[recipe19]

A CNC router with a work area suitable for typical woodworking projects is definitely not $300 - you're probably thinking about 3018 kits, but with 18 cm of travel, that's really not enough for the usual scale of woodworking projects. Not even enough for a typical cutting board.

A ready-made unit in "woodworking" size will likely set you back $2-$4k.

[starkparker]

Handheld router != CNC. A fixed-base 2.25hp DeWalt handheld router runs about $370. The 1.25hp Makita 700 in the Compass' glamour shots and assembly instructions runs about $130. Most fall in that range.