Need help choosing a router for custom deck railings - plunge vs fixed base?

Hey Tool Discount Club folks, I'm building a cedar deck with custom railings that have some curved sections. I need to rout decorative edges and mortises for the balusters. Been looking at routers but can't decide between a plunge base or fixed base model. I'm a decent DIYer but this is my first major deck project. Any advice from you pros? Budget is around $200-300.

Sparky here - not my usual wheelhouse but I've done enough trim work to know routers. For deck railings with curves, you'll want BOTH. Get a combo kit. Plunge base for starting cuts in the middle of boards (like those mortises), fixed base for edge profiling. Milwaukee's M18 Fuel combo is solid if you're already in their battery system. Otherwise, DeWalt's DW618PK is a workhorse. Don't cheap out - you'll regret it when the bearing seizes mid-cut on cedar.

Sid's right about the combo kit. In HVAC we use routers for ductwork templates occasionally. One thing everyone forgets - DUST COLLECTION. Cedar's gonna make a mess and that fine dust gets everywhere. Get a good vacuum attachment or you'll be cleaning sawdust out of your house for weeks. Also, practice your curves on scrap first. Nothing worse than messing up a $50 cedar board because you went too fast.

Tile guy chiming in - we use routers for cutting expansion joints in concrete decks, different animal though. For wood: Makita RT0701C. Compact, powerful enough for deck work, and the plunge mechanism is butter-smooth. At your budget, you could get that plus a decent set of bits. Pro tip: use spiral upcut bits for your mortises - cleaner than straight bits and less tear-out in cedar. And for the love of god, climb-cut your curves or you'll get nasty chip-out.

Thanks everyone! Combo kit it is. Leaning toward the DeWalt DW618PK based on your advice. Steve - never heard of climb cutting before, just watched a YouTube demo and that's a game-changer for the curves. Patty - already have a ShopVac with fine dust filter, good call. One last Q: 1/4" or 1/2" collet? Most of my bits are 1/4" but I see pros use 1/2"...