The drill press is a really handy tool to have around your workshop. There are so many different things you can do with them. When it comes to drilling holes, boring, reaming, or even enlarging holes, the drill press has you covered.
Not all drill presses are created equally. There are different brands, different kinds, and different features that may or may not set apart a drill press in the industry. When you start looking for the best drill press, you need to know what to look for. However, you also need to know what your own needs are and how you should search for the solution to cover those needs.
We’ve put together a complete guide for you to help you on your search. We searched the market to find some of the very best options out there to meet a variety of needs. In this guide, you will find those detailed reviews, as well as some details about what you should look for in the best drill press for you.
Let’s take a look!
Table of Contents
How to Choose the Best Drill Presses
We Think You’ll Like It: Best Drill Press for Woodworking
Whether you’re looking for benchtop drill presses or floor drill presses, we’ve got you covered. But before we start looking at the top choices on the market, let’s consider a few details that are important for narrowing it down and choosing the best drill press.
Type of Drill Press
Let’s start with the type of drill press that you need. First, you will find that drill presses break down into two main categories.
- Benchtop drill presses
- Floor drill presses
In each of these two categories, there are also subcategories and those include things like choosing whether you want a metal drill press or a wood drill press. It also includes choosing between a standard drill press or a radial drill press.
Standard Drill Press Vs. Radial Drill Press
On that note, let’s quickly cover the differences between the two, shall we?
A standard drill press is your everyday press. It’s just the standard press that has the large head attached to a column. This press might have a tilting table but the head is stable and will not move or rotate or swing. You can adjust slightly up and down and front and back where your spindle falls on your material.
A radial drill press, on the other hand, gives you some added versatility. You will pay more for that versatility. These are made with the ability to move the spindle and drill bit on the head. Some of them just slide back and forth while others allow you a full 360-degree swing rotation. On these, the head also might tilt and angle, along with or separate from the table.
Speed
Your drill press is going to rely on speed to get the job done, regardless of whether you use a bench drill press or a floor drill press, the speed matters.
If you can, we recommend looking for a variable speed drill press. Variable speed could mean a lot of different things. It could mean you have a low, medium, and high. It also could mean that you have up to 16 speeds to choose from, depending on the drill press.
You want a drill press with a range of speeds so that you can handle a range of projects. Different speeds matter when it comes to the materials that you use. It gives you the control to adjust your speed to what you need for any given project.
You might have a speed in mind that you are looking for or even know how many speed settings that you want. A great drill press will have 5 variable speed settings and the best drill press will have 16!
Power
Finally, if you’re looking for the drill press best option, take a look at the power of the motor. You will find that the power varies and the size or type of machine will make a difference on each drill press as well.
We recommend looking for a minimum of 1/3 HP but if you have a floor drill press in mind, you want serious power. This also makes a difference if you work with thick materials or even different materials.
Woodworking projects and metal projects alike require power to be able to commence drilling. A floor model typically will have more power than a benchtop model so that is an important consideration on the topic as well.
The Best Drill Press Options Reviewed
Whether you’re looking for the best benchtop drill press, the best floor drill press, or you just want something reliable that comes at an affordable price, we’ve got you covered!
You deserve a power tool that is going to work for your needs and be reliable. You’ve come to the right place to find just that. Take a look at these options, complete with detailed reviews, a few major specs, a rating of their key features, and even a few pros and cons to consider your choices.
1. Best Overall: Shop Fox W1848 Oscillating Floor Drill Press
The Shop Fox here is a floor drill press but they do have the exact same thing in a benchtop drill press if that better meets your needs. This is an impressive drill press with some really great features and plenty of power for you to do any kind of work that you need to. This drill press features a 3/4 HP motor.
The motor supports speeds from 250-3050 RPM to give you quite the range. The drill bits chuck can range from 1/64 to 5/8 inch, giving you versatility in a sturdy power tool. The drill press swing of the oscillating head goes to 13 3/4 for you as well, which is pretty awesome.
When it comes to the best drill presses, you really can’t get much better than this simple but reliable drill press. The drill press table tilts to give you easy access to your work. It has standard cutouts for attaching a larger table or other tools as well. It’s easy to adjust to meet your needs.
Specs:
| Power: | 3/4 HP |
| Swing: | 13 3/4 |
| Speed: | 250-3050 RPM |
| Type: | Standard oscillating |
Key Features (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest)
- Power: 10
- Durability: 10
- Speed Range: 9
- Versatility: 10
- 13 1/4 inch drill press swing
- Oscillating features comes in handy
- Powerful motor for powerful tasks
- Solid and sturdy with durable materials
- Covered by a 2-year warranty
- This does take some work to assemble and get it set up and ready to use for accurate drilling
Why We Like It: This floor drill press is really one of the best on the market. It’s strong, it’s sturdy, and it’s reliable. The cast iron base and cast iron worktable give you a steady surface so you have the perfect tool for your drilling.
2. Budget Pick: Bilt Hard 6.6 Amp Benchtop Drill Press
The Bilt Hard bench drill press comes to you at just about the most reasonable price on the market. This is our budget pick and it’s a really great find. It’s the best benchtop drill press for this price range. This 13 inch press can also be found in a mini drill press option that is 8 inches if you really want a small power tool drill press.
It’s a 16 speed drill press on a bench drill press that has a 6.6 amp motor. The top speed reaches up to 3,600 RPM. You can get clean holes from this simple but heavy duty machine. It even has a table tilt up to 45 degrees on the work table. The stroke distance is 13 inches with a 3 1/8 spindle travel for drilling.
One more huge benefit of this budget friendly machine is that it can work with a variety of materials. It can handle metals, wood, plastics, and more if you know how to take advantage of the drilling speed settings to put it to the test.
Specs:
| Power: | 6.6 amps |
| Swing: | 13 1/4 |
| Speed: | 220-3600 RPM |
| Type: | Standard |
Key Features (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest)
- Power: 9
- Durability: 10
- Speed Range: 10
- Versatility: 10
- You can count on precise holes for metal drilling, wood drilling, and more
- Benchtop drill press with 16 variable speed options
- The best benchtop drill press for the price
- Plenty of power for the size, particularly compared to a handheld drill
- Sturdy, simple, and reliable build
- The instructions for assembly are not very helpful so you may need additional guidance
Why We Like it: This drill press is a really great price and really great quality as well. It’s a simple bench drill press but it delivers drilling results that you can depend on. It even comes with a drill press vise to set you up to drill holes with ease.
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3. Best Value: 12-Inch Drill Press WEN, Variable Speed
Make life easier with a good price and great value. This drill press from Wen gives you all of that and more. It’s top notch quality without having to pay top dollar for it. This is among the best benchtop drill presses on the market for a variety of reasons, starting with the precision drill experience you get to enjoy.
This drill press even has a laser to help guide you while you’re drilling holes. This drill press has mechanical variable speed so you can set your speed at literally any number you want from 580 to 3200 RPMs. It’s a good drill press for most tasks, although it may stumble on some of the hardest materials, according to other customers.
The quill stroke is about 2.17 inches. There is key storage and a keyed chuck of 5/8 inches. The motor is 2/3 HP, which is pretty heavy duty for this machine. You can also adjust the table to 45 degrees on a rack and pinion system. You can also appreciate the LED digital speed readout that measures right down until the drill bit stop spinning.
Specs:
| Power: | 3/4 HP |
| Swing: | 14 1/2 |
| Speed: | 580-3200 RPM |
| Type: | Standard |
Key Features (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest)
- Power: 10
- Durability: 10
- Speed Range: 10
- Versatility: 10
- LED digital readout to monitor your speed
- Cast iron drill press table
- Powerful motor that is 3/4 HP and as powerful as most floor drills
- Plenty of swing for just about any task
- Hands down the best value for the money
- You may need to add an external table for more stability as this drill press table tends to flex a little bit under pressure
Why We Like It: This drill press best option brings you modern day ingenuity paired with power and skill. It can be used with repetitive drilling as well as just about any other need. The spindle travel is ideal and the table allows you to handle angled drilling when you need it. It’s a great value for the money.
4. Jet JDP 20 In. Drill Press
Jet JDP is another really great floor drill press. This one is more expensive overall but it’s a great tool among drill presses. The drill bit even has an added protective guard to keep you safe when the drill bits are spinning. It’s just an added safety measure and it’s quite effective.
This press drill has a full horsepower motor on the drill press, which is one of the more powerful options you will find. It has 12 speeds, which range from 150 to 4,200 RPM. You can make fast adjustments and work far more quickly than a hand drill might allow.
The depth stop is easy to adjust and set so you can quickly and accurately make adjustments any time that you need to. This has a slightly larger table than some press drill models out there but not super large. It can be tilted using the crank handle. This drill press is also covered by the brand’s Red Assurance 2-year warranty.
Specs:
| Power: | 1 HP |
| Swing: | 20 |
| Speed: | 150 to 4,200 RPM |
| Type: | Standard |
Key Features (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest)
- Power: 10
- Durability: 10
- Speed Range: 10
- Versatility: 10
- Tall and sturdy floor drill press
- Telescoping guard envelops the drill bits for added safety
- Includes a built in worklight
- Covered by a 2-year warranty
- High range of variable speed with 12 options
- Quality control on shipping seems to be lacking
Why We Like It: This floor drill press is really well made and it does stand out in terms of the best drill press options. It’s solid and steady, it has security, and it has a lot of speed and power compared to some of the others out there. It just might be worth putting to the test for your drilling needs.
5. Dewalt Magnetic Drill Press DWE1622K
Finally, we found a simple portable drill press that was designed for metal work. This is not your everyday drill press because Dewalt is a portable drill press. That means it is much smaller and yet still very effective.
This portable drill press doesn’t have a table. It’s magnetic and designed to work with metal materials so you can just take it and use it on the fly. The motor is 10 amps and there are 2 speeds. You can choose from 300 or 450 RPM.
This best drill press even has protection electronics that protect the motor from overload when you push it hard to get work done. The stroke distance is pretty decent considering the size of the machine as well.
Specs:
| Power: | 10 amps |
| Swing: | 4 3/8 |
| Speed: | 300 or 450 RPM |
| Type: | Portable, magnetic |
Key Features (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest)
- Power: 9
- Durability: 10
- Speed Range: 8
- Versatility: 8
- Designed to work with metal in particular
- Two speed options to work with
- The stroke distance gives you a decent amount of space
- Magnetic to attach to your materials and work through with the drill bit
- You will need to have a stable place to use this for the best results
Why We Like It: We like this drill press because it just brings you another different option and it’s a quality choice. It’s great if you need something portable or something specifically made to work with metal.
Buyer’s Guide
Now, let’s take a quick look at some additional details that might play a part in your end decision. This buyer’s guide is just meant to get you thinking about your specific need before you decide which best drill press you really need.
Budget
Obviously, your budget will make a difference when you choose the best drill press. These come in a variety of price ranges and many of the more affordable options still are really great drill presses. If you need a budget friendly model, just pay close attention to the details and what others are saying so that you know you truly are getting a reliable drill press for your money.
We Think You’ll Like: Best Drill Press Under 300 in 2022 – Reviews and Buyer’s Guide
Functionality
The best drill press has to be able to serve your needs. This means you need it to be functional for your tasks. This is where your own uses and preferences are really going to come into play.
Here’s the thing. We all have different drill press needs. So perhaps you work just with metal and you work out in the field a lot. In this case, you probably are better off with the Dewalt magnetic option.
Or maybe you have plenty of space and really want something with its own table. In this case, you’re better off with the Shop Fox or Jet models that we shared.
Pay attention to what the machine is capable of and make sure it’s going to work for YOUR needs, not someone else’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Size Drill Press Do I Need?
The size you need really depends on what you will be doing. The good news is that if you work with a lot of larger or unwieldy projects, you can probably come closer to making most of the best drill press options work with an external table if you add it.
You do want to be aware of the swing as this is how far your drill press can extend to handle material so you don’t want to limit yourself too much here.
How Much Does a Drill Press Cost?
The prices can vary significantly when it comes to the best drill press. You will find price options ranging from $100 to $4000 and maybe even more. For the most part, you can get a really great option for more like $250-$1,000 but you should know there are options outside of this range as well.
Does a Drill Press Just Drill Holes?
Drilling holes is the primary responsibility of the best drill press but it is capable of doing quite a bit more than that too. However, you can also use a drill press to bore large holes, drill certain holes to be larger, reaming, deburring, or even sanding on some drill press models.
Can I Use my Regular Drill Bits on My Drill Press?
Your bits might be interchangeable but it really just depends on the chuck size of your drill as well as the chuck size on the drill press and whether or not they will be interchangeable. Most of the time, a drill press can handle larger bits than your typical drill, which is to accommodate the speed and the power.
Does a Drill Press Need to be Portable?
Some people may be better off with a portable drill press but it certainly isn’t required. Get the drill press that best meets your overall needs.
You can choose a drill press that is portable or even mini. You can also choose a drill press that sits on a benchtop or a drill press that is standing and has its own base and support. What type of drill press you end up with solely depends on your needs.
We Think You’ll Like It: Best Drill Press Under 500
Conclusion
We hope that this guide to the best drill press options helps you to find a great choice for your needs. There are a lot of great options out there to work through so be sure to keep your needs and your specific preferences in mind when you pick out the best drill press for your needs.
Which one do you have your eye on?
Expert Tip
If you need a larger working space than the table that the drill press comes with, you can add an external table to your drill press. They make tables just like this so that you can make your drill press work for even the largest and most challenging projects.
Did You Know?
There are two types of drill presses – a standard or a radial drill press. The standard drill press just works as a standing unit. You might be able to tilt the table and move your spindle back and forth but your movement is limited.
A radial drill press might offer you up to 360 degrees of mobility on the drill press, which is pretty awesome!
Amazon Recommends:
- Features a 2.3A induction motor, an 8-inch swing, and a 2-inch spindle travel
- Includes a 1/2-inch keyed chuck and onboard key storage
- Operates at 5 different speeds: 740, 1100, 1530, 2100, or 3140 RPM
- 6.5 by 6.5 inch height adjustable worktable bevels up to 45 degrees in each direction
- Measures in at 23 inches tall with a 7 by 11-inch base
- Features a 5-amp induction motor, a 12-inch swing, and a 3-1/8-inch spindle travel
- Adjust the mechanical variable speed anywhere from 580 to 3200 RPM
- Digital speed readout displays current RPM of the machine for maximum precision
- Includes a Class IIIA 2.5mW laser, overhead light, adjustable depth stop, table roller extension, beveling 9-1/2 by 9-1/2-inch work table, 5/8-inch capacity keyed chuck, a chuck key with onboard storage, and a two-year warranty
- Measures in at 16.8 by 13.5 by 36.6 inches in size with a weight of 85 pounds
- POWERFUL 6.2 AMP INDUCTION MOTOR—Power through wood, metal, and other materials
- 5-SPEED SYSTEM—Take advantage of 5 speeds from 610 to 2800 RPM for different material types
- LASER ALIGNMENT SYSTEM—Precisely execute drilling maneuvers
- ADJUSTABLE DEPTH STOP—Ensures accurate and consistent depth during drilling
- ADJUSTABLE TABLE HEIGHT—Provides easy depth control