The Bench Dog 40-001 Benchtop Router Table has an ample 16-by-22-inch top that’s covered with smooth, hardwearing plastic laminate. It’s outfitted with an adjustable, precision-extruded aluminum fence that has T-slots for accepting various add-on accessories. Other features include a melamine cabinet, dust-extraction port, and a clear acrylic insert that has 12 leveling screws for quick, accurate attachment and adjustment of the router base.

Weighing approximately 35 pounds, the router table can easily be moved around the workshop and stored away when not needed. There’s some assembly required, but clear directions and all necessary hardware are provided, so putting together the router table doesn’t take more than about 20 minutes. -- Joseph Truini

Customer Reviews Average rating - 4.5

Rating - 5 Date: 2008-05-27
Content: I ended up picking this up from a woodworking supply store here in Portland. The price was higher, but I needed it right away so I spent more for it than I wanted to. This is a great table! Assembly was straight forward, the instructions were clear. Fit and finish is good, all the parts were in the box, etc. I feel like I never had full use of my router until I mounted it in this table. I'm going to buy the feather boards next. I definitely recommend this table.
Summary: great router table

Rating - 5 Date: 2008-05-12
Content: We use this router table along with the Bench Dog lift as a basis of a small unit to custom machine samples for an instrument we sell. I like this table, but with a couple of comments. One is that the table Bench Dog is currently selling does not look like the one in the picture. Current finish is white mdf. I keep thinking it is going to be plywood, but it is not. The second comment is that they ship a table top stiffner that does not fit along with it. The stiffner is from their larger tables. No need and no way to use it on this table. Incidentally, I have not had good luck with the larger Bench Dog tables. The thin MDF table is just not stiff enough for the application. They get buy with it in this table because of the smaller size.
Summary: good small router table

Rating - 5 Date: 2008-05-06
Content: I have had this router table for about 2 years now. Very impressed with the quality of the cabinet (all baltic birch) and the engineering that went into the design of it. The router plate that comes with it is predrilled for quite a few different routers, it fit my old Ryobi re600 fine.

Adjustments are easy enough. The fence is an aluminum extrusion with MDF inserts. It works well, though I don't care for MDF being used in this manner. I also had some of the screws that adjust the depth of the top loosen up after a year which caused the plate to sag a bit and the work to bind on the edge. It was easy enough to adjust it back to normal.

There is a metal plate that is available from Benchdog that would be stiffer than they composite one that ships with the table. I would like to see them include it but it may push the cost up some.
Summary: Probably the best tabletop router table

Rating - 5 Date: 2008-04-27
Content: Bench Dog 40-001 ProTop Contractor Benchtop Router Table This is the best of the best and it made in USA. It also one of the best engineered products I've had the pleasure of assembling and the parts are made of first class material. The fence system is easier to use then the fence system of my larger router table and I won't mention the brand. Installing router bits is a breeze, and the wood cabinet is handy and also keeps the noise down. The way the dust port is arranged makes for a dust free work area. Ed Redman, Augusta, Maine.

Summary: The Best Bench Top Router Table

Rating - 5 Date: 2008-04-26
Content: I bought this table from Amazon 3 months ago! I spent several months looking at router tables and collecting plans to build my own! Because of these reviews, the features of the table and it's low price, I decided to buy the Bench Dog 40-001. I couldn't buy the materials and fence for the little amount this table cost! I was mildly concerned that I could build a better table, but once this one arrived and I assembled it (took a couple of hours - had no problem leveling the insert etc)I knew I had made the right decision! It is really a quality product and I couldn't have built one that better met my needs.

I will use my Porter Cable 690LR in the table. This router doesn't have variable speed and it spins too fast for some bits and routering processes also! Since I needed an external switch anyway, I bought the Rockler switch which also has variable speed for $40 plus dollars! It works fine with the table and router and I am very happy with everything!

The table works well for many tasks and I have found it to be very adaptable to unusual routing situations. Needing a split fence at times, using a couple of different bolts, I can mount my Shopsmith Shaper Fence on the Bench Dog table which also gives me micro adjustment of one side of the fence! This is very useful! I also really like the fence that comes with the table, but I am very happy to be able to easily switch between the two fences when needed.

I love having the miter track at the very front edge of the table! With some adjusting, my shopsmith miter gauge works fine! I also like the t-mount track on the miter track ...and on the front, back and top of the fence!

The dust port works fine with my dust collector most of the time. Dust does get into the bottom of the cabinet, but that is what it was designed to do ...collect the dust! I will probably add a 4" port by drilling a hole in the back of the cabinet, but the dust down there doesn't bother me! The cabinet is high enough I will one day add a layer of plywood a few inches up from the bottom and store what needs to be stored under it away from the dust.

This is really a great table and I can't imagine finding a better one for the price!
Summary: Great Router table and Price