Buying No Name Routers

1600 Watts router; 1600/110 volts= 14.5 Amps
and 1600/746 = 2.12 Horsepower



However HP is one thing, the real meaning of power is in the amperage rating of the motor.  Generally you will not get this either, although exceptions are present.  If you look through this guide you will notice that the higher amp motor ratings generally equate to the higher HP ratings of the big routers.  Big 3 HP motors generally have an amperage rating of 15 amps.  

Most people get hung up on HP and buy the most HP that they can find.  The question you should really ask yourself is what kind of routing do you plan on doing.  Believe it or not, most routing of edge forming or dado type work can easily be done on a 11/2 HP motor.  People buying the large 3 HP routers generally not always have more than what they need or think they need.

Accessories

Most of the Asian routers come with a case and some other types of accessories, usually some kind of edge guide or chip deflector.  I have found that most of these accessories included are pretty much useless in my shop.  A lot of the accessories are cheaply made and tend to make the router seem like less of a bargain.  

If you were to purchase any one of these routers and attach it to a router table, you would already have a tool that is more advanced than most router users.  Usually the motors are more than adequate to do part time routering.  Ask yourself what you're going to do with the router.  If you're going to use profile bits with bearings for edge work and an ccasional dado here and there, these routers will work great for you and won't dent your wallet.  

If you're doing production work where the router is in use for longer periods of time, you might be disappointed.Some Asian companies include collets sizes of 1/4", 1/2" and 3/8.  Most US Routers skip the 3/8 collet size.  I personally have never have had the need for a 3/8 and really don't anticipate one.

Branding
Some power sellers are content to sell the product with no name, which is fine.  Some re-brand the name with some generic sounding company which is fine too.  Some companies re-brand and build that brand up into reputable Brand names that are recognized in major retail outlets.   The truth is, there are some mighty fine Asian routers out there with those recognizable brand names and a small amount of research will get you an excellent router without the brand name. 

 Look carefully at the router, compare it to other similar routers with famous brand names, you may be surprised.  If you use this guide and do a bit of research you can save considerable amounts of cash and fortify your workshop.  

The comparison really does not stop with routers, as a lot of power tools are made overseas and brand names are added later, Grizzly is a great example of this.  There are several foreign routers that have outstanding quality (festool, triton etc) that are made in Europe and are imported here to the USA.  

Generally you have to find a certified distributor of these products in order to purchase these products.  Finding them online can be somewhat difficult.

Lastly I often get asked about brand names.  There are some people that refuse to buy anything made overseas, they want a brand name or nothing at all.  This is a global economy and many "brand" name routers are made overseas or have parts that are made overseas.  As our economy evolves this will be become normal business operating practices.