Freud 2 1/4 H.P. Router $119

[vaking]

To be honest -I was tempted with this deal but I did not pull the trigger. Several reviews I found all said the same thing. This is a very specialized single-purpose router. It works great when mounted in a table. In a table it has several advanced features like above table height adjustment, above table bit change, single hand bit change with auto-lock. But everything else about this router gets poor reviews. On/Off siwitch is awkwardly located, plunge base is uncomfortable, moving the motor between bases causes people to hurt their fingers, use of router bushings require extra accessory. In other words if you buy this router you should put it into fixed base, mount into the table and throw away carrying case and plunge base because you will never take this router from the table. $120 for a mid-size router that will live in a table is a regular price in my opinion, not a "you suck" level deal. For $120 I can buy any day a Bosch 1617 fixed base router (in Craftsman colors) new, without any compromises. Bosch is probably the best fixed-based router overall. Less features in the table but great outside the table. For extra $65 I can get the same Bosch router with 3-base kit.
Please note - I don't have this router - info is from online reviews.

[Fussy]

refurb tools

Mike,

www.cpooutlets.com/recon.html? is one of the largest reconditioned tool sellers out there. I've gotten some terrific buys. Everything, as I said in my earlier post is as new with full warranty. Most of the time, the stuff is returned unopened--unsold stock, displays, wrong color, etc. Bottom line, it's fine and dandy and relatively inexpensive; especially when they have a sale.

Just one more place to vie for my limited tool budget. ****! I don't think I've ever seen a tool I didn't like!

Hope this helps.

Steve

[Vincerama]

It's funny that people will happily look to eBay or Craigslist to buy a used tool...but shy awary from "reconditioned" tools. In my opinion, a reconditioned tool is a used tool that is tool that had some failing OR was used and returned with some scratches, then the manufacturer fixed the broken part and then tested it.... So really a reconditioned tool is simply a "used" tool, sold at "used tool prices"...but has been tested and fixed!

As long as we KNOW that it is reconditioned, that's OK.

[Ozzie]

I must be a target for buying bad reconditioned tools! 4 out of the 5 I bought over the years went bad on me on the third or fourth use. Usually I buy a reconditioned tool because I need it immediately for a special project or two and it will have limited usage. Then it will sit on the shelf for a year until the Warranty is expired and I will want to use it again only to find out it is Kaput and I can't return it. I'm glad that others don't experience that.

[Knottscott]

I've had some excellent experiences with reconditioned merchandise...MW5615, PC RN175 roofing nailer, Hitachi M12VC, 12v drill/flashlight, Dell GX280 PC, Kodak Z1485 camera, Westinghouse 42" LCD TV. The savings have been significant, the problems small. Reconditioned units have supposedly been checked over by a technician, which is not always the case with a new unit....