Porter Cable makes a large selection of woodworking tools. Their woodworking router line is equally impressive and I have no problems recommending them. I have several porter cable routers in my collection and I enjoy them all. I think having a different router for specific jobs is like a musician or guitar player having a different guitar for a specific song or sound. They all have a slightly different style and are better for some specific jobs. For Example, I really love the Porter Cable 690LR and the Porter Cable 892 for router table work. The fixed base allows me to "set it and forget it" This is great if you want to dedicate the tool to the router table and not use it for anything else. Some prefer plunge routers and they certainly have a place in the workshop.

Just starting out?
If your just starting out in woodworking, it can take some time to assemble a good array of tools to have in your shop. Half the battle is being organized and having what you need available when you need it. Most people do not realize that you will need all sorts of little items such as sandpaper, hand tools and hardware when you set up your shop. You can eventually buy these items piece by piece over time and it will add up to a nice collection. The older your shop is the more parts and tools you will acquire. There is a nice article on Porter Cable woodworking here.

Tool Line
I like the Porter Cable Tool Brand. They have always offered a quality tool line for the money. They can be a little higher priced than most other brands, but you do get what you pay for. If you ask around to companies or individuals that use them for a living you can find out what the popular brands are. Lots of TV shows that feature woodworking, feature Porter Cable brands. These Particular routers are my favorites for use in the shop

Porter Cable 690LR
I like this router for my router table, it is only 1 3/4 HP, but that is more than enough if you remember to remove small amounts of stock at a time.

Porter Cable 892
This is a step up from the 690 offering 2 1/4 HP. It is still recommended not to take large amounts of wood off in a single pass, but some folks like the bigger horsepower.

Porter Cable 7518
If you have to have a 3 horsepower router, then this is the grand daddy of them all. It is big and heavy , so do not let this one hang off of your phenolic insert when not in use. It will sag an acrylic or phenolic insert over time. If you have to buy this monster, go ahead and get an metal or aluminum insert.

Router tables can give you a lot of versatility in the workshop, you can find more articles here when I publish them, or you can go to this blog for more information. http://www.theroutermaniac.com