Customer Reviews
Great Combo 
2008-02-17
This combo kit is excellent. It works great and has tremendous power. It is everything I expected and more. It is well worth the money.
Milwaukee brings home the Gold on 1st attempt... 2007-11-25
I've had problems with my Bosch combo.. (older maganesium base.. switch.. 1/2" collect wouldn't insert.. etc.) and sold it. My DW 621 is a good plunge router after adding a large base, but I occassionally would rotate the plunge release on the left handle and the router would spring up while in the middle of use. Maybe just me but annoying and costly mistakes were sometimes made.
I have had a Milwaukee 5625 under my router table for 5 years and I wouldn't consider anything else but that "hoss". I noticed that Milwaukee had just introduced a plunge router and it came in a kit with that Body Grip fixed base I have used and love.
I took a chance based on my experience with the 3 1/2 HP 5625 and sold the Bosch Combo and the DW 621. Ordered the Milwaukee Combo and it arrived. Started a new bed the following week-end with the Combo getting the call on mortices.. non through dadoes.. intricate joints and with an 1 1/2" over-head bearing template bit used to trim the outline on legs for the foot and head that were 1 1/2" oak after cutting the line just outside 2 mm on my bandsaw.
The results and my opinion based on 35 years of wood butchering are:
Milwaukee nailed the plunge on the first try adding a complimenting plunge to their already proven Body Grip. Motors easy to switch.. bit removal quick and easy.. robust as big brother 5625.. smooth plunge.. power with the 2 1/4 HP.. good dust control attachment.. excellent balance and the best feeling router I have had the pleasure of having in my hands in 35 years.
They took a long time to deliver a plunge to compliment their already robust line... but it was indeed worth the wait at my shop....!
John Thompson... Sarge
One great router package 2007-11-15
I got the router for my birthday based on the review in June 07 Popular Woodworking. The machine is fantastic. The body makes the router feel much smaller and handle much easier than its 2-1/4HP would suggest. You can easily work single handed if you want with smaller bits. The rubber body and grips offer a positive feel and are very comfortable. The plunge action is smooth and the plunge lever is right at your fingertips. The switch can be reached with both hands on the router, although with the soft start it's not necessary. The case will keep everything clean when not in use and offers lots of storage for 1/4" and 1/2" bits along and a set of template guides.
Highly recommended.
Forget The Ear Plugs! 2007-08-03
Milwaukee 5616-24....Quiet, smooth, user friendly.....What can I say, except, it's better than I expected. GREAT !!!! Put the fixed base under the router table, and use the plunge base for free hand work....Haven't used it much yet, but it slips in and out of the bases so quick & easy, (Quicker than finding, and inserting wrench), I haven't worried about the above the table height adjustment yet. Will have to drill a hole to accomodate wrench if I decide to use it. The micro adjust knob makes height adjustments in a snap too...
the way routing should be 2008-05-25
When my 10 year old pc 690 starting spitting our its bush caps mid run, I new it was time for a new router under the table. Having owned a pc 7529 I know what smooth, quiet, and powerful feels like. The only problem is the micro adjust on the their plunge is idiotic "plunge the router,hold it down and turn the knob until it touches the surface, then turn the knob the other direction until you feel resistance, up to 20 turns!) And this you do every time you want to use it, give me a break! The 890 series has horrible reviews (one half a turn backlash in the adjustment knob and slop in the alignment) What does one do?
I almost bought the triton for its above-the-table bit change but read of their nylon parts in the rack and pinion failing and I really didn't want another loud router or their stamped sheet metal accessories.
I have owned a milwaukee hammer drill for 10 years, it still wacks out tapcon holes like a banshee. MADE IN GERMANY.
The Popular Woodworking review sold me on this router. The standard base is mounted in my table. It sports an ingenious macro-micro adjust. Holding in a spring loaded button disengages a rack that grabs a large spiral thread screw on the router. You slid the router in (up from under the table) to close to where you want to be and release the button. From there turn the micro adjust knob and lock in with a large lever. The whole process is extremely fast and easy. Milwaukee was late in coming to the combo market but they have pulled off some very solid engineering here.
+++PLUSES+++
*Very powerful and quiet.
*Excellent ergonomics, all controls are easy to reach and feel solid
*Macro/micro adjust is simple to use
*assembled in the USA
---MINUSES---
*this router comes with a T-wrench for above the table height adjust, I set it up under my tablesaw right wing so that the power switch, micro adjust and locking clamp face out. This puts the hole for the table top adjusting wrench under the fence. Not an issue for me, it's simple to reach under and give the knob a twist while I sight down the table.
*no spindle lock. The PW reviewer considers this a plus. This router has two huge nuts and nice fat cast wrenches for securing the collet. I personally hate the tiny spindle lock button on my pc plunger.
*solid price (for a solid router) there's plenty out there cheaper. I personally prefer to pay more for a solidly built tool I won't have to replace in a few years.
High frequency BUZZ in handles UPDATED 
2008-05-20
UPDATED 5/22/08; Great service from Amazon; sent a replacement next day AND sent it overnight shipping. Excellent service. However, 2nd router has the SAME vibration in the handles. Literally makes my hands sore afterwards. Hard to believe others have not commented on this condition. Could be just bad luck twice in a row? Returning both and will not opt for router behind door #3. Have used other brand routers over the years and none have had this problem, not even 20 yr old B&D router. Very disappointed since other Mil. tools are 5 stars.
Previous post:
Just arrived and this thing has a tremendous high frequency buzz (vibration) in the handles of the plunge base at speeds of 5 and above, just running (no cutting), with or without a bit installed. Like a cheap palm sander I use to have. 20 seconds of run time and the after shock in my hands lasts for 5 minutes. Never read anything about vibration in any reviews. Anyone had similar issue? My well used PC plunge router is silky smooth by comparison. Motor by itself does not produce the same buzz. Will see if they send replacement or what. Rather surprising since other Milwaukee tools owned are top notch.
Router 2008-05-17
I did as lot of reading to see what the Pros thought of the available combo's and this was the first choice. Very smooth with the soft start and constant speed. Easy to adjust when in my router table.
Good Set 
2008-04-28
I have always had good luck with Milwaukee tools. This is a good set, but I expected better construction from Milwaukee. The fine adjustment isn't very percise and the above table adjustment on the base has a plastic stud that doesn't exactly fit the wrench. I can tell the plastic won't last long, it came marred from the factory where they forced the wrench on. I don't understand why they would build such a great tool and then put plastic in places that it shouldn't be. ...just charge me a few pennys more and use metal! The plunge is very smooth and the router is easy to change from base to base.
Engineered as you would want it... 2008-02-21
As a neophyte woodworker, I've taken to reading more magazines about woodworking and the machinery associated with it. Also in the market for a new router, I saw Popular Woodworking's Essential Guide to Routers (Jan '08) that included reviews of 8 combo kits. I noted that the Milwaukee 5616 combo kit was the Editor's Choice, but while in another woodworking store saw that the Freud was on sale (with a starter set of bits.) Couldn't be that much difference, I thought.
In addition to the fact that the Freud -- altho packaged as new -- had obviously seen some use (and the manual was absent) I looked over the construction features. Specifically, I had noted the reviewer did not like the locations of some levers and switches, nor the base-changing feature which required holding in the spindle lock. After struggling with it for several minutes, I realized what difficulty a little thing like this would cause when switching from plunge to fixed base. So I returned it, and purchased the Milwaukee.
I've just spent an hour not routing with it, but going through the mechanics of changing bases, using the depth adjustment, checking the plunging action, levers, switch locations, etc. And, of course, starting, stopping, adjusting the speed, checking vibration, noise, etc. There's no doubt in my mind that the engineers have put a lot of thought into the design of this router, and its finish and machining show that as well.
Comparing the two, there's a lot of difference; for the price difference (about $40 if you don't count the freebie bits) the Milwaukee is the winner, I agree. Now to get to the routing part of it...!
