Over at Amazon, I was looking for a particular Bosch router accessory when I discovered that their $20 off $100+ promo discount was back.
Now thru 6/18/2020, save $20 off $100+ select Bosch tool orders.
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As usual, there are some exclusions, but the deal does include a lot of popular Bosch woodworking tools, cordless power tools, accessories, and other must-haves.
Bosch’s brushed motor 12V Max drill and impact driver combo kit is always a popular starter set, and it’s currently priced at $99. Add at least $1 worth of eligible Bosch products, such as a pack of Phillips #2 screwdriver bits, and you save $20 at checkout.
Or consider Bosch’s 1617EVSPK wood router combo kit, shown above. This is a fantastic woodworking router – my personal choice – and the $20 discount makes it a bit more affordable. While not the lowest after-discount price I’ve seen in recent years, this is probably the best pricing we’ll see on this router combo kit until at least late November.
Update: Tool Nut has a similar Bosch $20 off $100+ promo. Acme Tools too.
Deal Info via Tool Nut
Deal Info via Acme Tools
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Jared
You couldn’t pay me to buy another Bosch router. Poor fit and finish makes for long frustrating base changes.
JI
Really? I’m in the market for a router and the 1617 has long been regarded as one of the best routers around. What’s your experience?
GS
If you are looking for a router that smoothly slips out of its base or raises and lowers with the table top adjustment tool, the Bosch 1617 is NOT the one. The router is smooth and powerful enough but the base and the router lifter component is a disaster–great concept but terrible execution. (I think it is a problem of the metal pins in the base that guide the lift and rotation of the router digging into the metal on the router body.) I nearly ruined two projects making mortices on the router table on two different projects because the base jammed against the router body and I had to move the fence to completely disassembled it. It jams, does not easily raise and lower–even after buffing and lubricating the body several times, the spring clamp pops off the height adjustment screw, is very susceptible to any wood dust getting in the area, and the router base/lifter will not release at times even when the clamp has been entirely removed. The people at Bosch customer service make it sound like I am the only one with this problem! I moved to a JessEm MastRLift II and what a charm. Its like going from an old, old Volkswagon to a Rolls Royce! I can’t understand how Bosch continues to promote this device when so much criticism has been leveled at it by so many users!
Stuart
Which model? I have an older Craftsman Pro version of the 1617 and now a Bosch version. No problems with either. If this is the model you have trouble with, I’ll see if so can replicate your experience.
Jared
Stuart this was 10-15 years ago. I want to say the model was a 1610. Probably discontinued by now. To be fair I had the same problems with the Dewalt 617 which I still own but has been relegated to collecting dust on the shelf. I love Makita routers. Have three of them in various sizes, and they are built with good attention to detail, and the bases swap out easily. Maybe Bosch has improved their quality with the newer routers.
AlexV
I’ve had the Bosch MRC23EVSK for a couple of years now and I love it, no issues with fith and finish or stuck bases, just a mean rock-solid router. The handle trigger and LED lights are nice features too. For a 2.3 HP router, it feels very heavy and robust, almost as heavy as a 3HP router when using the plunge base so that helps with stability as well.
Stuart
Ah. I am slow to forget being burned by certain brands and products as well, but I don’t think your experience would be repeated by current models.
I bought my Craftsman Professional version of the Bosch 1617 about 13 years ago, at that time debating whether to get the Craftsman Pro at a discount and with a Sears gift card or the Bosch, and so it’s possible that we’re talking about the same tool.
I don’t know when the 1617 was released, but I can find some online chatter about it as early as 2008.
This post mentions an issue with the motor being difficult to remove from its fixed base: https://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/6822-bosch-1617-router-base-problem.html .
The Bosch 1617 has been around for a while and I’ve never heard much complaint about it, but it does sound like your router could have been affected by a similar defect to what’s described in that forum post.
Robert
For a minute I was like “whah? Most of the Bosch models on the market have a better fit and finish than my Festool and Elu routers”. And then I read the bit about swapping bases and yes, I don’t own one, but I’ve had that experience with the base not wanting to come off.
Jorn
I have a 1617 and kinda agree.
For whatever reason, changing bases has become more difficult over time.
Also the router body seems to have some scratches on it that might be a contributor.
The other gripe is that the router height can’t be adjusted from beneath a table because the e-clip that retains the adjuster always pops off, I had to modify mine.
Otherwise I’ve been happy with the router.
Lyle
Omg, I just typed an entire reply and pressed something by accident on my iPad and lost the whole post. I’m going to bed and will try again from a real computer with a keyboard tomorrow.
Blocky
The worst!
Stuart
Sorry to hear that. It probably won’t help you to feel any better, but I’ve done the same. My computer browser will usually recover the comment, but not always. My phone or tablet will usually leave me to have to start over.
Chris
At least for the router, I’m pretty sure this isn’t actually a discount. I’ve been tracking this tool’s price and have been waiting for Father’s Day sales. It’s almost always around $200.
Stuart
$219 is the standard price. $185 after discount is a good price. $165 is a great price.
I missed out on an earlier deal but waited and scored mine for $154 after $50 off $200+ promo in November 2018.
It can be rare to find the router combo kit discounted and eligible for promos at the same time.
Chris
I guess I can’t speak to more than a month ago but I’ve been wanting to buy the router for at least a month, and in that time, between Lowes, HD, and Amazon, at least one of them has had it for ~$200. Hoping the Fathers Day sales are good.
A
I bought this set from Amazon on 12/23/19 for 172.12 tax included. there was a sale where the set was $179 less a $20 off coupon. i couldn’t say no. maybe there will have the same deal on fathers day but i wouldn’t expect it to be that low for a while yet. Possibly BF or Christmas
Lyle
Ok, so hopefully I can type this again without losing all of it. I was excited to see this post because I have a Bosch 1617 router. I’ve had it for a while, probably close to 15 years, whenever it came out. I’ve only used it like 10 times but that’s partially because I moved twice and didn’t take my tools with me. I’ve experienced exactly the same problem with the difficulty of removing it from the bases. In fact, I probably have most of the accessories for this router as well. Years ago, when I first bought it, I also bought a lot of parts to make my own router table, like a Mast-R-Lift II, the template guide to cut out the hole in a top for that router lift, the adapter for the Bosch router, etc. If you think it’s hard to remove this router from the bases, that’s nothing compared to how hard it is to remove from the router lift. Last year, Stuart’s post about building his router table and other rolling cabinets with the 80/20 stuff inspired me to complete my table. Now my router is basically permanently mounted in the table. I’m in the market for just a Bosch 1617 router body since I have all the accessories. Unfortunately, they don’t sell it like this so one day I’ll probably have to buy one of the kits and then sell the stuff that I already have. I saw that the fixed base 1617 was like $169 so would end up costing $149 with the $20 off. I’m hoping to find it used somewhere or even lower since I don’t need anything except the body itself. Of course I could sell all of my accessories and buy a Festool 1400, but now were’ talking big bucks.
Nathan
I’m interested – still haven’t bought a new router and this is one of the 3 I’m interested in. I do sometimes wonder if using useing the arboring centering tool they give you would help my older Skil router.
I also like the dewalt router I think it’s a 618 or something.
At any rate – sales are good.
Dave
I ended up picking up the Hitachi router and plunge base for $89 on clearance at Lowe’s. They still have some hanging around in stock if you look hard enough.