Intro
There is a particular freedom that comes with picking up a router and walking over to the workpiece — no cable to uncoil, no socket to find, no extension lead snaking across the workshop floor waiting to trip you. A cordless router brings that freedom to one of the most precision-dependent tools in woodworking. It lets you take the tool to the job rather than bringing the job to the tool, which matters when you are fitting a kitchen on site, trimming worktops in a finished room, or routing hinge recesses into a door that is already hanging. Modern brushless motors and high-capacity 18 V battery platforms have closed the performance gap with corded routers to the point where, for the vast majority of tasks, you will not notice the difference — except in the absence of a cable tugging at your wrist. For professional carpenters and kitchen fitters who move between rooms, floors, and sites all day, a cordless router on the same battery platform as the rest of their tools is not a luxury. It is a genuine productivity upgrade.
Generalities
The DEWALT DCW604 is an 18 V brushless cordless router from the brand's XR (eXtreme Runtime) professional range. It is sold as a bare unit — the NT-XJ designation means no battery or charger is included — targeting users who already own DEWALT 18 V XR batteries. The brushless motor delivers efficient power conversion and longer runtime per charge compared to a brushed motor, and it is electronically controlled with variable speed to match the revolutions per minute to the cutter diameter and material. The router ships with both a fixed base and a plunge base, effectively giving you two routers in one kit — the fixed base for edge profiling and template work where rigidity is paramount, and the plunge base for stopped cuts, mortises, and internal routing. This dual-base approach is common on professional compact routers and provides exceptional versatility. At just 1.03 kg, the DCW604 is in the compact trim-router class — it is not a heavy full-size router, but a nimble, one-hand-capable tool designed for lighter routing tasks and excellent portability. The 8 mm collet accepts the most common shank size for this class of router. When choosing a cordless router, the battery platform is the critical decision — DEWALT's 18 V XR system is one of the largest in the industry, and if you already own DEWALT drills, impact drivers, circular saws, or other XR tools, the bare-unit purchase makes perfect economic sense. If you are starting from scratch, factor the cost of a battery and charger into the total investment.
This review examines the DEWALT DCW604NT-XJ compact cordless router. We look at how the brushless motor performs on real routing tasks, whether the dual-base system works as well in practice as it sounds on paper, and if the cordless freedom is worth the premium over an equivalent corded router.
Description
The DEWALT DCW604NT-XJ is an 18 V brushless cordless compact router from DEWALT's XR professional range. The brushless motor delivers up to 25,500 RPM with electronic speed control, allowing the operator to match the cutter speed to the material and bit diameter — lower speeds for large cutters in hardwood, higher speeds for small cutters in softwood. The motor features soft-start, which ramps the speed up gradually to reduce the initial torque kick, and an electronic brake that stops the cutter quickly when the trigger is released — both important safety features on a compact router that may be used one-handed. Two LED lights illuminate the cutting area, and a spindle lock allows single-wrench bit changes.
The DCW604NT-XJ ships with two interchangeable bases: a fixed base and a plunge base. The fixed base is the lighter, more rigid option — ideal for edge profiling, chamfering, and flush-trimming where the router follows the edge of the workpiece and the cut starts from the side. The plunge base adds the ability to start a cut in the middle of a panel, with a smooth plunge action and a 5-stage depth stop turret for making deep cuts in graduated steps. Swapping between bases is designed to be quick and tool-free. This dual-base system is what sets the DCW604 apart from single-base compact routers — it genuinely replaces both a trim router and a light plunge router in one kit.
At just 1.03 kg (body only, without battery), the DCW604NT-XJ is exceptionally light for a router. This makes it comfortable for one-handed use — chamfering the edge of a shelf while holding it steady with the other hand, or routing hinge recesses in a vertical door frame at shoulder height. The compact body, short overall height, and low centre of gravity contribute to stable, controllable cuts even without the mass of a full-size router. The vibration-reducing coating on the grip surfaces is a thoughtful ergonomic detail that makes extended use less fatiguing. The measured sound pressure level is 78 dB(A), which is reasonable for a router — quieter than many corded alternatives — and the vibration level is rated at 7 m/s².
The DCW604NT-XJ comes with a comprehensive accessory set: the fixed base, plunge base, an 8 mm collet, a 17 mm spanner, a centring tip for aligning guide bushes, a dust extraction adaptor for both bases, parallel guides for both bases, and a flush-trimming base attachment. Everything packs into a DEWALT TSTAK modular storage case that clips together with other TSTAK boxes for organised transport. The bare-unit format means no battery or charger is included — the expectation is that the buyer already owns DEWALT 18 V XR batteries and a charger from other tools in the range.
On Amazon.fr the DEWALT DCW604NT-XJ holds an excellent 4.7 out of 5 stars from 882 customer reviews, demonstrating strong real-world satisfaction and reliability. At approximately 303.25 EUR as a bare unit, it is positioned as a premium compact router — considerably more expensive than a corded compact router, but the price includes both bases and the TSTAK case. For a professional carpenter or kitchen fitter already on the DEWALT 18 V platform, the cordless freedom and dual-base versatility make a compelling case. For a workshop-based woodworker who always works near a socket and does not need portability, a corded router offers more power per euro.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Dual-base system includes both fixed and plunge bases — effectively two routers in one kit, covering edge work, template routing, and internal plunge cuts.
- Exceptionally lightweight at 1.03 kg — comfortable for one-handed use, vertical work on door frames, and extended overhead routing without fatigue.
- Brushless motor with electronic variable speed control and soft-start — efficient power use for longer battery runtime, with the right speed for every cutter and material.
- Cordless freedom on the DEWALT 18 V XR platform — no cables to manage, no sockets to find, and seamless compatibility with DEWALT's vast range of over 100 XR tools.
- Strong customer satisfaction — 4.7 out of 5 stars from 882 reviews providing substantial real-world validation of performance and reliability.
- Comprehensive accessory kit with parallel guides, dust adaptors, centring tip, and flush-trim base — the router is ready for a wide range of tasks straight out of the TSTAK case.
- Electronic brake stops the cutter quickly — important for safety on a compact router that may be set down while still spinning during workflow transitions.
- Dual LED lights and vibration-reducing grip coating — thoughtful ergonomic details that improve accuracy and comfort during extended use.
Cons
- Premium price at approximately 303.25 EUR as a bare unit — costs significantly more than a corded compact router, and you need to add a battery and charger if not already on the DEWALT platform.
- 8 mm collet only — the compact form factor cannot accommodate 12 mm (half-inch) shank cutters, limiting the router to smaller-profile bits and lighter cuts.
- 1.03 kg body weight increases with a battery attached — a 5 Ah XR battery adds approximately 0.6 kg, raising the total to around 1.6 kg and altering the balance.
- Compact router class means limited cutting depth and power compared to a full-size router — deep rebates, heavy moulding cuts, and worktop jointing are not its intended use.
- Battery runtime depends on the battery capacity used — heavy routing in hardwood with a large cutter will drain a compact 2 Ah battery quickly, making higher-capacity batteries a practical necessity.
Use cases
The DEWALT DCW604NT-XJ is the ideal compact router for professional carpenters, kitchen fitters, and serious DIYers already on the DEWALT 18 V XR platform who need cordless freedom and dual-base versatility for on-site trimming, hinge recessing, and light routing tasks.
On-Site Door Hinge and Lock Recessing
The classic cordless router use case. A carpenter hanging doors across multiple rooms can carry the DCW604 from door to door without managing a cable. Fit the fixed base, set the depth, and rout clean hinge and lock plate recesses into the door edge and frame. The lightweight, one-hand-capable design is perfect for this repetitive, precision-critical task where dragging a corded router and extension lead through a furnished house would be a constant frustration.
Edge Profiling, Chamfering, and Rounding-Over
Rounding over the sharp edge of a freshly cut shelf, adding a chamfer to a worktop edge, or putting a decorative profile on a window sill — these are quick, light cuts that the DCW604 handles effortlessly. The cordless format means you can take the router to the installed workpiece rather than carrying the workpiece to a bench-mounted router table. One battery charge covers dozens of metres of edge profiling in softwood and sheet materials.
Kitchen Fitting and On-Site Trim Work
A kitchen fitter working in a finished home needs to make small routing adjustments without creating dust clouds from drilling or dragging cables across a clean floor. Trimming an end panel to fit, routing a small rebate for a filler piece, or flush-trimming laminate edging — the DCW604's compact size, cordless operation, and effective dust extraction make it the right tool for these finishing tasks where tidiness and precision are equally important.
Template Routing and Flush Trimming
The included flush-trimming base and fixed base make the DCW604 well-suited to template work — following a pattern to reproduce identical parts, or trimming edge banding flush with a panel surface. The electronic speed control lets you match the RPM to the cutter diameter, and the two LED lights keep the cutting line visible even in the shadow of the router body.
Light Plunge Cuts and Stopped Grooves
With the plunge base attached, the DCW604 can perform light stopped cuts — a shallow groove for a shelf support, a mortise for a small hinge, or a recess for an inlay. The 5-stage depth turret allows graduated passes for deeper cuts. It cannot match a full-size plunge router for depth or power, but for the kind of light joinery tasks that make up the majority of on-site trim and fitting work, it is perfectly capable.