Router Bits: Which Ones You Actually Need in Your Shop

So you bought a router. Congratulations, you now own the single most versatile power tool in woodworking. And within about fifteen minutes, you probably realized that the router itself is only half the equation. The bits are where the magic happens, and the options are overwhelming.

Standing in front of that wall of router bits at the hardware store, staring at fifty different profiles, the question is always the same: do you really need a classical ogee bit? What even is an ogee? The usual outcome is a 30-piece set where four bits get used and the rest collect sawdust in a drawer for years.

Let me save you that money.

The Five Bits That Do Almost Everything

If you could only buy five router bits for the rest of your woodworking life, these are the ones. They cover joinery, edge treatment, template work, and dados. Everything else is situational.

1. Straight Bit (1/2-inch)

This is your workhorse. Dados, grooves, rabbets with a fence, mortises, flattening with a sled, the straight bit handles all of it. Get a 1/2-inch diameter with a 1/2-inch shank. The larger shank reduces vibration and gives you a cleaner cut. You will reach for this bit more than any other.

2. Flush Trim Bit

A flush trim bit has a bearing on the end that rides against a template or an existing edge. It trims whatever sticks past that reference perfectly flush. Template routing, trimming edge banding, cleaning up glue-ups where one piece overhangs another, this bit does it all. It is one of those tools that feels like cheating once you learn how to use it.

3. Roundover Bit (1/4-inch radius)

Sharp edges on furniture look unfinished and feel harsh. A 1/4-inch roundover softens edges just enough to feel comfortable without looking overly rounded. Run it around tabletops, shelf edges, and the rims of boxes. It takes ten seconds per edge and makes everything feel more professional.

4. Chamfer Bit (45-degree)

A chamfer is a flat angled cut on an edge, it gives a different aesthetic than a roundover. Some projects look better with chamfers. Having both options means you can match the style to the piece. A 45-degree chamfer bit also comes in handy for creating V-grooves and decorative lines.

5. Rabbeting Bit with Bearing Set

A rabbeting bit with interchangeable bearings lets you cut rabbets of different widths without changing bits. You swap the bearing to control the depth of cut. This is essential for frame-and-panel construction, box making, and joining plywood panels. One bit, four or five bearings, and you cover a huge range of rabbet sizes.

Carbide vs. High-Speed Steel

This one is simple: buy carbide-tipped bits. Always. High-speed steel (HSS) bits are cheaper, but they dull dramatically faster, especially in plywood and MDF. Carbide holds its edge five to ten times longer. The price difference is a few dollars per bit, and the performance difference is enormous.

The one exception is if you need a very specialized profile for a single project and you know you will never use it again. In that case, an HSS bit saves you money on something that is basically disposable.

1/4-Inch Shank vs. 1/2-Inch Shank

If your router accepts 1/2-inch shanks, use them whenever possible. The difference in cut quality and safety is real.

Should You Buy a Set?

Honestly? Probably not. Router bit sets look like a great deal, 15 bits for the price of 5! But you end up with ten profiles you never use. Buy individual bits as you need them. You will spend less overall and end up with higher-quality bits in the profiles you actually use.

The right bits make your router feel like a precision instrument. The wrong ones make it feel like a liability. Start with the five I listed, buy quality, and add profiles only when a specific project demands them.