Cordless compact routers: collets, bases and included accessories

Choose the bit and base before comparing packages

A compact router purchase involves three interfaces: the battery that powers it, the collet that grips the bit's shank, and the base that supports the motor against the work. Matching one does not establish the others. Begin with the cut you want to make and the accessories it requires, then compare complete packages.

This guide covers the US DeWalt DCW600B, Milwaukee 2723-20 and Makita XTR01Z. The specifications below stay with those exact models, even in translation. A similarly named router sold elsewhere may have different collets or box contents. These are documented configuration comparisons, not Etrenank cutting tests or a universal performance ranking.

What the US tool-only packages include

“Tool only” does not mean “motor only.” It also does not mean every accessory pictured in a product gallery is included. Separate the listed box contents from optional attachments before treating a cheaper package as an equivalent setup. Battery and charger costs belong in the same comparison when you do not already own a documented match.

Collet size is the shank size, not the cutting width

A 1/4-inch shank measures 6.35 mm; it is not a 6 mm shank. Do not treat a rounded metric label or similar appearance as approval to interchange them. Check the exact bit and collet markings. A bit's cutting head can be wider than its shank, so fitting the collet is only one part of establishing whether a bit is suitable.

For example, the DCW600 manual limits cutter diameter to 1-3/8 inches and requires following the bit maker's speed recommendations [2]. Buying a compatible shank does not remove those limits. None of the package information above establishes support for 1/2-inch-shank bits.

The XTR01Z's US included-accessory list explicitly names both 1/4- and 3/8-inch collets [6]. Do not silently replace that listing with a regional assumption. Equally, an included collet does not establish that every optional base accepts the same shank sizes.

Fixed, plunge and offset bases solve different access problems

Think of a fixed base as a setup with cutting depth established before the pass. A plunge base provides controlled vertical movement into the work. An offset base changes access around obstructions. Choose from the required operation instead of buying every base simply because it is available.

• DCW600B: DeWalt's model-specific accessory guidance identifies the separately available DNP612 plunge base. It does not identify an offset base in the cited list; treat offset compatibility as unconfirmed, rather than assuming another brand's attachment fits [3].
• 2723-20: Milwaukee lists plunge and offset bases as sold separately [4]. Its manual covers plunge base 48-10-5601 and offset base 48-10-5602 [5].
• XTR01Z: Makita documents optional plunge base 196094-2 [7] and offset base 196093-4. The offset base specifies 1/4-inch-shank bits, an important restriction when considering the router's other included collet [8].

Build a shopping list around one real operation

Write down the intended edge profile or recess, the bit's shank and cutting dimensions, the appropriate base, and how the work will be guided. Then check whether you need an edge guide, template guide, dust attachment or hose adapter. A dust shroud in the box is not a complete extraction system, and a template sub-base is not automatically the particular guide bushing your jig requires.

For an edge-trimming setup, first check whether the included fixed base and your chosen guidance method meet the job. For a recess requiring a plunge operation, add the documented plunge base before comparing the total. If an obstruction creates an offset requirement, verify that accessory and its bit restrictions before committing to the router.

Finally, cross-check the full package using our bare-tool versus kit guide and existing-battery planning guide. This sequence produces a configuration you can actually use without inventing a winner from maximum speed, promotional footage or accessories belonging to a different SKU.