A benchtop drill press can drill holes effortlessly into different types of materials. It charges through wood easily. You can only use a handheld drill occasionally and it doesn’t provide the steadiness and preciseness a benchtop drill press does. It is essential to use the best benchtop drill press for woodworking, as the accuracy of the holes depends on the quality of the tool used.
The benchtop drill press is a handy tool. It provides different useful features and makes repetitive drilling easier and safer. There are many opinions out there, regarding which is the best woodworking drill press. Each drill press comes with different features and different levels of accuracy.
Handyman’s pick: Top 7 Best Benchtop Drill Press for Woodworking
A good quality benchtop drill press depends upon its drill size, variable speed, horsepower, laser guide, safety features, attached accessories, etc. Therefore, it is important to go through bench drill press reviews in order to decide which drill press will be able to fulfil all your requirements.
Top Pick Benchtop Drill Press
WEN 12″: Benchtop Drill Press for Woodworking
- Speed adjustment is possible from 580 to 3200 RPM.
- Digital display for monitoring the speed.
- Unaltered torque and power.
- 2.17 inches of quill diameter.
- A feasible tilt of 45 degrees and a crank handle for easier operation.
- An induction motor of 2/3 horsepower generates great power and torque.
- 3-1/8 inches of spindle travel for precise and easy depth measurement. .
Wen is known for making strong electric tools and WEN 4214 is no different. It is considered to be one of the best benchtop woodworking drill presses available out there. The speed of this drill press can be adjusted from 580 to 3200 RPM, just by turning a lever due to its variable speed feature. This drill press also allows the user to monitor the speed with its digital display and makes it even easier to fine-tune it.
WEN 4212 disproves the concept that in order for something to be capable, it has to be costly, by providing great competence while being comparatively less expensive. Its rigid frame and fine bearings prevent the damage caused by heavy use.
- Maintaining the same torque and power while being able to vary and monitor the speed is WEN 4214’s best quality. Besides that, the power of adjusting its height and angle makes the operation easier for the user. It also comes with a work light, laser guide, and a warranty of two years.
- The highest speed of WEN 4214 is 3200 RPM which may not be sufficient for projects that include heavy steel of ½ inches. Also, for beginners, this drill press may seem a bit intimidating at first. Another drawback of WEN 4214 is that it comes with some safety concerns.
Premium Pick Benchtop Drill Press
JET J-2530 15″ Bench Model Drill Press for Woodworking
- Wide speed range allows the user to choose speed.
- A motor of ¾ horsepower.
- A throat of 15 inches.
- Ball-bearing that are permanently lubricated
- Long pillar of ground steel for support
- Spindle guard for safety.
- Heavy-duty tool
JET J-2530 is one of the best bench drill presses for woodworking because it not only provides versatility but also provides great stability. It has great RPM and the power to effortlessly drill through thick woods. Even though it doesn’t have a variable speed feature, it does provide the user with 16-speed options to choose from. This way, you can select the specific speed option that is applicable for your operation.
JET J-2530 has a motor of ¾ horsepower and a throat of 15 inches. Besides that, it has a long pillar of ground steel that gives it utmost support. It also tilts 45 degrees and can swing 360 degrees which are very convenient for the users. It has 4 ball bearings that play an important role in maintaining accuracy.
- JET J-2530 has a dual voltage, so you can also rewire it to 230V. It provides a wide range of speed options which is useful for various operations. It has a rigid build that gives it great stability. It comes with a spindle guard for safety purposes and also with a warranty of 2 years.
- JET J-2530 has some drawbacks. It doesn’t come with a variable speed feature. It doesn’t have a digital display, so even Though you can select the speed from a wide range, you cannot monitor it. You need to have a rigid benchtop as JET J-2530 weighs a lot compared to other drill presses. And finally, it is quite expensive.
Best Overall Benchtop Drill Press
BILT HARD: Best bench drill press for woodworking
- 5 variable speed options
- Lightweight of only 24 lbs.
- Solid construction provides durability
- Angled drilling of 45 degrees possible
- 360 degrees rotation possible
- Predrilled holes for stability
- Necessary accessories provided
BILT HARD 8 inch 5-speed drill press is small in size but is capable of charging through a thick wood. It is one of the best drill press for woodworking because of its low price and mighty strength. It has a ⅓ horsepower induction motor and a keyed chuck of half inches, which may seem less, but still provides great precision and power while drilling.
It offers you 5 different speeds and thus lets you choose the speed you feel is sufficient for your operation. It has a solid construction that ensures durability and precision. You can easily mount it on a work stand or bench with the help of the predrilled holes on the base and get the studiness you need while operating.
- BILT HARD drill press is very easy to use because of its size. Even though it is small in size, it has a solid structure and provides great precision while drilling into woods. It provides 5 different variable speed options for you to choose from. It also offers great stability as you can mount it on a work stand or bench. It is a good quality tool at a low price and comes with both additional accessories and a warranty.
- You cannot operate it at a speed beside the specific 5-speed options it provides. It doesn’t have a dual voltage option that some of the other drill presses have. It doesn’t have a laser to provide maximum visibility and also no spindle guard, so there may be safety concerns.
Bench Woodworking Drill Press
PROXXON: Best Woodworking Drill Press
- High rotational precision.
- Great stability and life expectancy
- Noiseless operation
- Clamp lever for height adjustment
- Spindle speed options of- 1800, 4700, & 8500 RPM
- Die-cast aluminum work table
- 1 ¼ inch of quill diameter
- 5 ½ inches of throat depth
- First-rate ball-bearings
- Adjustable & practical depth gauge
- Necessary accessories provided
PROXXON is the best drill press that comes with a die-cast aluminum work table. The parallel fence of this drill press is adjustable. It has an 11 inches long column made of hard-chromed steel. This drill press can make precise micro holes into the woods with its extremely powerful motor. Besides that power of the motor, its life expectancy and noiseless operation is praiseworthy.
PROXXON bench drill press comes with 3-speed options and thus promotes triple torque. It also has a clamp lever that lets you adjust the height to a maximum of 140mm, according to your preference. It also comes with a chuck that helps this drill press achieve high-speed accuracy.
- PROXXON bench drill press provides maximum precision (down to 0.05 cm). It has 3-speed options for you to choose from and also promotes triple torque. You can adjust the height according to your preference as well as the depth gauge. It has a motor of great power and durability while maintaining noiseless operation.
- Some may have safety concerns regarding this drill press. It doesn’t offer angled drilling precision that some others do. It also doesn’t have any built-in light or laser. You may find it costly in comparison to the features it provides.
Best Floor Drill Press
Shop Fox: Best Drill Press for Woodworking
- Variable speed between 250 RPM to 3050 RPM
- Motor of ⅓ horsepower
- Spindle travel of ¼ inch
- Swing of 13 3/4 inches
- ¾ inches oscillating spindle
- Port to collect dust
- 2, 1 ½, and 1-inch drums provided in a drum kit
- A tilt of 90 degrees for versatility
Shop Fox W1848 Oscillating floor drill press is one of the best drill press for metal and woodworking. It promotes effortless contour sanding as well as drilling only by switching the operation. It has an oscillating head alternative. It is a rare feature when it comes to drill presses. This feature lets you switch from drill press to spindle sander. Without the oscillating head, the sandpaper would have been burnt through.
Shop Fox W1848 has a powerful motor of ⅓ horsepower and features variable speeds from 250-3050 RPM. This way, it is possible to control the speed according to the project at hand. It has a swing of 13 ¼ inches that makes drilling more precise. It also has a tilting option of 90 degrees and a height adjustment option that allows you to drill through at an angle and makes the job easier.
- Shop Fox W1848 provides you with a range of speed options that allows you to effortlessly accomplish different operations. It comes with additional accessories like- sandpaper & 2, 1 ½, and 1-inch drums. You can use it for both drilling and sanding precisely. It has a workable tilt of 90 degrees and adjustable height making your job faster and easier. It also comes with a safety guard and a warranty of 2 years.
- One of the drawbacks of this drill press is that some may find switching between the two modes (drilling & sanding) difficult. Also, it doesn’t come with a built-in light or laser.
Best Budget Drill Press
SE 3-Speed: Best Mini Drill Press for Woodworking
- Variable speed with 3 options
- 7 ½ inches of utmost drill height
- 6 mm maximum drill capacity
- Chuck key of 6 mm included
- Includes 3 wrenches
- Weighs 2.2 pounds
- Extremely budget friendly
SE 3-Speed Mini drill press is one of the best bench drill presses for woodworking at home. It may not be a heavy-duty tool, but it surely can drill through woods effortlessly and accurately. It has a 6mm drill capacity and 7 ½ inches of maximal drill height. Besides these features, it provides you with 3 options of variable speed (5000, 6500, & 8000 RPM). This drill press is a very good option for you if you are a beginner as it is very handy and easy to use. It also comes with additional accessories like 3 wrenches and a chuck key. However, it also comes with some safety concerns.
- SE 3-speed Mini drill press is a great fit for beginners because of its small size and low cost. It has 3 variable speed options that enable you to choose the best speed for your project. It provides you with better precision than handheld drills. The package includes 3 wrenches and a chuck key of 6mm and that’s very helpful to the users.
- It is mostly used for small projects and not a good option for heavy operation. It is not made for angle drilling therefore it doesn’t have a tilting function and the height cannot be adjusted as well. You may be challenged with difficulty while using this drill press because of the absence of built-in light. Even though it is the next best thing after handheld drills for precision, it places far down the list of benchtop drill presses. It may also disclose users to chemicals.
Customer Choice Drill Press
Grizzly: Heavy Duty BenchTop drill press review
- 12 different speed options
- Motor of ¾ horsepower
- ¾ inches of drilling capacity
- 3 ¼ inches of spindle travel
- 14 inches of swing
- 2.595 inches of quill flange
- Table tilt and table swing if 90 degrees and 360 degrees respectively.
- Comes with laser or built-in light
- Cast iron base and table
- Quill handles are cushioned
- Crank handle for height management
- Detachable safety switch
Grizzly G7943 is a heavy-duty benchtop drill press with a powerful motor of ¾ horsepower. It can effortlessly charge through thick wood as well as metal with its ¾ inches drilling capacity. It provides you with 12 speed options for you to choose its operating speed according to your needs. It also has a protective guard and adjustable chuck.
Another great feature is that it has a laser attached to it for maximum visibility. It also comes with a tilting option of 90 degrees and a swinging option of 360 degrees. It also has a very sturdy base that lets you operate it with safety and precision. These features make Grizzly G7943 one of the front runner drill presses.
- Grizzly G7943 offers 12 different speed operations. It is a very strong tool that charges through wood precisely and with great safety as the cast iron base and table provide steadiness. It lets you effortlessly execute angled drilling and offers you maximum visibility through laser. It also lets you adjust the height according to your preference.
- It’s a bit more expensive than most other benchtop drill presses. You cannot monitor the speed while operating. It is also a bit on the heavy side. It does not include any additional accessories.
Factors to Pick the Best Benchtop Drill Press for Woodworking
You should consider some specific guidelines while buying a benchtop drill press so that you don’t purchase the wrong one.
Speed Range
While buying a new drill press, you should consider one that has a variable speed option. Most of the drill presses have a speed range of 200-3600 RPM. As drill presses are used for drilling different materials, some materials require more speed than others. For example, you’ll need a drill press of higher RPM while drilling through wood than metal. So, your drill press needs a variable speed option.
Working table
Whenever dealing with drilling, you need a steady table to support the machine and to drill precisely. Therefore, you shouldn’t compromise with the quality of the table. Make sure it’s rigid and comfortable to work with. Also ensure that your table is of the right size because you cannot work comfortably with a small table while dealing with larger material.
Cost
Your budget should depend upon the use of the drill press. If you plan on using the drill press occasionally then you can buy a cheaper model and still work with ease. But if you plan on using your drill press for serious and frequent drilling, you better buy one that has great features, durability and precision. Because it will work as an investment in the long run.
Safety
Drill presses are powerful tools that can drill through wood, so safety should be one of your top concerns while buying a drill press. Make sure the one you are buying has bit guards and easily accessible ON/OFF buttons.
Accessories
Drill presses usually come with some accessories. Among them, a laser guide is very important. It provides you with visibility while drilling and makes precise holes. So, while buying a drill press, try to look for the ones that have this feature.
How to use a benchtop drill press for woodworking?
You need to know the process of using a drill machine as well as benchtop drill press to get the precise outcome you desire. Even Though the process may vary from one drill press to another, the basics are mostly the same.
First, you need to adjust the speed according to your preference, by shifting the drive belt. Then move the bit in after opening the chuck. Then you need to use the key to clench the jaws of the chuck. After that ensure you’ve removed the chuck. Now depending on your operation, adjust the height of the table.
If you are simply drilling through a wood with no fixed depth, then you should skip this step, if not, you need to alter the depth gauge according to the depth you need. Afterward make sure that you have properly placed the piece you are working on so that while drilling it doesn’t spin with the rotation of the drill. Now for the drilling part, make sure the speed of the spin is at maximum and swing the lever to lower the bit. Once you are done drilling, you need to release the lever and the drill press will go back to its primary position.
FAQs on Best Benchtop Drill Press for Woodworking
What size drill press is best for woodworking?
The distance between a drill press’s column frontside and chuck’s center decides the size of that drill press. The difference between these two points is expressed in diameter. In most cases, the size of the accompanying table is proportional to the size of the drill press. So, you don’t want to get yourself a large drill press as the entire thing will take up a lot of space. Therefore, the conventional size of the drill press ranges between 8-17 inches.
What is the best drill press for home woodworking?
For home woodworking, you don’t need a heavy-duty drill press. All you need is a drill press that’s easy to work with and can provide you with great precision. Therefore, when it comes to woodworking at home, the best benchtop drill press for you is, BILT HARD 8 inch 5-speed drill press. Because it is a small machine with great power and accuracy. Also, it comes with 5-speed options that let you do various operations. And it is also budget-friendly.
Which type of drill press has more power?
Drill presses can be divided into two types. Benchtop drill press and floor drill press. Benchtop drill presses are easy to work with. They are portable, small in size and therefore, easily manageable. But when it comes to power comparison, floor drill presses take over. Even though floor drill presses weigh more and are comparatively harder to use, they come with more features and power. So, if your main concern is power, you should go for a floor drill press.
What is the difference between 8 and 10 drill presses?
The difference between 8 and 10 drill presses is very simple. As mentioned earlier, the size of the drill press is established by the difference between two points (chuck’s center & column’s frontside). The size is always twice the difference. So, 8 drill press means that the difference between the two points is 4 inches, whereas, 10 drill press means the difference is 5 inches. So, the throat calculation of 8 and 10 drill presses are 4 and 5 inches respectively.
Select the Best drill press for woodworking
In this article, we have talked about all the best benchtop drill presses for woodworking you need to consider. We have discussed their features, advantages, and disadvantages to help you decide which one’s the best benchtop drill press according to your preference and level of operation.
We have tried to provide you with all the necessary information regarding benchtop drill presses. Therefore, we hope this article was of help to you and wish you can choose the right product with the help of our benchtop drill press reviews.
