The best benchtop drill press or simply the best bench drill press is most essential to complete those tasks that your DIY applications demand some accurate drill work. A benchtop drill press is a robust tool that helps you bore precise holes in a wide range of materials, mostly woods. These tools or best drill press are very potent for boring precise holes in wood, metal, and many other materials. A benchtop drill press is an excellent tool to have in your workshop because this tool makes a clumsy and potentially dangerous task precise and safer. You even can use it for sanding and grinding as well.
We have tested more than 15 best benchtop drill presses and read thousands of users’ reviews on them. After 1000 hours of testing and review reading, we have come up with a list of the 7 best Bench Dill Press machines for you. We have also added a buying guide so that newbies can understand the technology and buy the best benchtop drill press machine for them.
7 Best Benchtop Drill Presses Reviews
We have sorted out the list of the 7 best benchtop drill press with precision. We have considered each machine’s aspect and found out which Benchtop Drill press will be best for you.
- WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press
- SKIL 3320-01 3.2 Amp 10-Inch Drill Press – Best Warranty
- Shop Fox W1668 13-Inch ¾ Horsepower Motor Benchtop Drill Press
- BILT HARD 13 inch Floor Benchtop Drill Press
- Shop Fox W1667 1/2 Horsepower Oscillating Benchtop Drill Press
- WEN 4208 8-Inch 5-Speed Benchtop Drill Press
- WEN 4210 Benchtop Drill Press with Laser
1. WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press 
WEN 4214 Variable Speed Drill Press – Alldrillsets.com.WEN is famous for its powerful electric tools. Like their other robust electric tools, people loved this WEN 4214 12-inch drill press as well. The 4214 variable speed drill is another exception tool from the brand. This 12-inch drill press comes with a digital display. That display allows you to know the exact speed of the drill. You can adjust the variable speed settings of this drill between 580 and 3,200 RPM in very fine increments.
It is equipped with 3 1/8-inches of travel and an adjustable depth so that you can achieve repeatable results. The 2/3-horsepower motor produces sufficient power to complete nearly all kinds of shop projects. The powerful induction motor of WEN 4214 also features ball bearings to ensure extended life with balanced performance. The unit comes with an adjustable worktable that can move up to 45 degrees left and right. The table also provides a crank handle for raising and lowering.
The 5/8-inch chuck with MT2 spindle taper offers versatility with a variety of bits. Moreover, you can put your extra chuck in those spindle tapers. The X-pattern laser will lock on to your drill points, and you don’t have to guess the point you want to drill.
This WEN 4214 12-inch drill press has a laser guide and onboard work light, but you won’t get any bit of guard for safety. Experienced drillers will appreciate this, but new users can find this feature slightly intimidating.
Key features :
- Power source: Corded Electric
- Dimension of the drill press: 13.5 x 36.63 x 16.75 inches
- Size: 12-inch drill press
- Speed: 3200 RPM
- Warranty: 2-year warranty, 90-day commercial
2. SKIL 3320-01 3.2 Amp 10-Inch Drill Press – Best Warranty
The SKIL 3320-01 Drill 10-inch Press is another excellent choice for the best drill press you can find on the market now. This popular power tool features an efficient 3.2 amp motor which is very much capable of taking on some of the most rigid pieces of wood, metal, and more. It features a 10-inch swing size, and we can say that this machine is very much potent for light commercial use and DIY applications at home. Skill 3320 is can boreholes up to 2 3/8″, and customizing the depth is very straightforward.
All of your drilling projects won’t require the same amount of RPM. Some projects may need high speed, where some others will need less. That’s why this 10-inch drill press comes with 5 variable speeds. These 5 variable speeds extra flexibility in performing different kinds of jobs.
This is a durable and long-lasting drill press. It comes with a weighty cast iron base that prevents the unit from walking or wobbling while performing a drilling operation. The worktable of this benchtop drill is also made of cast aluminum, and can you can tilt it up to 45° left and right.
Another thing that makes the drill differ from others is the presence of the X2 2-beam laser. The beam laser helps you pinpoint the area where you should drill a hole.
Skil offers a 3-year limited warranty for this drill press. Moreover, this affordable drill press built for light to medium-duty drilling applications makes it an excellent choice for DIYers.
Key features of SKILL 3320-01
- Power Source: Battery
- Dimension of the drill press: 21.75 x 15.25 x 9.75 inches
- Size: 10-inch drill press
- Speed: 3050 RPM
- Warranty: 3 years warranty, 90-day commercial
3. Shop Fox W1668 13-Inch ¾ Horsepower Motor Benchtop Drill Press
If you are looking for a heavy-duty best benchtop drill press Shop, Fox W1668 is an ideal choice for you. Coming with 3/4 horsepower power, the W1668 comes with a distinct industrial design. It features a more extended pulley safety guard to its sliding headstock to its base. The powerful 3/4 HP motor is quite efficient for performing drilling into tough wood or metal.
Variable speeds are crucial for a heavy-duty drill press like this, as you have to perform various drilling applications with it. The 12 variable speeds give you complete freedom of how much RPM you want to produce.
The columns are solid steel-made, while the base is made of sturdy cast iron.
Adjusting the height and quill stroke of this unit is a breeze. It is equipped with a sliding headstock that you can adjust easily. The maximum swing reaches up to 34″ in diameter. This extended swing allows you to work on more comprehensive pieces of materials in your workshop.
With the W1668, you can tilt the table 90-degrees to both the left and right. You can also adjust the work table height and tilt to set the unit with your workspace. With this feature, you can also set the height you need or achieve unique drilling or sanding angles.
Key features:
- Power Source: Corded Electric
- Dimension: 10.5 x 18 x 13.7 inches
- Size: 12-inch drill press
- Speed: 3050 RPM
- Warranty: No warranty
4. BILT HARD 13 inch Floor Benchtop Drill Press
If you are looking for a powerful drill press that will be run by battery, BILT HARD has covered it for you. The BILT HARD 13 inch floor drill press comes with a 6.6 amp induction motor that is well capable of drilling through metal, wood, plastics, and other materials for professional applications and the garage.
The 6.6 amp motor can deliver up to 3,600 RPM when it comes to speed settings, the best benchtop drill press bits many others by a significant margin. It features 16 operating variable speeds. You can adjust any speed between 220 to 3600 RPM. With the power and variable speed settings, you have complete flexibility to complete nearly any kind of drilling project with ease.
For angled drilling, you can bevel the work table 45 degrees left and right with 11.41in diameter. The base of the unit comes with pre-drilled holes for mounting onto a bench or work stand.
The benchtop drill press offers precise drilling with its solidly built structure. The head, work table, and base of the best benchtop drill press made with cast iron confirm the device’s durability and longevity.
You will get a drill press, 5/8″ keyed chuck & key, hex wrenches, assembly tools with the package. BILT HARD offers a 90-day warranty since the date of purchase. You can replace, return or take a refund within 90 days.
Key features:
- Power Source: Battery-powered
- Dimension: 31.6 x 19.25 x 11 inches
- Size: 13-inch drill press
- Speed: 3600 RPM
- Warranty: 90 Days.
5. Shop Fox W1667 1/2 Horsepower Oscillating Benchtop Drill Press
This is our second addition from the Shop Fox brand, and we could not but adding this to our list. This benchtop drill press is a two-in-one tool. The compact machine can effortlessly serve as either a drill press or an oscillating sander. You can perform a wide range of drilling applications with drilling and sanding operations with this unit efficiently.
The 1/2 horsepower can generate up to 3140 RPM speed, and you can drill through tough wood, metal, and many other materials. Variable speed setting is essential for benchtop drill press as it is meant to drill precisely. The W1667 is a variable speed drill press and features 5 various speed settings of 740, 1100, 1530, 2100, 3140 RPM. The durable 1/3 HP induction motor produces enough torque and power, and the variable speed provides the flexibility you want.
The unit comes with a convenient work table. The work table comes with an adjustable height and bevels up to 45 degrees left & right.
This drill press comes with a precision-ground sanding spindle. You can use it with sanding drums. The W1667 also provides a paddle switch which allows a greater degree of safety over other types of controls.
If you are looking for a 2-in-1 tool that can work both as a drill press and an oscillating sander, we certainly recommend you this model from Shop Fox.
Key features:
- Power Source: Corded Electric
- Dimension of the drill press: 10.5 x 18 x 13.7 inches
- Size: 8 1/2 -inch drill press
- Speed: 3100 RPM
- Warranty: 2-year warranty
6. WEN 4208 8-Inch 5-Speed Benchtop Drill Press
If you want to Drill holes with precision, the WEN 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press is an excellent choice for you. It is powered by a powerful 1/3 HP induction motor that can tackle even the most rigid wood or metal pieces.
The unit comes with 5-speed settings. You can select anywhere between 750 RPM to 3140 RPM according to the type of project you’re working on.
This benchtop drill press is perfect for light drilling applications with an 8″ swing size and 2″ quill stroke. If you’re looking for the best benchtop drill press that you can use for more significant projects, this might not be the best choice for you. But for light and medium-duty, this is an excellent choice.
You can angle it up to 45° on both sides, and you can easily adjust the depth from the front. The base of the benchtop drill is made of sturdy cast iron.
Key features :
- Power Source: Corded Electric
- Dimension of the drill press: 7.5 x 22.88 x 11 inches
- Size: 8-inch drill press
- Speed: 3140 RPM
- Warranty: 2-year warranty
7. WEN 4210 Benchtop Drill Press with Laser
Another Drill Press from WEN, and this time the model number is 4210. This is slightly larger and meatier than the previous model that we enlisted here.
The built quality of this benchtop drill machine is as solid as a rock. A durable 3.2amp motor provides sufficient power for the size.
The body is built with cast iron, so WEN drill presses give it extended stability over flimsy and cheap ones. The machine won’t wobble even when you are working at the highest speed. Moreover, the 4210 is equipped with pre-drilled holes so that you can put it on a workstation or bench and save some valuable space.
It is run by a 3.2 amp 1/3 HP induction motor that provides excellent performance. It can tackle the challenge of working on denser stock and rarely overheats.
As for the speed settings, this is a 5-speed drill press and has a low speed of 600 RPM and the highest speed of 3100 RPM.
The drill press comes with a 1/2-inch chuck with a JT33 spindle taper. This chuck provides versatility with a variety of bits. The work table bevels 45° left and right for those applications where you need a precise angle.
Key features :
- Power Source: Corded Electric
- Dimension of the drill press: 21.5 x 14.5 x 9.5 inches
- Size: 8-inch drill press
- Speed: 3140 RPM
- Warranty: 2-year warranty
How To Choose A Drill Press? A Buying Guide
Are you still not convinced about which drill press to choose? It is pretty apparent if you are buying your drill press for the first time. So, to help you out more, we created a buying guide for you. How will you choose a drill press?
Drill presses are of two types; these are floor drill presses and benchtop drill presses. Floor drill presses come with full-length columns with heights ranging from 56 inches to 68 inches. They have wider bases than benchtop drill presses to make sure that their body can take the weight of the motor and the head. Floor drill press machines feature wider swing sizes than benchtop drill presses. These drill presses can bore deeper holes, too. In a nutshell, floor drill presses are for heavy-duty use, making these machines excellent candidates for professional service.
On the other hand, the benchtop drill presses are ideal for smaller and lighter projects. They are not as high as the floor drill presses. The lower height allows you to set them on top of a workbench. These portable drill presses are best suited for light projects. But there are some benchtop drill presses that you can use for heavy-duty tasks and can be an excellent selection for your professional works. You should choose the best benchtop drill press
This article won’t cover floor drill press; we will focus on the best benchtop drill presses. We have covered all the best drill press drill presses in the market, and now we will tell you how you are going to find the best drill press that suits your need.
Motor Power
You must know the power of the drill press depends on the motor. If you need to drill holes on lighter materials or will use the machine occasionally, then a drill press with lower power is enough for you. For light to medium-duty drilling tasks, we recommend a 3/4 HP motor. But if you are into a business and planning on drilling into more challenging materials or planning on using the power tool every day, lower won’t be sufficient. So, for professional purposes or for doing the drilling works many hours a day, we recommended for you get a drill press equipped with a 1/2 HP motor or higher. Best Benchtop Drill Press provides the best motor power.
Variable Speed Setting
Variable speed is a crucial factor when you are buying a benchtop drill press. A drill press is meant to drill precious holes, and without multiple speed settings, you can not achieve a precise hole. Some drill presses come with 5 variable speeds, while you can find a machine with speed settings of as much as 16. So, we recommend you best benchtop drill press.
This speed setting helps you to choose the best speed that is ideal for the material you’re working on. If you’re drilling holes on wood, for example, then we recommend selecting a higher speed setting. But if you’re working on metal or other too tough materials, then slower speed settings will work best for you.
Swing size
When searching for a drill press, you will frequently see the numbers: 13″. 10″. 20″. These measurements are shown on the product descriptions of drill presses, but do you wonder what they mean? These are swing sizes, and the numbers you saw represent the distance between the drill press column and the machine’s chuck.
Now, the next question, why is it so vital? Well, these numbers determine how much space you will have in that machine. In other words, the measurement tells you whether you will be able to work with more extensive woods or not. Suppose you bought a 10 inches drill press. That means the distance between the hole and the column can not over 5 inches. So, if you want to drill a hole in a vast space, you will need a machine with over 10 inches of workspace.
Maximum Quill Travel
This is important If you drill holes on wide wood or metal frequently. If that is the case, then quill travel plays a vital role in selecting the best drill press for you. Quill travel or quill stroke(known as this name) refers to the distance between the chuck and bit it can travel when you crank the handle.
For example, the WEN 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press, for example, is suitable for thinner pieces of wood as the highest quill travel is set at 2 inches. On the other hand, The Grizzly Industrial G7945 Radial Drill Press has the most increased quill travel of 3 1/4″. Some heavy-duty drill presses can go through as many as 6″ holes in thicker pieces of wood or metal.
Now, you know the measurement and different functionalities of a drill press. We also provided a list of the best drill press right now in the market. Hopefully, now you can buy one for your project. Still, got some questions? Well, we have that for you too. Let’s check our FAQ section of the drill press.
Frequently Asked Questions
What protections should I take when operating a benchtop drill press?
You should use protective measures as debris can kick up into the air and hurt the eye when using a drill press machine. That’s why you should wear shatterproof goggles or glasses while running the engine. Moreover, the noise can also damage your hearing. So, we suggest using earplugs to protect your ear from heavy sound. Additionally, wearing a pair of gloves can save your hand from potential injury.
What can a drill press do?
A drill press can drill precise or accurate holes into wood, metal, and other materials. Drill presses come with variable speed settings to drill precisely the same spot you need for your project. Moreover, you can move the adjustable work table that comes with every drill press for drilling precise holes.
Is a drill press worth it?
A drill press delivers precious accuracy and high power than a typical handheld drill. When working with woods, you need a straight hole. Digging a straightforward hole with a handheld drilling machine is challenging for many users. Moreover, if you are dealing with broad and thick wood pieces, you can not drill holes with a handheld drilling machine. Handheld drilling machines are suitable for simple work, but for more extensive work, they are not enough. So, yes, a benchtop drilling machine is worth it.
CONCLUSION
So what’s the best drill press? There is no specific answer because it depends on the projects you will use the drill press.
All of the best benchtop drill press we listed here are excellent drilling machines according to the users’ purpose. We also have added a buying guide so that you understand all the functionalities of the drill press. If you know all the features, it will be easy for you to buy the best one for you.
We hope this review of the best benchtop drill press helped you—best of luck with your next benchtop drill press machine.
