8 Best Floor Drill Presses of 2023 – Top Picks & Reviews

Floor drill presses are the largest, most powerful, and often most accurate type of drill out there. As such, if you are looking for a powerful drill press for handling large projects with ease, the floor drill press might be your best bet.

Floor drill presses, however, vary widely in power, speed, and capacity. This means that the ideal model for you will be determined by your specific needs.

We know that comparing the numerous models on the market can be hectic, and that is why we have done the legwork for you. The following are reviews of the 8 best floor drill presses you can buy today. Read on.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Shop Fox W1848 Oscillating Floor Drill Press	Compact size and lightweight for easy mobility ¾ HP motor with variable speed Doubles as a sander	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press	X-pattern laser for greater accuracy Tilting table to allow for angular drills Stable cast iron base	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Delta 18-900L 18-Inch Laser Drill Press	Twin lasers for enhanced precision Oversized table for handling larger workpieces 6-inch quill stroke to facilitate deeper drilling	CHECK PRICE
		Powermatic PM2800B 1792800B Drill Press	Powerful 1-HP motor Depth stop and laser guide for enhanced accuracy Variable speed mechanism	CHECK PRICE
		JET 354170/JDP-20MF Floor Drill Press	1.5 HP motor Diverse speed range Large worktable	CHECK PRICE

The 8 Best Floor Drill Presses

1. Shop Fox W1848 Oscillating Floor Drill Press – Best Overall

The Shop Fox W1848 is at the top of our list thanks to its perfect balance of size, features, performance, and price, which makes it ideal for both professionals and enthusiasts.

Even though the W1848 has a conventional design, its features make it remarkably versatile. For starters, it doubles as a sander, meaning that you will not have to invest in a separate tool for sanding operations. Additionally, you do not need any tools to make adjustments to the unit, ensuring faster and smoother operations.

The W1848 comes with a highly maneuverable table that can not only be raised or lowered but also tilts 90 degrees to either side. This allows you to work with pieces with a wide variety of shapes and sizes. What’s more, you can even remove the table completely so that you can use the base as one. For your comfort, the table is fitted with a dust port to allow you to eliminate sawdust and debris.

A ¾-HP, 115V single-phase motor powers this floor drill press. In addition to providing more than enough power for most applications, this motor comes with a variable speed setting to allow you greater control over your projects, as well as enhanced versatility.

Weighing in at only 122 pounds, the W1848 is one of the lightest models on the market today. This makes it a good choice for smaller shops, as it can be moved around quite easily. Unfortunately, its lighter weight means that it is more vulnerable to vibrations at higher RPM, which can affect its accuracy.

Nonetheless, if you are looking for a beginner-friendly floor drill press with all the features you need, you can hardly go wrong with the WEN W1848.

2. WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press – Best Value

The WEN 4214 is a great choice for those on a budget. WEN is a reputable manufacturer in the power tools industry, with nearly seven decades of experience. The WEN 4214’s versatile design and a bevy of features will be sure to meet the needs of most artisans out there.

This drill press is fairly powerful. It comes with a ⅔-HP inductive motor with a rating of 5 amps. At that rating, you get a drill press with enough power to drill through a wide variety of materials, ranging from woods to dense metal sheets.

The WEN 4214’s motor comes with variable speed to allow you to adapt to the needs of the material you are drilling. Materials such as metal require low speeds, while wood is best drilled at high speeds. With its variable speed of between 580 and 3,200 RPMs, this drill press is versatile enough to work on a wide range of materials. We also appreciated that you can adjust speeds on the fly, thus saving you time. A digital readout meter allows you to keep track of your speeds.

This drill press comes with a table measuring 9½ by 9 ½inches, which should be large enough to accommodate most of your workpieces. The table can bevel 45 degrees to either side to allow you greater control over your project.

Other features you will like are the X-cross hair laser system and onboard work light that prevent the occurrence of errors.

Durability should not be an issue, thanks to its cast iron construction.

The only issue with this drill press is that it does not pack enough of a punch to handle thicker metals. Nonetheless, when you compare its quality versus price, there is no doubt that the WEN 4214 is one of the best floor drill presses for the money.

3. Delta 18-900L 18-Inch Laser Drill Press – Premium Choice

If you are looking for a floor drill press with a robust motor and excellent performance, the Delta 18-900L is definitely worth checking out. This unit comes with a heavy-duty ¾ HP motor that can handle a wide variety of applications, making it ideal for both serious hobbyists and professionals.

The 18-900L comes with a design that enhances control and versatility tremendously. It has 16 different speeds to allow you to fine-tune the machine to meet the needs of different materials. Additionally, it is fitted with a flexible LED work light to allow you better visibility. And don’t forget, there’s a pair of lasers to enhance your accuracy.

The Delta 18-900L can support larger workpieces thanks to its oversized table. The table features a patented design that allows it to not only bevel 90 degrees to the left and right but also to tilt forward from 0 to 48 degrees. It also has T-slots for clamping, as well as a removable center insert.

However, it is not without its shortcomings. For example, it features an auto-tensioning system that does not achieve enough tension for some applications. This means that you might have to invest in a shorter belt to achieve stronger tension.

Nonetheless, the Delta 19-900L is a versatile drill press that will prove to be an excellent solution for professional users, as well as dedicated DIY enthusiasts. While the price might be slightly on the premium side, it is still good value for money for the quality and performance you will be getting.

4. Powermatic PM2800B 1792800B Drill Press

The PM2800B by Powermatic is renowned for its power, speed, and precision. It comes with a 1-HP, 7.5-amp motor with variable speeds of between 250 and 3,000 RPM to allow you to tackle a diverse array of applications.

The PM2800B comes with an easy-to-use design and a bevy of features to facilitate faster and smoother operations. First off, you get a mechanical speed change that allows you to adjust the RPM without having to change belts. Another great feature is the LCD screen that displays RPM.

This unit is a good choice for applications that require deep drilling, as one turn of its handle gives you a spindle travel of up to 6 inches.

The PM2800B’s worktable features an adjustable fence system to allow you to position your workpieces without a lot of hassle. It also prevents your stock from falling out of the work area. The table can tilt up to 90 degrees to allow you to work at a wide variety of angles, which enhances your versatility dramatically.

This drill press also comes with an adjustable material stop that allows you to achieve consistent accuracy in repetitive actions.

Its cast-iron base allows for greater stability, while the safety key it comes with prevents the press from starting accidentally.

All these features come at a price, as the Powermatic PM2800B is one of the most expensive drill presses on the market today. Fortunately, this professional-grade floor drill press comes with a 5-year manufacturer warranty.

5. JET 354170/JDP-20MF Floor Drill Press

With its 1.5-HP motor, the Jet 351470 is unparalleled when it comes to pure, unbridled power. This means that it will drill through just about anything without stalling.

In addition to boasting exceptional power, this floor drill press has one of the most diverse speeds, with a speed range of between 150 and 4,200 RPM. This allows you to work on a wide array of materials with outstanding levels of accuracy. The motor is of the quick adjustment type, which allows for fast and easy spindle speed modifications.

The 351470 has one of the largest worktables of any floor drill press out there, which makes it an excellent choice for large-scale projects. Additionally, it rotates to allow you greater control over your project, while beveling 45 degrees to either side to facilitate angled drilling. You will also appreciate the quick release clamp it comes with that makes it easy to adjust.

Weighing in at 288 pounds, however, this unit will be difficult to move once assembled. Assembling it is also somewhat challenging.

6. Sunex 5000A 16-Speed Floor Drill Press

The Sunex 5000A is one of the most versatile floor drill presses in production today, thanks to its wide speed range of 16 different speeds between 200 and 3,850 RPM.

Easy to use, it comes with a convenient belt tension lever for quick and easy speed transitions. Additionally, it comes with a relatively large table that can rotate 360 degrees while pivoting up to 45 degrees on either side to allow you to work on a wide range of materials at various angles.

Weighing in at 146 pounds, this unit should be easy to move when need be. The Sunex 5000A’s reliability, however, is questionable.

7. Lukcase Floor Drill Press

If you already have a powerful hand drill, you can avoid the costs of purchasing a full drill press and purchase this Lukcase drill press stand instead.

This heavy-duty stand comes with all the necessary features you can expect from a floor drill press, apart from the power drill. This stand can accommodate power drills with collar diameters ranging between 1.48 and 1.7 inches.

It allows height and depth adjustments to give you more control over your work. Additionally, the collar is adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of tools. This, however, is simply a stand. Therefore, it might not perform as well as a true drill press. Its parts are also rather flimsy.

8. Klutch Floor Drill Press

This drill press by Klutch is one of the more affordable options on the market today. It comes with a ¾-HP motor that offers you speeds of between 260 and 3,410 RPM, making it a highly versatile drill press.

However, due to its smaller frame, this unit is not ideal for large-scale projects. Moreover, its lightweight frame means that stability is compromised at higher RPMs.

Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose the Best Floor Drill Press

To get the best floor drill press for your shop, you will first have to know what to look out for. The following are the most important features to consider when evaluating a potential drill press.

Power

The total amount of force that a drill press’s motor can generate is what is referred to as power. This power is what turns the spindle to create speed and torque and is usually measured in horsepower.

The more HP a drill press has, the more adept it will be at drilling through tough materials. Therefore, if you will be drilling materials such as hardwoods and metals, ensure that you go for a powerful unit. On the other hand, if you will be dealing with “softer” materials such as softwoods and plastic, you might not need a unit that is as powerful.

Variable Speed

Different materials require different drilling speeds. For example, metals are best drilled at lower speeds, while wood does best with higher speeds.

Your drill press, therefore, should allow you to choose between different drill speeds. However, that is not all, as drill presses vary in the speed levels they offer. The best machines have numerous speed levels to allow you to handle a wider variety of materials.

You also want a machine that makes it easy for you to switch between speeds, as that will determine how efficient you will be in operations.

Table Design

When it comes to table design, first check whether the table tilts. A tilting table is a crucial feature of any good drill press, as it allows you to make angled holes. The tilting angle matters too. Some tables tilt up to 45 degrees, while others can go up to 90.

Most beveling tables tilt to the right or left. However, some do tilt forward. As you can imagine, the latter will give you unlimited freedom over your work.

Also, look to see whether a table rotates. Rotating tables make your work a lot easier since they allow you to bring the work to you, as opposed to you working around it.

Depth Stops

A depth stop comes in handy when you have to make repeated drill runs that require equal depths. It allows you to set a depth so that you do not have to keep adjusting the drill for each run. This feature is especially useful for commercial shops, as it saves you a lot of time.

Price

With floor drill presses, what you pay for is often what you get. Therefore, if you are looking for a high performance and reliable unit, you should be prepared to pay the cost. While you can get a quality unit at a reasonable price, it might not have as many features as a premium-priced one.

Therefore, your needs are what are going to determine how much you are going to invest.

Avoid cheap drill presses at all costs, as they are not reliable.

Warranty

A floor drill press is a significant investment. As such, you want to know that you are covered in case of anything. Check out the warranty terms before you make your decision.

Conclusion

There you have it; those are our reviews of the best floor drill presses on the market today. From high-end commercial presses to budget-friendly models for smaller shops, you should be able to find your ideal drill press on that list.

If you are yet to make up your mind, however, we recommend the Shop Fox W1848 drill press. It is reasonably priced for such a high-quality unit. If you are on a tight budget, consider the WEN 4214. It might not have lots of bells and whistles, but it gets the job done.