My first experience with this router was when I was working in a professional window and door shop. The owner had three routers - all M12's.  This was my first real introduction to serious routing and I thought that the M12 was just a router. In the last 8 years since then I have done a ton of routing and have messed around with a bunch of different machines. After getting used to the M12 all the rest seemed lacking. On top of being a workhorse and ultra reliable, it is just a plunge router that works really well.  I use it in the table (never take the springs out - just attach the fine adjustment knob), in my woodrat and freehand and it works great in all circumstances.  The only beef that I have with it is that there is a little too much slop in the columns when the lock is not engaged.  Unless you routinely use it like this (which I do to cut mortises on the woodrat) then you will never notice.  If it weren't so big I would probably by another since no shop is complete without a handful of routers..