The cheapie router is the Katsu, which everybody says is a 1:1 clone of the Makita made in the same factory blah blah blah. It's not. It's very similar, it will accept Makita batteries and accessory bases and fences, but it is not a straight up copy. Not even close. That's not to say it's a bad machine. It's actually a very good machine and I'll be buying another so I can leave one set up permanently for hinge mortises, and the other as a freelancer.
For 99 US dollars, (stripper name, US Dollhairs) you get the machine itself, a perfectly adequate pressed steel fence, a dust extractor spout, a 4.0ah battery, and a charger. You also get the roller bearing trimming guide which people don't often use, and I don't know why because it's an excellent little gadget. I reckon you could easily use it for edge binding rebates, but I've not tested that yet. Edge Binding. Specialist name. Too dark? Yeah ok. Forget it.
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The included base is the classic Makita style rack and pinion adjustable round sole item. It's my favorite style of base on this class of router. It will accept the Makita plunge base, which I have, the offset base, which I also have, and the tilting base, of which I have a couple. These are super useful.
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I have one that I keep at 3 degrees all the time thanks to a nifty bit of Mig welding, with a home made hardwood edge guide on the base that I use with a long straight cutter to put a perfect leading edge on the slamming side of a door.
It also has a work light! But this time only one, and it's not as super bright as it could be. That's probably a simple enough DIY upgrade if you feel so inclined. I find it adequate for my needs.
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So there you have it.
Two very different machines, both of which I think represent something of a bargain. Obviously, the Katsu qualifies on price alone, $99 is a router for people who can't even afford a router, but also because I've found it will easily stand up to pro use, will give pro results, and is just very nice and comfortable to use and to adjust. It's ready to go right out of the box, battery, charger, everything. The fact that it will accept Makita batteries and gadgets only increases its best buy status.
The Hitachi is expensive, but it's still a bargain, because it has a combination of power, controllability, light weight and cordless convenience that simply can't currently be had for less money. If something does a job that can't be done for less money, it's the cheapest thing there is, which makes it a bargain. Logic.
They are both worthy of serious consideration if you're in the market for a new toy.
