hybrid Jobsite Fan Ridgid had one of the best cordless jobsite fans with its original that came out way back in 2015. Seven years later, it’s time for an update. Here’s what to expect from the latest Ridgid 18V Cordless Hybrid Jobsite Fan. Ridgid 18V Cordless Hybrid […]
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn income when you click on an Amazon link. Thanks for helping us do what we love.
See our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Pro Tool Reviews is a successful online publication that has been providing tool reviews and industry news since 2008. In today’s world of Internet news and online content, we found that more and more professionals researched a large majority of their major power tool purchases online. That piqued our interest.
There’s one key thing to note about Pro Tool Reviews: We’re all about the professional tool user and tradesman!
Copyright ©2008-2022 Pro Tool Reviews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Professional Tool Reviews for Pros