Router Bits: Does It Matter How Much You Spend?

brilliant and helpful cheers

Cheers matey for your honesty

what are you using to sharpen your bits?

Thanks for the review. I am more concerned about any potential danger from cheap bits. If one breaks and injures me for example. How much of a risk do I take with cheap bits? I have a very cheap set I bought when I was just getting into routing, and I am now thinking whether I should get rid of them or not. I don't do any heavy routing. I am a hobbyist and only use them occasionally.

I bought a set of 12 cheap (Chinese) router bits. They work ok but the 3mm straight bit broke quickly even though I wasn't really stressing it much. It's really not surprising considering that it was cheap and a thin part to begin with. I also use the 45° bit to chamfer edges. Again, it does alright but it is evidently not terribly sharp and leaves little snagged curls in the wood grain as it cuts, about 10 per meter, which doesn't look great. My router can heat up a lot too, so I can imagine sharper blades lasting longer, cutting much cleaner and taxing my router less for the same work. 🤷

Plase, last question. What do you think about Irwin router bits? Thanks my friend.

I've got a problem. Recently (in Mexico, my country) I bought a package of router bits, Trend (brand). The set was 15 with half inch shank, one of the bits came broke, so I have to send it back (Amazon USA), but when I bougt them, the price was acceptable, now the router bits has show two times a different price in less of a month! (expensive). Well, as I need to use my router (an Skill RT1322) the only router bits that I see on Amazon are MNA and/or Skill, available. What can I do, buy one of this brands or try again for the Trend ones? I don't have many knowledge in carpentry, I'm starting. From Mexico, a big hello!

Good argument there, Josh. I use cheapo bits most of the time, but when I have a lot of work to do with a particular bit I’ll bite the bullet and spend the money on a quality bit because it will probably earn its keep on that one job.

Thanks Josh. Take care & stay safe M8.

Great presentation. I've had both expensive and cheap and run an awful lot of architrave type mouldings on a half inch table mounted router. I now think, for the serious DIYer, that something like the Yonico bits are brilliant. They hold up really well and are very well manufactured. Great to see an honest opinion not driven by brand loyalty. * I'd love to try some Whiteside bits one day*

Well that's good to know, as I happen to have both a good 1/2",and 1/4" routers. Phew!!

Would be interesting to see your view on spiral Vs straight cutters

It's very much a case of horses for courses….if you are a professional, buy Titman, Trend, CMT, Freud, Amana, Axminster, Whiteside etc. If you are a DIYer buy the best you can afford. I think that the cheap bits have improved dramatically over the last few years, with the possible exception of the bearings on guided cutters….they seem to be cheap and fail more often than professional cutters, but you can always swap them for a better bearing. If you go cheap, I would check that the bits have a full anti kickback profile, that the brazing on the tips is even and without gaps, and that the tips are supported well by the steel body.
Trend do some good starter kits, with quality bits that work out at only a few quid each…I know a lot of folks reckon that you get a lot of bits you will never use that way, but you have got them to experiment with, so that's what I would do if I were starting out.
A chap I know has a saw sharpening business, and he sells and sharpens router cutters. His advice was to buy the Trend Craft Pro cutters….he was sure that some of them are identical to the more expensive professional cutters, and they perform just as well for a lot less wonga.