Best Trend Router Tables for Your Workshop

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The best Trend router table for most small to medium workshops is the Trend WRT Workshop Router Table for its full-size top and universal router compatibility, while the Trend CraftPro CRT/MK3 is the better choice if you need a compact, storable option for a single-garage shop or site work.

Trend does not offer a dozen variations to sort through – its 2026 lineup is focused around two core platforms that solve different space and workpiece problems. Choosing between them comes down to top size, fence control, which router you own, and how much floor space you can permanently dedicate to routing.

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#1 Pick

Trend CRT Portable Benchtop Router Table, Robust Construction for Workshop and Jobsite Use, 120V NVR Switch Not Included, CRT/MK3

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#2 Pick

Trend WRT Workshop Router Table, Free Standing with Precision Engineered Components, 120V NVR Switch Not Included, WRT

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#3 Pick

Trend Tool Technology USA Trend Router Table Insert Plate, Aluminum Alloy, User-Made Compatibility, Pre-Drilled Holes, Customizable Fit, RTI/PLATE/A

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Trend Router Table Lineup at a Glance

Trend’s router tables are designed around aluminium extrusion and laminate-faced MDF tops, with a focus on compatibility with Trend routers and most other brands via a universal base plate. These are the two current production models you will find from UK and EU dealers in 2026:

Both tables use the same Trend universal insert plate system, which is why router compatibility is nearly identical. The difference is not which router fits, but how comfortably you can use it.

How Top Size Changes What You Can Build

Trend WRT: 800 x 600 mm

The WRT is a true workshop table. The 800 mm width gives you 400 mm of support on either side of the cutter centerline, which is enough to cross-cut the end of a 600 mm wide cabinet door or support a 1.2 m long stile with only modest overhang. For panel raising, grooving and long edge moulding, that support reduces tipping and snipe. If you regularly work with kitchen doors, shelving, or solid timber over 800 mm long, the extra area is not a luxury – it is what keeps the workpiece flat against the fence.

Trend CRT/MK3: 740 x 335 mm

The CRT/MK3 has a long but narrow top. It is 740 mm wide, so side-to-side support is similar to the WRT, but only 335 mm deep. That means less infeed and outfeed support. It excels at edge profiling, hinge recessing, small box making and trim work where the workpiece is under 600 mm long. For wider panels you will need roller supports or an auxiliary table. Trend designed it as a benchtop unit, so you clamp it to a workbench or mount it on the optional folding leg stand. That narrow depth is what makes it fit in a van or on a single shelf.

Fence Adjustability and Accuracy

Fence quality determines the accuracy of rebates, grooves and jointing cuts more than the router itself.

Trend WRT fence: A two-part extruded aluminium fence where each half moves independently forward and back on scales. This allows you to close the gap around the cutter for maximum support when doing edge work, then open it for large diameter cutters up to 90 mm. The fence locks with cam levers and includes a fine adjuster for shimming out 0.5 – 1.0 mm for jointing operations. A clear polycarbonate guard with vertical and horizontal pressure fingers holds stock down and in.

Trend CRT/MK3 fence: A single extruded beam with two adjustable MDF sub-fences that slide independently. It offers the same basic gap adjustment but over a shorter length. The fine height adjustment is useful when using bearing-guided cutters, but the overall fence height and length is lower than the WRT, so it provides less support for tall vertical work such as raised panels stood on edge.

If you plan to do regular jointing, trench cutting with a straight edge, or use large panel-raising cutters, the WRT’s taller, wider fence with twin dust ports holds an advantage. For light profiling and rounding over, the CRT/MK3 fence is fully adequate and quicker to set.

Router Compatibility You Can Count On

Both tables use the Trend 298 x 235 mm insert plate with a universal drilling pattern. Direct fit without an adaptor plate:

• Trend T10, T11, T12, T14 (all variants including 110V site models)
• Trend T8 when fitted with Trend adaptor plate ref. WP-T8/003
• Most DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, Festool and Triton mid-size and 1/2 inch routers using the universal base drilling you do yourself or with Trend Unibase

The limiting factor is not the plate but motor diameter and plunge bar spread. Full-size 2000W+ routers like the Trend T11 and T12 fit comfortably under the WRT with full height adjustment through the table via the Trend Router Elevator or the router’s own height adjuster. Under the CRT/MK3, the same routers fit but leave little clearance for dust extraction below the plate and make above-table height adjustment stiff. Compact 1/4 inch routers and the Trend T8 are a more balanced match for the CRT/MK3.

N-series guide bushes and Trend’s plastic insert rings (from 11 mm to 70 mm aperture) fit both plates, so you can swap from template work to large cutters without changing tables.

Storage Footprint and Workshop Fit Calculation

This is where many buyers choose wrong. A router table is only useful if you can leave the fence set or deploy it in under two minutes.

Do a quick fit check before you buy:

Measure your available wall or bench length. Add 600 mm exit clearance behind the table and 400 mm to the side where you will stand. For the WRT that means a working envelope of approximately 1400 x 1400 mm when in use. Folded, it drops to 800 x 600 x 180 mm and can be stored vertically against a wall. For the CRT/MK3 the working envelope is about 1340 x 950 mm on a bench, and storage is a single shelf space.

Worked example: A typical single garage of 2.4 m x 4.8 m with a car still parked leaves about 2.4 m x 2.0 m of workshop space. The WRT occupies 0.48 sq m of floor when erected but needs 1.96 sq m of operating space, leaving no room for a table saw at the same time. In that space, the CRT/MK3 on a folding stand that you set up and break down is often the only way to keep both tools. In a dedicated 3 m x 3 m workshop, the WRT can stay erected permanently, which saves 5-10 minutes of setup per session and encourages more accurate, repeatable fence settings.

Decision Matrix: Which Trend Router Table Fits Your Situation

Durability and Ownership Realities

Trend router tables are not lifetime consumable-free tools. Expect these wear points:

• Insert plate sag: The phenolic plate can sag 0.2-0.3 mm under a heavy 1/2 inch router left mounted for months. Remove the router for long-term storage or add the Trend aluminium insert plate upgrade if you leave a T11 mounted permanently.
• Laminate wear: The high-pressure laminate resists abrasion but swells if water sits on exposed MDF edges around the plate aperture. Wax the top twice a year with paste wax, not silicone spray, and keep the edge sealing intact.
• Fence faces: The MDF sub-fence faces on both models dent from cutter contact during setup. Replace them with shop-made hardwood or high-density MDF faces when grooved – it restores zero-clearance support.
• Dust extraction: The 63 mm fence port clogs quickly with long grain shavings from rebating. The WRT’s secondary below-table port is not decorative; connecting both to a high-volume extractor reduces airborne dust by half and keeps the height mechanism from jamming.
• Common mistake: Overtightening the plate leveling screws dimples the MDF and creates a permanent low spot. Level the plate with a straightedge and lock lightly, then leave it.

Consumables to budget for: spare insert rings, replacement sub-fences, and a spare guard finger. All are still available from Trend spares in 2026 and are interchangeable between both tables.

Setup for Accuracy in Under 15 Minutes

Regardless of which model you choose, do this on first assembly:

• Level the insert plate to the top with a reliable straightedge, checking in both diagonals. Shim or adjust the four corner screws until no light shows under the edge.
• Set fence square to the table using a digital angle gauge or reliable square against the plate, not the table edge. Extrusions can be slightly out relative to the MDF.
• Align the fence parallel to the mitre slot by locking one end, adjusting the other until a test cut on scrap shows no burning or tapering.
• Connect extraction, run the router at no load and check for vibration. If the plate hums, add a single layer of electrical tape under the plate rim as a dampener.

Final Recommendation by Use Case

Choose the Trend WRT if your workshop can keep it erected and your work includes doors, panels and long mouldings. The extra depth, taller fence and dual dust extraction justify the larger footprint and higher general market price range.

Choose the Trend CRT/MK3 if space, portability or budget is the primary constraint. It delivers the same router compatibility and insert system in a package you can carry with one hand and store on a shelf, provided you accept that large panels will need auxiliary support.

Both tables benefit from pairing with a Trend T10 or T11 for above-table height adjustment and from proper dust extraction. Match the table to your space and workpiece size first; router fit is rarely the deciding factor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a non-Trend router on a Trend router table?

Yes. Both the WRT and CRT/MK3 accept most 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch routers via the universal insert plate. You may need to drill the plate to match your router’s base or use a Trend Unibase adaptor. Check motor diameter and plunge bar width against the 90 mm and 50 mm cutter clearances noted above.

Do I need the Trend leg stand for the CRT/MK3?

No, if you have a flat, sturdy workbench at 850-900 mm height. The stand is useful if you want a dedicated height and fold-flat storage, or if your bench is too low for comfortable routing.

Is the WRT suitable for site work?

It folds flat but at 23 kg plus router it is heavy to move regularly. The CRT/MK3 at half the weight is the practical site option.