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A drill press is easily one of the most commonly found tools in any family and rightfully so.
It is a very useful tool as it can be used to drill holes on almost any surface. Be it hanging a picture on the wall, doing any sort of woodwork, or any type of crafting, a drill press always comes in handy.
And very few companies make drill presses as good as WEN. But WEN is known for making a lot of quality drill presses. So, which one should you buy?
That’s why we are writing this WEN drill press review guide featuring 5 of the best products from the company along with a buying guide to help you find the best drill press which fits your requirements.
Best WEN Drill Press Review
Now let’s get down to the meat and potatoes of this article. Below are 5 of the very best drill presses from WEN along with their reviews:
WEN 4208 8-Inch 5 Speed Drill Press
This drill press is called by many the best overall drill press out there because of its brilliant balance of size, power, and particularly the budget-friendly price.
The compact design is a lot of people’s favorite as it takes very little space in your workspace and is very portable.
But its smaller design doesn’t come at the cost of its power as it can effortlessly drill up to 0.5 inches in solid cast iron.
The induction motor supplying the power is also very durable as it comes with ball bearings, which also ensure its smoothness.
Speaking of durability, the entire body of the drill is also made of cast iron, which makes it physically durable as well.
You can also make sure that the power doesn’t become a burden as you can limit your depth up to a certain limit.
However, for all the praises we sang for this product, it is unfortunate that this product isn’t suitable for heavy-duty projects.
It also comes with an unstable base that makes it difficult to work with and adds to the previous problem.
PROS
CONS
Related Review: Top Grizzly Planer Reviews
WEN 4214 12 Inch Variable Speed Drill Press
Compared to the previous drill, this one is quite a bit more expensive. But it tries to deliver through power and performance.
The great thing about this is that this drill isn’t limited when it comes to speed. It has variable speed orientation starting at 580 RPM, and it can run up to 3200 RPM.
Not only that, but you can also fix the drill at an exact speed with the help of the digital speed readout.
The power also speaks for itself as it can easily drill up to 5/8 inches in cast iron.
But you can also make sure that the machine doesn’t drill too much because of its depth adjustment setting.
However, unlike the previous product, this one is very large in size and does take up a lot of your workspace.
This also greatly reduces the portability of the product. The motor supplies sufficient power, as mentioned above.
But the construction of the motor is quite weak, and they are prone to falling apart.
PROS
CONS
WEN 4210 Drill Press with Laser, 10 inch
This drill press comes with a 5-speed orientation. Although it isn’t as good as variable speed, it still has some great options.
The 5 speeds are 600 RPM, 1100 RPM, 1700 RPM, 2400 RPM, and 3100 RPM. It also comes with laser precision, which increases the accuracy of the product exponentially.
And this product also comes with cast-iron construction that makes it very sturdy and durable.
The induction motor in this device is also quite durable. And that is because of its ball-bearing construction, which also makes sure that the motor runs smoothly.
Moreover, the motor is also a 3.2 Amp motor, which helps in giving the drill a better performance. But the power output in this drill press is lacking.
If you need something with great power, this drill press is one you should avoid.
Additionally, it is also very heavy and thus reduces its portability along with taking up a huge amount of workspace.
PROS
CONS
WEN 4212 10-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press
The first thing that we have to mention in this WEN 4212 drill press review is that this product is very expensive.
While it has some great features, it can be argued that it is overpriced.
Speaking of its features, the variable speed is definitely a great feature to have.
It can deliver speed on multiple levels from 530 RPM to 3100 RPM. The digital speed readout also makes it very easy to measure the exact speed the drill is operating on, and it also allows you to set the exact speed you need.
This product also delivers when it comes to power. It can drill a 1/2 inch hole in solid cast iron.
The depth adjustment setting also makes sure to limit the depth of the drill to avoid excessive drilling.
Even though this drill has sufficient power output, the motor is actually very weak. It also has quite a poor construction, and thus, it is also not very durable.
PROS
CONS
WEN 4210T 10 In. Drill Press with Laser
This drill press is a slightly modified version of the third product in our list that was the WEN 4210.
And this product goes a long way to fix the issues that we had seen in the WEN 10 Inch drill press review.
Firstly, it supplies more power with its 3.2 Amp motor. Along with more power, this motor also comes with a ball-bearing construction.
Thus, you can count on the motor’s durability and smoothness. This drill press comes with 5-speed orientation.
The 5 levels of speed are 600 RPM, 1100 RPM, 1700 RPM, 2400 RPM, and 3100 RPM.
Like the 4210, the 4210T also has laser precision, which vastly increases the accuracy of the drill press.
The depth adjustment is always a welcome feature, and we have talked about it in great detail already.
But the 4210T fails to solve one big issue that was in the WEN 10 drill press review, and that is the weight.
It is still a very large and heavy device reducing the portability and maneuverability.
The weak construction doesn’t help matters either. This device is prone to crack easily after a few months of use.
PROS
CONS
What to Look for before Buying
Before buying any product, it is wise to make sure you know exactly what you want
And that is something difficult to do when you have little idea about the features. But fear not because that is why we are here.
In this section of the article, we will guide you through the most essential features of a drill press so that you know exactly what you need while buying one.
Power Output
This determines how much a drill press can drill. So it goes without saying why this is important. To make sure a drill press has enough power, you should look at the motor and its quality of construction.
Speed Options
A good drill press should be able to operate on multiple levels of speed. A 5-speed orientation is great as it can operate on 5 levels of speed.
But the variable speed orientation is easily the best feature when it comes to speed options.
Durability
There are two parts of durability that an ideal drill press should meet. Firstly, physical durability can be ensured by looking at its construction.
Secondly, the drill should have a durable motor. A motor with ball-bearing construction is usually more durable.
Portability
This speaks for how heavy the drill is. You don’t want a large and heavy drill occupying too much space. Heavier drills are also difficult to maneuver. So it is wiser to look for smaller and effective drill presses.
Depth Adjustment Setting
A drill press containing this setting will always get bonus points from us. Drilling holes bigger than ones you need by mistake is a very common mistake. And a depth adjustment setting goes a long way to stop that.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are the most commonly asked queries regarding the best WEN drill presses:
Which is the best drill press for woodworking?
The WEN 4210 drill press is the best when it comes to woodworking. It has just the right balance of power, maneuverability, and speed to ensure a great performance in woodworking.
Which is the best drill press for metal?
The second product on our list, the WEN 4214 drill press, has the highest amount of power.
So naturally, it works best for hard substances like metals.
How do you size a drill press?
The size of a drill press is measured by something called throat capacity. Throat capacity is the distance between the column and the chuck’s center.
Final Words
A drill press is a must-have tool for anyone regardless of what your profession is because of how handy and useful it is.
If you are looking for something that is light on your pockets, go for the WEN 4208 drill press.
But if you need something heavy-duty and are willing to pay the price, the WEN 4214 would be our recommendation.
You can find all the necessary information about them in our WEN drill press review. So refer to it and make the decision that is best for you.