Okay, so you’re considering a drill press for DIY or a small workshop – but you’re unsure of which model to choose, what is the best benchtop drill press for your workshop? are those benchtop models even any good. Well, you’ve landed on the right page. We spent 18.5 hours over several days checking out every half-decent benchtop drill press we could find. What we uncovered could save you at least as many hours of brain-numbing research, countless lost dollars, and endless frustration at having chosen a small benchtop drill press that just didn’t deliver as expected. These are our highest-rated benchtop drill presses for the home workshop and DIY.
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Every serious do-it-yourselfer and home shop enthusiast needs a drill press. And these smaller benchtop drill presses provide a cost-effective way to drill accurate, clean holes of various sizes for a multitude of purposes.
In this article, we review the best five affordable drill presses designed specifically for home-shop use. All are relatively compact (some more than others) and affordable. Most importantly, you can count on these tools when you need to.
Number One: WEN 4212 10-inch Variable Speed Drill Press
See Other Customer Reviews Here
WEN’s 10-inch variable speed drill press has a lot to offer and is the best benchtop drill in its class. It’s a solid machine that delivers variable speeds – from 530 to 3100 RPMs from a 4.5 amp induction motor. During testing, it operated smoothly with surprising torque from a relatively small drill press. Compared to other benchtop drill presses it’s well worth the price.
Other things we liked about the WEN drill press is the precise locking depth gauge, the half-inch chuck, plus the onboard key storage for the chuck. If you’ve ever lost the only chuck you had – you’ll appreciate this simple but useful feature. With a ten-inch swing, you’re able to drill through the center of a 10-inch circle. The spindle extends 2 3/8 inches and the table bevels in either direction – up to 45°.
Wen’s drill press stand is built on a sturdy cast-iron base that doesn’t wobble. It’s a smooth machine that performs admirably. With a simple turn of the dial, you can adjust speeds quite easily and the digital LED reveals the current speed. According to the manufacturer, you can easily drill a 1/2 inch hole into heavy-duty cast-iron with this machine. That’s plenty strong for most applications and comparable to a standard drill.
The frame is solid with a cast-iron base, table, and head. The standard warranty on the WEN drill press is two-years – which is pretty good for a small benchtop device. This compact WEN drill press weighs in at about 62 1/2 pounds and overall dimensions come in at 13.5″ x 11″ x 33.9″.
Check Latest Price For The Wen 4212 10″ Drill Press Here
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Number Two: Skil 3320-01 3.2 Amp 10-inch Drill Press
See Other Customer Reviews Here
Here’s another top pick for a great benchtop drill with variable speeds, accuracy, and reliability that is sure to be more than an adequate bench top drill press for most home shops and weekend warriors.
This drill press has a tilting table that bevels from zero to 45° – left and right.
Motor speed adjustments range from 570 to 3050 RPMs. This Skil model also features a half-inch key drill chuck which provides a solid grip on any type of drill bit with a shank of up to half an inch. There’s also a bump off switch for added security and quick shutdown.
One thing we noticed is that the adjustable depth stop comes in very handy. You can set it accurately and it’s excellent for repetitive work, where you need a specific depth – like when drilling for adjustable shelves.
The weight of the Skil comes in at 50.8 pounds. Overall size is 9.8″ x 15.2″ x 21.8″. Skill offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, plus a three-year limited warranty against defects.
Skil’s drill press makes a solid choice for most home shops and scores a respectable 3.8 out of five possible stars from well over 500 actual customer reviews. That’s a solid score that’s not easy to come by in today’s world that increasingly depends on customer reviews.
It’s a stable and accurate tabletop drill press. But as with any tabletop press (vs. a floor model), there are some limitations. However, for most home shops – This Skil benchtop drill set will certainly do the job.
On the downside, parts seem to no longer available from the manufacturer, since Skil was bought out by Bosch. So if you need to replace something you’re going after placed the whole unit.
The base column is manufactured from aluminum rather than cast iron- making this one quite a bit lighter than most benchtop drill presses.
What we really liked about the skill is the convenience it provides. It’s a durable unit that should last a number of years – so in terms of value, it’s hard to beat. And thanks to its lighter than average weight, it’s easy to take with you. It’s also easy to clamp to any workbench when needed, and then to simply remove it and place it in storage when not in use.
Check Latest Price For The Skil 10″ Drill Press Here
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Number Three: WEN 4208 8-Inch 5-Speed
See Other Customer Reviews Here
Here’s the second WEN drill press to make our top five list. Clearly, we’re not the only fans of the brand and specifically – this WEN 8-inch machine. It scores a solid and very respectable 4.3 out of five possible stars, from nearly 1500 customer reports. And at such a bargain price – this one represents outstanding value.
The WEN 4208 is a little bit smaller and more limited than the larger model we reviewed here. But this one also includes a half-inch chuck – so it allows for a variety of drill bits. Plus, there’s onboard storage for the chuck too.
This model comes equipped with a 1/3 hp induction motor, offering variable speeds (5 in total) from 742 to 3140 RPMs. This is a good range for the vast majority of drilling operations at home.
Also, the spindle has a locking depth stop for accurate, repetitive cuts. And the spindle travels up to 2 inches – pretty good considering how compact this unit is. With a work table that measures 6.5″ x 6.5″ and tilts up to 45° both to the left and right – it makes a versatile and practical addition to any shop. With the 8 inch swing, you can drill in the center of an 8-inch circle.
Like our top pick, this WEN drill press also comes with a one-year warranty. It’s surprisingly compact, yet versatile and powerful. In fact, it’s a whole lot of machine packed into a small unit. Like the Larger WEN, this one is said to be capable of drilling 1/2 inch diameter hole into heavy-duty cast-iron. That means the motor is ample for most any hope shop application.
While it may not look as slick as other small drill presses, this one delivers on performance and is quite powerful, given its size.
One big advantage of these benchtop machines like this is that you can simply clamp it to your workbench for a stable drill press when needed. Once you’re done, you can simply and put under your workbench. Its compact design makes it an excellent backup drill press one that can be moved to any bench, work stand, or tabletop as needed, including on job sites.
It operates relatively quietly and provides no wobble. It’s also bargain-priced –which means you’re getting good value here.
Check Latest Price For The Wen 8″ Drill Press Here
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Number Four: Shop Fox W1667 Three-Quarter Horsepower 13 inch Drill Press
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Here’s another bench top drill press worthy of your consideration. It’s the Shop Fox W166 ¾ HP press. It’s another winner – though it’s priced a little higher than the others in the top five.
If you’re buying on value alone or price alone, you may want to choose one of our other recommendations. But you might be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t at least check out this beauty from Shop Fox. The slightly higher price comes with many significant upgrades. These seemingly small differences can make a big difference in capability – for specific jobs or in certain situations.
Among those differences are the 5/8 chuck, a spindle travels at 3 1/4 inches, and a swing of 13 1/4 inches. This makes it a larger capacity and a more capable machine than smaller models. But it really depends on your own needs. Also included with the Shop Fox is a drum sander kit complete with mandrel and 80 grit sandpaper to fit 1, 1 ½ and 2-inch sanding drums.
Click Here For W1668 Model. Click Here For W1667 Model
Shop Fox boasts 12 speeds – from 250 to 3050 RPMs. The table is round (as opposed to square) with a 12 – 3/8 inch diameter that can swing a full 360°. It also tilts 45° – both left and right – and has a built-in dust port of 2 1/4 inch diameter. Now that’s pretty cool.
If you do any woodwork, the oscillating spindle sander is an excellent addition to have along with the drill press. If you eve plan to work with any rounded surfaces that would need sanding – this may be the drill press for you.
It’s got more speed, power, and capacity than your typical bench top drill press. So it’s a better option for heavier or frequent use – such as in a commercial shop setting. According to the manufacturer, you can easily drill a three-quarter inch diameter hole in solid steel.
Overall, the Shop Fox is a robust, well-built benchtop machine with easy to operate controls and a strong, capable motor. Oh yes and … the work table has been milled flat and smooth. So you get accuracy from something that’s comfortable to use at the same time.
Check Latest Price For The Shop Fox Drill Press Here
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Number Five: Jet JWDP-12-Inch Bench top Drill Press
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Jet’s J-2530 drill press is another benchtop model built of cast-iron to make it stable. It also has a large quilt that allows for greater accuracy. The head casting on the Jet features a lubricated ball bearing spindle assembly for accurate, smooth operations. The table tilts 45° and the large support column provides adequate support for both the head and table. It’s a simple yet powerful drill press with a ¾ horsepower motor.
As a benchtop model, the jet is on the larger side of available tools and is similar to its bigger brother the Wen pedestal drill press. It weighs 157 pounds and measures 22.5″ x 12″ x 32″. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re working in a basement shop, with a lower than the standard ceiling.
Once your drill press arrives, set up is simple and straightforward with the provided instructions. It’s a larger beefed-up version with everything made of cast iron or steel – except for the table hand crank (which is plastic).
You’ll soon see that the three-quarter-inch horsepower motor provides plenty of power for any kind of drilling. And the 5/8 of an inch chuck holds larger a larger selection of drill bits solidly in place. Despite it’s a slightly larger size, this machine runs smoothly and quietly at any speed. Accuracy is maintained, with no noticeable run-out. That’s important and one of the key reasons you want to have a drill press in the first place.
Most notably about Jet is that the manufacturer provides a five-year warranty on their drill press – significantly more than any competing manufacturer provides.
Check Latest Price For The Jet Drill Press Here
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Best Bench Drill Press Under $200
For our money the best bench drill press under $200 would be the Wen 4208T. This is an 8 inch drill prees that would not be out of place in any workshop. The machine comes with a half inch chuck and can opperate with any of five speeds.
The Wen 4208T can drill most all of a workshop is likely to drill, wood, plastics, plastics, composites, aluminum and steel. Wen is a renown brand and produces high quality power tools in many areas. The drill offers accuracy and efficiency and will handle drill bits as small as 1/20 and up to 1/2 inch.
The base is pre drilled for easy mounting to a table or bench top, the drill table will tilt to 45 degrees both left and right should you need angled drilling.
amazon box=”B08ZVT5JKC” title=”Wen 4208T Bench Drill Press” description=”- 5 Speeds , 740, 1100, 1530, 2100, or 3140 RPM
– 8 inch swing and 2 inch travel spindle
– 1/2 inch chuck
– Induction motor at 2.3 Amps”]
Best Benchtop Drill Press For Metal
Grizzly G7943-14″ Heavy-Duty Benchtop Drill
[amazon box=”B0000DD6TD”]Ideally, the Grizzly benchtop drill is a tool more suited to metalworking. If you are more into woodworking then a lighter model press drill will be fine, such as the Wen listed above. This drill press is a fairly heavy machine (about 150 pounds) for DIY use and will handle up to a 3/4 inch metal plate with ease. Built to last this drill is relatively quiet, solid, and accurate. The tool has great drilling power with easily interchangeable belt speeds.
This would suit any small workshop or DIY home workshop that works in metal or a variety of materials such as wood, metal, and plastics.
Grizzly G7943-14 Specifications
- 3/4 HP motor 120-volt single phase
- Drill chuck capacity 3/64 to 5/8
- Swing is 14 inches
- Spindle, taper MT#2, Travel 3-1/4 inch
- 12 Speed 140,260,320,380,480,540,980,1160,1510,1650, 2180,3050.
- Table swings to 360 degrees
- Table tilt 90 degrees left and right
Features:
- Precision-Ground Cast-Iron Table
- Built-In Light
- The table has Lock Levers and a Coolant Trough for metal drilling
- Powder Coat Finish
- Depth Stop
- Four T-Stots in the table that Accommodates 1/2″ Clamping Kit
- Table and Base are Cast-Iron
- Cushion-Grip Quill Handles
See Other Customer Reviews Here
Click Here For The Best Price On The Grizzly MetalWorking Benchtop Drillpress
Generally speaking, drill presses are mostly universal when it comes to what materials can be drilled. Wood, metal, and plastics can be drilled by all the machines listed here. These types of table drill press are suited to small workshops, light industrial and home handymen and women. In some heavier situations as in drilling metal in a fabrication workshop or industrial manufacturing, a more heavy floor drill press will be required. These machines are much more expensive, such as the Grizzly Industrial Drill press, and are capable of drilling heavier metal plates.
The Best Bench top Drill Press Verdict
You can search endlessly for a smaller drill press that’s accurate, reliable, and affordable. But we can confidently say that, since you have access to this article, your own searching would largely be a waste of time. We’ve narrowed it down to five quality machines for you and our number one pick is the WEN 4212 ten inch drill press. But choosing any one of our top five selections would be a wise investment. It’s really a question of which one you like best.
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