Floor Vs Benchtop Drill Press: Which One To Buy?

Drill Press is a tool designed to bore accurate holes in wood and metals. They produce error-free results and at a faster speed. This can be of two types: Floor Drill Press and Benchtop Drill Press. But here the question is which one is suitable for you and can help you in easing your tasks at workshops.

This is because you have to consider a considerable number of factors before purchasing any of them. This article ‘Floor vs Benchtop Drill Press’ will provide you with detailed comparisons and real-life reviews so that you can make a perfect choice. We have carried out the necessary tests and collected loads of information to help you in ﬁnding a suitable drill press ( compare it with milling machine as well) .

Contents

Our Verdict

Both Floor and Benchtop Drill Press are useful and have better features than one another, but our ﬁndings found that if you are looking for a drill press that can provide satisfying results at your workplace, then the Floor drill press is much more suitable and convenient for you. A massive load of work can be handled with the help of this drill press and in a short period.

But it does not mean that the benchtop drill press is of no use and cannot fulﬁl your tasks. Benchtop Drill Press is preferred to complete a small amount of work and that too with convenience. This is because the benchtop drill press is smaller in size and is adjustable.

So, it reveals that for handling more extensive tasks, a ﬂoor drill press is suitable, whereas, for home tasks or other small jobs, you can prefer a benchtop drill press. The article further provides the features, similarities, and differences between the two, some frequently asked questions, and ﬁnal conclusions.

Floor Vs Benchtop Drill Press: Comparison Chart

Specification	Benchtop Drill Press	Floor Drill Press
For Household Purposes	Yes	No
For Large Workplaces	No	Yes
For Solid and Heavy metals	No	Yes
For Limited Space	Yes	No
For High Spindle Speed	Yes, however, not in every situation	Yes

Floor Vs Benchtop Drill Press: Differences

1. Size Of The Tools

The primary and standard difference between the ﬂoor and benchtop drill press is their size and space occupied by the two. This difference affects the choice of a consumer and their requirements.

As the name of the benchtop drill press suggests, it is smaller and can be ﬁtted on the top of a benchtop, i.e., the size is usually limited to that of a benchtop. Their dimensions range from 9×13×20 inches to 17×23×51 inches. While the ﬂoor drill presses are larger and are not suitable for the homes. They can be as large as 29×41×93 inches, which is larger for the houses or other smaller places.

2. Spindle Speed (Revolutions Per Minute)

The second most important factor that affects the choice is Spindle Speed. For heavy workloads, ﬂoor drill presses are best to complete the tasks. The revolutions per minute (RPM) range from 40 to 5000 RPM.

On the other hand, benchtop drill presses provide a range of 400 to 4000 RPM. You should consider this factor depending upon the material in which you have to bore. So, buy the drill based on the type of material you have.

3. Weight Of The Drills

This factor is also considered in some areas and affect the choice between these two drills. As you have already come across that the ﬂoor drill presses are more massive, then it is evident that they are also heavier as compared to the benchtop drill presses.

A benchtop drill press can weigh less than 100 pounds. But the ﬂoor drill press requires machinery to move as they even consider thousands of pounds, which is almost impossible to move manually.

4. Cost

Another essential aspect that inﬂuences the choice between the ﬂoor drill press and a benchtop drill press is the cost involved.

The cost of benchtop drill presses is usually lesser as compared to the ﬂoor drill presses. The necessary benchtop drill press costs $100, which is very much affordable. The higher models can cost $1000, which is also less and suitable for home use.

For a good and quality ﬂoor drill press, you may have to spend $20,000 and even beyond, if you prefer a branded or heavy-duty model. So, it is not suitable for homes and small work areas.

5. Horsepower

Keeping the speed factor aside, horsepower is another aspect that affects the choice between the ﬂoor drill press and benchtop drill press.

Materials that are strong and thicker require enormous power for drilling. These materials are solid and rigid and make it harder for the drill press to drill through it.

Benchtop drill presses have less than 1/2 horsepower, which is quite low for a more robust material. Whereas, a ﬂoor drill press has horsepower ranging from 1 to 5 horsepower, which is better for these materials. Due to this reason, ﬂoor drill presses are used in several industries.

6. Chuck Size

The chuck is an integral part of the drill press and is inserted at the cutting tip of the tool. They can be of various sizes, and the sizes depend on the type of drill press. You must also learn about drill press vise.

A bigger chunk size signiﬁes that the more significant cutting tools can be used on the unit. Benchtop drill presses have different sizes of chunks but are lesser than 1/2 inch. While the ﬂoor drill presses can incorporate chucks up to 5/8 inches and sometimes this range can also extend depending upon the requirements. So, for larger areas, a ﬂoor drill press is better and suitable to complete the work.

7. Spindle Tilt

Spindle Tilt is another factor to be considered while buying a drill press. Spindle Tilt means that adjusting the spindle to cut the material at a speciﬁc angle.

This facility is not usually available in all of the drill presses. This is because it will increase the cost of the product and make the mechanism more complex.

As a result, it is not found in the benchtop drill press and is absent from it. Floor drill presses have this capability and can tilt up to 90° and perform the task. It is the major thing present only in the ﬂoor drills and not in the benchtop drill presses.

8. Voltage

The voltage factor is essential to remember while buying a drill press. For the households, a drill press is required, and for the workplaces, a higher voltage drill press is suitable.

As the above differences show the distinction between the sizes and use of the drill presses, the same thing can be applied to the voltage factor. Benchtop drill press operates at 120 volts, which is suitable for homes.

But the ﬂoor drill presses operate at 480 volts, which is adequate only for industrial purposes. It cannot be used for household purposes. So, a benchtop drill press is suitable for the home uses.

Floor Vs Benchtop Drill Press: Similarities

Both the drill presses are stable and robust. They are powered with strong motors and are suitable for every kind of workplace.
New advanced drill presses often provide similar features such as laser technology for precise drilling and so on.
Most of the drill presses are good at generating RPM. Due to this reason, there is no significant difference in the revolutions per minute offered by the ﬂoor or benchtop drill press.
Further, the drill presses are adjustable and can provide the required outcomes by changing the settings or the way of doing.

Floor Vs Benchtop Drill Press: Features and Technical Speciﬁcations

Floor Drill Press Features and Technical Speciﬁcations:

The ﬂoor drill press is easy to use. This means that ﬂoor drill presses can be utilized efficiently and quickly. The workers in an industry or other places can fulﬁl their tasks in a shorter period and accurately.
Usually, the ﬂoor drill press is ﬂexible and provides the beneﬁts to adjust the speed according to the needs. From a lower speed of 300 RPM to an impressive one of 3000 RPM, it can do all your tasks smoothly.
The ﬂoor drill press provides accurate results and helps in completing at the proper time.
4. The drill presses also come with a chuck and onboard chuck key storage. This helps in storing the chucks and reduces the time to complete the tasks.
5. They come up with a cast-iron work table that can rotate up to 45° in both directions. This helps in getting error-free results.
6. The modern ﬂoor drill presses have a fabulous digital readout that delivers the current RPM of the machine for increased accuracy when drilling.
7. The advanced ﬂoor drill press includes the facility of the spindle tilt. You can cut the materials at a speciﬁc angle using this feature. This speciﬁcation usually is present in the ﬂoor drill press and provides an edge to it.
8. The chucks available are more significant in the ﬂoor drill press. Their size can extend to 5/8 inches and even more extensive than this, helping the users in drilling on the thicker and more rigid materials.

Benchtop Drill Press Features and Technical Speciﬁcations:

The benchtop drill presses are smaller in size. This ensures that you can adjust it wherever you want, and it will occupy a little space in that area.
The modern benchtop drill comes with a good speed that can range from 300 to 4000 RPM. This is highly recommended for the house works and other small tasks that don’t require many workloads.
They are not so much heavier as compared to the ﬂoor drills. They can easily move from one place to another and not require any machinery to lift it.
They have a handle mounted on the side of the drill press. This helps in the up and down movement of the chucks over the material to be drilled.
Most of the models are powered by an induction motor with ball bearings facility to facilitate long-lasting durability and enhance the life of the drill press.
They are equipped with pre-drilled holes in the base for mounting onto a bench or a piece of material.
Benchtop Drill Press makes use of less voltage as compared to the floor drill presses. They operate at a voltage of 120 volts, suitable for houses.

Floor Vs Benchtop Drill Press: What’s In The Box?

Drill Press, i.e., Benchtop or Floor Drill Press
Different sizes of chucks
A guide book
A warranty card

Floor Drill Press Vs Benchtop Drill Press: Overview

Overview Of Floor Drill Press

Floor Drill Press is a tool used for heavy workloads and is developed to perform industrial tasks. The different models have great features that can complete the tasks effectively and efﬁciently. They are bigger in size, heavier in weight, and powered by high strength motors. The motors don’t create huge noise and produce small vibrations. The feature to control the speed is a plus for these drill presses.

Here is the list of the pros and cons of the ﬂoor drill press:

Things We Like

It possesses enormous power to handle metal drilling.
Excellent construction quality.
The efﬁciency of operating is usually increased due to the facility of adjusting the table.
There is a presence of digital readout to display the current revolutions per minute, i.e., the existing speed of the drill.
It gives a large ground steel column diameter for maximum head and table support. This also helps in drilling in the metals and with high accuracy.

Things We Don't Like

The ﬂoor drill press is quite expensive and is not suitable for small areas. Only large businesses or industries can afford to buy it.
In the case of shifting of the drill press, the machine is required to lift it and move to another place. The heavy-weight makes it harder to change the positions.

Overview Of Benchtop Drill Press

Benchtop Drill Press is a must for the workshops and important to fulﬁll the tasks. It is used over a more extended period due to its several pros. These drill presses are relatively cheaper than ﬂoor drill presses and still deliver the same power and features. Even modern benchtop drill presses can be used while working with wood and metal. The size is smaller and also lighter in weight. It is recommended for households, small workplaces, and sometimes for large areas as well.

Here, you can get the pros and cons of benchtop drill press after considering the reviews of the various users.

Things We Like

The benchtop drill press is highly powerful due to the presence of an induction motor.
You can get the variable speeds ranging from 400 to 4000 RPM. It means that you can adjust the speeds and get an exact RPM for a precise cut.
They are easy to assemble. You can quickly build and vary the drill press according to your needs. Otherwise, you can get help from the guide book available inside the box.
You can get a handle on the side of the drill press to maintain the position and drill accurately.
The benchtop drill press also provides tilting and locking surfaces for precise work. Moreover, it helps the beginners to get the desired results in the ﬁrst use.

Things We Don't Like

The benchtop drill press can perform heavy tasks, but it performs slowly on the hardwoods or solid metals.
You can get impressive quality but not on the strong metals and rely on the ﬂoor drill press to perform the same task.

FAQs

1. I want a drill press for my wooden box. However, it is strongly built. So, can you suggest which one to buy: Floor or Benchtop Drill Press?

For the sake of home use, you can buy a benchtop drill press as it has the potential to give you the desired results.

2. Earlier, I had a benchtop drill press for my workplace. But now I want to expand my business. So, which drill press will suit my requirements?

For extensive work areas, a ﬂoor drill press is suitable. You can buy the Delta 18-900L Laser Floor Drill Press for your expansion purposes.

3. Can you suggest a benchtop drill press model that can fulﬁl the heavy workload at home?

You can buy WEN 4214 12-inch Variable Speed Drill Press as it is much powerful to bear the considerable workload.

Conclusion

Based on all the features and differences, it can be concluded that both benchtop and ﬂoor drill presses are capable of providing good results. Both are powerful and advanced enough to satisfy the needs of the users. But for household purposes or doing small tasks, a benchtop drill press is recommended and is very much suitable. In contrast, for large workplaces with daily use, a ﬂoor drill press is better and reliable for completing the tasks accurately and quickly.