Mine was a router. Unfortunatley I didn't appreciate how versitile a tool this is until I already had several others. Combined with a trammel, stright clamp guide and even the most basic of MDF router table tops home made or bought you can rip, crosscut, rebate, chamfer, round over edges, joint boards. With inginuity you can even thickness stock with it using a jig. Cut circles, tennons, mortices, dovetails, use templates to do lettering. There's very little it can't do. I would go for a router everytime as anyones first powertool. I agree with Tony about the extraction although this doesn't need to be bespoke. A cheap Henry or similar from a boot sale will cost around £20. Wear a mask as well and I'd always say buy some cool looking comfortable safety specs straight away. I found myself reluctant to wear eye goggle protection when I was younger because it they make you look like a dick and are very uncomfortable. I paid £10-12 for some wrap around Dewalt specs which are so comfortable and light weight that I find I put then on automatically when walking into the shop even if I don't need tham at the time. It's a good habbit to get into especially as my eyes are my job.
