Our top woodworking router in this buying guide is battery-powered, but that doesn’t necessarily mean cordless is the best option.  There are many advantages to using cordless routers, namely the freedom to work far away from a power socket. However, a significant downside to cordless routers is having a dead battery before your work is complete. To avoid this, always have a fully charged spare battery on standby. Corded tools are generally more powerful than cordless equivalents, but power is not everything. Factors like variable speed and collet size are also important.